Investing in a Resilient Future: From Climate Finance to Human Health

Investing in a Resilient Future: From Climate Finance to Human Health

Author: Commonwealth Club of California August 11, 2026 Duration: 1:08:56
Natural and human-made extreme weather events are disrupting food systems worldwide, threatening the long-term economic stability and health of already vulnerable populations. Across the globe, 80 percent of the poorest live in rural communities and rely on smallholder farming for their household food and income. And smallholder farmers produce around one-third of the total share of the world’s food, yet are disproportionately affected by climate risks, uncertainty, and poverty, often having limited resources to adapt to these changes. Then how are these communities building resilience and developing better strategies to cope with a changing climate? This panel brings in two perspectives within the climate field: financial need in scaling climate solutions, and research on how climate change impacts agricultural systems and human health. Mercedes de la Vega is an associate director of climate partnerships at Acumen, leading strategic partnerships at the intersection of climate solutions and poverty. She helps mobilize capital to serve businesses, driving change for the climate-vulnerable communities, strengthening their ecosystems. Tammy Nicastro is a researcher affiliate at UCSF who focuses on studies of climate-sensitive agricultural livelihood interventions and their impacts on improving agricultural productivity and income, and household nutrition and health for smallholder farmers to support individuals’ health and nutritional needs. As climate pressures intensify, research, innovations, and investments in improving healthier food systems, improving health outcomes, and building resilience will shape the lives of future generations living in areas most vulnerable to climate disasters. An International Relations Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: Frank Price  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For nearly a century, the Commonwealth Club of California Podcast has served as a vital platform for civic dialogue, directly from the nation's largest public affairs forum. Each episode captures live, thoughtful conversations with leading voices from across the political spectrum and various fields, all committed to exploring the most pressing issues of our time. As a nonpartisan and nonprofit operation, the Club’s priority is substance over soundbite, fostering a depth of discussion that is increasingly rare. You’ll hear authors, policymakers, scientists, and cultural figures engage in nuanced debates and detailed analyses, reflecting a genuine diversity of perspectives. This isn't just a recording of events; it's an ongoing, accessible chronicle of American and global thought. The audio you find in this podcast feed originates from the longest-running weekly radio broadcast of its kind in the United States, a tradition started in 1924, now shared with a modern audience. Updated frequently throughout the week, the feed ensures you have direct access to a forum where complex ideas about government, society, and current events are given the time and respect they deserve. Tune in for a consistently enlightening experience that challenges assumptions and provides context far beyond the daily headlines.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Commonwealth Club of California Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Simone Stolzoff: How to Not Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:19
Famously or infamously, in 2002 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters that “[A]s we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know…
Humanities West Presents The Etruscans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:12:35
The Etruscan culture, which flourished from the ninth to the first centuries B.C. in Tuscany, left behind a rich history with many unique traditions that are reflected in the artistic objects found in their tombs, temple…
CLIMATE ONE: Beyond the Rights of Nature: Land that Owns Itself [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:14
The “⁠rights of nature⁠” is the idea that if a corporation can have legal standing as a person, why can’t a river or a mountain? Thomas Linzey, one of the early architects of a legal framework for granting rights to natu…
CLIMATE ONE ENCORE - Dead Heat: The Danger Of Home Power Shutoffs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:41
Summer is here, temperatures are rising — and so are electric bills. That also means many people are facing a severely overlooked issue: power shutoffs. According to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration…
CLIMATE ONE:  When Your New Neighbor Is… a Data Center [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:10
Across the country, developers are racing to build huge new buildings to house computers to fuel the AI boom, creating an explosive demand for new energy. While some hyperscalers seek renewable energy, others are turning…
Theo Baker: Uncovering Power and Money at Stanford University [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:14
While just a freshman reporter at The Stanford Daily, Theo Baker reported on accusations about Stanford’s president that culminated in his resignation. For his investigative reporting, he became the youngest ever recipie…
Contested Continent: The Struggle for North America, c. 1000–1680 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:32
North America was forged from the experiences of millions of Indigenous women and men as well as Europeans and Africans. Contested Continent, the first volume of the Oxford History of the United States series, is a far-r…