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The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's largest public affairs forum. The nonpartisan and nonprofit Club produces and distributes programs featuring diverse viewpoints from thought leaders on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast — the oldest in the U.S., since 1924 — is carried on hundreds of stations. Our website features audio and video of our programs. This podcast feed is usually updated multiple times each week.
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Join us for a heart-to-heart talk with Jeanine Nicholson, the first out LGBTQ chief of the San Francisco Fire Department, who retired in August. We'll hear about her pathbreaking career, her thoughts on the current political scene, and learn about breaking barriers while in the public eye. After our talk, stick around for a wine reception. Jeanine …
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For the third year in a row, the world’s most important climate conference is taking place in a country whose largest source of export revenue is fossil fuel. This year, over 190 countries are assembling in Baku, Azerbaijan. And despite nearly 30 years of pledges and promises, the UN’s recent Emissions Gap Report shows virtually every country faili…
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Pulitzer Prize finalist Louise Aronson returns to the Commonwealth Club World Affairs stage to discuss the enduring themes of her New York Times bestselling book, Elderhood, and what to expect in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election. What are the practical and existential implications of aging in a political era defined by polarization a…
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When it comes to communicating climate science, weathercasters are uniquely positioned to connect the facts to viewers’ experiences. TV meteorologists are trusted members of their communities, and they’re often the only scientists the general public hears from regularly. How they communicate can shape public understanding and depoliticize a topic t…
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Commonwealth Club World Affairs is pleased to host a special evening with SF Pride Board President Nguyen Pham. Nguyen finishes his last term with SF Pride this year, after serving for a total of 8 years on the board of SF Pride. As president emeritus of San Francisco Pride, a nonprofit that produces the SF Pride Celebration and Parade, Nguyen Pham…
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In this post-print age, does the written word still hold power? During his decades-long career in publishing, Steve Wasserman has worn nearly every possible hat in the industry—editor, agent, reviewer, literary festival co-founder, publisher—serving as a midwife to the art and ideas of some of the most influential cultural juggernauts of recent dec…
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In a world in which elections are shaping the future of more than half the planet’s population, 2024 stands out as a pivotal year for global democracy. But how do international journalists see America’s electoral landscape, and why does it matter so deeply to their home countries? Join an insightful conversation, hosted by Commonwealth Club World A…
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Artificial intelligence can do some pretty amazing things, including for the climate. AI can help optimize the electric grid, make heating and cooling buildings more efficient, and pinpoint exactly where greenhouse gas emissions are coming from all around the world. On the other hand, the energy use of AI is massive and growing. A recent study esti…
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According to APIA Vote and TargetSmart, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have had the largest increase in voter registration of any racial group in the country from January to June, compared to the same time back in 2020. This statistic alone is enough to expect AANHPI voters to have an impact on this year's election—whether lo…
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Schools throughout the country have been roiled by unrest as they have struggled to navigate the passions and provocations ignited by political controversies at home and violent conflicts around the world. Confronted with protests, accusations of impropriety, and increased scrutiny of their methods and motives, school officials have contended with …
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Join us for the third installment of the "What's Good, SF!” series as we delve into the future of San Francisco and how sustainability, biodiversity and access to nature can help us flourish. From navigating climate change to improving public health, how we shape and integrate our natural world is critical—holding immense potential to support our p…
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Not since the fall of Saigon has a U.S. evacuation proven so devastating and controversial as the one that ended U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. The documentary Hollywoodgate picks up where the rest of the world left off, in the immediate aftermath of the United States’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. Days after the last U.S. p…
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If you’re a climate-conscious person, you likely already know some of the main ways you can reduce your contribution to greenhouse gasses: buy less, eat less meat, ride your bike. But there are other, less obvious methods we don’t always think of: voting, having climate conversations, engaging with your local government, changing where your money i…
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Join us for a lively conversation with a lauded chef operating at the top of his game, triumphantly returning to his roots and sharing a lifetime of recipes that capture the flavor and energy of Egypt. Growing up in a Middle Eastern household gave Michael Mina an innate understanding of how to cook with spice and use acidity to amp up flavors. But …
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California’s Salton Sea region is home to some of the worst environmental health conditions in the country. Recently, however, it has also become ground zero in the new “lithium gold rush”—the race to power the rapidly expanding electric vehicle and renewable energy storage market. The immense quantities of lithium lurking beneath the surface have …
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Democrats have historically relied on the Latino vote, but recent elections have called that loyalty into question. In fact, despite his vociferous anti-immigrant rhetoric and controversial border policies, Trump won a higher percentage of the Latino vote in 2020 than he did in 2016. Now, journalist Paola Ramos pulls back the curtain on these voter…
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We're entering the final days of the 2024 presidential election, but a lot can change in a few weeks. Historically, several presidential contests have been upended in October. Coined the "October Surprise," for decades candidates have been tested at the finish line... and many have faltered. In 2016, the "Comey Letter" damaged Hillary Clinton's fav…
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