Climate Quandaries is a podcast about (some of) the Big Philosophical Questions raised by climate change, featuring 1-on-1 conversations with climate scientists. We traverse the personal-professional interface to explore how scientists personally see the value of their work and reckon with its implications, a.k.a. what it all means — from the long-term global level to individual life choices.
The podcast's goal is to reveal a sort of 'metadata' on the field as a whole, at this moment where climate-related issues are arguably more important than ever for both human society and the environment writ large. We describe our personal views and actions on a variety of current issues, aiming to provide in-depth reasoning and context appropriate for a science-oriented audience.
As of April 2024, Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Season 2 S2E1: Roop Singh (58m) Roop and I discuss, among other things: the Red Cross Red Crescent’s work on the front lines of climate risk; reckoning with unprecedented events in cultural-historical context; integrating science, communication, and decision-making; and principles for devising ethical solutions in a complex world.
S2E2: Tom Matthews (1h3m) Tom and I discuss, among other things: studying climate impacts in a complex world; evaluating existential threats; science as a sociocultural pursuit; and the ethical implications of being able to predict the future.
S2E3: Lisa Thalheimer-Prezyna (1h5m) Lisa and I discuss, among other things: the complexities of climate-related migration; effective science communication and partnerships; the ultimate purpose of impact and attribution studies; and how to consider climate impacts in a potentially nonlinear future.
S2E4: Zack Labe (1h2m) Zack and I discuss, among other things: crossovers between weather and climate mindsets; balancing data transparency and potential misinterpretation; making sense of the flood of scientific output; and the continuing suitability of ‘climate normals’.
Season 1 S1E1: Radley Horton (59m) Radley and I discuss, among other things: the value of placing climate information in local cultural context; the interplay between short- and long-term-focused mitigation/adaptation efforts; finding personally meaningful motivations for environmentally friendly actions; and the ethical and social considerations around flying and eating meat.
S1E2: Marleen de Ruiter (1h2m) Marleen and I discuss, among other things: the interface between science and activism; perceptions of risk in the Netherlands versus North America; the value of travel; and what ChatGPT might mean for science education and careers.
S1E3: Arianna Varuolo-Clarke (49m) Arianna and I discuss, among other things: communicating climate variability and change; the merits of highly targeted climate risk information; balancing research and activism; and the moral obligations imposed by inequities in data access.
S1E4: Peter Gibson (59m) Peter and I discuss, among other things: thinking beyond 2100; how AI may reshape climate research and communication; climate-impacts science for island nations; and the instinctive appeal of science and the importance of scientific literacy.