Chris Funk | Being Better Together: Using Early Warning to Reduce Exposure to Climate Extremes

The Overpopulation Podcast

Note: Despite the slightly compromised sound quality, Chris offers absolutely essential insights.

In this episode, we talk with climatologist and director of the Climate Hazards Center, Dr. Chris Funk, about the intersection of population growth and extreme weather events. With a focus on regions vulnerable to extreme heat and drought, particularly in Africa, Chris has helped create early warning systems that reduce suffering and save lives. Highlights include:

• How rapid population growth in already hot and humid regions of Africa increases the number of people exposed to extreme heat, drought, and flood;

• What Funk’s research reveals about how El Niño and La Niña events are amplifying extreme weather in the Global South and their impacts on food security;

• Why early warning systems, particularly in Africa, are crucial for predicting and mitigating the impacts of droughts and extreme temperatures;

• Why localized responses and infrastructure resilience are key to minimizing the humanitarian impacts of extreme weather events.

See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript:

https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/chris-funk

ABOUT US

The Overpopulation Podcast features enlightening conversations between Population Balance executive director Nandita Bajaj, researcher Alan Ware, and expert guests that draw the connections between pronatalism, human supremacy, social inequalities, and ecological overshoot. Population Balance's mission to inspire narrative, behavioral, and system change that shrinks our human impact and elevates the rights and wellbeing of people, animals, and the planet.

Learn more here: https://www.populationbalance.org/

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