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Politics

Roundtable: Confronting The Climate Emergency

Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, center in orange shirt, participates in a Youth Climate Strike outside the United Nations, Friday, Aug. 30, 2019 in New York.
Associated Press
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, center in orange shirt, participates in a Youth Climate Strike outside the United Nations, Friday, Aug. 30, 2019 in New York.
We devote this week's episode to the new IPCC report on global climate change and examine the political and business challenges here in San Diego.

UN Issues Red Alert On Climate

This week, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its latest report on our planet’s rising temperatures and the long-term effect on weather patterns. The warning was the direst yet, essentially announcing we’re at a point of no return. KPBS environment reporter Erik Anderson joins us with his takeaways on the UN report and how climate change is already being experienced in San Diego.

RELATED: San Diego Officials Move Forward With Clean Air Plan

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Small Businesses Squeezed By Climate Policies

The climate story is often framed by grand metrics, long-term forecasts and government policy. But ultimately, it will be on individuals and private businesses to act to achieve these goals. KPBS reporter Tania Thorne has the story of a small sportfishing company in Oceanside that says new regulations on boat engines might put them out of business. We’ll talk about this as an example of the challenges businesses could face in addressing the causes of climate change.

RELATED: Report Underscores Need For Climate Resilience In San Diego Region

California's Status As A Climate Leader

The political will to deal with climate change might be our biggest challenge. Governor Gavin Newsom has made the topic a leading policy issue, from wildfires to vehicle emissions. But his actions might grind to a halt if he’s not successful in defeating a recall effort next month. Voice of San Diego’s Andrew Keatts has an update on former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s campaign and how he is now trying to back away from what was a somewhat progressive record on climate.

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RELATED: Study Finds 1.4 Million California Homes In High Fire Risk Areas

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