The Gate 15 Interview: Climate Change Threats with Dr. Jeff Masters. Sea Level Rise, Drought, the 2023 Hurricane Season, plus Devo, Watermelon and the beauty of the Havasupai Canyon!

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In this episode of The Gate 15 Interview, Andy Jabbour visits with Dr. Jeff Masters. Jeff Masters, Ph.D., worked as a hurricane scientist with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters from 1986-1990. After a near-fatal flight into category 5 Hurricane Hugo, he left the Hurricane Hunters to pursue a safer passion – earning a 1997 Ph.D. in air pollution meteorology from the University of Michigan. In 1995, he co-founded the Weather Underground, and served as its chief meteorologist and on its Board of Directors until it was sold to the Weather Company in 2012. Between 2005-2019, his Category 6 blog was one of the Internet’s most popular and widely quoted sources of extreme weather and climate change information. He now frequently writes for YALE Climate Connections.

In the discussion we address:

  • Jeff’s incredible Hurricane Hugo experience.
  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report and going beyond the ‘planetary boundaries of safe operation for the planet.’
  • Jeff’s important ideas to understand about climate change.
  • Jeff discusses his two biggest climate concerns – the disruptive threats from sea level rise and drought, including:
    • A potential ‘massive financial threat to the US.’ Jeff says, ‘we’re not correctly pricing risk…there threatens to be a shakeout in the…market’ and he notes insurance company struggles in Florida, Louisiana and California as examples before discussing the potential cascading effects associated with humans fleeing from the coasts.Threats to critical infrastructure, including real estate, water and wastewater, transportation and supply chains.
    • And he explains his concerns about drought impacting food prices and leading to famine.
  • Hurricane season 2023, an anticipated El Nino year, perhaps something that may look like the 2018 hurricane season. 
  • Plus! Devo, getting outdoors, watermelon, and the beauty of the Havasupai Canyon.

A few references mentioned in or relevant to our discussion include:

From NASA Vital Signs

Some of Jeff’s recent writing:

Image via The Canyon.com, https://www.thecanyon.com/havasupai-falls

The Gate 15 Interview is a monthly interview between Gate 15’s founder and Managing Director, Andy Jabbour and guests from throughout the homeland security risk management community addressing a wide range of all-hazards topics and issues. Read more about Gate 15’s full podcast menu at our Podcast page. You can subscribe and enjoy all the Gate 15 Podcasts on AnchorAppleSpotifyGoogle, as well as other locations accessible from the Anchor link. Week-to-week, you can hear and learn more about our all-hazards threats, risks, mitigation and other issues impacting homeland security risk management from our team as well as our regular and special guests. The full podcast menu includes:

Read more about Gate 15’s full podcast menu at our Podcast page. You can subscribe and enjoy all the Gate 15 Podcasts on Spotify for PodcastersAppleSpotifyGoogle, as well as other locations accessible from the Anchor link. Week-to-week, you can hear and learn more about our all-hazards threats, risks, mitigation and other issues impacting homeland security risk management from our team as well as our regular and special guests. The full podcast menu includes:

  • The Security Sprint is our weekly rundown of the week’s notable all-hazards security news, risks and threats and some of the key focus areas for organizations to consider behind the headlines. Gate 15 team members discuss physical security, cybersecurity, natural hazards, health threats and other issues across our environment. 
  • The Risk Roundtable is a recurring monthly discussion among our team and occasional guests as we explore the all-hazards threats and risks impacting the United States and internationally.
  • The Cybersecurity Evangelist, with Jennifer Lyn Walker, is a cybersecurity-focused discussion with Jen and invited guests.
  • Nerd Out! Security Panel Discussion, moderated by Dave Pounder, focuses on physical security topics including terrorism, extremism, hostile events, and other pertinent topics.
  • The Gate 15 Interview is a monthly interview between Gate 15’s founder and Managing Director, Andy Jabbour and guests from throughout the homeland security risk management community addressing a wide range of all-hazards topics and issues.

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