Tackling the climate change crisis

The latest climate science, America's views on the climate crisis and President Biden's plans to confront it.

While our eyes are turned to the ongoing devastation in Ukraine, it’s easy to forget another crisis – climate change. President Biden released his budget proposal this week, and in it was $44.9 billion directed at the climate crisis, at home and abroad. Clean energy was a big focus, with rising fuel costs and the war in Ukraine making energy independence and renewable energy more salient. While Congress gets the final word on which items get funded, the administration made clear that tackling climate change remains a priority.

We start this hour with discussing what’s in the budget for climate, and what may or may not make the final cut. Then, we’ll get an update on the latest science, Americans’ views on the issue of climate change and the challenge of motivating people to act.

Coral Davenport, The New York Times’ energy and environment reporter @coralmdavenport

Jennifer Francis, acting deputy director and senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center @jFrancisClimate

Naomi Oreskes, professor of the History of Science and Earth and Planetary sciences at Harvard University @naomioreskes

The New York Times, Here’s what Biden’s budget would do, and not do, for climate change – In its $5.8 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2023, made public on Monday, it includes nearly $45 billion for several federal agencies to tackle climate change.

BBC, IPCC report warns of ‘irreversible’ impacts of global warming – Over 40% of the world’s population are “highly vulnerable” to climate, the sombre study finds. But there’s hope that if the rise in temperatures is kept below 1.5C, it would reduce projected losses.

Scientific American, IPCC, You’ve Made Your Point: Humans Are a Primary Cause of Climate Change – It’s time to redirect your major focus to how we deal with the problem