Panel Recording: Climate News That Moves the World

The 2024 Climate Week at the Explorers Club in New York City gathered panels of experts to discuss urgent environmental issues and solutions. Moderated by leaders from the fields of public health, journalism, and documentary filmmaking, the discussion highlighted innovative efforts to combat climate change and communicate the issues to the public.

Mikkel Vestergaard, Board Member of the Explorers Club, shared his experience from over 30 years of building companies at the intersection of business and impact. He discussed his work in public health and food security, including his role in producing the “Life Straw,” a portable water filter that played a pivotal part in reducing cases of Guinea worm disease from 3.5 million cases to just 13 in sub-Saharan Africa. Vestergaard has now shifted his focus to climate through aerospace innovation, underscoring the critical need for business to align with impactful solutions.

David Sassoon, founder and publisher of Inside Climate News, provided a sobering perspective. “Right now, as we sit here, 100 million barrels of oil are going up in smoke,” he said, highlighting the scale of the climate crisis. Sassoon emphasized the role of journalism in tackling this global challenge, comparing the climate crisis to a “giant” and pointing to the power of reporting to inspire action.

Senior Producer of NOVA (PBS), Caitlyn Saks, spoke on 40 years of commitment to climate coverage. NOVA, the most-watched science documentary series in the U.S., has produced 34 films on the climate crisis, over half of them in the last decade. Saks reflected on the mission of NOVA to “tell stories of science that inspire joy, wonder, and curiosity,” explaining how the series has evolved to address the growing urgency of climate change.

Pulitzer Center Ocean Editor Jessica Aldred spotlighted the Center’s support of environmental journalism, particularly through the Ocean Reporting Network. “The ocean, like the rainforest, is a last frontier for us,” she stated, noting the difficulties of reporting on such remote and often underreported issues. Aldred detailed the Pulitzer Center’s commitment to aiding climate journalism, stressing the importance of keeping the public informed on critical environmental issues.

The panel ended with a lively Q&A.