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    Home  /  Climate Solutions 101  /  Unit 1: Setting the Stage

    Unit 1: Setting the Stage

    Lecture

    Building the future we want requires an understanding of our collective past. Explore the last 50 years of stunning change—from food demand, water, population, ocean health, and beyond—to see our current climate inflection point in context. This introductory video is a fascinating must-watch before continuing your Climate Solutions 101 journey.

    Share this Lecture

    Quick Links

    Expert Conversations

    Marshall Shepherd, PhD
    Marshall Shepherd, PhD

    Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Geography, University of Georgia

    Shepherd is a leading international expert in weather and climate and the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Geography at the University of Georgia. He is the host of The Weather Channel’s award-winning Sunday talk show and podcast Weather Geeks, and a contributor to Forbes Magazine. Shepherd is a former NASA scientist and winner of numerous awards, including the prestigious AMS Helmut Landsberg Award for pioneering significant work in urban climate. Shepherd is frequently sought as an expert on weather, climate, and remote sensing—he routinely appears on leading broadcast programs around the world. Follow him on Twitter and visit his website.

    Hear more about equitable climate action in Unit 1, which covers 50 years of stunning change—from food demand, water, population, ocean health, and beyond.

    Join Shepherd, former NASA scientist and leading weather and climate expert, for a journey into equitable climate action across all levels of agency. Explore climate solutions in Georgia, urban planning, and the importance of storytelling for the road ahead.

    23:53
    Lisa Graumlich, PhD
    Lisa Graumlich, PhD

    Mary Laird Professor and Dean of the College of the Environment, University of Washington

    Graumlich is the Mary Laird Wood Professor and inaugural dean of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington. As dean, she leads a College with unparalleled depth and breadth in environmental systems: from the forests to the seas, and from the center of the earth to the edges of the solar system. As a scholar, Graumlich pioneered the use of tree-ring data to understand long-term trends in climate. She has held several faculty positions, fellowships, and directorships, and was elected to both the Board of Directors and presidency of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). Follow Graumlich on Twitter and visit her online.

    Hear more about privilege, race, and economics in Unit 1, which explores the last 50 years of stunning change as context for our current climate inflection point. 

    Join Graumlich—Mary Laird Wood Professor and inaugural dean of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington—for an exploration of privilege, race, class, and the importance of listening in building successful climate solutions.

    32:42
    Marshall Shepherd, PhD
    Marshall Shepherd, PhD

    Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Geography, University of Georgia

    Shepherd is a leading international expert in weather and climate and the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Geography at the University of Georgia. He is the host of The Weather Channel’s award-winning Sunday talk show and podcast Weather Geeks, and a contributor to Forbes Magazine. Shepherd is a former NASA scientist and winner of numerous awards, including the prestigious AMS Helmut Landsberg Award for pioneering significant work in urban climate. Shepherd is frequently sought as an expert on weather, climate, and remote sensing—he routinely appears on leading broadcast programs around the world. Follow him on Twitter and visit his website.

    Hear more about equitable climate action in Unit 1, which covers 50 years of stunning change—from food demand, water, population, ocean health, and beyond.

    Join Shepherd, former NASA scientist and leading weather and climate expert, for a journey into equitable climate action across all levels of agency. Explore climate solutions in Georgia, urban planning, and the importance of storytelling for the road ahead.

    23:53
    Lisa Graumlich, PhD
    Lisa Graumlich, PhD

    Mary Laird Professor and Dean of the College of the Environment, University of Washington

    Graumlich is the Mary Laird Wood Professor and inaugural dean of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington. As dean, she leads a College with unparalleled depth and breadth in environmental systems: from the forests to the seas, and from the center of the earth to the edges of the solar system. As a scholar, Graumlich pioneered the use of tree-ring data to understand long-term trends in climate. She has held several faculty positions, fellowships, and directorships, and was elected to both the Board of Directors and presidency of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). Follow Graumlich on Twitter and visit her online.

    Hear more about privilege, race, and economics in Unit 1, which explores the last 50 years of stunning change as context for our current climate inflection point. 

    Join Graumlich—Mary Laird Wood Professor and inaugural dean of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington—for an exploration of privilege, race, class, and the importance of listening in building successful climate solutions.

    32:42

    Key Graphics

    The Great Acceleration
    Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere, 1850–2015
    Global Mean Temperature Increase, 1850–2015
    The Great Acceleration: Ecosystems and Water Used
    The Great Acceleration: Water Quality and Oceans
    The Great Acceleration: Climate Changes
    Download All

    Learn More

    A Planetary Perspective, Part 1

    Dive deeper into this unique moment in climate history with Foley’s two-part piece on Medium. Hear more about seeking guidance from the natural world and finding our footing in the story of Earth’s future.

    A Planetary Perspective, Part 2

    Explore the second installment of Foley’s Medium series about our climate road ahead. This is an excellent companion piece to Climate Solutions 101: Unit 1 and its Expert Conversations with Marshall Shepherd and Lisa Graumlich.

    Next Unit

    Unit 2: Stopping Climate Change

    Climate Solutions 101
    Unit 1: Setting the Stage
    Unit 2: Stopping Climate Change
    Unit 3: Reducing Sources
    Unit 4: Supporting Sinks and Improving Society
    Unit 5: Putting It All Together
    Unit 6: Making It Happen

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