Stories on why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.
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What made us doubt climate change?
Recent research has shown that oil companies knew about the threat of climate change decades ago. Yet over forty years, it has been revealed that they contributed millions of dollars to think tanks and campaigns to spread doubt and misinformation about climate change – its existence, the extent of the problem, and its cause. Across the US, these revelations have sparked a wave of lawsuits against the fossil fuel industry, demanding accountability for climate change – and now a US congressional committee has started to investigate. Executives from the world’s biggest oil companies and trade groups have been called to testify before US lawmakers in October this year, in an inquiry modelled on the tobacco hearings of the 1990s, which paved the way for far tougher nicotine regulations. This week, The Climate Question looks over the evidence behind these allegations – and asks whether Big Oil might finally be facing a reckoning for its role in the climate crisis. Presenters: Neal Razzell and Phoebe Keane Producer: Zoe Gelber Series Editor: Ros Jones Editor: Emma Rippon
What homes to build in a climate-changed world?
Heatwaves and floods are becoming more frequent around the world. But are the homes being built today taking that into account? The Climate Question considers the impact that living in a building threatened by rising water or constructed so that you bake in the heat has. And it asks why planners and developers in many countries have been so reluctant to adapt. Where are lessons being learnt and will other places follow their lead?
What role has the media played in the climate crisis?
For decades, around the world, climate change coverage has been thin. Guests discuss why the media in petrol states, in particular, have struggled to tell that story. Science illiteracy in newsrooms has led to a mixture of climate silence and false balance in print and on air. But, even when the science has not been contested, the way the crisis has been reported may have caused audiences to turn away. Can climate coverage learn lessons from how that other hugely consequential science story of our time – the pandemic - has been told? Contributors : Mark Herstsgaard, co-founder Covering Climate Now Marianna Poberezhskaya, associate professor Nottingham Trent University Kris De Meyer, neuroscientist Kings College London Wolfgang Blau, The Reuters Institute Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon
When will countries stop exploring for oil?
If we are to ensure that there’s no more than a 1.5 degrees centigrade increase in global warming, the International Energy Agency recently stated that oil exploration must stop. A few countries have heeded that warning but the vast majority have not. The Climate Question hears from two nations – one already rich from oil, the other poor and yet to benefit from recent oil finds – about why they are continuing to explore. But, even for those who are following the IEA’s advice, will stopping be straightforward or might hurdles still lie in wait? Contributors: Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency Bård Lahn, Research Fellow at the Center for International Climate Research, Norway Catherine Higham, Climate Change Laws of the World Coordinator, London School of Economics Presenters: Jordan Dunbar & Gaia Vince Reporter: Kiana Wilburg Producers: Darin Graham & Soila Apparicio Series producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon
Should rich countries help pay for climate change impacts in poorer ones?
As extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, the developing world says urgent action is needed to avert catastrophe. Some in the developing world say that as richer countries caused the bulk of global emissions, they should compensate them for the losses and damages caused by the climate crisis. But will delegates, negotiators and politicians gathering at the international climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow in November take notice? In previous years rich countries have been reluctant to agree to compensate poorer countries. If that happens again, what will the impact be on reaching a global commitment to reduce emissions? Joining presenters Graihagh Jackson and Gaia Vince: Dr Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development. Rémy Rioux, chief executive of the French Development Agency. S.I Ohumu, Lagos reporter Linnea Nordlander, postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for International Law and Governance, University of Copenhagen. Producer : Darin Graham Series Producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell
Can we be ‘nudged’ to act on climate change?
Another chance to listen to an episode that asks whether we can change our ways. Drastic change is needed to limit the increase in global temperature caused by climate change. More than two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide result from how we live our lives. But the behaviours that drive these emissions tend to be deeply habitual and hard to shift - the way we heat our homes, what we eat and how we travel to work. And our behavioural good intentions all too often fail to translate into action. So our climate question this week is how we can be nudged, or even shoved, to change? First broadcast on 1st March 2021 Guests: Elisabeth Costa, senior director, Behavioural Insights Team Erik Thulin, behavioural science lead at the Centre for Behaviour and the Environment at Rare Professor Martine Visser, behavioural economist at the University of Cape Town Mo Allie, BBC reporter in Cape Town Presented by Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell Produced by Alex Lewis Researched by Zoe Gelber Edited by Emma Rippon
“Code red for humanity”
A diplomatic deadline looms as new science urges faster action. Can nations respond? So far, the answer has been ‘no.’ Three decades of international talks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has left them higher than ever and set to rise further. We provide a brief history of climate talks, with an eye on what can be learned ahead of the next round, called COP26, in Glasgow. Contributors: Mark Maslin, Professor of Earth System Science, University College London and author of How to Save Our Planet. Navin Singh Khadka, Environment Correspondent, BBC World Service Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation Ambassador Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, lead climate negotiator for the Democratic Republic of Congo Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell Producer: Josephine Casserly Series producer: Ros Jones Editor: Emma Rippon
Is green hydrogen the fuel of the future?
Hydrogen gas has long been recognised as a potentially valuable tool for tackling climate change. The most abundant element in the universe, it is also a clean-burning gas and – in theory – could be used to power almost anything, from our cars and homes, to planes and ships, to agriculture and heavy industry. We already produce millions of tons of hydrogen each year for use in the chemicals industry, by extracting it from natural gas - a process which emits CO2. But hydrogen can also be made by splitting water molecules with electricity – and when that electricity is powered by renewables it comes without a carbon price tag. It is this so-called ‘green hydrogen’ that is currently generating hype around the world as the ‘fuel of the future’ and the missing piece of the decarbonisation puzzle. Across the world, governments are announcing far-reaching hydrogen strategies. Fossil fuel companies, too, are investing big, hoping to cash in on the ‘hydrogen boom’. But for all the talk of green hydrogen as a miracle fuel, it has a long list of drawbacks too. It is expensive, difficult to store, inefficient and explosive. Previous hype cycles around hydrogen have ended in failure for a combination of these reasons. So while experts agree that hydrogen does have a role to play in decarbonisation, the question is – how big should it be? And are we about to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on a white elephant? Contributors: Mike Strizski, founder of the Hydrogen House Project Michael Leibreich, founder of Bloomberg NEF Sonja van Renssen, Managing Editor of Energy Monitor Nawal Al-Hosany, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Marnie Chesterton Producer: Zoe Gelber Editor: Ros Jones
What do we tell the kids?
Climate change is going to shape young people’s lives, and yet many students feel their schools are not equipping them with the knowledge and skills to face this future. Teachers aren’t always confident broaching climate change in the classroom. And governments have been slow to get comprehensive and compulsory climate change education onto national curriculums. But how do you teach young children about something so big and scary? And how should adults deal with the hopelessness that some young people feel when faced with a crisis they feel powerless to change? This week, we’re going to Ghana, the US, China, the UK and Europe to find answers. Contributors: Christina Kwauk, Kwauk & Associates, Brookings Institution Lily Henderson, Teach the Future Koen Timmers, Climate Action Project Dr Emmanuel Tachie-Obeng, Ghana Environmental Protection Agency Presenters: Neal Razzell and Katie Prescott Reporter: Thomas Naadi Producer: Josephine Casserly Series producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Can shipping fix its climate problem?
It's estimated that 9 out of 10 items sold in our shops are shipped halfway around the world on ships. The resulting emissions amount to around 3% of the global total, more than many countries, but we rarely hear about the role shipping plays in the climate crisis. Partly this is because most of shipping's pollution occurs far out at sea, out of the sights and minds of many consumers - and largely out of the reach of regulation. Like aviation, ships travel across borders, so their emissions are not attributable to any one country. There's no simple fix to shipping's climate problem. Currently most ships use one of the dirtiest forms of fossil fuels, known as 'bunker fuel' - because it's plentiful and cheap. And they use a lot of it - 300 million tonnes per year. But there are alternatives out there. Hydrogen, sustainable bio-fuels - even wind power - are all possible, so why aren't they already being used? What will it take to turn the shipping industry around? Contributors: Alan McKinnon, Professor of Logistics at Kuehne Logistics University, Hamburg Camille Bourgeon, International Maritime Organisation Diane Gilpin, CEO of Smart Green Shipping Faig Abbasov, Shipping Programme Director at Transport and Environment Presenters: Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson Reporter: Lotte von Gaalen Producer: Zoe Gelber Series producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon
The North American heatwave
The heatwave that hit parts of the west coast of North America shattered records by several degrees. It affected parts of the United States and Canada that were unused to extreme heat. Hundreds of people died and emergency teams were pushed to their limits. In Lytton, Canada, temperatures reached 49.6 degrees celsius. Days later, the entire village burnt down. Scientists say that climate change had made this heatwave 150 times more likely. They also warn that, if global warming continues, about one-third of the world’s population will become threatened by extreme heat. So does our attitude to extreme heat need to change? Joining presenters Neal Razzell and Manuela Saragosa: Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Dr Lipika Nanda, vice president, multisectoral planning in public health, Public Health Foundation of India Dr Christienne Alexander, president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians Daniel Stevens, director, Vancouver Emergency Management Agency Dallas Gonsalves, centre manager for Gathering Place Community Centre Martin Paulson, operations chief of the Vancouver Fire Department. Producer: Darin Graham Series producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Will football tackle the climate crisis?
You don’t often hear climate change and football mentioned in the same sentence, but rising temperatures are set to disrupt every area of our lives, the ‘beautiful game’ included. Heat and other extreme weather have already been affecting training and matches, which experts say we can expect a lot more of in coming years. But not only is the sport at risk from the climate crisis, it’s also a significant contributor to it. The operation of multi-thousand capacity stadiums, spectator travel and merchandise, not to mention the fossil fuel sponsorship that props up professional tournaments, mean that football is currently part of the climate problem. Yet football also has an audience of billions – all potentially affected by climate change – who could be part of the solution. Featuring footballers and fans, we ask if football can tackle its carbon problem and be a force for good in the fight against climate change. Guests Morten Thorsby, Norwegian midfielder Sofie Junge Pedersen, Danish midfielder David Goldblatt, football historian and writer Manuel Gaber, founder of Unser Fussball campaign Federico Addiechi, Head of Sustainability and Environment at FIFA Reporter Uli Knapp Presenters: Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson Producer: Zoe Gelber Series producer: Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon
Could climate change cause more water conflicts?
Freshwater sources around the world are becoming more irregular, and disputes between countries are common, with fears that access to water could eventually lead to conflict. There’s a high-profile case going on right now in northeast Africa, where talks about a huge new dam on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia have stalled. Ethiopia says it needs the hydroelectric dam to help solve some of its power supply problems. However, the Blue Nile is the largest source for the river Nile, which runs through Egypt, and there are concerns there that the dam will have huge consequences for people living further downstream. According to the United Nations, around two-thirds of rivers shared by two countries or more lack formal agreements on how to manage the water. So how can we help countries reach agreements over equal access to water, and ensure they stick to them in the future? Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell are joined by: Samuel Marunga, editor, BBC Monitoring Lenka Thamae, executive secretary of the Orange-Senqu River Commission Ashok Swain, professor of peace and conflict research at Uppsala University Susanne Schmeier, associate professor of water law and diplomacy at IHE Delft Producer: Darin Graham Series producers: Richard Fenton-Smith and Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Why is Australia so slow to act on climate change?
Australia is one of the world's biggest per-capita greenhouse gas emitters, and a Climate Question listener wants to know why the world isn't demanding her country do more. Jodie lives in tropical Queensland, which she says is 'paradise', but it's also a place affected by bushfires, drought, and cyclones. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says 'Australia can always be relied upon' to deliver action on climate change, but critics at home and abroad point to a record of over-promising and under-delivering. Observers also blame the country's powerful and profitable fossil fuel industries as a reason why the Australian government has been slow to make progress. But is it time, as listener Jodie asks, to give her country a 'a kick up the bum'? Contributors: Dr Niklas Hohne, The New Climate Institute, Cologne Greg Bourne, The Climate Council Australia Presenters - Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson Reporter - Issy Phillips, FBi Radio, Sydney Producer – Jordan Dunbar Editor – Emma Rippon
Why are we failing to protect the Amazon rainforest?
The Brazilian legislature is currently considering a bill that would legalise the private occupation of some public land in the Amazon region - a move that would most likely lead to further deforestation. But could renewed international pressure from foreign governments and corporations demanding protection of the Amazon convince the Brazilian government to rethink its policies, or will they simply go ignored, as it favours short-term economic gain over long-term environmental protection? Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell are joined by: Diane Jeantet, freelance reporter Manuela Andreoni, rainforest investigations fellow at the Pulitzer Centre Marcello Britto, president of the Brazilian Agribusiness Association Oliver Stuenkel, professor of international relations at FGV in São Paulo Virgilio Viana, fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development Producer: Darin Graham Researcher: Zoe Gelber Series producers: Rosamund Jones and Richard Fenton Smith Editor: Emma Rippon Sound engineer: Tom Brignell