Living on the coast means living on the front lines of a rapidly changing planet. And as climate change transforms our coasts, that will transform our world.Eve...
The Disconnect: Power, Politics, and the Texas Blackout
In February 2021, power went out for 4.5 million households across Texas. The blackout killed hundreds. And people wondered: “How could this happen in the energy capital of the U.S.?” Today, we bring you part of that fascinating backstory, and it starts with an East Texas con artist who inadvertently kicked off the biggest oil boom in US history. Reporters Mose Buchele and Audrey McGlinchy of KUT's podcast The Disconnect: Power, Politics, and the Texas Blackout take us on a Wild West story to understand the power of the fossil fuel industry in Texas and how that power led to the power crisis in 2021.This is episode 1 of Season 3 of The Disconnect. You can find more episodes wherever you get your podcasts.Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We are part of the NPR Podcast Network and distributed by PRX. Sea Change is made possible with major support from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and The Water Collaborative. WWNO’s Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
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32:41
Rising Water, Rising Risk
More and more Americans face the threat of flooding. And as a country, we are woefully unprepared. Cities like Charleston and Miami already see routine coastal flooding. Hurricane Helene recently hammered many inland communities with flooding. And the risk is only rising. FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) sells about 90% of the nation's flood insurance policies, but only a small percentage of Americans are covered. In an effort to account for climate change, expand coverage, and make the NFIP more "fair," FEMA recently overhauled its flood insurance program. It's called Risk Rating 2.0, and the sweeping changes are proving to be highly controversial.In this episode, we talk to Rebecca Elliott, author of Underwater, about how the story of American flood insurance is really a story about people and our values as a nation.For more resources about flood insurance and Risk Rating 2.0, check out the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance. This episode was hosted by Carlyle Calhoun and Eva Tesfaye. Carlyle Calhoun is the managing producer. Our sound designer is Emily Jankowski and our theme music is by Jon Batiste. Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We are part of the NPR Podcast Network and distributed by PRX. Sea Change is made possible with major support from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and The Water Collaborative. WWNO’s Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
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Elevate or Relocate: FEMA's Dreaded Rule
Flooding is the most common natural disaster — by far. As more and more towns are devastated by floods, people are facing the tough question of how to rebuild — or even if they can. In this episode, we travel to two towns to discover how one obscure federal policy designed to stop the cycle of flood damage is leading to opposite destinies. Thanks for listening to Sea Change. This episode was reported and hosted by me, Carlyle Calhoun. This episode was edited by Jack Rodolico with editing help from Eve Abrams. Additional help from Halle Parker, Eva Tesfaye, Ryan Vasquez, and Rosemary Westwood. This episode was fact-checked by Garrett Hazelwood. Carlyle Calhoun is the managing producer. Our sound designer is Emily Jankowski, and our theme music is by Jon Batiste. Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We're a part of the NPR Podcast Network and distributed by PRX. Sea Change is made possible with major support from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and The Water Collaborative. WWNO's Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
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The Power of Hope
As 2024 comes to a close, we are taking this time to focus on hope. While this year has been rough for the climate and the environment in many ways, there is also so much good happening out there. There are wins to celebrate and reasons for optimism. Today, Sea Change sits down with an expert on hope, and learn why evidence-based hope is essential in our fight against climate change. To learn more about evidence-based hope and hope expert extraordinaire Elin Kelsey, click here!Thank you so much for listening to Sea Change this year. We wish all of you a peaceful, joyful, and hopeful 2025. This episode is hosted by Halle Parker and Eva Tesfaye. Carlyle Calhoun is our managing producer. Our sound designer is Emily Jankowski and our theme music is by Jon Batiste. Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We're a part of the NPR Podcast Network and distributed by PRX. Sea Change is made possible with major support from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. WWNO's Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
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The Bridge to Nowhere
We kicked off this season of Sea Change with a globetrotting journey. A quest to understand a booming new industry on the Gulf Coast: liquified natural gas, or LNG.In a historic move, the Biden Administration froze any decisions on new gas export projects…until it could study how shipping so much American gas overseas could affect the economy, health, and the climate.Well, that long-awaited study was just released. The findings? Increasing LNG exports is bad news for American consumers, communities, and our climate. But that might not mean much to the new administration determined to drill baby, drill.One of the hottest flashpoints in this fight over the future of LNG centers around whether it's a climate solution, as industry claims, or actually a carbon bomb. Today, we talk to leading scientist Dr. Robert Howarth about his recent study revealing that LNG is worse for the climate than coal. This episode was hosted by Halle Parker and Carlyle Calhoun. Our sound designer is Emily Jankowski. And our theme music is by Jon Batiste.For more about LNG, check out our 3-part series, All Gassed Up, or our 1-hour special. You can find Sea Change wherever you get your podcasts. Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We are part of the NPR Podcast Network and distributed by PRX. Sea Change is made possible with major support from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. WWNO’s Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
Living on the coast means living on the front lines of a rapidly changing planet. And as climate change transforms our coasts, that will transform our world.Every two weeks, we bring you stories that illuminate, inspire, and sometimes enrage, as we dive deep into the environmental issues facing coastal communities on the Gulf Coast and beyond. We have a lot to save, and we have a lot of solutions. Join us as we investigate and celebrate life on a changing coast. It’s time to talk about a Sea Change.Based in New Orleans, Sea Change is a production of WWNO New Orleans Public Radio and WRKF Baton Rouge Public Radio. Sea Change is a part of the NPR Podcast Network and is distributed by PRX. Hosted by Carlyle Calhoun. Our theme song is by Jon Batiste.Sea Change is made possible with major support provided by The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and The Water Collaborative. The Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, and the Meraux Foundation.
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