CLIMATE CONVERSATIONS

Mexico’s intensifying heat waves and droughts underline the impact of human-induced climate change across North America. On Thursday, April 20 at 10:15 p.m. ET / 8:15 p.m. Mexico City time, Washington Post Live travels to Mexico City to speak with the secretary of foreign affairs Marcelo Ebrard about the country’s climate goals and other top policy issues. Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila will also discuss the impact of climate change on his state, how to protect vulnerable communities and the role of the clean energy economy in the future.

Cities around the globe are investing in new sustainable initiatives to reap the economic and environmental benefits for their communities. On Wednesday, April 5 at 9:00 a.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for a series of conversations with White House Council on Environmental Quality chair Brenda Mallory and Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller (D) about building greener cities and addressing historical environmental inequities. BlocPower CEO Donnel Baird, Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture’s Erica Cochran Hameen and New Urban Mobility Alliance director Harriet Tregoning will also discuss the role of buildings in designing more sustainable cities.

A new wave of companies has emerged in renewable energy and electric vehicle technology that could accelerate the push toward a greener economy. On Thursday, March 16 at 3:00 p.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for back-to-back conversations with First Solar CEO Mark Widmar and Sila Nanotechnologies CEO Gene Berdichevsky about the innovative industry solutions that could curb carbon emissions and create new jobs.

World Water Day, marked every March, was established by the United Nations to focus attention on the importance of fresh water around the globe. On Wednesday, March 15 at 9:00 a.m. ET, Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Melissa Ho, World Wildlife Fund senior vice president for freshwater and food, Alexia Leclercq, Start:Empowerment co-founder, and Julie Waechter, DigDeep co-CEO, join Washington Post Live to discuss possible solutions that address global water inequities and the role of water in sustainable development.

One of the warmest years on record, 2022’s extreme heat disrupted livelihoods and the environment around the globe. On Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 2:00 p.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for conversations with Cristina Huidobro, chief heat officer in Santiago, Chile, Eleni Myrivili, global chief heat officer for U.N. Habitat and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego about the impact of a warming planet and the solutions that could make a long-term difference.

Nearly 200 countries, including the United States, have pledged to protect at least 30 percent of the planet’s land and oceans by the end of the decade, a move scientists believe is essential to tackle climate change. On Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 3:00 p.m. ET, Mayor Lauren McLean (D) of Boise, Idaho, and Enric Sala, National Geographic explorer in residence and National Geographic Pristine Seas founder, join Washington Post Live for a conversation about global efforts to protect the world’s lands and oceans as part of our ongoing series, “This is Climate.”

Jennifer Morgan ran Greenpeace International for six years before joining the German government in February as the special envoy for international climate action. On Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 10:30 a.m. ET, join Washington Post climate reporter Michael Birnbaum for a conversation with Morgan about Europe’s efforts to slow global warming and the energy crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Climate-fueled disasters are worsening across the United States and threatening what Americans value most in their everyday lives, warns a recent federal report. On Thursday, Dec. 8 at 9:00 a.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for a conversation with special climate envoy John Kerry about the Biden administration’s climate policies at home and abroad. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) will later discuss U.S. investments in clean energy innovation and the prospects for bipartisan cooperation in the next Congress. This event is as part of a new, special week-long series, “This is Climate.”

The scope of climate change can often make people feel powerless, but communication experts say how these issues are discussed can shape solutions at the individual and community level. On Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 11:00 a.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for a conversation with scientist and TikTok star Alaina Wood about her work to make science more accessible and actionable as part of a special week-long series, “This is Climate.”

From catastrophic rain to massive heatwaves to record-breaking drought, extreme weather is disrupting the lives of millions of Americans and straining the country’s aging infrastructure. On Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 1:00 p.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for back-to-back conversations with Jackson, Miss., Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall about the impact of climate change on their cities as part of a new, special week-long series, “This is Climate.”

The debate over how wealthy countries can aid developing nations cope with the effects of global warming was center stage at the recent COP27 talks in Egypt. On Monday, Dec. 5 at 11:00 a.m. ET, join Washington Post national environmental reporter Brady Dennis for a conversation with Sudan-born billionaire Mo Ibrahim about the impact of “loss and damage” compensation and his foundation’s work in documenting the impact of climate change on the continent. This conversation kicks off a new, special week-long series, “This is Climate.”

The Inflation Reduction Act, which passed this summer, includes $369 billion in climate and energy funding, much of it for high-tech solutions to help move the United States toward a greener future. On Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 10:30 a.m. ET, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M) and Cathy Zoi, CEO of the electric charging company EVGo, join Washington Post Live to discuss how far the legislation goes in helping the country meet its carbon reduction goals and this month’s COP27 climate talks.

The European Union has long been a global leader in the fight against climate change, but the war in Ukraine has raised new questions about its immediate energy security needs and the pace of its transition from fossil fuels. On Monday, Nov. 28 at 11:00 a.m. ET, Ditte Juul Jørgensen, the European Commission’s director-general for energy, joins The Post’s David Ignatius for a conversation about the future of Europe’s climate agenda and what was accomplished at the recent COP27 climate talks.

From renewable energy to electric vehicles to carbon capture, new innovations could help counter the most extreme effects of climate change. On Friday Oct. 28 at 11:00 a.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for conversations with Jigar Shah, director of the Energy Department's Loan Programs Office, and Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board, to discuss the role of technology in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a more sustainable economy.

From severe heatwaves to extreme floods and wildfires, the effects of climate change are disrupting human life on a global scale. On Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9:00 a.m. ET, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert, Black Girl Environmentalist founder Wanjiku "Wawa" Gatheru, Climate Cardinals executive director Sophia Kianni and Novoloop CEO Miranda Wang join Washington Post Live in person for a series of conversations about the human, environmental and economic consequences of climate change and the efforts to combat them.

As calls increase for the world’s economies to move away from fossil fuels, there is a growing focus on investing in energy efficiency, from energy-efficient lightbulbs to thermal insulation and other large-scale materials. Join Washington Post Live on Tuesday, June 14 at 1:30 p.m. ET for a series of conversations with Donnel Baird, CEO of BlocPower, Jason F. McLennan, CEO of McLennan Design, and Lauren Faber O’Connor, chief sustainability officer for the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, about energy efficiency as a means to combat climate change, clean the air we breathe and reduce energy costs.

The last decade produced the highest average yearly greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The culprit: human activity. On Thursday, June 2 at 11:00 a.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for conversations with Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of U.N. Climate Change, and Susan Stone, CEO of Ubiquitous Energy, about the role of technology in curbing the human impact on climate change.

Actor, producer and entrepreneur Robert Downey Jr. is deploying "fast grants” in an effort to expedite the way early scientific research receives funding. Downey joins Washington Post Live on Thursday, April 21 at 3:30 p.m. ET to discuss his company, Footprint Coalition, and its work scaling technology to combat climate change.