In this wide-ranging studio conversation, Rosanna Xia and Makena Coffman discuss the human stories behind sea level rise and climate adaptation. Xia shares the process of writing California Against the Sea, the emotional complexity of managed retreat, and how communities are reimagining coastal life in the face of change. Together, they explore the role of journalism, policy, insurance, Indigenous knowledge, and community action in building climate resilience.
Rosanna Xia is an environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times, where she specializes in stories about the coast and ocean. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2020 for explanatory reporting, and her work has been anthologized in the Best American Science and Nature Writing series. Her award-winning book, California Against the Sea, has been praised as a poetic and mind-expanding exploration of what we stand to lose in the face of rising water.
Makena Coffman (moderator) is the Director for the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Institute for Sustainability and Resilience. She also serves as Chair of the City and County of Honolulu Climate Change Commission. A Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, Coffman teaches graduate courses in climate change and low carbon cities. Her research interests include greenhouse gas mitigation, energy policy and alternative transportation strategies. She is a Research Fellow with the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization, holds a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.