About this episode

Doug Parsons interviews climate journalist Jeff Goodell about the urgent issues surrounding extreme heat and its impacts on society.

In episode 245 of America Adapts , host Doug Parsons is joined by legendary climate journalist Jeff Goodell , author of The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet for a conversation about what's happened since the book came out — and what hasn't. Extreme heat is no longer a future risk or a background climate issue; it's a present-day killer that exposes deep failures in public health, labor protections, urban design, and climate communication. We also talk about how recent political shifts have pushed the U.S. further backward on heat response, weakening protections and leaving communities more exposed just as the risks accelerate. This isn't a book recap — it's a reckoning with the legacy of the warning, and why heat will still kill first if we keep refusing to take it seriously. Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here ! Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here . Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here ! Facebook, Linkedin and Bluesky : https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ https://bsky.app/profile/americaadapts.bsky.social https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Links in this episode…

People in this episode

Host: Doug Parsons

Guest: Jeff Goodell

Topics covered

• climate change
• extreme heat
• public health
• labor protections
• urban design
• climate communication

Keywords

• climate change
• extreme heat
• public health
• labor protections
• urban design
• climate communication

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet

More episodes of America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast

• Climate Adaptation Is Having a Moment—But Are We Ready? · April 20, 2026 · 52 min
• Can Climate Adaptation Prevent Environmental Extremism—or Just Delay It? · April 6, 2026 · 45 min
• An Uninsurable Country: What Rising Climate Risk Means for Homeowners with NRDC · March 16, 2026 · 1h 2m
• The Endangerment Finding Explained — and What It Means for Climate Adaptation · March 2, 2026 · 27 min
• Advancing Adaptation with the McKinsey Global Institute · February 17, 2026 · 49 min
• Public Participation and Climate Adaptation in China · February 2, 2026 · 28 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast podcast page.