Dear Colleagues,

Climate One at The Commonwealth Club offers a forum for candid discussion among climate scientists, policymakers, activists and concerned citizens. 

Of note is the July 17th event that features Faith Kearns from the UC ANR California Institute for Water Resources. 

Climate One has brought together game-changing speakers. From Dan Akerson, chairman and CEO of General Motors, who defunded the Heartland Institute shortly after speaking at Climate One, to bringing together Monsanto Chief Technology Officer Robert Fraley with Center for Food Safety Executive Director Andrew Kimbrell, Climate One is about building bridges and finding common ground.

The public is invited to attend, explore and add individual perspective and voice to the conversation.  Events will be held at The Commonwealth Club located at 110 The Embarcadero, Taube Family Auditorium, San Francisco, 94105.

Tue, Jun 18, 2019
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM PDT

The Fate of Food

How do we go about feeding a planet that's hotter, drier and more crowded than ever? From a remote-controlled organic farm in Shanghai, a Norwegian fish farm and famine-stricken parts of Ethiopia, innovators are seeking to reinvent the global food system to be more productive and nutritious. Does this mean the end of animal meat? Can a clean, climate-resilient food system be built to distribute calories in a way that is efficient and equitable? Join Civil Eats editor Twilight Greenaway and Fate of Food author Amanda Little for a conversation on how innovation and agriculture, technology and traditional knowledge are coming together to sustain a planet of 8 billion.

Thu, Jul 11, 2019
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM PDT

Drawdown: Do We Have What It Takes to Solve Climate Change?

Today's solutions for addressing climate change on a global scale are doable but daunting. A vigorous debate needs to be had about how to allocate resources, prioritize policies and design economic trade-offs as we move forward. Project Drawdown has rigorously evaluated a universe of options for reversing climate change, zeroing in on those that don't require economic overhauls or fairytale breakthroughs in technology. If the solutions are available now, why aren't they being implemented at scale? Can a climate crisis be averted by a top 10 action list? What are the most impactful actions we can take individually and collectively?  Join us with Jonathan Foley, executive director of Project Drawdown, for a conversation on the actionable and inspirational side of addressing climate change.

Wed, Jul 17, 2019
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM PDT

The Land of Dreams and Drought

Rolling hills, fertile soil: John Steinbeck's California contrasts a Central Valley that “shouts with grass” during wet years and “puts a terror in the valley” in dry ones. Now, 70 years and four droughts later, California's cyclical water shortages continue to disrupt a robust agricultural economy—one that produces up to two thirds of the country's fruit, vegetables and nuts year-round. In his new book The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California, author Mark Arax explores the tumultuous history and reality behind the myth of the Golden State. Can a decades-old distribution system meet the water needs of the future? Will redirecting rivers, drilling deeper wells and building higher dams quench California's demand for water? What happens when the next record-breaking drought hits? Join us with author Mark Arax, water and communications expert Faith Kearns, and Los Angeles Times reporter Diana Marcum for a conversation about living the California dream in a drought-prone state.

For more information as well as to purchase event tickets, visit https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/climate-one

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)