Best Gina Begley Podcasts (2024)

1
Ed Begley Jr. On His Life in Entertainment And Climate Activism 56:03

2h ago56:03

56:03

For 57 years, Ed Begley Jr. has been in literally hundreds of your favorite movies and television shows. And during those years, he's also established himself as one of the most prominent voices in Hollywood on environmental sustainability and climate action. Now, he’s with a new memoir, To the Temple of Tranquility…And Step On It!, which recounts …

1
Will The Climate Movement Handle The Pressure Of 2024? (w/ Rev. Lennox Yearwood) 46:32

2M ago46:32

46:32

The climate movement faces mounting pressure in 2024. Record-setting temperatures and extreme weather disasters continue to devastate over a turbulent summer. Prominent plans to roll back environmental regulations and stiffle climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives have movement leaders pushing back on attacks. Is the climate movement able to…

1
Fragile Insurers, Risky Mortgages, and the Climate Crisis (w/ Prof. Pari Sastry) 32:01

2M ago32:01

32:01

In 2008, the world economic system was rocked by a financial crisis that stemmed from risky mortgages being securitized and sold as safe investments to unknowing investors. Misaligned incentives, unpriced risk, deceptive selling practices, and a lack of regulatory scrutiny throughout the financial industry led to the Great Recession, the consequenc…

1
How To Win Climate Arguments And Influence People (w/ Dr. Genevieve Guenther) 1:08:54

2M ago1:08:54

1:08:54

Bad actors continue to push fake talking points to obscure the truth on climate change and slow down action. So how we combat these common myths and inspire people to do more? That's the focus of today's show and a new book by our guest, Dr. Genevieve Guenther. In her new book, The Language of Climate Politics: Fossil-Fuel Propaganda and How to Fig…

1
Highways Are Horrible For Climate Change. How Does The Problem Keep Expanding? 1:07:48

3M ago1:07:48

1:07:48

For 70 years, building out and expanding American highways have been core parts to the entire US transportation project. But the initial effort to connect cities and states has created gigantic problems in the subsequent decades. Instead of fixing many of these critical issues, too often we see cities and states double down on the problem and make …

1
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm on America's Clean Energy Mission 32:08

3M ago32:08

32:08

President Biden campaigned on the promises of producing 100% of America's electricity with clean energy resources by 2035 and getting America's economy to Net Zero emissions by 2050. Since President Biden took office, the US Congress has passed the Bi-partisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPs and Science Act - all aime…

1
Grief, Racism, and the Climate Crisis (w/ Mary Annaïse Heglar) 48:33

3M ago48:33

48:33

Mary Annaïse Heglar is back on the show to discuss her new book "Troubled Waters", a fictional account of a young Black woman in Mississippi that uses direct action against the fossil fuel industry as a healing mechanism for her own grief, while also learning about the grief and trauma that her own grandmother carries with her from her days at the …

1
What Will The Future Of Climate Denial Look Like? (w/ Tad DeLay) 56:42

3M ago56:42

56:42

The climate movement is used to fight denial. Few who do this work escape the need to push back against critics claiming that human-created carbon dioxide emissions don't cause dangerous warming. But as the crisis becomes more clear and everpresent, it's time to expand our definition of climate denial, argues author Tad DeLay. In his new book, Futu…

1
We Need More Climate People (w/ Tom Steyer) 36:08

4M ago36:08

36:08

Hundreds of billions of dollars have already been invested in clean energy projects in America since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed in 2022. With that level of spending, clean energy jobs are on the rise, meaning there's never been a better time to start a career focused on combating the climate crisis. The variety of roles in clean energy …

1
The Complex Threat Of Sea Level Rise (w/ Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters Brady Dennis and Chris Mooney) 53:12

4M ago53:12

53:12

This week, two Pultizer Prize-winning reporters join the show to discuss their new investigative series, “The Drowning South," and how the threat of sea level rise is causing a number of complex problems in America's southern coastal cities. The Washington Post's Chris Mooney, a reporter covering climate change, energy and the environment, and Brad…

1
Groundbreaking Economic Study Suggests Greater Climate Damages (w/ Dr. Adrien Bilal and Dr. Diego Kaenzig) 51:07

4M ago51:07

51:07

In 2018, economist William Nordhaus won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his Dynamic Integrated Climate-Economy model, which was the first neoclassical growth model to incorporate the impacts of a warming planet on the global economy. While celebrated for its economic innovations, the DICE model and its outputs have been criticized…

1
Is Climate Anxiety Keeping People From Having Children? (w/ Dr. Jade Sasser) 49:04

4M ago49:04

49:04

Over the past five years, there have been several studies showing how the climate crisis is impacting major life decisions. Whether it’s where to live, how to invest, or what to study, young people today are being forced to confront a climate-worsened future and decide what’s best for their personal situation given the very public failures of leade…

1
Why Is Climate Change Missing In Our Movies? (w/ Anna Jane Joyner and Matthew Schneider-Mayerson) 56:33

5M ago56:33

56:33

Popular films have massive influence over our culture. It's where we go to see the biggest stories on the biggest screen. It's where we go to see Nicole Kidman do that weird commerical before the film starts. Movies are really, really important. So, why isn't the climate crisis, one of the defining issues of our time, on the silver screen more ofte…

1
The American Climate Corps Explained (with White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi) 35:16

5M ago35:16

35:16

The American Climate Corps, an initiative that will employ 20,000 Americans in its first year to combat the climate crisis, is launching this week as the Biden Administration delivers on another campaign promise. Learning from previous national service programs such as FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps and AmeriCorps, the American Climate Corps wil…

1
CNN's Bill Weir On The Life Lessons Found In Climate Reporting 1:09:27

5M ago1:09:27

1:09:27

For years, we've watched as Bill Weir has brought climate storytelling to one of the biggest news networks on television. On CNN, Bill has traveled the world to cover everything from extreme weather disasters to cutting-edge climate solutions. And throughout an incredibly eventful career, he's learned life lessons he hopes his children and others w…

1
The Washington Post's Shannon Osaka On Microplastics, Extreme Weather Costs, And Covering Climate In 2024 1:01:09

5M ago1:01:09

1:01:09

Shannon Osaka has been one of our favorite climate journalists for years. So we were incredibly excited to have her on this week for a wide-ranging conversation on a variety of climate issues - like microplastics, extreme weather costs in the US, and covering climate change as we exceed 1.5 degrees of warming above pre-industrial levels. Shannon al…

1
Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet (w/ Brett Christophers) 1:16:16

6M ago1:16:16

1:16:16

For decades, the biggest pushback against renewable energy was that it was more expensive to generate than electricity that came from the burning of fossil fuels. But all that changed in 2016 when both solar and wind-generated electricity became cheaper than electricity generated by coal and natural gas, at least when using the industry-standard me…

1
How Do You Behave Ethically In A Climate Crisis? (w/ Travis Rieder) 1:01:34

6M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

The climate crisis presents us with a number of moral challenges. We all produce emissions, but there are massive differences and inequities in how much pollution each individual is responsible for and who is harmed the most by the consequences. As the very real impacts of the crisis only become more obvious and deadly, we continue to ask ourselves…

1
Elizabeth Kolbert on Climate Rhetoric vs Climate Reality 44:38

6M ago44:38

44:38

In 2021, Greta Thunberg spoke to the youth climate movement at an event leading up to COP26. Her famous "Blah, Blah, Blah" speech contrasted all of the things world leaders had said about the climate crisis and what those same leaders had actually done to reduce emissions and create policies to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. Three years …

1
Degrowth, Malthus, and the Climate Crisis (w/ Giorgos Kallis) 58:50

6M ago58:50

58:50

Over the last century, economic growth, as measured by increases in countries' Gross Domestic Product, has been the key indicator of success. And while GDP has skyrocketed in many countries, so has fossil fuel use, deforestation, and the destruction of natural ecosystems. On top of that, inequality has actually gotten worse in many countries and in…

1
The Adventurers Behind A Thrilling New Climate Documentary (w/ Dr. Lonnie Thompson, Danny O'Malley, and Dr. Alex Rivest) 52:26

7M ago52:26

52:26

It's incredible how dramatic climate science can be. That was my first thought after I watched the new documentary, Canary, which chronicles the life and career of Dr. Lonnie Thompson. This week, the subject behind the film, Dr. Thompson, and the co-directors of the documentary, Danny O'Malley and Dr. Alex Rivest, explain how the film came together…

1
How Can The Climate Movement Build Real Power? (w/ Dana Fisher) 52:30

7M ago52:30

52:30

Who can the climate movement turn to for real change? Politicians? Business leaders? International negotiators? The reality, as Professor Dana Fisher argues, is that despite major gains for climate action in recent years, none of our leaders are adequately advancing solutions at the speed and scale neccessary to meet the actual crisis we face. And …

1
What's Keeping Nuclear Energy From Playing a Larger Role in Decarbonization? (w/ Dr. Matt Bowen) 46:24

7M ago46:24

46:24

The International Energy Agency, among other prominent modelers of our energy future, projects that nuclear energy's current global capacity must double by 2050 in order for the world to hit its decarbonization goals. The annual investments needed to reach this doubling far exceed anything that's being invested today in new nuclear facilities. Just…

1
Why Is 'New Climate Denial' So Popular On Social Media? (w/ Imran Ahmed) 55:53

7M ago55:53

55:53

"It is vital that those advocating for action to avert climate disaster take note of this substantial shift from denial of anthropogenic climate change to undermining trust in both solutions and science itself, and shift our focus, our resources and our counternarratives accordingly." In the introduction to a new report from the Center for Counteri…

1
2024 is Forecasted to Pass 1.5 Degrees - What Does That Mean? (w/ Dr. Nick Dunstone and Dr. Richard Betts) 42:26

7M ago42:26

42:26

In 2015, representatives from all countries attending COP21 agreed to limit global average temperature rise to well below 2.0 degrees Celsius above pre-Industrial levels and to aim for a 1.5 degree rise. Flash forward less than a decade, and the United Kingdom Meteorological Office is forecasting the average annual temperature for 2024 to likely be…

1
The New Politics Of The Climate Crisis Era (w/ Ajay Singh Chaudhary) 1:01:56

8M ago1:01:56

1:01:56

We witness the climate crisis every day. Unfolding on our news feeds, impacting our communities, and undeniably causing unfathomable, inequitable harm across the planet. We lament the lack of urgency in our political leaders and even find ourselves frustrated by complacency in the public's push for climate action. But we truly are in a transformati…

1
The Immediate Benefits of Decarbonization (w/ Dr. Drew Shindell) 37:14

8M ago37:14

37:14

The negative impacts of climate change are almost always depicted on a global scale and decades-long timeframe. However, the positive impacts of reducing the use of fossil fuels are realized at the local level and almost immediately. The co-authors of the recently published paper, "Reductions in Premature Deaths from Heat and Particulate Matter Air…

1
Can Mass Protest Movements Deliver Climate Revolution? (w/ Vincent Bevins) 1:15:00

8M ago1:15:00

1:15:00

"From 2010 to 2020, more people participated in protests than at any other point in human history. But we are not living in a world that is more just and democratic as a result." In Vincent Bevins' new book, If We Burn, with this argument comes a central question: Can mass protests and uprisings actually lead to progressive change? The answer is co…

1
An Optimistic Case for a Sustainable Future (w/ Dr. Hannah Ritchie) 48:59

8M ago48:59

48:59

As global temperatures continue to rise, fossil fuel production continues to increase, forests continue to be cut down, and species are becoming extinct at rates faster than previous mass extinctions, it's hard to find any hope for a sustainable, or even habitable, future. But giving up is not an option. There are billions of people now and in the …

1
How Are Progressives Transforming US Climate Policy? (w/ Ryan Grim) 1:01:45

9M ago1:01:45

1:01:45

I don't know if you've heard, but in 2024, there is a little ol' election happening in the US that may just decide the fate of American democracy. That's it! Nothing more! Actually...there is more. Down ballot from the presidential pick will be a number of critical candidates for a variety of elected offices around the country. And over the past de…

1
What Did We Learn About Climate Media, Activism, and Justice in 2023? (w/ Evlondo Cooper and Mitzi Jonelle Tan) 1:17:20

9M ago1:17:20

1:17:20

It's been a long year and so much has happened in the fight for climate justice. How has it been covered in major US media outlets? What is needed as the global fight for climate action continues? Two expert guests join the show this week to weigh in on these critical topics as we close out the year. First, Evlondo Cooper, senior writer with the cl…

1
The Unequal Climate Impacts on Natural Capital (w/ Dr. Bernie Bastien-Olvera) 29:53

9M ago29:53

29:53

As the planet warms, ecosystems are on the move. Biologists and climate scientists have observed the migration of forests toward the poles and even toward higher elevations as human-caused climate change forces species into more hospitable areas. And economists have known for centuries that countries rely on their natural resources for the raw mate…

1
COP28: What's Behind The Headlines? (w/ Nina Lakhani, Aderonke Ige, and Rachel Rose Jackson) 1:08:03

9M ago1:08:03

1:08:03

COP28 has come to a close. Since the final day of the conference, we've seen both a number of headlines noting a historic decision and news of climate injustices at this year's event. So what are the most critical takeaways from COP28? To answer, we brought on three guests that attended the conference to take a deep dive into the biggest issues, th…

1
The Messages That Actually Motivate Climate Action (w/ John Marshall) 54:46

9M ago54:46

54:46

For the last four years, John Marshall and the team at Potential Energy Coalition have been testing more than 3 billion ads in 20 countries to determine what messages are the most effective at inspiring climate action. In this conversation, we discuss what it really takes to motivate someone to support climate policies, which policies are more popu…

1
How To Earn Rural Support Of Climate Action (w/ Jane Kleeb) 57:31

10M ago57:31

57:31

Rural voters are often overlooked or completely ignored when it comes to progressive campaigns, including ones centered on climate action. And yet, it is the vast land available in rural areas that offer the greatest opportunity to build out clean energy projects in America. But years of misinformation, crumbling political infrastructure, and Repub…

1
What's At Stake At COP28? (w/ David Gelles and Pascoe Sabido) 1:01:44

10M ago1:01:44

1:01:44

This week, we have two great guests on the show to explain what's at stake at COP28 and some of the biggest issues surrounding the conference. First, New York Times correspondent David Gelles joins to discuss what he'll be covering at COP28, why the recent US-China deal heading into the conference might provided a much needed jolt, and what to watc…

1
The Fifth National Climate Assessment (w/ Allison Crimmins) 41:09

10M ago41:09

41:09

Since 2000, the United States Global Change Research Program has periodically published a report on its assessment of the climate crisis, its current impacts, its potential threats, and the solutions available to mitigate the worst impacts and adapt as quickly as possible. Last week, the interagency program published the Fifth National Climate Asse…

1
2023 State of the Climate (w/ Dr. Jillian Gregg) 42:27

10M ago42:27

42:27

Each year, scientists from around the world develop a comprehensive report on the state of the climate crisis. The report provides updates on dozens of the most important indicators of the progress humans are making to limit greenhouse gas emissions and the consequences of not doing so faster. This year's report, "The 2023 State of the Climate Repo…

1
Outer Space Won't Save You From Climate Change (w/ Zach Weinersmith) 1:07:39

11M ago1:07:39

1:07:39

Wouldn't it be nice if we could just escape to space? Just go live on Mars and leave all our Earthly problem behind. Despite the enthusiasm for space settlement, a lot of very big questions need to be answered before we can consider leaving this planet behind. And a lot of these questions, according to authors Dr. Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weiners…

1
How Has Energy Security Changed Since The 1973 Oil Crisis? (w/ Jason Bordoff) 53:50

11M ago53:50

53:50

We've just passed the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Arab oil embargo, which kicked off almost a full decade of energy crises in around the globe. How has energy security changed since then? With war unfolding now in the Middle East, could it happen again? How are geopolitics shifting with the transition to clean energy? Jason Bordoff, the founding d…

1
Why Infrastructure is Critical to a Sustainable and Just Society (w/ Deb Chachra) 54:40

11M ago54:40

54:40

Modern infrastructure has the ability to make our lives better. Instant access to power and clean water. The ability to communicate with friends and family around the world. The freedom to quickly get where we want when we want. But today’s infrastructure is still very flawed. Not everyone has access to that infrastructure, which means not everyone…

1
How Fragile Is Our Climate? (w/ Prof. Michael Mann) 35:48

11M ago35:48

35:48

In his latest book, Our Fragile Moment - How Lessons From Earth’s Past Can Help Us Survive The Climate Crisis, Professor Michael Mann makes it clear: uncertainty, when it comes to climate change, is not our friend. The famed climate professor is back on the show this week to discuss how looking back through Earth's paleoclimate record shows how fra…

1
Are Carbon Offsets Junk? (w/ Rachel Rose Jackson) 43:22

11M ago43:22

43:22

Every year, billions of dollars are spent worldwide on carbon offsets, and the size of the market is expected to grow substantially over the next decade. But do carbon offset projects actually do what they're intended to do in the first place, which is lower carbon dioxide emissions and help communities around the world avoid worsening climate disa…

1
Ending Wealth Supremacy (w/ Marjorie Kelly) 48:29

12M ago48:29

48:29

The perpetual extraction by those striving for limitless wealth has set our planet on a trajectory that could make living here impossible for billions of humans by the end of this century. Marjorie Kelly, founder of Business Ethics Magazine and currently a Senior Fellow at the Democracy Collaborative, argues that in order to overcome the capital bi…

1
Live at Farm Aid 2023! (w/ Nathaniel Rateliff, Greer Farms, and The Particle Kid, aka Micah Nelson) 56:08

12M ago56:08

56:08

Last weekend, we recorded some great conversations at Farm Aid 2023 in Noblesville, Indiana! Given that Farm Aid 2023 was focused on how the climate crisis is impacting family farmers and how farmers are also working on necessary solutions through regenerative agriculture, we wanted to talk to some of the folks at the center of the event. On this e…

1
The Extraordinary Costs of Climate Denial (w/ David Lipsky) 55:54

12M ago55:54

55:54

With his new book, The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial, David Lipsky explores the long history of our understanding of climate science and the massive, industry-funded anti-science movement that worked to undermine action and cause an astonishing amount of destruction. In this episode, the New York Times best-selling author …

1
Rhiana Gunn-Wright On How Climate Policy Falls Short On Racial Justice And The Green New Deal's Legacy 56:24

1y ago56:24

56:24

As one of the architects of the Green New Deal, Rhiana Gunn-Wright has been a part of a fundamental shift in how climate policy is shaped and the discourse around it. But as she writes in her latest piece, "Our Green Transition May Leave Black People Behind," there are a number of ways that current climate policy is falling short on racial justice.…

1
Is Capitalism Devouring the Planet? (w/ Professor Nancy Fraser) 59:18

1y ago59:18

59:18

In her 2022 book, "Cannibal Capitalism", Professor Nancy Fraser argues that "capitalism harbors a deep-seated ecological contradiction that inclines it non-accidentally to environmental crisis." Like the contradictions of capitalism that Karl Marx predicted would lead to crises and capitalism's ultimate downfall, Professor Fraser compelling lays ou…

1
Examining the Waste Crisis (w/ Oliver Franklin-Wallis) 49:00

1y ago49:00

49:00

Every year, humans generate over 2 billion metric tons of solid waste worldwide. Where does it go after you're done with it? How does it impact communities and economies and ecosystems around the world? How can we solve such an enormous and growing problem? Oliver Franklin-Wallis dives deep into these questions and more in his new book "Wasteland: …

1
Maui's Recovery And The Fight Against Disaster Capitalism (w/ Kaniela Ing) 49:37

1y ago49:37

49:37

At the time of publishing, the devastating wildfires in Maui have left hundreds missing, already more than one hundred people confirmed dead, and extraordinary damage visible throughout the town of Lahaina. As recovery gets underway, the fight for justice is only starting. Maui leaders are working to ensure an adequate federal government response a…

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