Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Rarely does a historian of science have the opportunity, in the midst of changing trends in a science, to point backwards in time and explain how dismissive reactions to the ideas of a scientific pioneer might have harmed the accuracy of that science for centuries. Jessica Riskin has seized such an opportunity in her new book about the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744–1829), who proposed the first evolutionary theory of life and, with it, a new science: biology. For centuries evolutionary theorists have discredited Lamarck due to his theory of self-transforming organisms, since they rejected (and mocked) the idea that animals could play an active role in shaping their own evolution. But new findings suggest that Lamarck’s basic claim was, in many ways, correct. Riskin also argues that that denial of the agency of living beings led to two centuries of eugenic policies and environmental destruction, encouraging people to regard the living world as so much raw material to be shaped and exploited for economic, industrial, and imperial gain. Riskin’s melding of biography, history, politics, and science sets out to correct this record. She tells the story of Lamarck’s life and work as an intense struggle between rival forces attempting to answer questions that remain foundational to our modern worldview: What is a living being, and what is science? Join us as Riskin shines a much-needed light on an underappreciated biologist whose evolutionary theory offered a more inclusive, collaborative, and enlightened approach to science. A Humanities 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: George Hammond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress has long been a punching bag for American dissatisfaction with their government or with the direction of the country. But its unpopularity keeps plumbing new depths, even as the major party polarization has strengthened. In short, Congress—the central democratic institution in the country—is hanging on by a thread. But its biggest liability might be its inability to reform itself. Maya Kornberg, a senior research fellow at the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program, has explored the ways that Congress has become increasingly inhospitable to change. The “Watergate babies” of 1974, the Contract with America conservatives of 1994, and the historic 2018 class fueled by backlash to Donald Trump all represent younger, more diverse, and less entrenched members who arrived in the capital energized and idealistic. Today, Dr. Kornberg says political violence, astronomical campaign costs, relentless fundraising demands, shrinking staff, and centralized party leadership all constrain the ability of new members to legislate and represent their constituents. Social media, while offering new platforms for political expression, has also heightened harassment and fed a performative culture that rewards spectacle over substance. Kornberg talked with dozens of individuals, examined congressional records, and heard from lawmakers past and present—including Henry Waxman, Toby Moffett, Phil English, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Lauren Underwood. She presents her findings in her new book Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress. In it, she chronicles the efforts of congressional reformers over the last 50 years and documents the mounting forces that have kept their reforms from creating meaningful change. Come hear her talk about the sobering portrait that emerged of a legislative body paralyzed by its own internal dynamics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acclaimed historian Howard W. French’s new book, The Second Emancipation, recasts the liberation of 20th century Africa through the lens of revolutionary leader Kwame Nkrumah. The first prime minister of Ghana, Nkrumah “was in his day as important as Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Mohandas Gandhi of India,” according to The Wall Street Journal. In fact, French writes, African opinion polls often rank Nkrumah as the greatest Black person of the last 100 years, surpassing Mandela. The Second Emancipation is the second work in French’s trilogy about Africa’s pivotal role in shaping world history. The title―referring to a brief period beginning in 1957 when dozens of African colonies gained their freedom―positions this liberation at the center of a “movement of global Blackness,” with one charismatic leader, Nkrumah, at its head. That so few people today know about Nkrumah is an omission that French demonstrates is “typical of our deliberate neglect of Africa’s enormous role in the birth of the modern world.” Join us to hear French talk about Nkrumah’s legacy and dramatic life story, the history of African liberation, and the current state of America’s engagement with Africa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us at the North End of Pier 35 for a private tour of the SS Jeremiah O’Brien. See what Rosie the Riveter and Wendy the Welder helped create, and hear about the ship’s fascinating history and the details of keeping a war machine’s supply chains open and effective. Experience the ship as she was in 1943, tour her historic decks, and explore her engine room (powered by a functioning triple-expansion steam engine similar to the one used on the Titanic—and which was filmed in action by James Cameron for use in his 1997 movie). The Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien, permanently docked at Pier 35, is a living museum of the Bay Area’s crucial role in the massive production efforts required to equip the WWII Allies and keep them supplied under adverse wartime circumstances. Launched on June 19, 1943, from the New England Shipbuilding Corporation in South Portland, Maine, the SS Jeremiah O’Brien is one of the last survivors of the 2,710 Liberty ships that were built—and the only one that remains completely unaltered and fully operational. She carried troops and supplies across dangerous wartime seas, completing seven voyages to destinations as far-flung as Northern Ireland, India, Australia, and South America. She also made 11 crossings to the Normandy beachhead during the D-Day landings—a critical component of the largest seaborne invasion in history. In 1994, she journeyed through the Panama Canal and across the Atlantic Ocean to take part in the 50th anniversary of D-Day. She was the only Liberty ship— and the only vessel from the original invasion fleet—to return to the beaches of Normandy. Her voyage, widely celebrated in Europe and the United States, cemented her status as a symbol of courage, endurance and historical fidelity. And every year she still sails a few times on the Bay—always for May Memorial Cruise and for Fleet Week. A Humanities 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. In association with the Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien Foundation Organizer: George Hammond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement last year, USA Today called her “the most powerful woman in the history of the United States.” The first woman to become speaker and one of the most consequential legislators of her era, Pelosi has represented San Francisco for nearly four decades. First elected to Congress in 1987, Pelosi has described her journey as going from “kitchen to Congress, housewife to House Speaker.” She says she was first driven to run for office out of concern over child poverty. Among the proudest achievements she cites are shepherding passage of the Affordable Care Act and passing the American Rescue Plan Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also points to her leadership on climate issues, including the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022— the largest climate investment in American history. In this Commonwealth Club World Affairs program, Pelosi will reflect on her career, the turning points that defined her leadership, and the future of American democracy. From her years in Washington’s power centers to the upheavals of recent political history, she joins us to talk about her legacy and her view of the road ahead—including this year’s midterm elections and 2028 presidential race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The star of the evening is Genny Lim, San Francisco’s current poet laureate—an acclaimed poet, playwright and performer whose work reflects the rhythms, struggles and resilience of the city we call home. Appointed poet laureate in 2024 by London Breed, Lim is the city’s first Chinese American poet laureate. Drawing inspiration from her upbringing in Chinatown and North Beach, her poetry invites us to listen more deeply—to one another and to San Francisco itself. The evening will also feature remarks from Commonwealth Club World Affairs Board Member Claudine Cheng, with a moderated conversation led by Dion Lim, former ABC7 news anchor. Enjoy an intimate evening featuring: A live poetry experience with Genny Lim is accompanied by musicians Chris Trinidad, known for jazz, Latin, and experimental music, and Unpil Baek, a Bay Area-based pianist anchored in improvisation and cross-genre collaboration Reflections on poetry as connection, healing and civic voice Time to mingle with fellow members over light refreshments Come for the poetry. Stay for the conversation. Join us for an evening designed to inspire, connect and remind us why shared cultural experiences matter. No-host bar and lite bites. An Arts 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: Robert Melton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are living through a time where big positive change seems unachievable, but there are two instances from the recent past that prove change is possible. For over a century, Indigenous people along the Klamath River fought to protect their way of life, and the salmon they depend on. Their persistence helped remove four dams and restore hundreds of miles of river. In Los Angeles, decades of science, activism, and policy turned toxic smog into cleaner air. Both stories reveal that progress takes persistence, coalition-building, and time. But when communities push and institutions respond, meaningful change is possible. Guests: Amy Bowers Cordalis, Yurok Tribe member, Author, The Water Remembers Ann Carlson, Professor of Environmental Law, UCLA; Author, Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air For show notes and related links, visit ⁠https://www.climateone.org/podcasts⁠ Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 02:26 – Amy Bowers Cordalis on the river and salmon 06:63 – Amy Bowers Cordalis on Uncle Ray 12:53 – Amy Bowers Cordalis on witnessing the effects of the dams 16:04 – Amy Bowers Cordalis on the lowest salmon run 2218 – Amy Bowers Cordalis on getting to destroy the dams 28:18 – Amy Bowers Cordalis on seeing the river come back to life 34:13 – Ann Carlson on the state of LA air 37:58 – Ann Carlson on the first steps towards cleaning the air 40:14 – Ann Carlson on getting from pineapples to smog 44:27 – Ann Carlson on the Mothers of East LA 52:40 – Ann Carlson on why it the book is important now ********** 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 at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠. Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About half the global population spends some amount of their leisure time playing games, whether it’s a board game after dinner with friends or online role-playing experience through an alternate world. While many video and board games have long incorporated elements we can imagine in a climate-altered future — such as resource scarcity, conflict, and survival — some in the industry are working to shift players’ mindsets towards protecting nature and reducing their own climate impacts in the process. Daybreak is a cooperative board game about stopping climate change. Cities: Skylines lets players do urban planning with climate-friendly policies such as offering free public transportation or implementing congestion pricing. And the UN’s Environment Programme is backing the Playing for Planet Alliance, which awards games that spark engagement while delivering an environmental message. How can games encourage people to explore climate realities and possible futures in a way that allows greater engagement, rather than anxiety and despair? Guests: Jacob Geller, Author; Video Essayist Laura Carter, CEO and Founder, TreesPlease Games Sam Barratt, Chief of Youth, Education and Advocacy, UN Environment Programme For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/podcasts Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 00:30 – Kousha and Ariana play a video game 05:00 – Jacob Geller on video games and climate themes 11:00 – World-building games that employ climate solutions and strategies 21:30 – Laura Carter on her early love of games and environmental issues 26:00 – LongLeaf Valley and storytelling in games 33:30 – Why build tree-planting into the gameplay 40:00 – Sam Barratt on why video games medium is so critical for engagement 46:30 – Playing for the Planet Alliance and Green Games Jam 52:00 – Why it’s important for games industry to decarbonize 58:00 – Climate One More Thing ********** 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 at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠. Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is “great replacement theory” and how did it come to be a powerful fuel for right-wing nationalist groups in the United States and around the world? When white marchers in Charlottesville, Virginia, chanted “You will not replace us,” it was probably the first time most Americans had heard the phrase. But a string of mass shooters around the world—in Oslo and Christchurch, Buffalo, El Paso, and Pittsburgh—all claimed their crimes were a defense against “white genocide.” These incidents only scratch the surface of this ascendant idea: Popular and ruling politicians in every region of the world have been expressing some version of great replacement theory, eroding democratic norms in the name of preventing demographic change and claiming to restore national greatness. Variations on the theory have been around for centuries, but it was given this name by a French novelist in 2011 who believed Black and Brown immigrants were “invading” Europe, brought there by shadowy elites to “replace” Europe’s white population. Politicians and theorists—in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Chile, Hungary, Australia and elsewhere—repackaged the conspiracy as a story of “globalists” welcoming “migrant criminals” and diversity initiatives to take away the jobs, cultures, electoral power, and the very lives of white people. Over time, great replacement theory has expanded the threatened categories to include citizens, men, Jews, Christians, heterosexuals, and ethnic majorities in various countries. All are targeted with the message that they are under an existential attack that only a strongman can prevent. Ibram X. Kendi, author of the new book Chain of Ideas, returns to the Club to explore the roots of great replacement theory and its various mutations around the world. He says the controversial theory has brought humanity into this authoritarian age, but we can free ourselves from it. Come find out how. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us in-person or online to hear a grounded and intimate portrait of life by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. His new book, Where We Keep the Light, is the story of public service and personal faith. From an early age, Josh Shapiro learned and practiced the power of showing up, listening and executing, to make people’s lives a little better. Shapiro relates powerful stories about his family, his faith, and what matters to Americans tired of all the divisiveness and distrust in our leaders. Reflecting on what he’s learned by knocking on doors, serving his community, and tackling the tough problems that no one wanted to touch in new and different ways, Shapiro reminds us that government can be a force for good, that conventional wisdom is rarely wise, and there’s more that unites Americans than divides us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can corporate scandals—from Enron to the Facebook privacy controversy—change the way the world works for the better?Political scientists Pepper Culpepper and Taeku Lee have drawn on a decade of research on policymaking and public opinion to show how scandals can ignite a public with few political outlets for their discontent. Scandals don’t simply dominate news cycles: they can provoke us to demand better policy, spurring governments to adopt rules that protect us from massive corporations run amok. They say that today it is giant companies, not governments, that run the world. Businesses launch rockets into space, control satellite communication, and develop era-defining AI technologies. But around the globe, these corporate titans are facing increasing public hostility. Tech giants are accused of promoting misinformation, undermining democracy and violating our privacy. Big banks, reeling since the financial crisis of 2008, continue to face major scandals. Drawing on real-life examples such as the powdered milk scandal that rocked France, the VW scandal in Germany, the Goldman Sachs scandal in the United States, Cambridge Analytica in Britain and Samsung in South Korea, Culpepper and Lee say these scandals are not just symptoms of a careless corporate elite, they are opportunities for real political change.They explore all of this in their book The Billionaire Backlash, and Taeku Lee comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to reveal their take on how the shared anger of citizens can be channeled into a backlash that has the potential to reinvigorate our failing democracies. One corporate scandal at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Emmy Award–winning journalist Dion Lim and San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins for a timely conversation on justice, accountability and community impact. They will examine two tragic cases—Grandma Yik Oi Huang and Grandpa Vicha, elderly members of the Asian American community who were fatally attacked. While the legal outcomes differed, both cases deeply affected the community. What does justice truly look like when vulnerable lives are lost to senseless violence? This forum will explore not only the courtroom outcomes but also the lasting emotional and societal impact—inviting community members and advocates into a thoughtful dialogue about justice in practice and what it means for those most affected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a moment 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. 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 Skyler Zunk, Founder and CEO, Energy Right For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org/podcasts⁠. Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 03:30 – Benji Backer on his relationship with nature 05:54 – Benji Backer on how Nature is Nonpartisan came to be 09:29 – Benji Backer on making conservation culturally relevant 16:44 – Benji Backer on the hard work of moving policy forward 21:19 – Benji Backer on why political leanings are labeled on staff page 24:16 – Benji Backer on bringing more people into the tent 31:45 – Benji Backer on where there is bipartisan support 34:30 – Benji Backer on where his work has had the most impact 39:23 – Skyler Zunk on his time working for the first Trump administration 44:31 – Skyler Zunk on a farmer who has solar panels on the sheep farm 49:26 – Skyler Zunk on the importance of being able to relate to locals ********** 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 at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠. Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Change does not begin with institutions. It begins with people. In honor of Women’s History Month, Commonwealth Club World Affairs convenes an extraordinary panel of women whose leadership has shaped San Francisco’s civic, community and policy landscape. Connie Chan, supervisor for District 1 and candidate for California’s 11th congressional district, has served at every level of local government, from community organizer and legislative aide to chair of the Board of Supervisors Budget Committee. An immigrant who arrived in San Francisco at age 13, she has championed environmental justice, immigrant protections, and safeguards for healthcare, housing, and food security. Tracy Gallardo is a native San Franciscan and longtime community organizer who has dedicated decades to advancing equity for Latino and marginalized families. From youth development and juvenile justice reform to co-founding the Latino Task Force on COVID-19, her work reflects steady, relationship-driven leadership that strengthens neighborhoods from within. Sherrice Dorsey-Smith, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, has led historic citywide grantmaking and cross-sector initiatives, including the Community Hubs Initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership centers a whole-child, systems-based approach to supporting young people and families. Patsy Tito, Ph.D., has served the Samoan and Pacific Islander community for more than 25 years through the Samoan Community Development Center. By integrating cultural preservation with clinical mental health practice, she has worked to normalize conversations about wellness and strengthen intergenerational resilience. Together, these leaders embody the intersection of power, policy and purpose. This conversation will explore how identity shapes leadership, how women navigate institutions not originally built for them, the unseen labor that holds communities together, and what policies they would implement if given the power to act immediately. From the visible chambers of government to the quieter work of community building, this program highlights the wisdom, courage, and determination required to lead change and what it will take to build a more representative and equitable future. Join us for an evening of insight, reflection, and civic dialogue. The appearance in Commonwealth Club World Affairs programs of candidates for office are not a recommendation or endorsement of their views or candidacy; the Club does not take positions on candidates or ballot measures. The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. A Social Impact 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. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Organizer: Virginia Cheung Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most every page of Andy Weir’s latest sci-fi novel, Project Hail Mary, glows with the promise of science and technology. In Weir’s first novel, 2011’s The Martian, the protagonist endures interplanetary travel, and struggles to survive on a harsh new world. However, in Project Hail Mary, the hero faces a far greater challenge: interstellar travel to collaborate with an E.T. in hope of saving an imperiled planet Earth! Are the science and technology of Project Hail Mary realistic, promising too much, or under promising? Hear more from Dr. Maggie Turnbull and Dr. Pascal Lee as they add some beautiful realism to your personal exploration of Project Hail Mary. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. In partnership with The SETI Institute and Wonderfest. Photos courtesy the speakers. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billionaire investor and climate activist Tom Steyer says he’s running for governor “to make California affordable again.” And that, he says, requires someone willing to take on big corporations and other powerful interests. Steyer made his name founding the San Francisco hedge fund Farallon Capital, which currently manages more than $40 billion in assets. After stepping away from finance in 2012, he launched NextGen America, a youth civic engagement organization focused on causes such as climate action, immigration reform, and economic justice. He later raised his national profile when he ran for president in 2020. If elected, Steyer has promised to launch the most ambitious affordable housing push in state history, take on utility monopolies he blames for runaway energy bills, and ensure that corporations pay what he calls their fair share. The candidate points to his record as a political outsider who has spent millions of his own dollars winning ballot fights on climate, health care, and redistricting. Steyer joins Commonwealth Club World Affairs as part of our “Race for Governor 2026” series of candidate forums. Come meet the candidate, hear his vision for California, and ask your questions before you cast your vote for California’s next governor. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. Photo courtesy the speaker. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with an extensive missile and drone campaign targeting Israel, U.S. bases, and multiple Gulf states. President Donald Trump said the attacks would give Iranians a chance to “take back” their country and has predicted a quick ending to the war, calling it “a little excursion.” But the situation on the ground has proven much more complicated. The war is disrupting oil supplies, causing a global spike in gas prices. And the United States might be responsible for a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed at least 175 people, according to preliminary results of a military investigation reported by The New York Times. Join us to hear expert analysis of the war and what it means for the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades we’ve seen nations exercise geopolitical dominance tied to their production and control of fossil fuels – especially oil. But that leverage may be changing. Last year, China installed nearly twenty times the amount of wind and solar as the United States. In ⁠this essay⁠ in The National Interest, the authors lay out a global political and economic realignment already underway. Petrostates, like those in OPEC, are increasingly at odds with electrostates like China and many in the EU. This isn’t to say that electrostates are not without resource challenges – they’re seriously dependent on mineral supply chains – but the challenges are different, as are the opportunities. When 70% of the world’s population lives in fossil-fuel-importing countries, how are these diverging resource paths shaping the global balances of power? Guests: Tatiana Mitrova, Global Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Global Energy & Climate Innovation Editor, The Economist Li Shuo, Director, China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit https://climateone.org/podcasts Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 04:30 – Tatiana Mitrova on petrostates and the idea of electrostates 10:00 – Electrostates are already taking market share from petrostates 13:30 – How Mitrova sees balance of power shifting as world electrifies 17:15 – Vijay Vaitheeswaran on the concept of an electrostate 26:00 – How cheap electricity could allow developing nations to skip over fossil fuels 34:00 – Vaitheeswaran on how U.S. should take on industrial policy in this moment 38:00 – Li Shuo: China’s latest 5-year plan suggests it will double down on clean tech sector 41:00 – China installed nearly twenty times wind and solar as U.S. last year 49:30 – China is on track to become firs ********** 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 at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠. Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In October of 1066 William of Normandy defeated King Harold II of England on a battlefield near Hastings, and the effects of that Norman Conquest would reshape England’s culture, politics, language and religion for more than 1,000 years. But the seeds of that event were sown more than 60 years earlier, when the teenage daughter of a Norman duke arrived on England’s shores to marry its king. Her name was Emma, and her career as queen and matriarch would span the reigns of seven of England’s kings: she married two kings, two of her sons became kings as did two of her stepsons, and her father-in-law was king. Writer Patrica Bracewell, author of the Emma of Normandy trilogy, will explore the life of this powerful woman who became the wealthiest woman in England, a patron of the arts, a savvy political strategist, and a pivotal figure in the family politics that governed England. Medievalist Elaine Treharne will discuss communities of learning in 11th century England, focusing particularly on the manuscripts produced by religious establishments. Among these are some of the most magnificent volumes ever produced in the pre-print era that show how much emphasis was placed on education, piety and commemoration in this period. Musician Shira Kammen and her ensemble In Bocca al Lupo will present a short program of medieval music inspired by and about the queens of this tumultuous era. Join Humanities West to explore Emma of Normandy, the challenges she faced, the victories she led, and the world in which the woman who was the only twice-crowned queen of England lived. The Commonwealth Club of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. A Humanities 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. In association with Humanities West. Speaker photos courtesy the speakers; painting: William Blake's The Ordeal of Queen Emma. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Organizer: George Hammond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At its most functional level, clothing serves as essential physical protection from the environment, soft armor and tangible comfort. Visually, clothing is one of the most immediate ways to assert individual identity, signaling values and collective belonging to others at first sight. But, when public discourse is polarized and words feel inadequate, clothing becomes a powerful nonverbal language—communicating solidarity, protest, fear or hope at a glance. During periods of political tension and social exhaustion, clothing serves as a palpable reminder of who we are when the world is in flux, offering a sense of control in an uncontrollable world. When institutions feel fragile and the future unclear, getting dressed is no longer trivial—it’s an act of care, self-definition, and sometimes even quiet resistance. With insights from fashion industry leaders—educators, designers, reporters, and historians—this panel conversation will address the importance of clothing—as a marker of identity, symbol of resistance, and sign of belonging—in times of crisis. About the Speakers Laura L. Camerlengo is curator in charge of costume and textile arts with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. She has organized, co-organized and presented numerous costume and textiles exhibitions for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with a focus on sharing the stories of women and artists of color. Her recent publications include Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love (co-edited by Dilys E. Blum, 2021), and Fashioning San Francisco: A Century of Style (2024), as well as contributions to West 86th. She holds a Master of Arts degree from Parsons School of Design, The New School / Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in the History of Decorative Arts and Design. Moderator Natalie Smith is the Fashion Department chair and a full-time tenured instructor at City College of San Francisco. She also works as a freelance fashion show and event producer, stage manager, model coach, and voice-over artist. Natalie earned her Associate of Arts degree in interior design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). Anna Chiu is the founder and creative director of Kamperett, a women’s wear brand based in San Francisco, where its flagship atelier and studio are located. Shaped by her German and Chinese heritage, her work brings a forward-looking perspective to clothing through an artistic lens. She has dressed women for the Met Gala, countless award shows and red-carpets, including Angelina Jolie, Ali Wong, and Rashida Jones and Chloe Zhao. Kamperett takes an intentional approach to sustainability, with all pieces designed and made in California. Tony Bravo is the San Francisco Chronicle’s arts & culture columnist. His areas of coverage include visual art, the LGBTQ community, style, pop culture and “only in San Francisco” stories. He is also a frequent live interviewer and hosts the “Show & Tell” event series at Four One Nine. Bravo is also an adjunct instructor at the City College of San Francisco Fashion Department, where he teaches journalism. The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. A Grownups 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. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Organizer: Denise Michaud Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices