In this episode of Climate Hive’s What Do You Solve? Show, we sit down with Heather Cooley, Chief Research and Program Officer, and Nicole Wickenhauser, Chief Growth Officer, from the Pacific Institute — a globally respected, nonpartisan water think tank founded in 1987. For nearly four decades, the Pacific Institute has helped advance practical, science-based solutions to some of the world’s most pressing water challenges.

Together, we explore how water demand, supply, and management are changing in real time — and how governments, businesses, and communities can respond with resilience, equity, and action.

Heather and Nicole share how the Pacific Institute advises organizations and decision-makers, highlights success stories, and supports meaningful change across sectors. We discuss the Colorado River crisis, behavior change, international collaboration through the UN Global Compact CEO Water Mandate / Collective Action work, and how our personal relationship with water shapes broader climate resilience.

Throughout the conversation, one theme comes through clearly: water is not just part of the climate conversation — it is where climate change becomes visible, urgent, and deeply human.

Learn more about the Pacific Institute:

https://pacinst.org/

In this episode, we cover:

– How Pacific Institute supports governments, companies, and organizations

– Real-world shifts in water demand, supply, and management

– Lessons from the Colorado River crisis

– Global water stewardship and collective action

– Stories of behavior change and systems change

– Why water is central to climate resilience

– What gives the Pacific Institute hope

Featured guests:

Heather Cooley — Chief Research and Program Officer, Pacific Institute

Nicole Wickenhauser — Chief Growth Officer, Pacific Institute

About Climate Hive:

Climate Hive brings together leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers working on the most important climate challenges of our time.

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