Welcome to a bonus episode of Climate Watch in celebrations of the Year of the Snake. We’re taking a slithery detour from our usual conversations with experts and business insiders to delve into the fascinating world of snakes.

In this episode, we explore the implications of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement once again. Trump’s stance has reshaped the global climate conversation, but how has the U.S. climate community adapted over time? What does this mean for future climate action, both in the U.S. and globally? We broke down the significance of this shift and explored what could come next for international climate cooperation with Melissa Barbanell, Director of U.S.-International Engagement at the World Resources Institute.

As wildfires sweep through Southern California, experts have extensively explained their connection to climate change. With fires growing more intense and frequent, it’s crucial to understand the mix of natural and human factors behind them. From prolonged droughts and dry winds to expanding urban sprawl in fire-prone areas, we examine how these elements contribute to the recent blazes. But beyond the technical breakdown, we ask: what can we do to change the course of this fire-prone future? In this episode, we take a closer look with Stephen Pyne, an American fire historian, who raises the idea of Pyrocene. We explore how fires fit into a changing climate and what they mean for the future of fire management.