Communicating Earth podcast
Episode 3: Ed Maibach
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Youtube
What does it take to dismantle climate skepticism in one of the most trusted professions in America?
Tom Clark sits down with Professor Ed Maibach to unpack one of the most remarkable stories in modern climate communication.
16 years ago, US TV weathercasters were split down the middle on human-caused climate change. Today, more than 95% accept the science and they’re reporting on local climate impacts 1,200% more often than before.
In this episode Ed reveals how this transformation happened, exploring:
- Why climate change is fundamentally a public health issue
- The hidden power of “trusted messengers”
- What the tobacco wars teach us about Big Oil today
- Why funding, not evidence, is the biggest barrier
Recommended book: Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
Follow Ed Maibach at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed...
Additional notes:
- Climate Matters Project - https://climatecommunication.g...
- Oil and Tobacco PR playbook - https://www.ciel.org/news/oil-...
- TV Weathercasters’ Views of Climate Change Evolving - https://journals.ametsoc.org/v...
- Senator Bill Frist on How Climate Is a Health Issue - https://time.com/collections/e...
- Katharine Hayhoe - https://www.ted.com/speakers/k...
- Every 10th Degree matters - https://www.ipcc.ch/report/six...
- Renewables cheaper than fossil fuels - https://www.reuters.com/busine...
- Margaret Mead quote - https://www.goodreads.com/quot...
- The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/en...
- Fossil fuel subsidies - https://ourworldindata.org/how...
- Cleaner air for Londoners - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/art...
Released: 18 February 2026
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Youtube
