DC Climate, Politics & Sustainability Weekly

Colleagues in Climate Action and Sustainability,

Below please find this week’s lists of events, reports, peer-reviewed studies, news and commentary, and podcasts

Included are advance notices from The Reservoir, DC Climate Week and REACH and reminders for multi-day events being held this week at the World Bank Group, GW, and the Hudson Institute. The full program for the 2026 Planet Forward Summit, “Take the Mic: Shape the Story,” is now available online; I hope to see many of you there.  

With so many other organizations coordinating their calendars with the Spring Meeting of the World Bank Group, this week’s tally of events topped 50, including events at American, George Washington, Georgetown and Howard.

The decision hereafter to run the week from Monday to Sunday, rather than Saturday to Sunday, also added to the tally, picking up four book events next weekend.

The deepening and entangling consequences of the War in Iran are recurring topics in the lists below, most notably in The New Republic essay by Christopher Collins and Thomas Homer-Dixon, “Sky-High Oil Prices. A Fertilizer Shortage. Now Add a “Super El Niño.”

I’ll end with their words: “Welcome to the Polycrisis.”

Michael

P.S. If you would like to offer advance notice of an upcoming event at your institution, just include the necessary details and links in a reply to this email.

The Climate, Politics & Sustainability Weekly – Mon., April 13^th – Sun., April 19^th       

Advance Notice for Upcoming Event

  April 21 – Students Only – Water Wave Trivia Night (Virtual) re Careers in Water – Reservoir

  April 21–25 – Multi-Day – DC Climate Week (See Complete Schedule of Events Here) - DC    

  April 24 – Half Day – Climate and Health Research Day – GW ASF, REACH, Redstone GCP&W

Multi-Day Event Coming This Week

   April 13–18 – Multi-Day – Spring Meetings 2026 – World Bank & International Monetary Fund

   April 15–17 – Multi-Day – 2026 Planet Forward Summit: Take the Mic, Shape the Story – GW

   April 16–19 – Multi-Day – Citizen & State: Tocqueville, Liberty & Public Life – Hudson (appl. req.)

DC Events – In-Person and/or Online

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 09:00 AM – Admiral Caudle on the Strategic Vision of the U.S. Navy – Atlantic Cncl

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 10:00 AM – Philanthropy & Future of Food Security – Atlantic Council &/at IFPRI

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 11:00 AM – What Path Forward? Board of Peace & Future of Multilateralism – CEIP

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 11:30 AM – US Economic Outlook, w Acting Chair of Cncl of Econ Advs - Hudson

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 12:00 PM – Rebalancing World Order in an Age of Fragmentation – Brookings

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 02:00 PM – Ripples on Cosmic Ocean: Env. Hist of Solar System w DeGroot – GU

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 12:30 PM – IEA on Global Energy Market Resilience in Moment of Crisis – AtCl

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 03:30 PM – Investing in Future, w Pres. of European Investment Bank – Brookings

– Mon., Apr. 13 @ 07:00 PM – Mutiny: Rise & Revolt of Cllge-Ed Working Class w Scheiber – P&P

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 08:30 AM – All Day – The Future of Finance & Trade in Africa 3.0 – GWSB IIEP

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 10:00 AM – Global Democracy Under Pressure: Insights from Africa – Brookings

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 11:00 AM – Is America a Rogue State? w/ R. Agrawal & S. Walt – Foreign Policy

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 11:00 AM – Eurobonds & Optimism for Europe’s Future – Peterson Institute IE

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 12:00 PM – Using Competition & [Medicare Accountability] to Control Costs– AEI

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 12:00 PM – Financing Innovations in Climate Mobility – Carnegie Endowment fIP

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 01:30 PM – Shock Absorbers in Debt Contracts for Poor Countries – Cntr Glbl Dev

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 02:00 PM – What Happens When the Social Security Fund Is Exhausted? – AEI

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 02:00 PM – The Rise of Prediction Markets: Innovation or Speculation? – Brookings

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 02:00 PM – The Triumph of Economic Freedom, w Frmr Sen. Phil Gramm – Hudson  

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 04:00 PM – Expert Perspectives Ahead of 2026 World Bank/IMF Spring Mtngs – CGD

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 05:30 PM – NWI Lect. on Environment w Dr. Katharine K. Wilkinson – AU CECE

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 05:30 PM – The Future We Finance: Debt/Progress in World of Conflict – Brookings

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 06:00 PM – Analyzing the Human & Social Costs of War: Panel Discussion – B&P

– Tues., Apr. 14 @ 06:00 PM – Healthcare Not Warfare: From Gaza to Cuba to US: Panel  – B&P K Str.

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 10:00 AM – Urban Heat Maps: Using GIS to Understand CC Risk & Justice – HU

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 11:00 AM – Federal and State Policy Outlook for Community Colleges – CAP 

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 11:00 AM – Rewriting the Case for Aid: Purpose, Priorities, & Pol. Realities – CGD

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 11:00 AM – Introduction to Cool Cities Labs: Assessing Heat Risks – World Res. Inst.

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 12:00 PM – Here Where We Live Is Our Country: The Jewish Bund - New America

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 01:00 PM – Sustainable Financing for Education: One of World’s Highest ROIs – CGD 

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 01:00 PM – Central Banking for Open Economies in a Changed World – Peterson IIE

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 01:15 PM – Future of Russian Military Power: Military Reconstitution & Econ. – CEIP

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 03:00 PM – Closing the Data Gap for AI Policy: The Stanford AI Index – Brookings

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 03:00 PM – Investments and Interventions to End Child Marriage – Cntr Global Dev.

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 03:00 PM – The Realities of Economic Security – Peterson Institute for Intrntl Econ.

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 06:00 PM – The Art of Uncivilized Journalism, w GU “Pracademic” Ed Hasan – B&P

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 06:30 PM – Creating Justice: Devlpng Evid-Bsd Pol. to Reduce Inequality – AU-PERIL

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 07:00 PM – Into the Wood Chipper: How Trump Shredded USAID w N Enrich – P&P

– Wed., Apr. 15 @ 07:00 PM – Addiction, Inc.: Amer’s Forgotten War on Drugs w E. Dutton – P&P Wharf

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 08:30 AM – All Day – 6^th GW India Conf. on US-India Econ. Rels. – GW ESIA IIEP

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 09:30 AM – Investing in Africa Forum – Atlantic Council @ Decatur House

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 01:00 PM – AI and the Imminent Transformation of Work – Peterson Institute fIE

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 01:45 PM – Global Repression of Climate/Env. Protest, w O. Berglund – AU CECE 

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 02:00 PM – How Hi-Ed’s Ideological Tilt Matters for Teaching & Research – AEI

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 02:00 PM – How Can Africa Finance Its Own Transformation? – Cntr Global Dev.

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 03:00 PM – Climate Convs: Parks & Rec. w Trout Unlmtd & Nat. Cons.– NASEM

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 03:00 PM – International Imbalances Again: Still? Forever? – Peterson Institute fIE

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 04:00 PM – Water as Health Policy: Outcomes for Lives & Livelihoods – CGD

– Thrs., Apr. 16 @ 07:00 PM – The Queen & Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand … w S. Page – P&P

– Frid.,  Apr. 17 @ 09:00 AM – Decentering the Dollar, w Fmr Dir. of de Nederlandsche Bank – PIIE

– Frid.,  Apr. 17 @ 10:00 AM – The U.S. & Israel’s War w Iran: Where Do We Go From Here? – CEIP

– Frid.,  Apr. 17 @ 10:00 AM – Future of Env. Law: Pathways for Impact in a Changing World – ELI

– Frid.,  Apr. 17 @ 03:30 PM – Resilience in the History of Climate Change w D. DeGroot – GU ECo

– Frid.,  Apr. 17 @ 06:00 PM – My Deepest Desire: Poems from Grief of Hiroshima, w AU’s NSI – B&P

– Frid.,  Apr. 17 @ 07:00 PM – No One’s Coming: RL Thriller abt an Air-Medical Rescue – P&P Wharf

– Satr.,  Apr. 18 @ 03:00 PM – Finding Third Way: Lessons in Pol. of Civility w/ Lanny Davis – P&P

– Satr.,  Apr. 18 @ 05:00 PM – Last Branch Standing: Journey Inside Supreme Court w S. Isgur – P&P

– Satr.,  Apr. 18 @ 06:00 PM – Service Ready: Love, Restaurants & Hospitality w M. Irani – P&P UM

– Sun.,  Apr. 19 @ 05:00 PM – The Myth & Propaganda of Black Buying Power w/ Dr. Jared Ball – B&P   

       Note: If any part of the title for an event has been italicized, then it’s focused on an author interview or book discussion.

New Reports and Books

State of the Global Workplace 2026: The Human Side of the AI Revolution by Research Team (Gallup 2026, 251 pages, free download)

Leading the Transition Locally: A Policy toolkit to Address Fossil Fuel Production for Subnational States and Regions by N. Jones et al (International Institute for Sustainable Development 2026, 66 pages, free download)   

Lost in Transition: How Trade Adjustment Assistance Came Up Short (and Where It Succeeded) by W. Raderman & A. Mechanick (Niskanen Center / Searchlight Institute 2026, 9 pages, free download)

How Long-Term Care Costs Drain the Middle Class and Deepen Intergenerational Wealth Inequality by Jessica Forden (Roosevelt Institute 2026, 20 pages, free download)

Strategic Cooperation on AI: Core Functions by B. Kotila et al (Rand 2026, 113 pages, free download)

Peer-Reviewed Studies

Climatic Change (April) – “Impacts of Coastal Flooding on Septic Systems in MD’s Chesapeake Bay”

Energy Policy May) – “Unleashing Storage by Driving Electric: Pathway to Afford. Clean Energy”

GRL (April) – “Compound Hot-Dry Extremes Amplify … Climate Risks for Low-Income Nations”

Nature Climate Change (AdvOn) – “Wildfire Risk for Species Under Climate Change”

WIREs Climate Change (MarApr) – “Place, Climate Change, and the Experience of Loss”

Popular Commentary, News and Analysis

Anthropocene (04.09) – “Will High Gas Prices Lower Emissions? This Time the Answer May Be ‘Yes’”

Capital & Main (04.03) – “The Common Ground of the Climate and ‘ICE Out’ Movements”

DeSmog (04.09) – “Revealed: MAGA Plan to ‘Take Out’ Progressive Leaders Worldwide” by G. Dembicki

Eos (03.31) – “Climate Science Has No Place in Reference Manual for Judges, Attorneys Generals Say”

Grist (04.08) – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting the End of the World” by Kate Yoder

ICN (04.12) – “An ‘Unreasonable’ Women’s Battle Against Corporate Polluters: Story of Diane Wilson”

New Republic (04.07) – “Sky-High Oil Prices. Fertilizer Shortage. Add ‘Super El Nino’” by Homer-Dixon

New Yorker (04.07) – “The Forest Service “Reorganizes” Under President Trump” by Bill McKibben

Virginia Mercury (04.06) – “Trees Take Root as Virginia’s Frontline Defense Against Urban Heat”

 Vox (04.10) – “Why Monthly Gas Bills Keep Going Up: Are We Paying for Infrastructure We Don’t Need?”

Podcasts & Radio Stories

Climate One – The Podcast (04.10) – “Press Start: Video Games and the Climate Crisis”  

Global Optimism – Outrage & Optimism (04.09) – “Health Emergency Hiding in Rising Seas”

Heatmap – Shift Key (04.09) – “Why the Iran Ceasefire Hasn’t Ended the Energy Crisis”

ICN – Sunday Morning (04.12) – “Sensory Worlds of Animals, w Ed Fong, An Immense World”

OIES – The OIES Podcast (04.07) – Unlocking the Economics of Carbon-Capture-and-Storage”  

RFF – Resources Radio (04.07) – “Which Countries Lead on Energy Innovation, w David Hart”

Volts – Podcast – “Climate Funders & Housing Policy” (04.03) / “Ruggedized Solar Polar” (04.10)