FEMA at a Crossroads: What’s Breaking, What’s Working, and What Comes Next with NRDC
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
Release Date: 12/01/2025
The Heat Will Still Kill You First with Jeff Goodell
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , host Doug Parsons is joined by legendary climate journalist , author of for a conversation about what’s happened since the book came out — and what hasn’t. Extreme heat is no longer a future risk or a background climate issue; it’s a present-day killer that exposes deep failures in public health, labor protections, urban design, and climate communication. We also talk about how recent political shifts have pushed the U.S. further backward on heat response, weakening protections and leaving communities more exposed just as the risks accelerate. This isn’t a...
info_outline
Arizona’s Climate Change Adaptation Playbook: Heat, Water, Wildfire
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , we adapt in the southwest! Welcome to the desert proving ground for climate adaptation. In my home state of Arizona—Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff—we get right down on the ground to see how communities are beating extreme heat, planning responsibly for water in a changing climate, and living with wildfire risk without losing what makes these places home. You’ll hear street-level fixes that change daily life—and travel anywhere—plus a clear playbook cities can steal now: run the hottest months smarter, put shade where people actually stand and walk, and build...
info_outline
North: The Future of Post-Climate America
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , host Doug Parsons welcomes back recurring guest and leading adaptation scholar to discuss his new book, (Oxford Univesity Press). Keenan examines how the United States is already changing through mobility, shifting markets, governance pressures, and evolving cultural identities. Doug and Jesse unpack why adaptation is not just a set of technical responses to climate impacts but a broader transformation in how communities understand stability, opportunity, and belonging. They explore the limits of local governments, the growing influence of market-led adaptation, and...
info_outline
FEMA at a Crossroads: What’s Breaking, What’s Working, and What Comes Next with NRDC
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , host Doug Parsons checks in on FEMA at a moment of rapid change. With funding delays, political uncertainty, and major reforms underway, FEMA’s role in national resilience is shifting in real time. Doug speaks with four guests — Joel Scata (NRDC), Michael Coen (former FEMA Chief of Staff), Samantha Medlock (former FEMA Assistant Administrator), and Derrick Hiebert (AECOM) — to unpack what’s happening inside the agency, where communities are feeling the impacts, and what potential improvements could emerge from this period of transition. It’s a candid, timely...
info_outline
The Federal Climate Retreat and the Rise of a New Adaptation Ecosystem
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , host Doug Parsons explores what happens when federal climate services retreat—and a new adaptation ecosystem rises to fill the gaps. As agencies like NOAA, FEMA, and EPA scale back their climate work, adaptation professionals are turning to emerging climate-service innovators for the tools, data, and guidance they need. We kick off with framing the big-picture implications of this federal pullback, then hear from leaders at , , the and , who are stepping forward with practical solutions. This episode highlights the essential adaptation tools available right now, the...
info_outline
Unmanaged Retreat: Inside America’s First Federal Climate Relocation Attempt
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , host Doug Parsons talks with reporter about the tangled story behind America’s first federally funded climate relocation on Louisiana’s . Once hailed as a model for how the nation could move entire communities out of harm’s way, the project became mired in politics, confusion, and broken promises. Terry shares what he uncovered on the ground — from residents who never wanted to leave, to state officials unprepared for the task, to the bigger question of whether the U.S. is truly ready for managed retreat. This episode clears up the confusion, revealing what...
info_outline
Understanding the IPCC with Dr. Katharine Mach—Where the Media Succeeds and Fails - Re-release
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of America Adapts, Doug Parsons revisits his conversation with , Professor at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and a lead author for the . Katharine explains the process of drafting that report and how the media both succeeds and fails at communicating its urgency. Doug and Katharine also discussed the need to rethink the role and purpose of the IPCC as it prepares for its next major assessment—especially now, as the Trump administration dismantles the National Climate Assessment and scales back federal climate programs, making the...
info_outline
Special Episode — Climate Change and Human Mobility (Rebroadcast of a CCST Panel Conversation)
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , Doug Parsons takes you inside a CCST webinar that he moderated —part of the ’s Climate Change & Human Mobility series, organized with the UC Disaster Resilience Network and UC Berkeley. You’ll hear from three experts: (Assistant Professor, Environmental Social Sciences, Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University), (Professor of Public Affairs, LBJ School, University of Texas at Austin), and (Rohr Professor of International Affairs, School of Global Policy & Strategy, UC San Diego). Together, they explore the politics of place...
info_outline
20 Years After Hurricane Katrina: The Fixes, the Failures and What’s at Risk Again with Dr. Andrew Rumbach
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , host Doug Parsons talks with Dr. of the , who went to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to work on recovery and has spent his career studying disasters and resilience. They discuss Katrina’s enduring legacy—what’s been fixed, what remains broken, and what’s now under assault. Andrew shares insights on how FEMA has evolved since 2005, where bipartisan reforms have emerged even in a hostile political climate, and whether the country is truly ready for the next major storm. He also highlights five powerful documentaries that capture Katrina’s human and...
info_outline
Generating the Science Behind Climate Adaptation with the Schoodic Institute
America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast
In episode of , we’re heading to coastal Maine — a place where science, community, and nature all come together to tackle climate change. Adaptation doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes data, observation, and sometimes years of research to generate the science that guides decisions. That science is often messy, imperfect, but it’s the foundation for every smart adaptation. Effective adaptation requires partnerships. As you will hear, in Maine, you’ll find scientists, historians, local communities, and institutions like the Schoodic Institute working side by side....
info_outlineIn episode 242 of America Adapts, host Doug Parsons checks in on FEMA at a moment of rapid change. With funding delays, political uncertainty, and major reforms underway, FEMA’s role in national resilience is shifting in real time. Doug speaks with four guests — Joel Scata (NRDC), Michael Coen (former FEMA Chief of Staff), Samantha Medlock (former FEMA Assistant Administrator), and Derrick Hiebert (AECOM) — to unpack what’s happening inside the agency, where communities are feeling the impacts, and what potential improvements could emerge from this period of transition. It’s a candid, timely look at the future of FEMA and the evolving landscape of climate adaptation in the United States.
Experts in this Episode:
-
Joel Scata – Senior Attorney, Environmental Health – Natural Resources Defense Council - transcript
-
Michael Coen – Former Chief Of Staff at FEMA - transcript
-
Samantha Medlock – Founder and Principal – Climate Risk Advisors - transcript
-
Derrick Hiebert – Infrastructure Resilience Practice Leader - AECOM - transcript
This episode was generously sponsored by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here!
Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here.
Donate to America AdaptsFacebook, Linkedin and Twitter:
https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/
@usaadapts
https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/
Links in this episode:
Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities:
If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining and informative way, more information can be found here!
Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter:
https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/
https://bsky.app/profile/americaadapts.bsky.social
https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/
Donate to America Adapts
Follow on Apple Podcasts
Follow on Android
Now on Spotify!
List of Previous Guests on America Adapts
Follow/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Donate to America Adapts, we are now a tax deductible charitable organization!
The 10 Best Sustainability Podcasts for Environmental Business Leaders
https://us.anteagroup.com/news-events/blog/10-best-sustainability-podcasts-environmental-business-leaders
Join the climate change adaptation movement by supporting America Adapts! Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapts fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible!
For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast Music produce by Richard Haitz Productions
Write a review on Apple Podcasts !
America Adapts on Facebook!
Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group.
Check us out, we’re also on YouTube!
Subscribe to America Adapts on Apple Podcasts
Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com