Conservation Experts Speak with Hank Paulson

On the Straight Talk podcast, Hank Paulson speaks to conservation experts about the global imperative to take care of the planet

In August 2020, the Straight Talk with Hank Paulson podcast launched with an impressive line of up guests. Over the course of the first season, the focus of many of our conversations was the need to bring solutions and education around climate change, sustainability, and biodiversity loss. Take a listen to a few of the episodes showcasing how and why we must build a new economy that is not only stronger, but greener, and more conscious of the living world.

Valuing Nature

Sir Partha Dasgupta, Economist and Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge

 Sir Partha Dasgupta  (Economist and Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge) joins Hank on Straight Talk to discuss economics, the biodiversity crisis and valuing nature. He shares insights on embedding the human economy in the biosphere, the usefulness of GDP, the concept and practice of inclusive wealth, and generational equity.

Furthering Climate Policy Solutions

Kate Gordon, Senior Advisor to Gov. Newsom and Director, Governor's Office of Planning and Research

 Kate Gordon  (Senior Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom and Director, Governor’s Office of Planning & Research) joins Hank on the podcast to discuss her dedication to furthering climate policy, defining climate change as a science problem with a policy solution, the latest developments in California’s climate planning efforts, and her case for climate optimism.

Journalism's Role in the Climate Crisis

David Wallace-Wells, Author and Deputy Editor, New York Magazine

 David Wallace-Wells  (Author, The Uninhabitable Earth and Deputy Editor, New York Magazine) joins Hank on the latest episode of Straight Talk to discuss the role of journalism in the climate crisis, the implications of the rise in global temperatures, the threat of increased zoonotic pandemics, how global stimulus spending provides an opportunity for a green recovery, and the hope he sees for the future.

New Technologies and the Climate Challenge

David Keith, Physics and Applied Sciences Professor at Harvard University

Hank welcomes  David Keith  (Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School) to Straight Talk to discuss his physics background, how he would define the climate challenge, climate diplomacy and addressing the global governance problem, what is needed to truly achieve carbon neutrality, solar geoengineering, and the next technologies in the energy industry.

Writing Music and Hearing Bird Song

Maria Schneider, composer, jazz musician, and orchestra leader

Hank Paulson welcomes Grammy award winner  Maria Schneider  (composer, jazz musician, and orchestra leader) to the podcast. She shares insights on writing music and the creative process, building a business in a tough industry. They discuss intellectual property and the free market, their shared passion for birding, and Schneider talks about collaborating with David Bowie.

Sustainable Design

Jeanne Gang, Founding Principal and Partner at Studio Gang

Hank welcomes  Jeanne Gang  (Founding Principal and Partner,  Studio Gang ) to Straight Talk. She shares insights on her approach to design and architecture, envisioning the creative process, integrating sustainable/nature-friendly design into the built environment, and discusses growing the global architecture firm Studio Gang and inspiring the next generation of architects.

Advocating for Climate Action

Kevin Rudd, 26th Prime Minister of Australia and President of the Asia Society Policy Institute

Hank welcomes  Kevin Rudd  (26th Prime Minister of Australia and President of the  Asia Society Policy Institute ) to the podcast to discuss how he went from a small town farm in Queensland to a career in foreign service and politics, his perspective on the social and political divisions in the US, advocating for climate action, preventing US-China conflict, and his expert prognosis for the future of China’s ambitions.

Financing Nature

Jennifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy, and Tom Lovejoy, United Nations Foundation Senior Fellow

Hank is joined by  Jen Morris  and  Tom Lovejoy  to discuss what inspired their passion for conservation, the need to address the biodiversity crisis, and the launch of  Financing Nature , a landmark report from the Paulson Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and Cornell’s Atkinson Center.

The Future of Climate Science

Ken Caldeira, Senior Scientist (Emeritus) at Carnegie Institution for Science and Senior Advisor (Climate Science) at Gates Ventures

 Ken Caldeira , Senior Scientist (Emeritus) at Carnegie Institution for Science and Senior Advisor (Climate Science) at Gates Ventures, joins Hank Paulson to discuss the latest climate science, how to get policymakers to act on climate change, and how geoengineering may be vital to ensuring a livable planet.

Using Tech To Protect Biodiversity

John Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Hank speaks with  John Fitzpatrick , Executive Director of The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Fitzpatrick details the importance of bird conservation worldwide, what it’s like to discover a new species, how technology is improving our ability to study nature, and what makes him hopeful for the future of biodiversity.

Check out the full series of Straight Talk: