Climate Forward Conference
Seeking Solutions for a Changing Climate
The annual Climate Forward Conference, hosted in partnership with the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, explores politically realistic solutions to the challenges associated with a changing climate.
Past speakers have included U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (pictured), Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman.
Climate Forward 2025
Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
More event details and description to be announced early 2025.
Climate Forward 2024
Our 2024 Climate Forward theme was “Climate at the Crossroads,” focusing on finding practical solutions to climate change and identifying the political obstacles to implementing those changes. Watch the full event in the videos below.
Panel 1: A Lot Done; A Lot More To Do
Neera Tanden – Domestic Policy Advisor to President Biden
Bob Shrum (Moderator) – Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future
Panel 2: Climate on the Ballot: 2024
Fran Pavley – Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute; Former California State Senator
Tenzin Seldon – Founding and Managing Partner, Pulse Fund
Joanne Witty – Lawyer; Environmentalist; Co-Chair, Political Committee of the Environmental Defense Action Fund
Debra Kahn (Moderator) – California Policy Editor, POLITICO
Student Panel
JJ Flores – USC Undergraduate Student, International Relations and Sustainable Urban Planning
Leah Tieger – PhD Candidate, English Department, Creative Writing Track
Panel 3: Climate Change: Are We Prepared?!? *
Samantha Bee – Comedian, host, writer, producer; Host, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; Former correspondent, The Daily Show
David Livingston – Former Senior Advisor to John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
Joe Árvai (Moderator) – Director, USC Dornsife Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability
*Panel 3 is not accessible via video recording*