A Cancer Diagnosis Reframed How Ben Santer Thinks About Climate Science

A Cancer Diagnosis Reframed How Ben Santer Thinks About Climate Science

Author: Climate One from The Commonwealth Club August 7, 2026 Duration: 1:00:40
Atmospheric scientist Ben Santer pioneered the research that connects human activity to specific climate events. Now, pursuing treatment for a rare type of lymphoma, he sees his own diagnosis and his climate science as the same kind of detective work: using essential and basic science to conduct tests, read complex markers, and rule out every other cause. Even while ill, he's calling out efforts by the Trump administration to reject, defund and ignore the science we all depend on.  “If we leave basic science behind because the administration doesn't like the results of the science, then as Americans, we're not gonna thrive, and the planet isn't gonna thrive either,” Santer says. Guests:  Ben Santer, Atmospheric Scientist, University of East Anglia   Rachel Rothschild, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Law School Highlights: 00:00 – Introduction   2:24 – Ben Santer on how he’s doing amidst his health issues  6:43 – Ben Santer on having the motivation to keep going   11:21 – Ben Santer on what it means to find human fingerprints on climate disruption  16:52 – Ben Santer on the importance of climate measuring  20:23 – Ben Santer on persevering through personal attacks and credible death threats 31:01 – Ben Santer on the effect of Trump administration funding cuts 33:43 – Ben Santer dealing with grief  38:54 – Rachel Rothschild on how state superfund laws work 42:26 – Rachel Rothschild on having her personal communication targeted 47:40 – Rachel Rothschild on the personal tax of doing her work  51:45 – Rachel Rothschild on what surprised her    For show notes and related links, visit ⁠our episode page⁠ at ClimateOne.org *** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on ⁠Patreon⁠, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. ⁠Sign up today⁠. *** Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The conversation about our changing planet is often reduced to headlines and political noise, but Climate One moves beyond that. Hosted by Greg Dalton, Ariana Brocious and Kousha Navidar, this podcast from The Commonwealth Club creates a space for the full, complex dialogue we need. Each episode features candid discussions with scientists, policymakers, activists, and thinkers who are on the front lines. The focus is on drawing connections-between personal action and economic systems, between daunting scientific reports and tangible community solutions. You’ll hear analysis that doesn’t shy away from the severity of our situation while actively exploring pathways for genuine progress, from technology and finance to culture and justice. This isn't about alarmism or easy answers; it's about equipping listeners with a deeper understanding of the intertwined challenges and opportunities. Tuning into this podcast means joining a crucial exploration of how we adapt, mitigate, and fundamentally rethink our relationship with the natural world. The dialogue here is built on the idea that confronting the climate emergency honestly, in all its facets, is the first necessary step toward shaping a livable future.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Climate One
Podcast Episodes
This Year in Climate: 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:22
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Jonathan Foley: 2025 Schneider Award Winner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:16
Project Drawdown is the world’s leading science-based guide to climate solutions. According to Jonathan Foley, Project Drawdown’s Executive Director, they aim to be the Consumer Reports for climate change. “We synthesize…
Faith in Climate Progress [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:35
It’s been ten years since Pope Francis issued his landmark encyclical on climate and caring for our common home, Laudato Si’. With the election of the new Pope Leo XIV, many are hopeful he will follow in Francis' path. T…
ENCORE: Small Dollar, Big Impact [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:01
The climate doesn’t care where emissions cuts come from; what matters is that the world transitions to renewable energy quickly and cheaply. If it’s significantly cheaper to install solar panels in India than on a roofto…
Joe Manchin: Coal, Climate, and ‘Common Sense’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:21
Joe Manchin grew up in the coal fields of West Virginia, the grandson of a miner and the son of a small-town grocer. His worldview was shaped by a place where energy isn’t an abstract policy debate; it’s the identity of…
Reports from COP30: Climate Talks in the Amazon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:22
The UN climate convention known as COP30 is now underway in Brazil. As the nations of the world gather to discuss their efforts to rein in climate disruption, the facts are clear: we’re not doing enough, fast enough, to…
Environmental Peacebuilders Working in the Midst of War [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:06
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When Climate Work Comes at a Cost: Dispatches From the Upside Down [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:26
Human-caused climate change is fueling extreme floods, wildfires, rising seas, and record-breaking heat all around the world. At the same time, some of the most senior U.S. government officials and other powerful actors…
Adaptation: When Prevention Isn’t Enough [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:30
So much of the conversation about the climate crisis focuses on prevention. But no matter how well we succeed on that front, climate-induced disasters are already causing hundreds of billions of dollars of damage worldwi…