230: The Colorado River Is Running Out of Time, with Jennifer Pitt
Jennifer Pitt discusses shrinking Colorado River supplies, expiring state agreements, and the urgent need for consensus, conservation, and flexible reservoir management to avoid severe shortages and litigation.
229: How Gen Z Is Rewriting the Climate Playbook
Amelia Southern-Uribe shares how youth-led climate justice, storytelling, and local organizing build power, uplift frontline communities, and turn grief into action against fossil fuels and environmental injustice.
228: The Legal War on Fossil Fuels, with Michael Gerrard
Professor Michael Gerrard discusses his path into environmental law, the Sabin Center’s climate mission, and the key legal tools, legislation, state action, and litigation shaping climate progress.
227: Why Recycling Won’t Save the Planet, with Catherine Weetman
Matt speaks with Dr. Catherine Weetman about why recycling alone cannot solve the environmental crisis and why businesses must adopt circular and regenerative models.
226: How Close We Are to Losing an Entire Species Forever, with Matt Podolsky
Matt speaks with environmental filmmaker Matt Podolsky of Wild Lens Collective about how storytelling drives conservation, from his Sundance-winning Sea of Shadows on the vaquita to new work on bats, policy impact, and making hidden crises visible.
225: Why Climate Adaptation Can’t Wait Any Longer, with Doug Parsons
Matt Matern talks with Doug Parsons of America Adapts on why climate adaptation now rivals emissions cuts, how the Defense Department keeps adapting despite politics, and how storytelling can drive action
224: How Solar Is Now the Cheapest Power on Earth, with Marcius Extavour
Matt speaks with Dr. Marcius Extavour on innovation in climate action, from solar’s economic rise to carbon removal. They explore data, design, and AI as tools to empower communities, policymakers, and practical systems-based solutions.
223: How Dr. James Danoff-Burg Helped Stop Poachers Without Guns
Matt speaks with Dr. James Danoff-Burg of The Living Desert about community-centered conservation in South Africa, highlighting the Black Mambas - an unarmed, all-female anti-poaching unit reducing rhino poaching.
222: Making Sustainability Make Sense with Cecilia Rios
Matt Matern speaks with Cecilia Rios, co-host of Sustainability Defined, about her path into climate work, sustainability podcasting, business and culture, and how consumers and policy together can drive more sustainable, equitable change.
221: How AI and Satellites Are Unmasking the Biggest Ocean Polluters, with Nick Wise
Matt Matern speaks with Nick Wise on how satellites and AI are transforming ocean protection—tracking illegal fishing, shipping emissions, and strengthening global climate accountability.
220: Why Millions Are Plugging Into Solar and America Is Falling Behind
BrightSaver cofounder Cora Stryker joins Matt Matern to reveal how balcony solar could revolutionize clean energy access for renters and low-income households - cutting costs, carbon, and red tape across the U.S.
219: Kelly Bills’ Plan to Save Pollinators Worldwide
Pollinators are declining fast - and it threatens our food systems and ecosystems. Matt talks with Kelly Bills of Pollinator Partnership about climate impacts, habitat loss, Bee Friendly Farming, and what communities and individuals can do to help restore pollinator health.
218: The Green Girl Changing Climate Activism with Leah Thomas
Leah Thomas, award-winning environmentalist, author, and founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, shares how her Midwest roots and racial justice movements shaped her path. She discusses climate justice, launching her nonprofit, and producing the new season of As She Rises on rewilding.
217: Stephen Lezak Challenges Bill Gates’s Climate Argument
Matt Matern talks with Arctic climate justice scholar Stephen Lezak about a rapidly warming North Pole, indigenous-led solutions, rights of nature, and how to balance climate risk with practical, people-centered action.
216: The Science They Tried to Silence, Naomi Oreskes on Climate Truth
Matt talks with Harvard historian Naomi Oreskes about the decades-long climate consensus, political attacks on science, early Congressional awareness, the EPA’s crucial endangerment finding, and rising threats to academic freedom and universities.
215: From AI Stunts to EV Smarts: What Actually Matters for the Climate
Comedian Bill Kessler joins Matt Mattern for a lively, unfiltered take on climate politics, clean energy setbacks, and the moral choices shaping our planet. From $700M project losses to “Cancer Alley,” they mix humor with hope and smart ideas for a sustainable future.
214: Why Renewables Are Beating Fossil Fuels on Cost with Dr. Gernot Wagner
Renewables are now cheaper than fossil fuels - solar 41% and wind 53% less costly. Dr. Gernot Wagner explores how carbon pricing, green hydrogen, and smart policy are driving the global clean energy transition.
213: James Beard’s Winner, Andrew Zimmern’s Playbook to Sustainable Seafood Solutions
Only 0.001% of Earth’s seafloor has been explored! Emmy-winning chef Andrew Zimmern joins A Climate Change to discuss ocean resilience, sustainable seafood, and why there’s still hope for our blue planet.
212: Inside the Global Treaty to End Fossil Fuels with Tzeporah Berman
Matt talks with Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, about a global movement to phase out oil, gas, and coal. With 17 countries and 101 Nobel laureates on board, they outline a fair roadmap to end fossil fuel dependence.
211: Making Urban Justice Come to Life with Dr. Sheila R. Foster
Matt speaks with Dr. Sheila R. Foster, a leading expert on urban justice and environmental law, about how cities can design fairer, more sustainable systems that protect both people and the planet.
210: Trump’s Environmental Manifesto (and Why It’s a Joke)
Matt and comedian Bill Kessler unpack Trump’s UN speech - climate denial, wind energy rants, and word salads. A lighter, comedic take with sharp undertones about leadership on the world stage.
209: Alexia Kelly Exposes the Dirty Secrets of Carbon Credits
Discover how Alexia Kelly, ex-Netflix sustainability leader and now at High Tide Foundation, unpacks carbon credits, greenhouse gas accounting, and climate finance to show how corporate sustainability drives real environmental impact.
208: The Hidden Secrets Behind Profit-Driven Climate Action with Joel Makower
Joel Makower unpacks how smart business fuels climate action. From $16T green initiatives to Pentagon-inspired strategies, he shows why walkable cities, regenerative farming & sustainability are key to U.S. resilience.
207: A Documentarian’s Duty to Climate Action with Olga Loginova
Filmmaker Olga Loginova explores climate and justice issues through documentaries on U.S. climate relocation, Amazon deforestation, and indigenous knowledge—revealing the power of storytelling for change.
