Can Humans Adapt to Climate Change? (Encore) episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 21, 2026 · 53 MIN

Can Humans Adapt to Climate Change? (Encore)

from Open to Debate · host Open to Debate

The dangers of climate change are “no longer over the horizon.” Humanity may soon pass the “point of no return.” These are the phrases U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used to describe what he called an “utterly inadequate” global response to rising temperatures. But if we were to decisively act and restructure our global economy with the climate in mind, who would shoulder the burden? Or should our collective focus orient more toward humans’ capacity for adaptation?  This ethical conundrum is at the crux of this week's debate, originally broadcast in July 2022. Arguing Yes:   Bjorn Lomborg, Author of the Bestsellers "Cool It" and "The Skeptical Environmentalist"; Director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center  Matthew Kahn, Provost Professor of Economics and Spatial Sciences at the University of Southern California  Arguing No:  Michele Wucker, Economic Policy Expert & Founder of Gray Rhino & Company  Kaveh Madani, Environmental Scientist; Former Vice President of the United Nations Environment Assembly Bureau; Former Deputy Head of Iran’s Department of Environment  Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates  Join the conversation on Substack—share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our debaters, moderators, and staff.  Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and TikTok to stay connected with our mission and ongoing debates.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 21, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Can Humans Adapt to Climate Change? (Encore)

0:00 53:15

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Open to Debate?

This episode is 53 minutes long.

When was this Open to Debate episode published?

This episode was published on August 21, 2026.

Can I download this Open to Debate episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!