How do we ‘correct’ the climate?  

By Thais Lopez Vogel, VoLo Foundation 

People often ask why we call our annual conference Climate Correction.  

I tell them, it’s just like when prices in the stock market get too high. If we don’t make corrections, the bubble bursts and the market crashes. Right now, greenhouse gas emissions are too high, and if we don’t reduce them, we risk crashing the vital systems that make our planet livable.   

Seven years ago, my husband David and I started Climate Correction because we believed in a future where people and nature thrive together. Today, our commitment is stronger than ever. This year’s conference was a stark reminder: We must keep pushing forward. The work we do now will shape the world for future generations.   

This year, we heard from John Morales and his son, John Michael Toohey, on a panel titled “Climate Leadership Legacy: A Multigenerational Perspective.” John has spent his career as a meteorologist, helping people understand extreme weather and climate change. His son, John Michael, is just beginning his journey in science and communication.

Listening to them discuss the past, present and future of climate work reminded me this is not just a challenge for today — it’s about the next generation, too. We must prepare them for what’s ahead and give them hope that change is possible.  

Our partners at The CLEO Institute are doing just that. During the panel “Changing Hearts & Minds: The CLEO Blueprint for Climate Action,” Executive Director Yoca Arditi-Rocha led a powerful conversation, moderated by Climate Correction Podcast host Shannon Maganiezin.

Panelists Nicole Gazo, a passionate young advocate in her 20s, and Ellen Siegel, a senior who stepped into climate leadership after losing so much to Hurricane Andrew, shared their journeys. Both were trained by CLEO to become climate leaders, proving anyone, at any age, can step up and make a difference. You can hear their inspiring stories on the podcast on April 1.  

Another conversation stood out about working together, regardless of politics. George Behrakis, co-founder of Climate Solutions Fund, and Andrea Yodsampa, CEO of DEPLOY/US, led a discussion on why climate solutions need support from both sides of the political aisle.

They reminded us political regimes change, but the climate crisis won’t wait. If our movement is so tightly tied to one set of political perspectives that it can only make progress when one side is in power, we will run out of time.

The message was clear: We need a bigger tent. To build a movement that lasts through every political season, we must find common ground, talk to people who think differently than we do and find climate solutions everyone can support.  

Michael Nash, a filmmaker and artist, and Bruno Olmedo Quiroga, VP of strategy at Good Energy, spoke about another way to reach people — through art. Both lead efforts to integrate climate storytelling into Hollywood’s biggest films and TV shows. Nash’s presentation, “The Power of Art: Inspiring Action, Igniting Change,” and Bruno’s talk, “Climate on Screen: Hollywood’s Role in Shaping Culture with Film and Media,” showed how storytelling can touch hearts and change minds in ways facts and numbers sometimes can’t.

Climate change isn’t just about science and policy; it’s about people’s lives, their homes and their families. We have to make it personal, so people feel moved to act.

The timing of these talks naturally led to the announcement of a new TV show launching on April 5 on CBS and Paramount+, just in time for Earth Month. “The Visioneers with Zay Harding” is a 30-minute episodic series VoLo has executive produced with Hearst Media Production Group.

The show takes viewers on a journey across the world. In each episode, Zay explores real-life breakthroughs that can help save our planet. From new technology to everyday heroes making a difference, this show will inspire people to believe solutions and technology for sustainable living already exist, they boost the economy rather than holding it back, and we can choose these solutions today and every day from now on.  

Reflecting on this year’s Climate Correction conference, I can say once again: We have grown. Sure, more people attended; we had more workshops, more artists and more speakers than in previous years. Beyond that, we have also grown as individuals committed to climate action. When David and I started investing in the environment ten years ago, we knew it would be a long road. But we also knew waiting wasn’t an option.   

Each year, we learn new ways to shape the narrative and make climate more relatable to all people, regardless of demographics. It gives me hope.  

Now, more than ever, we need to keep moving forward. The challenges are big, but the opportunities are even bigger. Together, we can make the corrections needed for our children to inherit a world where they can thrive. 

Thais Lopez Vogel is the cofounder and trustee of VoLo Foundation, a private family organization that exists to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education and improving health. VoLo Foundation is a financial supporter of The Invading Sea. Banner image: Meteorologist John Morales and his son, John Michael Toohey, during the “Climate Leadership Legacy: A Multigenerational Perspective” panel at the Climate Correction Conference (Kimberly Vardeman photo). Editor’s note: The originally published version of this piece has been edited to provide further clarity.

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