Our Story
Climate One from The Commonwealth Club is the premier platform for empowering conversations that connect all aspects of the climate emergency. Through our podcast, national radio show, and live convenings for thought leaders and concerned members of the public, we create opportunities for dialogue and inspire a more complete understanding of the current crisis.
2026 Leadership Update
The word “podcast” has embedded itself so firmly into our lexicon that it’s easy to forget where it all began. When Greg Dalton created Climate One in the fall of 2007, iPods were still new and exciting; podcasts — the word being a portmanteau of "iPod" and "broadcast" — needed to be manually uploaded onto your device via iTunes.
Since then, the Climate One podcast has evolved just as much as the world of podcasting itself. Originally exclusively created from recordings of live events at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, with Greg as the lone host, we now have three co-hosts who talk with guests from around the world every week, covering a range of topics as varying as the locations of our guests. We've garnered an international audience, reaching listeners in at least 73 countries.
In the nearly two decades since Climate One’s inception, the climate change conversation has evolved as well: from concern about the future into strategies for handling the plethora of crises our world is facing in real time from a continuously warming planet.
After 18 years at the helm, Climate One’s founder and co-host Greg Dalton will be gradually stepping back and easing into an emeritus role. We’re thrilled to announce that Managing Director Jenny Park will become Climate One’s Executive Director, effective January 2026.
As Managing Director, Jenny has been an essential member of the Climate One team, helping shape and strengthen the program with a rare blend of strategic insight, collaborative spirit, editorial rigor, and operational know-how.
Her deep understanding of Climate One and how it can grow make her the ideal person to lead the program forward, and this internal transition will ensure continuity and stability for Climate One.
To support Jenny and deepen organizational capacity, we’ll also be hiring a Director of Development to guide our financial strategy and help secure a strong future for the work ahead. We are excited for this next chapter and grateful for your continued support as Climate One continues to grow, evolve, and inspire meaningful climate conversations.
How it Started
When Greg Dalton set off for the Russian Arctic in 2007, he didn't know how profoundly his life was about to change.
The voyage, organized by the Commonwealth Club, provided an up-close view of the effects of climate disruption in the region. Walking on melting tundra, sailing through fields of ice and witnessing strange new animal migrations, Greg came face to face with the reality of climate change.
While the first-hand exposure was heartbreaking, it was a personal encounter with a small girl in a Chuchki village that shifted Greg’s perspective for good. While he was speaking to her and her father about their changing lives in the Arctic Circle, she suddenly squealed, “Wow!” and started chasing a butterfly. Her father remarked, “We didn’t used to have those.” It was a moment of wonder, but also of extreme change and alarm.
Upon returning home, Greg worked with Commonwealth Club CEO Gloria Duffy to launch Climate One. We are proud that after more than 15 years, Climate One is still covering the most important issue of our time by convening people, connecting ideas, and inspiring new approaches.
Since 2007, Climate One has provided a unique and respectful space for influential, inclusive discussions. Our approach is rooted in the belief that viable, long-term responses to climate disruption can only come from an engaged, concerned citizenry.
At Climate One live events, Greg facilitates provocative discussions between leaders of differing—sometimes opposing—viewpoints. Guests representing the United Nations, the fossil fuel industry, environmental advocacy groups, religious faiths, large corporations and labor unions have all come together on the Climate One stage to address some of the greatest challenges of our time. Post-discussion receptions foster long-term connections between attendees. And through our weekly radio program and podcast, these empowering conversations are available for free to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
Now in our second decade, Climate One is doubling down on our mission to make sure the conversation around climate change remains diverse, robust and at the forefront of our civic dialogue.
We are going beyond simply raising awareness to catalyzing action. We’re exposing the web of interrelated issues that impact every aspect of our lives. And we’re setting the stage for one-time adversaries to develop empathy and perhaps become partners who develop solutions that inspire us all.
We’re inviting more voices from more diverse sectors of the climate community: storytellers, CEOs, leaders of environmental justice groups, and sustainable food producers, to name a few.
Together with co-hosts Ariana Brocious, Greg Dalton, and Kousha Navidar, and the world leaders, policymakers, and scientists who have made us one of the most credible resources for climate information, these new voices enlarge our sphere of common understanding and empower us all.
Thank you for joining the conversation and for supporting the ideal of a respectful civic forum. Our work is just beginning.