Alle afleveringen van The Climate Question – pagina 5 van 7

How can we prevent the spread of disease in a warming world?

6 maart 2023 · 28 min

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Our warming world is changing the geographical distribution of several animal species. Mosquitoes have been able to colonise new regions, places where they haven’t been found before including Afghanistan and countries in Europe. Lees meer

According to the World Health Organisation, dengue fever is the most critical mosquito-borne viral disease in the world. Globally there’s been a 30-fold increase in infections in the last 50 years.

But is there a way to prevent the spread of the disease?

Presenter Paul Conolly is joined by:

Valdya Baraputri, reporter, BBC News Indonesia in Jakarta

Dr. Dewi Iriani, Paediatrician at Koja Hospital, Jakarta

Dr Nyla, Vice Director of Koja Regional Hospital, Jakarta

Dr. Imran Pambudi, Director of Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, Health Ministry of Indonesia

Manisha Kulkarni, Associate Professor University of Ottawa in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health

Felipe Colon Gonzalez, Technology Lead The Wellcome Trust, London

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producer: Ivana Davidovic

Researcher: Matt Toulson

Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

Series Producer: Alex Lewis

Editor: China Collins

Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar

Can the ski industry survive climate change?

27 februari 2023 · 28 min

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Record-breaking temperatures in the Alps in Europe have led to a disappointing ski season so far. Some slopes have been more brown than white, while others have been forced to close all together. Many worry this is a bad omen for the whole industry – which employs thousands globally. Lees meer

This is part of a wider trend of unpredictable weather. Some ski resorts are trying to adapt, by making artificial snow for example, but these short-term measures aren’t always sustainable.

It’s predicted that the Alps will have 25% less snow by 2050, whereas resorts in Arctic Sweden are forecast to stay colder for longer. Could the northern country become skiing’s last resort, or will the industry have to fundamentally change to survive?

Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by:

Anna Richards, freelance journalist

Linda Lundmark, associate professor at Department of Geography at Umea University

Mathias Vuille, professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at the University of Albany

Rob Stewart, writer and PR Director for Ski Press

With thanks to additional research by Harald Rice, University of Surrey.

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Ben Cooper and Mora Morrison
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill
Series Producer: Ros Jones
Editor: China Collins
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Can natural gas ever be green?

20 februari 2023 · 28 min

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Natural gas is often seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to coal, yet it’s a fossil fuel and gives off climate warming emissions when burned. On the internet there are many adverts suggesting that natural gas is a clean and green way to reduce emissions.
We investigate whether these adverts mislead the public as to whether gas is really ‘green.’
Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Marco Silva are joined by:
Pep Canadell, Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project & Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO
Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science and affiliated Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University
Former Senator, Mary Landrieu, co-chair of ‘Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future’ Lees meer

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Frances Read and Marco Silva
Researchers: Natasha Fernandes and Matt Toulson
Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: China Collins
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

How can oceans help us capture carbon?

13 februari 2023 · 28 min

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The ocean covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface and can hold more than 150 times the amount of carbon dioxide as air. Around a quarter of CO2 emissions created by human activity each year is absorbed by them. From phytoplankton to whales to seagrass meadows, we explore how this happens.
And in climate news, we hear about the wildfires and drought affecting Chile. Lees meer

Hosts Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble speak with:

Rita Steyn, Contributing Editor at The Marine Diaries and lecturer at University of Tampa, Florida
Michael Yap is a Marine Biologist and Founder of Seagrass Guardians, Malaysia
Dr. Haimanti Biswas, Principal Scientist of Biological Oceanography at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, India
Dr. Annette Scheffer, Marine Biologist and Lecturer, speaking with us from Antarctica
John Kirkwood, Marine Biologist and Expedition Leader speaking with us from Antarctica
Alex Godoy Faundez, Director of the Sustainability Research Centre, Universidad of Desarrollo in Chile

This programme was first broadcast in May 2022

Researcher: Immie Rhodes
Reporter: Mark Stratton
Producers: Dearbhail Starr and Sophie Eastaugh
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell and Neil Churchill
Production coordinator: Siobhan Reed

How is India doing in the fight against climate change?

6 februari 2023 · 27 min

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India has made a lot of climate pledges in the last couple of years. They’ve had mixed reviews. Some have applauded the country’s ambition – including committing to a net zero target - while others argue it’s still too reliant on coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. India is already facing the brutal impacts of a warming planet and, with a population of around 1.4 billion, its energy demand is huge – and growing. But there are reasons to be optimistic. We travel to a rural area near Mumbai to hear about the benefits of solar energy and get a temperature check from BBC Marathi’s Janhavee Moole on what people are discussing locally. Lees meer

We also speak to two experts to better understand how we can rate India’s commitments compared with other countries as well as the barriers it could face as it transitions to a greener economy.

Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Janhavee Moole are joined by:
Dr Nandini Das, an Energy Research and Policy Analyst at Climate Analytics
Harjeet Singh from The Climate Action Network based in Delhi

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Mora Morrison, Sophie Eastaugh and Ivana Davidovic
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: China Collins
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Why are we still subsidising fossil fuels?

30 januari 2023 · 27 min

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In 2009, the G20 countries pledged to phase out 'inefficient' fossil fuel subsidies, which have long been seen as an obstacle to fighting climate change. But today, subsidies for oil and gas producers are at record levels -- $64 billion in 2021. It’s not just to do with the war in Ukraine. Lees meer

Despite its image as a leader on climate change, the UK is listed as one of the worst offenders for government support to oil and gas producers because of its generous tax relief.
We hear from the centre of the UK’s oil and gas industry in Aberdeen, Scotland, about the difficult balance between energy security, jobs and climate change.

Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Luke Jones are joined by:

Ipek Gensu, Senior Research Fellow at Overseas Development Institute
Lord Deben, Chairman of the UK’s independent Climate Change Committee and former Secretary of State for the Environment from 1993-97
Kevin Keane, BBC Scotland’s Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs correspondent – at Aberdeen port
Fran Bell, Fiscal and Investor Relations Manager at Offshore Energy UK

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producer: Sophie Eastaugh
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: China Collins
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell
Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick Cross and Siobhan Reed

Archive: The Obama White House

Why isn’t the world heating equally?

23 januari 2023 · 28 min

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The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average temperature. Ice caps are melting, forcing the indigenous Inuit community living around the Northwest passage to change their way of life. Polar bears and wildlife are losing their habitats and the ability to hunt. Lees meer

Further south, Middle Eastern countries are facing temperatures above 50 Celsius more regularly.

We speak to people living in these rapidly warming parts of the world and find out why their countries are warming faster than others and what impact it is having.

Presenters Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones are joined by:
Carlo Buontempo, from Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme
Kenzie Azmi, Greenpeace Middle East Campaigner
Essa Ramadan, Meteorologist and Weatherman in Kuwait
Reporter: Mark Stratton in the Arctic
Plus interviews with Dr Wenju Cai from Southern Hemisphere Oceans Research and Ben Rich from the BBC Weather Centre

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Production Team:
Producer: Natasha Fernandes
Production coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Siobhan Reed
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Emma Rippon
Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill

How do we stay cool in a warming world?

16 januari 2023 · 27 min

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Heatwaves are already the most deadly of climate risks. If we don’t keep climate change in check, we’ll experience more of them, reaching even higher temperatures. Lees meer

Already we need cooling to keep our homes, hospitals and workplaces comfortable, our vaccines stable and our food nutritious. As the planet warms up we’ll have even greater need.

Currently the cooling industry is incredibly polluting – it accounts for around 10% of global CO2 emissions. And the demand for it is only going to increase. An International Energy Agency report said that the amount of air conditioners will grow by 5.6 billion by 2050, up from 1.6 billion today – which amounts to 10 new ACs sold every second for the next 30 years.

So how can we cool our warming world sustainably?

This episode looks at the biggest problems with cooling, the rapid rise in air conditioners and the surprisingly simple ways we can keep things cool without using any energy at all.

Presenters Luke Jones and Graihagh Jackson are joined by:

Zerin Osho, International Climate Law and Policy at Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development
Karim Elgendy, Associate Fellow at Chatham House and Associate Director at engineering consultancy firm Buro Happold
Chhavi Sachdev, Journalist, India

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producer: Lily Freeston
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: China Collins
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Can renewables be used for heating?

9 januari 2023 · 27 min

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Half of all the energy we use globally goes on heating and cooling. We need heating for all sorts of things; from keeping our homes warm to industry which needs super high temperatures.
At the moment, the heat we use is mostly powered by polluting fossil fuels, a huge driver of climate change. But can renewables deliver the high temperatures and a constant supply which are so vital?
In this episode we visit the world's first commercial-scale sand battery in Finland and find out how it’s using renewables to heat 100 homes and a public swimming pool.
Presenters Luke Jones and Graihagh Jackson are joined by:
Erika Benke, Journalist, Finland
Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh, Professor of Intelligent Engineering Systems, Nottingham Trent University
Professor Dan Gladwin, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Sheffield
And BBC Brasil journalist Nathalia Passarinho on the swearing in of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as President and his climate promises. Lees meer

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producer: Lily Freeston
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Bridget Harney
Sound Engineers: Tom Brignell and Graham Puddifoot

Can we reduce lives lost from extreme weather?

2 januari 2023 · 28 min

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Extreme weather is becoming even more extreme thanks to climate change. Countless lives are claimed by heatwaves, cold snaps, cyclones, droughts and torrential rains every year around the world. Climate change threatens to make things worse. But the United Nations is spearheading new action to make sure every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems within the next five years. It’s hoped that this could dramatically reduce the numbers of deaths caused by extreme weather. Lees meer

Presenters Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson were joined by:
Laura Paterson, from the World Meteorological Organization
Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health at the Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction at University College, London, UK and University of Agder, in Kristiansand, Norway.
Hasin Jahan, the Director of WaterAid in Banglasdesh
Reporter: BBC’s Nicolas Négoce in Senegal

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Production Team
Producer: Claire Bowes
Production coordinators: Helena Warick-Cross and Siobhan Reed
Series producers: Jordan Dunbar & Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton Smith
Sound Engineer: James Beard

How to speak to a climate denier

26 december 2022 · 28 min

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From climate sceptic to climate campaigner, Sarah Ott grew up in the US surrounded by doubters, listening to out-right deniers. This is the story of what changed her mind. Lees meer

We also hear people’s questions about climate change from Kenya where there’s major drought and we speak to BBC Disinformation reporter Marco Silva on dealing with climate misinformation.

Presenter Neal Razzell is joined by:
Sarah Ott, teacher and former sceptic
Marco Silva, BBC Climate Disinformation Reporter
Michael Kaloki, journalist in Kenya
With thanks also to Sander van der Linden, Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge, UK

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producer: Mora Morrison
Researcher: Richard Tisdale
Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Bridget Harney
Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot

Was the 2022 World Cup as green as it seemed?

19 december 2022 · 27 min

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Back in 2010, FIFA announced that the tiny country of Qatar would host the 2022 World Cup. It would be the first Middle Eastern country to do so. The tournament has seen thousands of fans travel to see it, with millions tuning in around the world. But it hasn’t been without controversy. Lees meer

The event’s organisers claimed that it would be the first fully carbon-neutral World Cup. A big new solar park was built, fleets of electric buses were released onto the roads and climate-friendly projects were set up to offset emissions.

Some say that organisers are trying to do the right thing. But others are critical, arguing that emissions have been underestimated and that the carbon-neutral claim is misleading.

This episode dives into the debate and asks if the 2022 World Cup was really as green as it seemed.

Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Luke Jones are joined by:
Rumaitha Al Busaidi, Omani football pundit and climate change activist
Khaled Diab, Communications Director at not-for-profit Carbon Market Watch
Zach Banzon, goalkeeper for Kaya FC in the Philippines and “Team Player” for We Play Green
Peter Ball, Journalist, BBC World Service
Josephine Moulds, Reporter at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

Producers: Lilly Freeston and Sophie Eastaugh
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Siobhan Reed
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

How much does biodiversity matter to climate change?

12 december 2022 · 28 min

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The ecosystems of the land and ocean absorb around half our planet warming emissions. But these are being destroyed by human activity. At the same time, climate change is a primary driver of the destruction of these habitats and biodiversity loss.
If biodiversity is our strongest natural defence against climate change (as it’s been described), what’s stopping us from doing more to protect it? Lees meer

As the big global biodiversity conference (COP15) gets underway in Montreal, Canada, presenters Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones are joined by a panel, including Victoria Gill, BBC science correspondent at COP15 in Montreal; Felipe Zapata, a Colombian botanist at UCLA; Marcela Fernandez from conservation NGO Cumbres Blancas; Akanksha Khatri, Head of Nature Action Agenda at the World Economic Forum

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com.

Researcher: Frances Read
Producer: Georgia Coan
Editor: Bridget Harney

Are meat substitutes as green as we think?

5 december 2022 · 28 min

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What we eat has a massive impact on global warming. Meat and dairy are among the biggest drivers of the climate crisis - creating more planet-warming emissions than all the cars in the world.
As we all try to reduce our carbon footprints, it’s not surprising that the global market for meat alternatives that come from soy or pea protein is growing at a huge rate. In fact it’s estimated that by the end of the decade it will be worth nearly 20 times what it was in 2018.
But are these meat substitutes as good for the planet as we’d like to think?
Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Simon Maybin are joined by:
Reporter: Paul Furley BBC Radio Gloucestershire
Dale Vince, Chair of Forest Green Rovers, UK
Gustavo Guadagnini, Director of the Good Food Institute in Brazil
Dr Ximena Schmidt, Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at Brunel University, UK
Nick Jacobs, Director of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems Lees meer

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com
Producer: Georgia Coan
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Siobhan Reed
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell

Did ‘Africa’s COP’ deliver for Africa?

28 november 2022 · 27 min

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At the start of COP 27 Egyptian President Fattah al-Sisi told the world that it was vital that African countries receive "appropriate support and funding according to the principle of shared responsibilities and burdens”. Lees meer

For years the richest nations have been accused of failing to meet their $100 billion-a-year pledge for funding. It turn out this doesn’t even scratch the surface - a recent report puts the estimated figure for all of Africa’s climate needs closer to $2.8 trillion dollars.

The Climate Question looks at whether COP 27 made a difference to the money flowing and asks how African countries will get what they need to protect themselves from climate change. Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell are joined by:

Peter Okweche from the BBC’s Focus on Africa
Gyude Moore, former Liberian government minister, now Senior Policy Fellow for the Centre for Global Development in Washington
Ayaan Adam, Senior Director at The Africa Finance Corporation
Mxolisi Kaunda, Mayor of Durban
Yvonne Denise Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown
The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Georgia Coan and Sophie Eastaugh
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton Smith
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

What does climate change mean for Egypt?

21 november 2022 · 27 min

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The world has been in Egypt for COP27, the UN’s big climate talks. It’s a country that’s already feeling the acute effects of climate change – temperatures have risen by two degrees since last century, damaging farming and driving up food prices. Lees meer

Tensions are rising, but many are concerned that restrictions on the right to protest and freedom of expression mean that climate change is not getting the attention it deserves and preventing Egypt from adapting.

The Climate Question hears how global warming is affecting Egypt – and whether the government is listening.

Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell are joined by:

Amr Magdi, Senior Researcher, Middle East & North Africa Division at Human Rights Watch
BBC Arabic’s Sally Nabil
Glada Lahn, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House think tank
The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Lily Freeston and Sophie Eastaugh
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton Smith
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

COP27: Are countries keeping to their climate pledges?

14 november 2022 · 37 min

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Last year at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, countries made big promises to tackle climate change – by curbing their greenhouse gas emissions and reducing deforestation. But as this year’s COP27 continues in Egypt, we ask whether countries are keeping to their word. Lees meer

Presenters Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson are joined by a host of guests at COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh: The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar; Esme Stallard, BBC Climate and Science journalist; Joe Curtin, managing director, power and climate at the Rockefeller Foundation; Carlos Nobre, Earth System scientist from National Academy of Sciences, Brazil; Suranjali Tandon, assistant professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi; Dr Frances Colon, former American science diplomat; Jennifer Morgan, German climate envoy; Belinda Margono, Directorate General of Forestry Planning, Indonesian government.

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Presenters: Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Producers: Sophie Eastaugh and Georgia Coan

What role is overpopulation playing in the climate crisis?

7 november 2022 · 27 min

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If there were fewer of us, would the amount of greenhouse gasses we emit reduce? It’s a question that often creeps up in discussions about climate change. Studies show that the global population will decline eventually and populations in many rich nations are already declining. However, 11,000 scientists signed a paper warning of “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless society transforms, including the reversal of population growth. But an analysis by the United Nations found that affluence has a greater impact on the climate than population. When we talk about overpopulation, what are we really saying and where does the conversation go from here? Lees meer

This episode was first broadcast on 13th December 2021.

Presenters Neal Razzell and Kate Lamble are joined by:
Nyovani Madise, head of the Malawi office of the African Institute for Development Policy.
Anu Ramaswami, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Princeton.
Arvind Ravikumar, professor in energy transition and climate policy at the University of Texas.

Producer: Darin Graham
Reporter: Rajesh Joshi
Series producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Emma Rippon
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Production coordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

How green is green finance?

31 oktober 2022 · 27 min

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We’ve been told that big finance is crucial to the transition to net zero, and billions of dollars are invested in so-called sustainable finance every year. But the BBC’s Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, have been looking into a new green finance product and found that not all is quite as it seems. Lees meer

Their investigation has found an example of sustainable finance backed by the multi-national bank HSBC being used to help extract a vast new reserve of fossil fuels in Brazil. And it's not the only one. Some question how this can happen, while others defend it.

Presenters Justin Rowlatt and Graihagh Jackson are joined by:

Tariq Fancy, former Global Chief Investment officer for Sustainable Investing at BlackRock
Caroline Harrison, Head of Market Intelligence Research at Climate Bonds Initiative
Ulf Erlandsson, Chief Executive at the Anthropocene Fixed Income Institute
Julia Carneiro, journalist based in Brazil

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Sophie Eastaugh and Miho Tanaka
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editors: Bridget Harney and Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Production coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross

What should Africa do with its fossil fuel reserves?

24 oktober 2022 · 28 min

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Africa accounts for around 10 per cent of the world's known fossil-fuel reserves. But plans to build an oil pipeline through East Africa to transport hundreds of thousands of barrels a day have been condemned by the European Union. Lees meer

The pipeline, which runs from the source in Uganda to the Tanzanian coast, will generate billions of dollars a year. But critics say it will release tens of millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

In this programme we hear from the people involved in the fight over the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, and find out if they think it will go ahead.

Presenters Dickens Olewe and Graihagh Jackson are joined by

Faten Aggad, Senior Advisor on Climate Diplomacy and Geopolitics at the African Climate Foundation

Tony Tiyou, Founder and CEO of Renewables in Africa

Brian, climate campaigner

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Reporter: Aboubakar Famau, BBC Swahili
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Producer: Lily Freeston
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Clare Fordham
Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Siobhan Reed
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignall

Are prizes the best solution for climate change?

17 oktober 2022 · 28 min

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We know many of the obstacles in the way of a creating a cleaner planet - making cement green, decarbonising electricity or creating affordable clean transport. But how do we get the experts the funding they need to bring these solutions to the world? Lees meer

Many people see innovation prizes as the answer - from Prince William’s ‘Earthshot’ to Elon Musk’s ‘X-Prize’ there are hundreds of millions of dollars up for grabs. Is this the best way to find solutions to the climate crisis? Who really wins from these prizes, companies or the climate?

Joining presenters Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson are –

Marcius Extavour, Chief Scientist and Vice President for Energy and Climate at the XPrize foundation

Robert Burrell, Professor of Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law

Zorina Khan, Professor of Economics at Bowdoin College and Author of Inventing Ideas

Vidyut Mohan, Co-Founder of Takachar

Plus an interview with Hannah Ritchie from Our World In Data, on plans put forward by the New Zealand Government to tax cow burps.

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producer: Jo Casserly
Reporter: Partha Prasad
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Series Producer: Jordan Dunbar
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross

Can climate protests make a difference?

10 oktober 2022 · 27 min

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From being glued to diggers to bunking off school, what happens when the public takes climate action into their own hands? Mass protests and demonstrations can be an effective way to gain media attention but do they lead to lasting change? Lees meer

Kate Lamble and Neal Razzell are joined by:
Disha Ravi, climate activist, India
Dan Hooper, (Swampy), climate activist, UK
Mel, member of Scientist Rebellion, Mexico
Dana R. Fisher, Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland, USA
Ruud Wouters, researcher Media, Movements & Politics, University of Antwerp, Belgium

Contact us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Team:
Reporter: Imran Qureshi, India
Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Siobhan Reed
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell

What can we do with nuclear waste?

3 oktober 2022 · 28 min

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The race to reduce emissions has more and more nations reaching for the nuclear option. Nuclear power plants are being built around the world, generating carbon-free electricity day and night, windy or calm. But they also generate radioactive waste, some of which can remain deadly for thousands of years. Thousands of tonnes of nuclear waste currently sit in “temporary” sites, some decades old. This has been fuel to critics who have described nuclear power as a scourge for future generations. No country yet has a permanent solution to the problem. Lees meer

Now, almost 70 years after the first nuclear plant, Finland is set to change that. Engineers have been creating a giant cavern they say will become the world’s first permanent nuclear waste disposal site. Can it silence the critics or are we just passing on the problem to future generations?

Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell spoke to:
Professor Michael Bluck, director of the Centre for Nuclear Engineering at Imperial College, London.
Dr Leslie Dewan Nuclear Engineer, CEO and co-founder of Radiant Nano Nuclear Security Company.
Shaun Burnie Nuclear specialist with Greenpeace East Asia

Reporter: Ilpo Salonen, Finland
Producer: Lizzy McNeill, Jordan Dunbar
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Siobhan Reed
Sound engineer: Tom Brignall

How much can flooding in Pakistan be blamed on climate change?

26 september 2022 · 27 min

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Floods in Pakistan have destroyed or damaged millions of homes, schools and businesses. So far nearly 1500 people have died and 33 million have been affected. With Pakistan contributing less than 1% to global CO2 emissions, a keen sense of injustice is felt in the country, and demands for international support have been made.
The Pakistan government has called it a “climate catastrophe” and according to the World Weather Attribution group, it is likely climate change led to intense rainfall. But critics blame mismanagement and say Pakistan should have been more prepared for the inevitable.
In this programme, we tell the story of the collapse of one building to see how much of the crisis can be blamed on climate change.
Guests:
Saher Baloch, Correspondent at BBC World’s Urdu service
Zarmat Shinwari, owner of New Honeymoon Hotel
Humayun Shinwari, owner of New Honeymoon Hotel
Sayed Nabi, manager of New Honeymoon Hotel Lees meer

Email us: the climatequestion@bbc.com
Presenter: Neal Razzell
Co-presenter: Saher Baloch
Producer: Lily Freeston
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Can animals evolve to deal with climate change?

18 september 2022 · 27 min

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As climate change brings rising temperatures and shifting patterns of rainfall, animals are adapting to keep pace. Bird’s bodies are growing smaller, their wingspan longer, lizards are growing larger thumb pads to help them grip more tightly in hurricane strength winds, beak size is changing. Lees meer

We visit the Galapagos, where evolution was first discovered by Charles Darwin, to investigate the many ways the behaviour and physiology of animals are changing to survive the impact of climate change. But can they do it quickly enough?

First broadcast – 14 March 2022

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble are joined by:
Kiyoko Gotanda, Assistant Professor at Brock University
Ramiro Tomala, Expedition leader, Metropolitan Touring in the Galapagos
Thor Hanson, conservationist and author of Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid
Anne Charmantier, Director of Research at Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Montpellier

With thanks to research carried out by Colin Donihue of Institute at Brown for Environment and Society.

Producer: Dearbhail Starr
Reporter: Mark Stratton
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Nicola Addyman
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Does climate change have an ‘image problem’?

12 september 2022 · 28 min

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Images are a key part of communicating climate change, and shape how we understand the crisis unfolding around us. But while lots of research has been done into the language we use to talk about climate, images are often left out of the conversation. Lees meer

As a result, over time, a limited set of images have come to dominate how we think of climate change – like polar bears and melting glaciers - which haven’t kept up with the changing conversation about the crisis. All too often, these images tend to be abstract, removed from our daily lives and typically don’t feature people - when we know that climate change is happening all around us, all the time, and is very much a story with people and communities at its core.

So how can we develop a new, and more effective visual language for climate change? What kind of images ‘work’ to both convey the urgency of the crisis as well as inspire behavioural change? And what are some of the ways in which photographers are seeking to represent the crisis in a way that transforms apathy into action?

First broadcast – 27 December 2021

Guests:
Cristina Mittermeier, photographer and conservationist
Arati Kumar-Rao, National Geographic Explorer and photographer
Toby Smith, Programme Lead at Climate Visuals
Saffron O’Neill, University of Exeter

Presenter: Neal Razzell
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Producer: Zoe Gelber
Researcher: Lizzie Frisby
Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross

What can we learn from fixing the ozone hole?

5 september 2022 · 27 min

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In 1985 British scientist Jonathan Shanklin and colleagues published a study that shocked the world. The study revealed a hole in the Earth’s atmosphere right over Antarctica. It had been caused over time by chemicals known as CFCs, used in things like fridges, air conditioning units and aerosol cans. These were destroying the layer of ozone in the stratosphere which protects us from most of the sun's ultraviolet radiation - without it, cases of skin cancer would soar. Less than two years after the discovery, world leaders signed an agreement called the Montreal Protocol, committing to phase out CFCs. It has been described as the most successful international treaty of all time - every UN country has signed up, and ozone is expected to return to its previous levels around the middle of the century. So what can we learn from how we tackled the ozone hole in how we address climate change? Lees meer

First broadcast - 29 Nov 2021

Presenters Neal Razzell and Kate Lamble are joined by: Jonathan Shanklin, Meterologist at the British Antarctic Survey, Dr Paul Newman, chief scientist for Earth Science at the Nasa Goddard Space Flight Center, Tina Birmpili, former executive secretary of the Ozone Secretariat, Dr Anita Ganesan, associate professor of Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of Bristol. Producer: Sophie Eastaugh Researcher: Natasha Fernandes

Can we engineer rain to help solve climate change?

29 augustus 2022 · 27 min

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From the Aztecs to the Zoroastrians, humans have always prayed for rain. We’ve tried dances, ritual sacrifices and even blowing up the sky to boost rainfall. This might sound crazy but desperate times call for desperate measures. Lees meer

Climate change is making people desperate again, in some regions droughts are becoming more frequent and pervasive whereas in others floods threaten livelihoods and cities. We have already affected our weather cycle but can we control it? Many governments have turned to cloud seeding programmes to try to manipulate rain to fall where they desire it to. But does it actually work, and what are the potential ramifications? We speak to experts about how people are trying to create rain, whether we’re on the brink of a geopolitical nightmare.

Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell spoke to:

Cynthia Barnett, Environmental Journalist and author of ‘Rain: a Natural and Cultural History’
Dr Katja Friedrich, Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
Dr Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor at the Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

The team this week:
Reporter: Valdya Baraputri, Bilingual Reporter BBC Indonesia, reporting in Jakarta
Researcher: Imogen Serwotka
Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Series Producer: Jordan Dunbar
Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross & Siobhan Reed
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Wizard: Tom Brignell

Why can’t we build more wind farms?

22 augustus 2022 · 27 min

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In rural North East Spain, proposals to build hundreds of new wind turbines have sparked opposition and divided communities. Lees meer

And it isn’t only Spain. There has been resistance to wind power projects across the world from Mexico to the US. Opposition groups have succeeded in delaying, and sometimes cancelling, the construction of new wind farms.

To move away from fossil fuels, we will need a huge expansion in renewables. But will wind power be able to meet this challenge in the face of local opposition around the world?

Guests:
Oliver Metcalfe, Bloomberg NEF
Joyce Lee, Global Wind Energy Council
Alejandra Ancheita, Mexican NGO, ProDESC

Presenters: Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson
Reporter: Esperanza Escribano
Producers: Josephine Casserly and Jordan Dunbar
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell
PC: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross

What do warmer waters mean for life below the waves?

15 augustus 2022 · 27 min

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The Ocean, it covers more than 70% of the surface if our planet, it provides us with food, medicine and even influences the weather. Lees meer

For years its also helped to mitigate the effects of climate change. Since the 1970’s over 90% of atmospheric warming caused by green house gas emissions has been absorbed by our Oceans. But this comes at a cost.

Overtime their temperatures have risen and this has had disastrous impact on some of our most important ecosystems.
Join us on a dive into the world of warming waters to discover what this means for life below the waves.

Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell spoke to:

Dr Juli Berwald, Science writer and author of ‘Life on the Rocks’
Dr Jahson Alemu I. Marine Ecologist, Northeastern University College of Science
Dr Emma Camp, Coral Biologist, Future Reefs, University of Technology, Sydney

The team this week:
Reporter: Janhavee Moole from BBC Marathi service reporting in Mumbai.
Researcher: Imogen Serwotka
Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Series Producer: Jordan Dunbar
Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross & Siobhan Reed
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Wizard: Tom Brignell.

Is Influencer culture bad for the planet?

8 augustus 2022 · 27 min

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Shopping online is nothing new but with the rise of influencer culture, livestreaming, and social commerce buying stuff has never been easier. Lees meer

Research suggests that the production and use of household goods and services is responsible for about 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

So is influencer culture making us buy more - contributing to climate change? Or is it more complicated than that? In this programme we hear from Nigerian influencer Noble Igwe and eco-influencer Rosie Okotcha. As well as finding out about the growing popularity of influencers in India and the potential of Chinese live-streamers to become environmental icons.

Presenters Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson speak with the following contributors:
Noble Igwe, Nigerian influencer
Rosie Okotcha, Eco-influencer
Professor Shirley Yu, Senior Practitioner Fellow with the Ash Center of Harvard Kennedy School
Junofy Anto Rozina founder of India Behavioural Economics Network
JB MacKinnon author of ‘The Day The World Stops Shopping’

The team this week:
Producer: Claire Bowes
Researcher: Imogen Serwotka
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Siobhan Reed
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Magician: Tom Brignell

Are there any 'easy fixes' to climate change?

1 augustus 2022 · 27 min

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We know from The Climate Question back catalogue, solving climate change is a knotty problem which does not lend itself to quick fixes. But in this programme a panel of experts discuss whether there could be any easy wins on climate change such as putting solar panels across the Earth’s deserts and changing what we eat. Lees meer

Presenter Neal Razzell is joined by:

Rebekah Shirley - Director of Research, Data & Innovation at World Resources Institute (WRI) Africa,
Peggy Liu - Director at Project Drawdown, Chair of JUCCCE Joint US-China Collaboration on Clean Energy (JUCCCE)
Zeke Hausfather – Climate Scientist and author for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Producer: Serena Tarling
Production support: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Sound mix: James Beard
Series producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton Smith

Can flying ever be climate friendly?

25 juli 2022 · 27 min

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Since the 1990s, air flight has made the world a smaller place. In one 24-hour period you can fly to the other end of the globe. In an hour you might be able to skip the traffic and fly to the other end of your country. Lees meer

But this convenience comes at a cost….to the climate. Aviation accounts for somewhere between 2 to 5% of the world’s emissions. And as the world’s desire to travel proves insatiable, the number of planes in the sky each day is only increasing.

The aviation industry has aspirational plans to decarbonise using sustainable and/or synthetic aviation fuels. But these are currently some way off. In the meantime, airlines are offering carbon offsets.
Offsets are controversial products and only 1% of passengers pay for them. So, this week on The Climate Question we are asking, can flying ever be climate friendly?

Presenters Neal Razzell and Merlyn Thomas speak with the following contributors:
Jo Dardenne, Aviation Director at Transport & Environment
Souparna Lahiri, Climate Policy Advisor with The Global Forest Coalition
Simon Berrow, Chief Executive Officer of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group
Joana Setzer, Assistant Professor at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change & the Environment, LSE
Special thanks to Helen Coffey, author of Zero Altitude: How I learned to fly less and travel more
Sebastian Mikosz of the International Air Transport Association (IATA)

The team this week:
Reporters: Peter O’Connell in Kilrush on the west coast of Ireland
Researcher: Louise Parry & Immy Rhodes
Producer: Dearbhail Starr
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Production Coordinators: Iona Hammond & Siobhan Reed
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Magician: Tom Brignell

Can we feed the world without using chemical fertilisers?

18 juli 2022 · 27 min

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The development of agriculture some 12,000 years ago changed the way humans live. Lees meer

As technologies have developed we’ve become more and more efficient at producing large amounts of food and feeding an ever growing population, often with the help of synthetically produced nitrogen fertiliser.

These fertilisers can damage ecosystems. They also produce a potent greenhouse gas called Nitrous Oxide which is 265 times more warming than carbon dioxide. It’s estimated that the manufacturing and use of this fertiliser contributes 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But is it feasible to ban synthetic nitrogen fertilisers or would that risk plunging the world into mass food insecurity?

Join presenters Qasa Alom and Graihagh Jackson as they journey from an urban garden in Sri Lanka, where a radical fertiliser ban caused chaos, to eastern Africa where Kenyan farmers are mixing tradition with new technology to try and save the world’s climate, and its soils.

With thanks to:
Dr Rona Thompson, Senior Scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Air research, Norway
Professor Manish Raizada, dept. of Plant Agriculture, at the University of Guelph, Canada
Dr David Lelei, research associate at CIFOR-ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya
Elijah Musenya, farmer, western Kenya.

And Phelystus Wayeta, for travelling to Western Kenya to report on farmers and farming practices.

Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Reporter: Aanya Wipulasena, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Researchers: Imogen Serwotka
Production co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross , Siobhan Reed.
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Mix: Tom Brignell

How can we get more people on their bikes?

11 juli 2022 · 27 min

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Cycling is healthy, cheap - and as modes of transport go, they don’t come much greener. Lees meer

Worldwide, transport is responsible for nearly a quarter of all carbon emissions, with road transport alone accounting for 75% of that. But so far, most discussions on greening the transport sector have focussed on electrifying our cars, trucks and buses – overlooking the vital role that bicycles could play in the climate transition. In fact, experts say that we’re unlikely to meet our short-term climate goals without more people getting on their bikes. So what needs to change to make that happen?

We look at what’s been done on streets of Bogota, New York and Kampala to get more people cycling across the world.

Presenters Kate Lamble and Neal Razzell are joined by:
Janette Sadik-Khan, former Transport Commissioner of New York City
Henk Swarttouw, President of the European Cyclists Federation and World Cycling Alliance
Amanda Ngabirano, Lecturer in Urban Mobility at Makerere University, Kampala
Jaime Ortiz Mariño, architect and organiser of the first ciclovía event in Bogotá

Producer: Zoe Gelber
Reporter: Laura Ubate in Bogotá
Researchers: Immie Rhodes and Louise Parry
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Mix: Tom Brignell

Where have all the mangroves gone?

4 juli 2022 · 29 min

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Along almost every tropical coastline you can find the tangled roots of mangrove trees, a natural barrier against extreme weather. They are also one of the most powerful weapons we have for fighting climate change. Mangrove forests are six times better at capturing carbon than tropical forests. But in the last 40 years up to a third of mangrove forests worldwide have disappeared. Lees meer

Joining presenters Kate Razzell and Qasa Alom to discuss where our mangroves have gone are:
Leah Glass, Technical Advisor for Blue Carbon at Blue Ventures
Andre Aquino Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist, World Bank, Indonesia

Producer: Dearbhail Starr
Researchers: Immy Rhodes and Louise Parry
Reporter: Fyneface Dumnamene
Series producer: Alex Lewis
Sound Mix: Tom Brignell
Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

How can we save the world’s tropical peatland?

27 juni 2022 · 27 min

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Scientists estimate that peatlands around the world hold about 350 billion tonnes of carbon. The tropical peatland of the Congo Basin – known as Cuvette Centrale - are thought to store the equivalent of 20 years of US fossil fuels emissions. Lees meer

BBC Africa Correspondent Andrew Harding has been up to his neck in it, witnessing the work being done by scientists to protect it and what might threaten its future.
He also hears a warning from Environment Minister, Arlette Soudan-Nonault, about the choices the Republic of Congo faces between preserving the peatlands and making use of its resources to provide a living for its population.

We find out how one simple lesson learned in Indonesia is being shared with countries in Africa and South America to help keep a global promise to protect tropical peatlands. It’s not just about promises though – financial experts explain why persuading richer countries to pay cash for “wasteland” could be good for all of us.

Presenters Kate Lamble and Neal Razzell are joined by:
Dr Daniel Murdiyarso, Principal Scientist with the Centre for International Forestry Research, Indonesia
Prof Kevin Chika Urama, Chief Economist, African Development Bank
Sara Jane Ahmed, finance advisor to the V20 Group of climate vulnerable countries.

Reporter: Andrew Harding, BBC Africa Correspondent in Cuvette Centrale, Republic of Congo
Producer: Alex Murray
Researchers: Natasha Fernandes, Mai Kanaaneh, Kirsteen Knight
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill, Siobhan Reed
Sound Mix: Tom Brignell
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Does recycling help fight climate change?

20 juni 2022 · 27 min

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Reduce, reuse, recycle is a familiar mantra the world over. Recycling has been described as ‘one of the easier climate-friendly acts” that individuals can do. A recent poll found that, globally, most of us believe that recycling is the single best thing we can do to tackle the climate crisis. But there isn’t much mention of “reduce” and “reuse”. Lees meer

This week, presenters Kate Lamble and Neal Razzell explore how successful the world’s recycling system really is, visiting Port Klang in Malaysia where huge swaths of the globe’s recycling gets sent only to end up... well, listen and you’ll find out! Kate and Neal will also learn how climate friendly recycling really is and whether there are other more important actions we can take to improve how we manage our waste.

Thank you to contributors:
Ke Wang, Lead of the PACE Program at the World Resources Institute (Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy)
Costas Velis, Lecturer in Resource Efficiency Systems at the University of Leeds, UK
Jenny van Doorn, Professor of Marketing Services at the University of Groningen, Netherlands
Farhan Nasa, Project Coordinator at Break Free from Plastic, Malaysia

Our team:
Reporter: Chen Yih Wen, Environmental Reporter in Tanjung Harapan, Klang, Malaysia
Researchers: Immie Rhodes, Natasha Fernandes, Marcia Veiga, Sarah Wild.
Producer: Dearbhail Starr
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill, Siobhan Reed
Sound Mix: Tom Brignell
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

How is climate change affecting our mental health?

13 juni 2022 · 27 min

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We often talk about the physical costs of climate change; the economic fallout, the effect on livelihoods and damage to the earth. But all of the changes to our world caused by global warming will have an effect on our minds, our mental health too.
Earlier this year the mental health challenges caused by rising temperatures and extreme weather events were spotlighted in a report by the UN’s climate science body, the IPCC.
Anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even suicide, are all predicted to increase as the world heats up. Jordan Dunbar looks at what this means for people living on the front line of climate change, including examples from Nigeria, India and the Philippines. Lees meer

Joining Jordan to discuss the mental health challenges facing a warming world are:
Dr Brandon Gray – Clinical Psychologist, World Health Organisation
Dr Gesche Huebner Senior Researcher University College London, Energy Institute
Dr Paolo Cianconi Psychiatrist Catholic University of Rome, Department of Neurosciences

Presenter: Jordan Dunbar
Reporter: Rajesh Joshi
Producer: Jordan Dunbar and Sarah Wild
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill, Siobhan Reed
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Sound Engineer: James Beard
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Is destroying the planet a vote winner?

6 juni 2022 · 27 min

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Long term climate policy has long been at odds with short-term politics. As numerous countries head to the polls this year, we visit Brazil, Australia and the United States and see how climate policy is being used as a political tool to divide voters. Lees meer

During recent the elections in Australia – a country with some of the world’s highest emissions per capita – experts believe that experiencing the effects of climate change first hand brought the need for action up the agenda, leading to the unseating of the climate sceptic Liberal National Coalition. We hear from a follower of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who believes that the country’s own deforestation figures are fake. Meanwhile, in the US, we look at how the Republican party’s position changed from the 2008 presidential elections from proposing climate policies to denying that man-made climate change is real.

Kate Lamble and Neal Razzell are joined by:
Kate Walton, political journalist based in Canberra, Australia
Kathy Hochstetler, Professor of International Development at the London School of Economics, UK
Anthony Leiserowitz, Director of the Program for Climate Change Communication at Yale University, USA

Reporter: Roberta Fortuna
Researcher: Immie Rhodes
Producer: Dearbhail Starr
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Mixer: Tom Brignell

What can we do to stop rising levels of methane?

30 mei 2022 · 27 min

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Recent research shows that levels of Methane gas in the atmosphere are rising rapidly. It is over 80 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide so poses a major threat to the world’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 C.
At COP26, over 100 countries signed a Global Methane Pledge to reduce man-made emissions by 2030 – experts say cutting methane emissions is ‘the most powerful lever we have for reducing warming... over the next 30 years’.
So what can be done to stop the levels rising further? We hear how farmers in Bangladesh, along with other parts of Asia, are using wetting and drying techniques in rice paddies to reduce emissions; how cows are being fed special dietary supplements with a surprising ingredient: seaweed, but why naturally occurring wetlands are a cause for concern. Lees meer

Presenters Kate Lamble and Neal Razzell are joined by:
Xin Lan, Greenhouse Gas Scientist with NOAA and University of Colorado
Drew Shindell, Special Representative on Methane Action for the Climate and Clean Air Coalition
Ermias Kebreab, Professor at the Department of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis,
Humnath Bhandari, Bangladesh country representative, International Rice Research Institute,

Producers: Alex Murray and Serena Tarling
Researcher: Immy Rhodes
Reporter: Akbar Hossain, BBC Bengali
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Editor: Richard Vadon

How can oceans help us capture carbon?

23 mei 2022 · 27 min

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The ocean covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface and can hold more than 150 times the amount of carbon dioxide as air. Around a quarter of CO2 emissions created by human activity each year is absorbed by them. From phytoplankton to whales to seagrass meadows we explore how this happens. Lees meer

Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble are joined by:
Rita Steyn, Contributing Editor at The Marine Diaries and lecturer at University of Tampa, Florida
Michael Yap, Marine Biologist and Founder of Seagrass Guardians, Malaysia
Dr. Haimanti Biswas, Principal Scientist of Biological Oceanography at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, India
Dr. Annette Scheffer, Marine Biologist and Lecturer, speaking with us from Antarctica
John Kirkwood, Marine Biologist and Expedition Leader speaking with us from Antarctica

Researcher: Immie Rhodes
Reporter: Mark Stratton
Producer: Dearbhail Starr
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Why is Asia embracing nuclear power?

16 mei 2022 · 27 min

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China currently has 53 nuclear power plants with plans to scale up significantly in the next decade, while India is planning to build 10 new power plants over the next three years. South Korea’s new government has committed to restarting its civil nuclear programme and even Japan’s prime minister has pledged to resume nuclear power in a country that has long been resistant. Lees meer

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, energy security has now become more of a priority with countries looking for alternatives to Russian gas. And as countries transition to renewable power in an effort to reach net zero by 2050, governments are looking for a stable, green power supply which is lower cost. In the latest IPCC report, all pathways recommended nuclear in some form to mitigate against climate change.

After nuclear disasters such as Fukushima in Japan, safety has become an even more pressing issue, both in the region and globally, in the face of a resistant public and to safeguard communities around any power plants. We gained access to the Hinkley Point power plant in the UK which has adapted the design of the reactors to make them safer after what happened in Japan; but the pace of building has been slow and costs have been high. In China, a commitment to build more has led to a coordinated approach in terms of training, the supply chain and funding. But there are challenges ahead.

Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar are joined by Changhua Wu, a policy analyst specialising in China's environment, energy, climate change and sustainable development; Diane Cameron, head of the Nuclear Technology Development and Economics Division at the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency; Edwin Lyman, expert on nuclear safety and proliferation; and Director of Nuclear Power Safety at the Union of Concerned scientists in Washington.

Producers: Serena Tarling and Alex Murray
Researcher: Immy Rhodes
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Is the world ready for an electric vehicle revolution?

9 mei 2022 · 27 min

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There are over 10 million electric cars on the road globally after a decade of rapid growth, representing around 1% of the world’s car stock. But there are questions about whether there is the infrastructure to match. In many countries there are not enough chargers being installed to cope with the number of electric cars being sold. There are also doubts about whether existing electricity grids have the ability to store enough capacity to cope with charging demand and whether the amount of energy required can be fulfilled by green electricity alone. Lees meer

This week we look at Norway, an early adopter to electric vehicles, or EVs, and have been through a quick adaption period in which they improved their electricity grid to support night time charging, as well as improving the network of fast chargers around the country to enable EVs to take their drivers long distances.

We then look at Vancouver in Canada has been looking at ways in which they can improve their EV infrastructure, to encourage the public to make the switch away from internal combustion engines. But do they have enough public chargers to serve those without access to their own private driveway?

And finally we take a look at how Sub-Sahara Africa is electrifying motorbikes and minibuses. Many rural communities remain off-grid because demand for electricity is so low that it is not financially viable for them to build the infrastructure. For these rural areas, electric vehicles will bring a solid demand for electricity, bringing the potential for companies to make a profit from introducing solar mini-grids to those communities that don’t yet have electricity.

Mora Morrison and Jordan Dunbar are joined by:
Christina Bu, Secretary General of Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association
Remeredzai Joseph Kuhudzai, Founder of Electric Drive Africa
Ian Neville, Senior Sustainability Specialist for the City of Vancouver
With special thanks to Katherine Collett from the Energy and Power Group at the University of Oxf…

Could Chile be a climate leader?

2 mei 2022 · 27 min

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The renowned climate scientist and IPCC author Maisa Rojas has been making headlines after being appointed as Chile’s new Minister for the Environment. She has pledged to deliver a green, sustainable and resilient future – and a ‘just transition’ to renewables from an economy that has to date been reliant on mining, forestry and agriculture.
The legacy of General Augusto Pinochet has cast a long shadow over Chile, so one of the first hurdles is a vote on a new constitution in July which would ease the passage of new climate legislation. The new government of leftist leader Gabriel Boric also faces a divided Congress, and will need to galvanise support for a radical new agenda.
Chile has vast potential for solar energy and hydropower, providing the infrastructure is in place to transmit it to different parts of the country. Can the government play a leading role globally in shifting to great dependency on renewables – and closing down coal-fired power stations in the coming decade? Lees meer

Presenters Kate Lamble and Mora Morrison are joined by:
Maisa Rojas, Minister for Environment for the Chilean government and climatologist
Claudia Heiss, head of political science at the Institute of Public Affairs at Universidad de Chile.
Dr Álvaro López-Peña, consultant on energy transition, CEO ALP Sustainable Energy

Producer: Serena Tarling and Darin Graham
Researchers: Natasha Fernandes and Frances Read
Reporter: John Bartlett
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Editor: Nicola Addyman

What does 'net zero' really mean?

25 april 2022 · 27 min

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When talking about climate change, the term net zero has become popular with politicians over the last few years. Lees meer

More than 130 countries have now pledged to go net zero to help slow global warming.

Reaching net zero means reducing the amount of emissions as much as possible and removing any that remain from the atmosphere.

We hear from communities in South Africa, where the government plans to reach net zero by 2050. But the country is heavily tied to coal and faces several challenges around employment and energy security.

And while politicians make their net zero announcements, the United Nations projects that emissions will continue to rise even with the current pledges politicians have announced.

What does net zero mean and could it help climate change?

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble are joined by:

Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN climate change high-level champion for Egypt

Lola Vallejo, climate programme director at the IDDRI

Dr Benny Peiser, director of the Global Warming Policy Forum

Clarification: this programme includes a contribution from Dr Benny Peiser, director of the Global Warming Policy Forum. Within the programme, we should have also said that the Forum questions climate change science and the cost of policies to tackle it.

Reporter: Zinhle Kanyane
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Producer: Darin Graham
Series producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Nicola Addyman
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Production coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

How are young people feeling 6 months from COP?

18 april 2022 · 27 min

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Hundreds of youth activists travelled to Glasgow, Scotland, to have their voices heard. As we approach the halfway point between COP26 and COP27- to be held in Egypt - we want to know how young people are feeling about progress made. Lees meer

We speak to Maria Reyes from Mexico, Edwin Namakanga from Uganda and Farzana Faruk Jhumu from Bangladesh, who all attended the conference. Is the world on course to protect nature, curb emissions and generate the necessary finance to help poorer nations adapt?

Helping us answer these questions is Wanjira Mathai, a COP veteran and the Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute, and COP26 president Alok Sharma.

With presenters Jordan Dunbar and Mora Morrison.

Producer: Mora Morrison
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Series Producers: Ros Jones + Alex Lewis
Studio engineer: Tom Brignell

Is space travel a problem for the climate?

11 april 2022 · 27 min

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As more countries launch more rockets into orbit for commercial and scientific reasons, the space industry is experiencing rapid growth. Lees meer

It’s on the verge of an even greater increase as space tourism takes off. The International Space Station is now open to tourists and private companies have developed rockets that can be reused – all meaning more launches into space.

But rocket exhausts contain particles that can affect the climate. What are the potential impacts and is it time to apply the brakes to the new space race?

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Phoebe Keane are joined by:

D Raghunanadan, director at the Delhi Science eForum
Eloise Marais, associate professor of physical geography at University College London
Stephen Freeland, emeritus professor of international law at Western Sydney University.

Producer: Darin Graham
Researcher: Lizzie Frisby
Reporter: Mike Killian
Series producer: Alex Lewis
Sound engineer: Neil Churchill
Editor: Emma Rippon

What does war in Ukraine mean for the climate? Part 2: Energy Security

4 april 2022 · 27 min

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In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, parts of the world are so dependent on Russian gas that they have no option but to continue to buy it. This week’s episode looks long term plans for improving energy security, particularly in Europe where the biggest focus is on increasing renewables. Whilst this sounds like great news for the climate, Europe only accounts for 10% of the worlds’ emissions. For fossil fuel rich countries like the United States, energy security policy will mean pumping more oil and gas out of the ground. Lees meer

We visit Bonny Island in the Niger Delta where business in Liquified Natural Gas is booming to explore how other resource rich countries stand to gain from the increase in oil and gas prices. And ask, as the world makes plans to stop purchasing Russian oil and gas, what will this mean for Russia’s climate policy?

Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar speak with contributors:
Simone Tagliapietra, Senior Fellow and Energy expert at European think tank, Bruegel
Laura Cozzi, Chief Modeler at International Energy Agency (IEA)
Ken Caldeira, Senior Scientist at Carnegie Institution of Sciences and at Breakthrough Energy
Oksana Antonenko, Global Risk Analyst at Control Risks Group

Researchers: Natasha Fernandes, Frances Reed and Julian Kwong
Reporter: Fyneface Dumnamene is Executive Director at Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre
Producer: Dearbhail Starr
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Nicola Addyman
Studio Engineer: Tom Brignell

What does war in Ukraine mean for the climate? Part 1: Russian gas

28 maart 2022 · 28 min

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The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been met with harsh financial sanctions. These have come from North America and Europe. The US and Canada have also banned Russian oil and gas, but Europe has found itself unable to do so - even as natural gas prices soar. The EU receives 40% of its natural gas from Russia, and for many countries, if they turn it off, the lights will go out and they’ll be unable to keep themselves warm. As a result European money continues to pay Russia for its natural gas resources. Lees meer

This episode looks at the short term plans for European countries, dependent on Russian gas, to remove it from their energy systems and ask if this could be the perfect moment to turn away from fossil fuels, including natural gas, and turn toward a much improved renewable energy network?

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble are joined by:

Victoria Gill, BBC Science and Climate Correspondent
Simone Tagliapietra, Senior Fellow specialising in European Union climate and energy policy at think tank, Bruegel
Bernice Lee, is Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow for sustainability, Chatham House

Team:
Producer: Dearbhail Starr
Reporter: Alessia Cerantola
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes & Frances Read
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Nicola Addyman
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell