CLIMATE ONE: Benji Backer and Katharine Hayhoe on Finding Common Ground
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
August 14, 2026
Duration: 1:01:53
At a time when nearly everything feels polarized, Benji Backer is trying to carve out a different path, one where caring about the natural world isn’t a partisan issue. As the founder of Nature Is Nonpartisan, he’s bringing together voices from across the political spectrum who might disagree on climate policy, but still share a desire to preserve public lands, wildlife, and the outdoors.
Similarly, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe firmly believes conversation – even with people you disagree with – can be one of the most powerful tools for climate action. And it starts from a place of respect.
“If we begin a conversation by esteeming the other person rather than implicitly judging them, that conversation starts off with so much potential and can end in an incredibly surprising place,” Hayhoe says.
Can conservation still serve as common ground in a divided country? What does it take to make environmentalism resonate beyond traditional audiences? Is a bipartisan movement possible in today’s political climate?
Guests:
Benji Backer, Founder and CEO, Nature is Nonpartisan
Katharine Hayhoe, Climate scientist; Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy; Distinguished Professor, Texas Tech University
For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org.
Highlights:
00:00 – Introduction
05:50 – Benji Backer on the origin of Nature is Nonpartisan
09:30 – Making an organization that’s culturally relevant
13:24 – Backer’s work on the Make America Beautiful Again Conservation Commission
21:00 – Working to undo polarization in conversations around climate and environment
24:50 – Backer on avoiding the word “climate” in certain conversations
32:00 – How Katharine Hayhoe deals with hateful messages online
33:30 – How Hayhoe talked about climate change to a Rotary Club in Texas
40:00 – Should scientists be more emotionally open when discussing climate?
45:00 – Hayhoe on what Bible teachings say about caring for the environment
48:15 – Hayhoe on how her Christian faith intersects with her climate research
54:45 – The power of taking action and starting conversations about climate change
For show notes, transcripts, and related links, visit our episode page at ClimateOne.org
***
Join Climate One for an electric conversation on October 14 at 6 p.m. between PG&E CEO Patti Poppe and California State Senator Scott Wiener about energy affordability, outages, and whether cities like San Francisco are ready to break up with the investor owned utility model. Tickets available at climateone.org/events
***
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
