Fossil vs Future

COP 31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. While Türkiye will serve as host country, taking responsibility for the logistics and operations of the conference, Australia will lead the negotiations. To ensure Pacific interests remain at the heart of the summit, the Pre-COP will be hosted in Fiji, supported by the Government of Australia. This represents an unprecedented opportunity to bring the world to the Pacific to experience climate impacts and solutions firsthand.In this collaborative, cross-continental episode, James and Daisy are joined by Jack Whelan and Heidi Dumesich, hosts of Bula COP31!, for an intergenerational conversation about the COP process. For this first instalment, James is in the hot seat to share his learnings from what he’s seen on the ground at previous COPs. How can the COP presidency influence outcomes? How does geopolitics shape climate diplomacy? Is it time for structural reform of the process? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: BulaCOP31! – To learn more about what it means for Australia and Türkiye to co-host COP31, listen to Jack and Heidi’s podcast.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:COP31 – Türkiye will be the formal COP31 President, handling all operational and logistical requirements, and the conference and the World Leaders Summit will be physically hosted by Türkiye in the city of Antalya. However, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, will serve as the President of Negotiations. This role is vested with "exclusive authority in relation to the negotiations," covering the agenda, draft texts, and appointment of co-facilitators. This arrangement was devised to avoid a prolonged diplomatic impasse, which would have automatically defaulted the conference to Bonn, Germany, risking a year without focused political negotiation leadership.Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) – An intergovernmental organization representing small island nations on climate issues.BINGO (Business and Industry Non-Governmental Organizations) represents a formal constituency of business and industry observers at the UNFCCC. The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) – Founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum (SPF), PIF is an 18-member inter-governmental organisation which brings the region together to address pressing issues and challenges. The Carbon War by Jeremy Leggett – This book is an eyewitness account of the climate talks, and the way the fossil-fuel vested-interests (the “carbon club”) tried to derail them.The Precautionary Principle – A decision-making approach that emphasizes taking preventative measures when there's a reasonable possibility of harm, even if scientific evidence is not fully conclusive.UNFCCC (2017) – Just weeks before it hosted COP23, Fiji announced the issuance of a sovereign green bond, raising FDJ 100m (USD 50m) to support climate change mitigation and adaption.UNFCCC (2018) – Talanoa is a traditional word used in Fiji and across the Pacific to reflect a process of inclusive, participatory and transparent dialogue. At COP23 (2017) under Fiji’s Presidency, the Talanoa Dialogue was launched, inviting everyone to engage in finding a solution. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

Although we often focus on carbon dioxide, a group of powerful pollutants is also driving a large share of today’s warming… In this episode, James and Daisy talk about super pollutants. Why are they important? Why are they worse for the climate? How can we reduce their use? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: The Global Methane Pledge (GMP) – Launched at COP26 by the EU and the US, the GMP now has 160 participants who agree to take voluntary actions to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, potentially eliminating over 0.2ºC warming by 2050. Methane has caused 30% of warming since the Industrial Revolution.The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) – A voluntary partnership of over 200 governments, intergovernmental organizations, businesses, scientific institutions and civil society organizations committed to protecting the climate and improving air quality by reducing short-lived super pollutants (methane, black carbon, tropospheric ozone and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)). The CCAC drives efforts to implement known practices and existing technologies that can achieve global reductions of at least 40% of methane by 2030 (vs 2010); 70% of black carbon by 2030 (vs 2010); and 99.5% of HFCs by 2050 (vs 2010).OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:UNEP (2024) – Interactive cartoons explaining the science of super pollutants. UNEP – Parties to the Montreal Protocol (2016 Kigali Amendment) agreed to phase down HFCs by 80-85% by the late 2040s.CCAC (2024) – Super pollutants are a “flow” problem (controlling how fast the planet warms) whereas carbon dioxide is a “stock” problem (controlling the maximum extent of warming).CCAC – Methane has an atmospheric lifetime of 12 years (much shorter than CO2) but per unit of mass, has a warming effect 86x stronger than CO2 over 20 years and 28x over 100 years.UNEP – The International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) launched the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) at COP27– the first public global satellite detection system providing actionable methane emissions data.PR Newswire (2026) – A group of companies including Amazon, Autodesk, Figma, Google, JPMorganChase, Salesforce, and Workday announced a $100 million Superpollutant Action Initiative.Carbon Brief (2025) – Super pollutants are responsible for around 45% of global warming to date, as well as millions of premature deaths each year. Human-caused methane emissions come from: (1) Agriculture (~40%), such as from livestock and rice production; (2) Fossil fuels (~35%), as a by-product of fossil fuel extraction, storage and distribution; and (3) Waste (~20%), from food and other organic materials decaying in landfills and wastewater.UK Government (2025) – The UK’s Methane Action Plan notes that UK methane emissions have reduced by 62% between 1990 and 2023. IPCC (2023) – “Global Warming Potential (GWP) is an index measuring the radiative forcing following an emission of a unit mass of a given substance, accumulated over a chosen time horizon, relative to that of the reference substance, CO2.” National Grid (2025) – Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) has a GWP of 24,300 and an atmospheric lifetime of 3,200 years. 80% of the SF6 used globally is in electricity transmission and distribution.European Commission – The EU Methane Regulation (EU/2024/1787) entered into force on 4 August 2024. It aims to reduce methane emissions into the atmosphere, both in the EU and in global supply chains, and to minimise leaks of methane by fossil energy companies operating in the EU.EMSA – From 1 January 2026, the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) has incorporated methane and nitrous oxide for maritime transport.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

With International Women’s Day on 8 March, this episode explores both the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and the critical role women play in driving climate action.In this episode, James and Daisy discuss and celebrate women. How are women disproportionately affected by climate change? And why are they central to climate solutions?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Women Leading on Climate (WLOC) – A global coalition of women leaders. Women are 2.5x more likely to demand government climate action, twice as likely to engage civically, and 60% more likely to use their voice for good. Project Drawdown – Makes the case for recognizing family planning and girls’ education as effective long-term climate adaptation strategies.Conciliation Resources (2024) – A workshop in Nigeria found women often show greater climate adaptability, partly due to exclusion from conventional inputs. Women farmers used manure fertiliser amid unpredictable weather, while men typically used harmful pesticides women cannot access.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:International Women’s Day – 2026 theme: ‘Give To Gain’. UN – Women aged 25-34 are 25% more likely than men to live in extreme poverty.UN – Women make up the majority of the world’s poor, who are highly dependent on natural resources. Women and children are 14x more likely to die than men in climate disasters. In wealthier societies, women drive 70-80% of consumer purchasing decisions.UN (2025) – One study found a 28% rise in femicide during heatwaves. UN Women – Women carry out at least 2.5x more unpaid household and care work than men.UN Women (2025) – As of September 2025, 29 countries have women Heads of State and/or Government (32 women total). FAO (2023) – Women produce 60-80% of the food in most developing countries.EIB (2023) – Countries with more women in Parliament are more prone to ratify environmental treaties. Companies with more women on boards are more likely to improve energy efficiency, reduce firms’ overall environmental impact and invest in renewable energy. At COP26, men held 10 of 12 UK leadership roles. Earth Day (2025) – 62% of women are climate voters in the US (vs. 37% of men). “Greenness” is often linked with femininity. Women generally purchase eco-friendly products more frequently, consume less carbon, are more likely to recycle, minimize waste, and save more water and energy. In one study, women became more concerned climate impacts and more supportive of mitigation policies when asked to consider future generations; men experienced no such change.IRC (2023) – Climate change has been linked to a 39% surge in child marriage in Bangladesh. After disasters, 86% of girls face increased domestic workloads, affecting their studies.Hidden Connections – Documentary on climate change and child marriage in Bangladesh. LSE (2025) – Women’s food and transport carbon footprint are 26% lower than men’s in France. CEO Magazine (2023) – With 10 new female CEOs in the S&P 500 index, women finally outnumbered CEOs named John.Vegan Society (2025) – More women (3.60%) than men (1.89%) say they are vegan or have a plant-based diet. Financial Alliance for Women – Non-performing loans from women are 53% lower than from men.One Earth (2025) – The Paris Agreement and its guiding principle of 'net zero emissions' was shaped by women leaders (the "lionesses") including Farhana Yamin, Christiana Figueres, and Tessa Tennant.Cara Daggett (2018) – Introduced “petro-masculinity” to describe the hypermasculine mode of support for fossil fuels in rising authoritarian movements.McKinsey (2023) - Top-quartile companies for gender diversity were 39% more likely to financially outperform. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

Our lives are intertwined with energy. It comes in many forms and, while it can never be lost, it can be converted from one form to another to do useful work. The energy transition is the process of shifting energy production away from sources that release greenhouse gases and towards sources that emit little or none.In this episode, James and Daisy explore all things energy. What exactly is energy? What does a good energy system look like? And how do fossil fuels compare with green energy?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Ember (2025) – The annual slide deck from Kingsmill Bond and the Ember Futures team unpacks how electrotech is rewriting the economics and geopolitics of energy. Electrotech is around three times more efficient than fossil fuels. Around 80% of the world’s population lives in fossil-fuel-importing countries, with more than 50 countries importing over half of their primary energy as fossil fuels. In contrast, 92% of countries have renewable energy potential more than ten times their current demand.Our World in Data – Data, visualizations, and writing relating to energy. This article explains primary, secondary, final and useful energy – the four stages of the energy chain – and why these distinctions matter. BloombergNEF (2025) – Michael Liebreich makes the case for a pragmatic climate reset, showing what happens if clean energy outgrows energy demand by 3% per year for the next four decades. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:John Elkington (2025) – A blog on ‘How—And Where—To Channel Our Energy?’Cleaning Up (2025) – A visual showing how much energy Egypt can buy for $1m, comparing oil, LNG, solar, wind, and nuclear. RMI (2024) – Today’s fossil energy system is incredibly inefficient: almost two-thirds of all primary energy is wasted during energy production, transportation, and use, before any useful work is done. That’s over $4.6 trillion per year, nearly 5% of global GDP and 40% of total energy spending, effectively lost to fossil fuel inefficiency. Around 45% of total shipping demand is for transporting fossil fuels, with roughly $42 billion per year spent on fossil fuels to ship other fossil fuels.Xlinks – A 2,500-mile subsea cable to bring renewable energy from Morocco to the UK. Sulfurcell – A German company founded in 2001 to develop and produce thin film solar cells based on copper indium sulfide (CIS) technology. The company went into administration in 2012. NESO – ‘Energy 101’ by the UK’s National Energy System Operator. Our World in Data (2021) – Energy sources are often reported using different metrics. This article explains how primary energy is measured. A typical coal plant in the US has an efficiency of 33% – only one-third generates electricity, while the rest is lost as heat. Gas performs slightly better, at around 45% efficiency. In popular datasets, coal and gas are reported in primary energy terms (the fuel going into the power plant), while renewable electricity – such as solar and wind – is reported based on electricity output.Ember (2025) – China’s wind generation was 992 TWh in 2024, accounting for 40% of global wind generation.Ember (2026) – India is electrifying faster and using fewer fossil fuels per capita than China did when it was at a similar stage of economic development.Ember (2025) – Solar and wind outpaced the growth in global electricity demand in the first half of 2025, resulting in a very small decline in both coal and gas compared to the same period last year.BBC (2025) – The price of silver hit a record high ahead of an expected US Federal Reserve interest rate cut, driven in part by strong demand from the technology sector.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region sits at the heart of the world’s energy system, home to many of the top oil and gas producers. Yet it also one of the most climate-vulnerable regions, with huge renewable energy potential.In this episode, James and Daisy discuss the region’s climate challenges. How is MENA impacted by climate change? Is the region serious about the energy transition? What were the key takeaways from Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Masdar – A fast-growing renewable energy company owned by three UAE energy companies (ADNOC, Mubadala Investment Company, and TAQA) with projects in 40+ countries across six continents with a combined capacity of more than 65GW. COP28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber chairs Masdar while also leading ADNOC. Masdar is building the world’s largest solar-plus battery project, that will run 24 hours a day, displacing 5.7 million tons of CO2 annually – equivalent to planting 100 million trees and covering 90 square kilometres, roughly the size of Copenhagen.Zayed Sustainability Prize – The UAE's global award that recognises SMEs, nonprofits, and schools with impactful sustainable solutions. This year’s Energy winner was Switzerland’s BASE Foundation with its cooling-as-a-service solution. Ignite Energy Access, a UAE-based climate-tech company scaling sustainable infrastructure solutions across Africa won the Energy Innovation category at COP28.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) – One of the world’s largest sustainability gatherings, hosted by Masdar. Our World in Data – A graph of oil production by region shows that roughly one third comes from the Middle East. Ember (2025)– In 2023, 7% of the Middle East’s electricity was generated from clean sources, below the global average of 39%. Saudi Arabia aims for 50% renewable electricity by 2030.IEA (2025) – In 2024, MENA supplied over 30% of the world’s oil and nearly 20% of its natural gas. Between 2000 and 2024, electricity demand tripled – making the MENA region the third-largest contributor to global electricity demand growth after China and India. Average temperatures in MENA are rising at more than twice the global rate, and summer temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C.Financial Times (2025) – How plans for the utopian city of Neom have unravelled. BloombergNEF (2025) – Michael Liebreich makes the case for a pragmatic climate reset.Cleaning Up (2025) – Liebreich in conversation with Lord Browne, former CEO of BP.Breakneck by Dan Wang (2025) – Shows how the cost of one US nuclear plant equals roughly 11 in China. Cleaning Up (2025) – A visual showing how much energy Egypt can buy for $1m, comparing oil, LNG, solar, wind, and nuclear.SOME FACTS:Investopedia: The MENA region includes Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, and Yemen.IEA – MENA holds five of the world’s top 10 oil producers (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Kuwait) and three of the top 20 gas producers. Nearly 95% of electricity generated in the Middle East comes from natural gas and oil – the highest share in the world. World Bank (2025) – MENA holds more than half of the world’s oil reserves and 40% of gas reserves.World Bank (2022) – MENA’s GHG footprint is 8.7% of global emissions. MENA is the world’s most water scarce region with 60% of people living in high or extremely high water stressed areas. MENA receives 22-26% of all solar energy striking the earth and its solar potential per square kilometre is equivalent to energy produced by 1-2 million barrels of oil annually and could meet at least 50% of global electricity demand. 75% of MENA has average wind speeds that exceed the minimum threshold for utility-scale wind farms.Earth.Org (2025) – Saudi Aramco accounts for 4.38% of global CO2 emissions. The Guardian (2025) – Saudi Arabia spent more on fossil fuel subsidies than it did on its national health budget in 2023.NY Times (2025) – Over the past year, EVs accounted for 76% of all passenger vehicles sold in Nepal.WRI (2025) – In 2024, EVs made up 92% of passenger vehicle sales in Norway. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon....

Demand for digital services has exploded — and with it, the rapid expansion of data centres providing the compute power behind everything from streaming and cloud storage to AI. But this growth could have serious climate consequences.In this episode, James and Daisy explore the rise of data centres. What exactly are they? Why are they becoming so central to our lives? And how can we guide their future growth to align with our climate goals?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Cleaning Up (2025) – An on-location podcast episode where Michael Liebreich visits Sines, Portugal, where Start Campus is building a data centre, set to be Europe’s largest. Carbon Brief (2025) – Five charts on data centre energy use and emissions. Brookings (2025) – Analysis on the future of data centres. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Green Mountain – SVG-Rennesøy is a Norwegian Tier III mountain hall data centre built inside a former high security NATO ammunition storage facility and cooled by fjord seawater.The Guardian (2025) – Google plans to put AI data centres into space, with the first trial equipment sent into orbit in early 2027. Solar panels powering these data centres could be up to eight times more productive than those on Earth. Terrestrial Energy – A developer of Generation IV nuclear plants using proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) technology.NESO – The National Energy System Operator for Great Britain, responsible for electricity system planning amid rising demand.BBC (2023) – The waste heat from a washing-machine-sized data centre is being used to heat a public swimming pool in Devon.Bloomberg (2025) – Finland and Sweden are pairing data centres with district heating systems.WEF (2020) – Microsoft’s ‘Project Natick’ tested a shipping-container-sized underwater data centre off the coast of Orkney, Scotland, finding it was eight times more reliable than land-based equivalents.Kraken – An all-in-one, smart operating system automating much of the energy supply chain, supporting efficiency and flexibility as energy systems decarbonise.SOME FACTS:MIT News (2025) – The first data centre was built at the University of Pennsylvania in 1945 to support the ENIAC, the first general-purpose digital computer. IEA (2023) – Since 2010, the number of internet users worldwide has more than doubled, while internet traffic has increased 25-fold. Data centres and data transmission networks each account for 1-1.5% of global electricity use and around 1% of energy-related GHG emissions. UK Parliament (2025) – Data centres consume around 2.5% of the UK’s electricity, with demand expected to quadruple by 2030.GOV.UK (2024) – Data centres are designated as Critical National Infrastructure, alongside energy and water systems.BBC (2025) – There are an estimated 500 data centres operating across the UK.McKinsey (2025) – By 2030, $6.7 trillion in global investment in data centres will be needed to meet demand for compute power, of which 70% will come from AI workloads. Demand for AI-ready data centre capacity is expected to grow by 33% per year between 2023 and 2030. By 2030, up to 65% of AI workloads in Europe and the United States will be hosted on hyperscalers’ infrastructure.Ofgem (2006) – One megawatt-hour (MWh) equals 1,000 kilowatt hours – roughly enough to power around 2,000 homes for one hour.MIT Sloan School of Management (2025) – When the full cost of delivering AI to customers is included, data centres could account for up to 21% of global energy demand by 2030.WEF – Power use in data centres is typically split between IT equipment (40–50%), cooling systems (30–40%), and auxiliary systems such as lighting and security (10–30%).NY Times (2025) – Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta spent more than $360 billion in capital expenditures over 12 months.CSO (2023) – Data centres already account for over 20% of Ireland’s total electricity consumption.IEA (2024) – Nearly one-third of Ireland’s electricity demand is expected to come from data centres by 2026.WEF (2025) – Climate hazards such as extreme heat and drought could add $81 billion per year in costs to data centres globally by 2035.The Guardian (2025) – More than 230 environmental groups have called for a national moratorium on new US data centres, citing rising electricity bills and worsening climate impacts.CNBC (2025) – Google, Oracle and Microsoft estimate AI hardware lifespans of up to six years, but sceptics such as short seller Michael Burry argue that they may be significantly shorter. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:

The COP – or ‘Conference of the Parties’ – is the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In November 2025, COP30 took place in Belém, Brazil – the thirtieth of these annual meetings and a milestone marking ten years since the Paris Agreement. As with many COPs, reactions to the final outcomes were mixed.In this episode, James and Daisy reflect on COP30 and look ahead to what comes next. What were the most significant outcomes? What is the plan for COP31? How might the COP process itself be reformed? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Mutirão Decision – The central outcome text from COP30. “Mutirão,” a term from the Tupi-Guarani language meaning “collective efforts,” was adopted by the COP30 Presidency as the guiding theme to inspire global climate action.Inside COP – A special edition of the Outrage + Optimism podcast, created in partnership with the COP30 Presidency, offering exclusive behind-the-scenes insights from the negotiations.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Carbon Brief (2025) – A clear summary of COP30 outcomes, including the agreement to triple adaptation finance by 2035 and the establishment of a just transition mechanism. Although more than 80 countries supported a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels, the final text did not include such a reference.NDC Tracker – A live tracker showing which countries have submitted updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).WRI (2025) – An analysis of COP30’s achievements and shortfalls. By the close of the conference, 119 countries — representing 74% of global emissions — had submitted new NDCs. While these reflect progress, together they deliver less than 15% of the emissions reductions needed by 2035 to keep warming to 1.5°C.UNEP (2025) – Current projections estimate global warming of 2.3–2.5°C if all NDCs are fully implemented, and around 2.8°C based on current policies. Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement ten years ago, temperature predictions have fallen from 3-3.5°C. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative – In response to the absence of fossil fuel language in the COP30 text, Colombia and the Netherlands announced they will co-host the First International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, to be held 28–29 April 2026 in Santa Marta, Colombia — a key coal-exporting port city.UNFCCC (2025) – Türkiye will host COP31, including the World Leaders’ Summit. The Pre-COP will be hosted in a Pacific Island country, supported by Australia. A representative of Türkiye will serve as COP31 President-Designate from the close of COP30, with an Australian representative appointed as President of Negotiations.IISD (2015) – Background on the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF), launched in 2009 to foster candid dialogue among major emitters and build political momentum for climate action.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities – and that number keeps growing. Cities are engines of opportunity and economic growth, but they also generate vast amounts of waste, pollution, and emissions. Yet by bringing together people, ideas, and investments, cities also become hubs of innovation where climate solutions can emerge and scale. In this episode, James and Daisy explore the relationship between climate and cities. How is climate change reshaping urban life? How are cities adapting? And how can cities lead the way towards a more sustainable future? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: C40 Cities – A network of nearly 100 mayors taking collective action on climate. 3 in 4 C40 cities are reducing per capita emissions faster than their national governments. Cities & Regions Hub at COP30 – Elevates the role of subnational governments as key actors in the COP process and anchors their contributions to the global climate agenda.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Sustainable Development Commission – Formerly the UK Government's independent adviser on sustainable development (closed in 2011).Clover Hogan (2024) – People should stop buying electric cars and instead ask, “how do we redesign mobility?” SUN Mobility – Aims to establish one of the largest battery swapping networks by 2030, accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. Smart Surfaces Coalition – Helps cities make “smart” surface decisions by demonstrating the value of surfaces that manage the sun and rain.The Wildlife Trusts (2022) – Bauer Outdoor Media aimed to have instal 150 bee bus stops across the UK by the end of 2022. ULEZ – London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone is the largest clean air zone in the world. Sadiq Khan (2025) – “It was predicted to take 193 years to meet legal limits for air pollution in London – we did it in 9.”London National Park City – Declared in July 2019, with 49.7% of the city made up of green and blue space.Wild West End – A partnership between property owners (including The Crown Estate) to create ecological corridors between London’s Royal Parks and garden squares.LBC (2025) – Oxford Street was car-free for a day and footfall rose nearly 50% as thousands rediscovered the joy of a truly public space.BBC (2024) – Honeybees account for 57% of all pollinating insects within the City of London despite being only one of 270 UK bee species.Paris – The 2021-2026 cycling plan aims to make Paris a fully cycle-friendly city, expanding bike infrastructure, secure parking systems, and the cycling ecosystem. Barcelona – The Master Plan for Barcelona’s Trees 2017-2037 aims to increase the city’s tree cover by 5% so that 30% of the city is covered by trees. The Guardian (2025) – In Jerez de la Frontera in Spain green canopies of grapevines cool streets by up to 8°C. UNDP (2024) – In Lima, Peru, fog catcher technology and automated irrigation are used to harvest water from fog oases. In Lagos, Nigeria, economic losses from flooding are already US$4 billion per year. Indonesia is set to replace Jakarta, the world's fastest-sinking city, with a newly planned capital that has yet to be built.Singapore – The “garden city” vision was introduced by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 11 May 1967.BBC (2024) – Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking due to water extraction and the increasing weight of their rapid expansion. Shanghai has sunk over 3m in a century.NEOM – A futuristic mega-project in Saudi Arabia designed to harness technology, sustainability, and development.SOME FACTS: UNEP – Cities only occupy 3% of the Earth’s land surface. World Bank – Over 4 billion people live in cities. By 2050, it will be nearly 7 in 10. Cities produce over 70% of global GHG emissions and account for 80% of global GDP. Since 1985, over 75,000 km2 of new urban land, equivalent to about 50 times the area of Greater London, has been developed in areas prone to severe flooding.IPCC (2021) – Urban emissions rose from 25 GtCO2-eq (about 62% of global share) in 2015 to 29 GtCO2-eq (67–72%) in 2020.UNEP – Cities consume over 75% of natural resources. UNEP (2021) – The world’s cities are heating up at twice the global average rate due to rapid urbanization and the urban heat island effect. By 2100, many cities could warm as much as 4°C.WEF (2018) – By 2100, 13 of the world’s largest megacities will be located in Africa; none in the Americas, China, or Europe.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram |

Like any industry, music has a carbon footprint – from live events and global touring to merchandise and streaming. Yet what makes music unique is its reach and power to inspire change. In this episode, James and Daisy are joined by Daniel Morrell – sustainability pioneer, environmental activist, artist, and electronic musician. Together they explore music’s role in the fight against climate change. What are the impacts of the industry? How can music drive climate action? Who is leading the change?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Chant Live – An experimental “Space Punk” cocktail made up of music legends, technological innovation and environmental action with a dash of one special ingredient – you. Upload your voice via the app to create a unique visual sonic signature and feature in the next gig. It’s free for now but future proceeds will plant land art forests. BalanceEco – A platform that makes it easy for people and businesses to 'balance' their environmental impact effectively over the long term. EarthPercent – Invites artists and the music industry at large to donate a small percentage of their income to nature.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Coldplay – Reducing the carbon footprint of their Music of the Spheres World Tour. In 2024, the direct emissions were almost 60% lower than their 2016–17 stadium tour (with 18 shows powered entirely by portable battery systems and 72% of all waste diverted from landfill).Massive Attack – Their Act 1.5 show produced 98% less power emissions than comparable concerts.Billie Eilish – A vocal climate advocate and organiser of the Overheated conference that brings together climate activists, musicians and designers to discuss the climate crisis. AURORA – A Norwegian singer, songwriter, producer, and advocate for environmental and social issues.Glastonbury – Since 2023, the festival has been powered entirely by fossil-free energy.Tyndall Centre (2021) – A roadmap for the UK live music sector to play its part in tackling the climate crisis. Julie’s Bicycle – A non-profit mobilising the arts and culture to act on the climate, nature and justice crisis. Hosts the world’s largest environmental resource library for the arts. A Greener Future – Helps organisations, events, festivals, and venues around the world to be more sustainable.REVERB – Dedicated to creating a more sustainable music industry.Music Declares Emergency – Brings together artists, industry professionals and fans to call for a governmental response to the climate emergency through the No Music on a Dead Planet campaign. Music Climate Pact – Sets out a series of high-level commitments to serve as a declaration of intent for the global music sector. Future Forests – The first carbon offsetting company (later renamed The CarbonNeutral company). Live Earth – A series of benefit concerts featuring 150+ musicians across 12 locations held on 7 July, 2007 to combat climate change.SOME FACTS: Nature (2024) – In 2010, researchers used figures from 2007 to estimate that the UK music industry produced some 540,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, around 0.1% of the country’s total energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Live music accounted for 74% of that. WORTH A LISTEN: NATURE – Nature is now an official artist on Spotify. At least 50% of recording royalties from “feat. NATURE” tracks are directed to EarthPercent, funding high-impact, rights-based conservation initiatives. Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell’s environmental anthem. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

Roughly one-third of all food produced is never eaten. Beyond the financial and social costs, food waste is also a major driver of climate change. When we waste food, we waste the land, water, and energy used to produce it, and as it decomposes, it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas.In this episode, James and Daisy explore the causes and consequences of food waste, sharing their experiences with organisations fighting the problem. Why do we waste so much food? What are the impacts? And what solutions are there?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Project Drawdown: Identifies reducing food loss and waste as one of the largest climate solutions across all sectors. The Felix Project: London’s largest food redistribution charity, rescuing high quality, surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to over 1,200 community organisations.FoodCycle: Reduces loneliness, food poverty and food waste by cooking nutritious meals from surplus food at volunteer-run hubs. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Winnow: Provides AI-powered food waste monitors and digital scales in professional kitchens, giving detailed data analytics to help chefs and managers cut waste. WEF (2022): Reports on how heatwaves and droughts have resulted in oddly shaped crops of fruit and vegetables.Tesco (2020): During the pandemic, egg demand rose 30%, prompting Tesco to sell white eggs for the first time since the 1980s. Tesco: In 2013, Tesco became the first retailer to publicly report on food waste in its own operations.PVM: At least 60% of the surface of a Pink Lady® apple must be covered by a pink blush.Oddbox: Works with growers to rescue the “too odd” and “too many” at risk of going to waste, delivering boxes of farm-fresh fruit and veg to households. Too Good To Go: The world's largest marketplace for surplus food – an app that connects consumers with surplus food from stores, cafés, and restaurants at a discount.Olio: A mobile app for sharing by giving away, getting, borrowing or lending things in your community for free, aiming to reduce household and food waste.Mimica (2018): Creator of “Bump”, a temperature-sensitive label that turns bumpy when food actually spoils. Chanzi: Uses Black Solder Fly larvae to convert food waste into nutritious protein for animal feed. SOME FACTS: UNEP (2024): In 2022, households wasted over 1 billion meals a day, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity.UNEP (2024): Food waste results in the throwing away of more than US$1 trillion worth of food every year. In households alone, each person, on average, wastes more than the average mass of an adult human per year.IPCC (2019): During 2010–2016, global food loss and waste equalled 8–10% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions.Our World in Data (2020): If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of GHGs after China and the US.WRAP (2020): While 81% of people reported being concerned about climate change, only 37% understand how wasted food contributes to it. The Independent (2012): A wrapped cucumber lasts more than three times as long as an unwrapped one. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

Democracy literally means “rule by the people” – a system designed to safeguard our collective voice through the creation of laws and institutions. But today, many democratic systems are struggling to respond adequately respond to the wicked problems the world faces, including climate change. Young people, in particular, are losing faith. In this episode, James and Daisy speak about democracy. Why does it matter? Do democratic systems empower us tackle climate change – or slow us down? How might we strengthen democracy? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Economist Intelligence Unit (2024) – Only 45% of the world’s population lives in a democracy, 39% under authoritarian rule, and 15% in “hybrid regimes” that combine electoral democracy with authoritarian tendencies.Centre for the Future of Democracy – Globally, millennials are most dissatisfied with democracy, and more so than previous generations at the same stage of life. Furthermore, young people are most positive about democracy under populist leaders of both left and right. Climate Citizens – A project run out of Lancaster University that wants to transform climate policy from something that happens to people, to something that happens with people.Climate Assembly UK – Over 100+ people from all walks of life and of all shades of opinion met over six weekends in Spring 2020 to discuss how the UK should meet its net zero target by 2050. They heard balanced evidence on the choices the UK faces, discussed them, and made recommendations about what the UK should do.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:National Geographic – The word “democracy” comes from two Greek words that mean people (demos) and rule (kratos). The first known democracy was in Athens.The Economist (2021) – The Swiss have the most pervasive system of referendums of any country in the world. Referendums are a form of “direct democracy”, in which citizens vote directly on policy questions rather than allowing elected delegates to decide (“representative democracy”). The Guardian (2025) – A majority from Europe’s Gen Z – 57% – prefer democracy to any other form of government. Rates of support varied, however, reaching just 48% in Poland and only about 51-52% in Spain and France, with Germany highest at 71%.Ipsos (2024) – Just 37% of 18-to-24 year olds voted at last July’s general election, down from 47% in 2019.GOV.UK – “Modernisation of UK democracy will see 16- and 17-year-olds able to vote in next general election.”CNN (2025) – Leaders of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran gather in Beijing for huge military parade in challenge to the West.UK Parliament – First-past-the-post is a type of electoral system. In the UK it is the system used for the election of MPs to the House of Commons and for some local government elections.UK Parliament – Proportional representation is an electoral system in which the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each party, e.g., if a party gained 40% of the total votes, a perfectly proportional system would allow them to gain 40% of the seats.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

The climate crisis is also a health crisis. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are driving more heat-related deaths, spreading vector-borne diseases, and damaging mental health – impacts that fall hardest on the most vulnerable communities. Framing climate change through the lens of health makes it personal – and the solutions preventative. Clean energy doesn’t just cut carbon; it saves lives by cleaning the air we breathe. Greener cities reduce emissions, protect us from heatwaves, and support our wellbeing. In this episode, James and Daisy explore the urgent connections between climate change and health. How is our health already being affected? How can health risks drive climate action? And what solutions offer the greatest benefits for both people and planet? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Outrage + Optimism (2025) – A fantastic podcast episode from Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson exploring why health must be central to climate communication. They are joined by Julia Gillard, Chair of the Wellcome Trust. Force of Nature – Founded by former Fossil vs Future guest, Clover Hogan, this non-profit provides mental health resources and research on the rise of eco-anxiety.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Our World in Data (2024) – “Almost no one has “heat” or “cold” written on their death certificate, but sub-optimal temperatures lead to a large number of premature deaths.”EAT-Lancet Commission (2019) – Proposes a global planetary health diet that is healthy for both people and planet. NY Times (2025) – The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) will stop funding research on the health effects of climate change.NY Times (2025) – With 59% of its revenue coming from federal and external sponsors, Harvard’s School of Public Health faces what has been called an “existential crisis.”Smart Surfaces Coalition – Promotes the adoption of green, porous, and reflective surfaces to enable cities to decrease urban heat, save money, reduce flooding risk, and strengthen urban liveability, resilience, and equity.City of Barcelona – Offers a publicly available map of climate shelters across the city. Wellcome – Showcases climate solutions with health co-benefits, such as protecting forests in Indonesia by meeting community needs. CNN (2023) – Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, once called air conditioning “the greatest invention of the 20th century” and credited it for helping to transform the island. Verv – An AI-based smart home product that allows remote control of HVAC units, switching to standby, setting temperature points, and programming set points.NHS & UNHSA (2025) – Partnered with the UK Met Office to integrate climate science and modelling into health impact assessments and launch an impact-based Weather-Health Alerting System.SOME FACTS: WHO (2023): 37% of heat-related deaths can be linked to human-induced climate change, and heat-related deaths among people over 65 have risen by 70% in just the last two decades.Imperial (2020): Changing temperature and rainfall across Africa could increase yellow fever deaths by up to 25% by 2050.UNEP (2023): Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to public health globally and accounts for more than 8 million premature deaths every year.The Lancet (2021): A survey of 10,000 young people (aged 16-25 years) in 10 countries found that 59% were “very or extremely worried” about climate change, and 84% were at least moderately worried. LSE (2024): The UK experienced five heatwave periods during summer 2022 with record-breaking temperatures of over 40°C in England.NHS: During summer 2022’s record breaking temperatures, England experienced an estimated 2,803 excess deaths.World Bank (2024): A changing climate could lead to excess health costs in low- and middle-income countries of at least US$21 trillion by 2050, equivalent to approximately 1.3% of their projected GDP.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) – the world’s highest court – has issued its long-awaited advisory opinion on the obligations of States in respect of climate change. The Court confirmed that States have a legal duty to protect the environment from greenhouse gas emissions, for both present and future generations. In this episode, Daisy asks James, an international environmental law expert, what this ruling really means – and why it matters. What exactly is an advisory opinion? How might it shape decision making? What happens next? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: ICJ (2025) – The Court’s Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change, requested by the UN General Assembly in 2023. It was asked to advise on two questions: (1) What are the obligations of States under international law to ensure the protection of the climate system and other parts of the environment from anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases for States and for present and future generations? (2) What are the legal consequences for States under these obligations when they cause harm to the environment?Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) – A youth-led organisation that initiated the push for an ICJ advisory opinion on climate change. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Carbon Brief (2025) – Provides an overview of what the world court’s landmark opinion means for climate change. Financial Times (2025) – Philippe Sands calls the ruling a “coming of age” moment for writing environmental protection into the international legal order.Outrage + Optimism (2025) – In this podcast episode, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson react to the advisory opinion and hear from two lawyers who helped make it happen. ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons (1996) – Paragraph 29 recognised a state’s obligation to respect the global environment.Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) – An intergovernmental organization representing small island nations on climate issues.Stop Ecocide International – Leading the movement to make ecocide a crime.The Guardian (2025) – A fact check of Trump’s claims about “windmills” (wind turbines). Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

Sport inspires, builds communities, promotes healthy lifestyles, and brings joy to millions around the world. But while sport is a powerful force for good, it is both a contributor to – and a victim of – climate change. In this episode, James and Daisy explore the intersection of sport and climate change. How does sport contribute to climate change? In what ways is climate change already affecting sport? How can sport drive meaningful climate action?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Forest Green Rovers – Officially recognised in 2017 as the world’s first vegan football club and widely considered the greenest football club globally. World Economic Forum (2024) – An overview of how climate change is affecting sports, including how the Paris 2024 Olympics balanced athlete performance with safety. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Forbes (2025) – Examines how the Women’s Euro 2025 is balancing growth, sustainability and climate risk. Switzerland has secured second-class travel for all ticketholders on match days and added 400 extra trains to ensure reliability.Cricket for Climate – Founded by Australian cricket captain, Pat Cummins, to use cricket as a platform to fight climate change. The Next Test – A hub for climate concerned cricket players, clubs, and fans. Sport England (2025) – Chairman Chris Boardman has called for a ‘mindset shift’ on climate change and announced a new multi-million-pound fund to create the ‘world’s greenest sports industry’. Arsenal (2018) – Installed a large-scale battery storage system capable of powering the Emirates Stadium for an entire match. Formula E – An all-electric, single-seater motorsport series. Healthy Waters Alliance – A joint initiative between World Rowing and WWF to protect freshwater ecosystems. SOME FACTS: “Sportswashing” – The practice of an organization, a government, etc. supporting sport or organizing sports events as a way to improve its reputation.European Climate Pact (2024) – The 2016 Rio Olympics released 3.6 million tons of CO2, while the 2018 Russia World Cup released 2.16 million tons – equivalent to the emissions of 465,000+ cars on the road for a year. BBC (2025) – Next year's World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico is set to be "the most climate-damaging" in the tournament's history, driven by air travel and a significant increase in the number of matches. European Climate Pact (2024) – Half of the former Winter Olympic host cities could be unable to sponsor winter games by 2050, due to a lack of snow and ice.BBC (2023) – The Alps in northwest Switzerland experienced temperatures of 20.9C over Christmas and New Year.New Scientist (2024) – By 2100, one in eight ski resorts worldwide could have no snow.Green Football – 100,000 tonnes of sportswear ends up in UK landfills annually – enough for 2,500 pieces per person in a packed Wembley stadium. The Guardian (2025) – Tennis fans faced the hottest start to Wimbledon on record this year as temperatures soared to 32C.US Open (2018) – The US Tennis Association implemented an ‘extreme heat policy’ to allow players periodic breaks during high temperatures.ScienceNews (2023) – Climate change has caused more than 500 home runs since 2010. World Athletics (2022) – 75% of athletes have experienced a direct negative impact from climate change on their health and performance.Rapid Transition Alliance (2020) – One in three British Open golf courses will be damaged by rising sea levels.Politico (2016) – Trump tried to build a sea wall to protect one of his golf courses from “global warming and its effects.”Olympics (2024) – The Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 achieved a 54.6% reduction in carbon emissions compared to previous editions. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for m...

Demography is the study of human populations, while demographics refer to the characteristics of a population like age, gender, ethnicity, income, education, health. These traits both influence – and are influenced by – the climate crisis. In this episode, James and Daisy speak with John Elkington, a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable capitalism. Together they explore the role demographics play in shaping our climate future. What role do older generations play in shaping – or resisting – climate action? Will immigration become the main driver of population growth? How should demographic shifts inform climate solutions?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Rewilding Markets – John Elkington’s blog on how we can design - and redesign - markets to meet tomorrow's needs.Hannah Ritchie (2025) – A data-led blog showing that while the generational divide in belief and concern about climate change is small, the differences are slightly greater when it comes to views on how to address it.Project Drawdown – Family planning and education could reduce carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by nearly 70 gigatons by 2050.Our World in Data – In 1800, the global population was 1 billion. It’s now over 8 billion. The UN projects that the global population will peak in 2086 at just over 10.4 billion people.OTHER ADVOCATESAND RESOURCES:Green Swans (2020) – John Elkington’s twentieth book, a manifesto for system change designed to serve people, planet, and prosperity.IPAT Equation – I = P × A × T – Developed by Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren in 1972 to describe how impact (I) or environmental change is a function of population size (P), affluence (A), and technology (T).The Conduit (2025) – By 2050, Spain will have 8 million fewer working-age people, so it is issuing work permits to 900,000 undocumented migrants. The Bank of Spain estimated that immigration contributed a fifth of the near 3% GDP growth between 2022 and 2024.BBC (2019) – France spends more public money on families than any other OECD country. Its benefits include a ‘birth grant’ of around €950, followed by monthly child benefit and diverse family allowances, income tax reductions and state-subsidised day-care.BBC (2024) – A 2021 survey of 10,000 people aged 16 to 25 found that more than 40% of respondents in Australia, Brazil, India and the Philippines said climate change made them hesitant about having children. In France, Portugal, the UK and the US the figure was between 30% and 40%. In Nigeria it was 23%.Ingka Young Leaders Forum – A global youth advisory council where Ingka Group's senior decision-makers and the Young Leaders Forum members co-create actionable and transformational strategies together. Ingka Group is the largest IKEA franchisee. edie (2021) – At COP26, the Body Shop explored how a youth council could ensure that younger generations had their voices and issues heard by decision makers.SOME FACTS: United Nations (2017) – The population of Nigeria is projected to surpass that of the United States by about 2050, at which point it would become the third largest country in the world.UN ECA (2024) – Globally, more than 1 in 4 people will be African in 2050, from 1 in 11 in 1960.European Commission (2023) – By 2060, Europeans over the age of 65 could account for 39% of the region’s total emissions.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

The ocean is essential to life on Earth – regulating climate, producing oxygen, providing food and livelihoods, and supporting ecosystems. But it's in trouble. Today, it faces a triple crisis: overfishing, pollution, and climate change.In this episode, James and Daisy dive deep into the ocean’s role in climate stability. Why is ocean protection critical to solving the climate crisis? What were the key takeaways from the UN Ocean Conference? Can the ocean itself be part of the solution?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Ocean with David Attenborough – A stunning documentary highlighting both the beauty of the sea and the alarming ways human activity is depleting its resources.Ellen MacArthur Foundation – In 2005, Ellen MacArthur became the fastest person to sail solo around the world. Five years later, she founded the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The Foundation warns that by 2050, oceans will contain more plastic than fish by weight.UN (2025) – The Nice Ocean Action Plan is a two-part framework that comprises a political declaration and over 800 voluntary commitments by governments, scientists, UN agencies, and civil society to protect the ocean. OTHER ADVOCATESAND RESOURCES:High Seas Treaty – Covers nearly two-thirds of the ocean that lies beyond national jurisdictions. Once ratified, this treaty will help close critical regulatory gaps and guide international cooperation on ocean protection. Law of the Sea Convention (1982) – An international treaty that established a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities, including navigation rights, territorial waters, and deep-sea mining.30 x 30 – A global campaign to protect 30% of the Earth's land and ocean by 2030. It's a key target of the Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2022.The Precautionary Principle – A decision-making approach that emphasizes taking preventative measures when there's a reasonable possibility of harm, even if scientific evidence is not fully conclusive.Dark Oxygen – At depths of 5km, where no sunlight can penetrate, oxygen appears to be produced by naturally occurring metallic “nodules” which split seawater - H2O - into hydrogen and oxygen.Blue Economy – Refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and ocean ecosystem health. While widely used, the term lacks a universally agreed definition.Notpla – A biodegradable alternative to plastic made from seaweed.International Whaling Commission (IWC) – Established in 1946 as the global body responsible for management of whaling and conservation of whales.Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – A non-profit organisation which aims to set standards for sustainable fishing.The White House (2025) - The Trump administration signed an executive order to accelerate deep-sea mining in both U.S. and international waters.Arnold Schwarzenegger (2025) – Speaking at the Austrian World Summit, he called for unified global action to combat pollution and safeguard the planet.SOME FACTS: UNESCO (2022) – The ocean covers about 71% of the Earth’s surface and holds over 97% of its water. Phytoplankton, a tiny marine plant that lives on the ocean’s surface, produces, through photosynthesis, roughly 50-80% of the oxygen we breathe.LSE (2023) – The ocean contributes to climate regulation by absorbing over a quarter of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions and around 90% of excess heat. Without the ocean, the average surface temperature, which is currently around 15°C, would instead be around 50°C.WEF (2020) – The annual gross marine product of the oceans totals $2.5 trillion per year - which would make it the eighth largest economy, in country terms.BBC (2025) – Bottom trawling or dredging is currently allowed in 90% of the UK's Marine Protected Areas. BBC (2025) – Over 2,000 scientists have recommended to governments that all deep sea exploration be paused whilst further research is carried out; just 0.001% of the seabed has been mapped.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

Activism is often defined as the act of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. But in practice, it takes many forms and means different things to different people. For many – especially younger generations – activism isn’t just a choice; it’s a necessity, driven by frustration that conventional approaches have failed. Yet, the effectiveness of more disruptive tactics remains hotly debated. In this episode, James and Daisy sit down with Clover Hogan – a young climate activist who has worked alongside the world’s leading authorities on sustainability, consulted within the boardrooms of Fortune 50 companies, and counselled heads of state. Together, they explore what activism really means today. What misconceptions surround activists? Whose power do you need to create real change? And should everyone be a climate activist? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Force of Nature – A youth non-profit founded in 2019 by Clover Hogan at age 19, focused on mobilising mindsets for climate action.TEDx (2021) – Clover Hogan’s talk, “What to do when climate change feels unstoppable” has almost 2 million views. Change Starts Now: 100 Lessons from a Full-time Changemaker (2025) – A new book by Melati Wijsen, who began campaigning at age 12 to ban plastic bags in Bali.OTHER ADVOCATES, FACTS, AND RESOURCES:The Conduit (2025) – Melati Wijsen led a panel of young climate activists to launch her new book. Greenpeace (2022) – Volunteers reflect on what activism means to them. An Inconvenient Truth (2006) – A documentary about former vice president of the United States Al Gore's campaign to educate people on global warming.The Cove (2009) – A documentary that analyses and questions dolphin hunting in Japan.Smart Surfaces Coalition – Committed to the adoption of smart surfaces to enable cities to decrease urban heat, save money, reduce flooding risk, and strengthen urban liveability, resilience, and equity.Doughnut Economics (2017) – Kate Raworth describes a cutting-edge economic model fit for the 21st century and the establishment of DEAL (Doughnut Economics Action Lab). Future Generations Commissioner for Wales – A pioneering role advocating for the rights of future generations in policymaking.ClientEarth – A non-profit using the power of law to bring about systemic change that protects the Earth. Youth Demand – A youth-led nonviolent civil resistance campaign demanding the UK stops arming Israel and cancels all new oil and gas granted since 2021.Just Stop Oil (JSO) – A UK-based nonviolent civil resistance group that halted its street campaigns in 2025 after achieving its major goals. Rights of Nature – In 2008, Ecuador became the first country to change its constitution to state that nature has the same rights as people.Impossible Foods – A leader in plant-based meat innovation, founded by Pat Brown.John Elkington – A world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable capitalism, a bestselling author and serial entrepreneur. Currently, he is Chief Pollinator at Volans.We Don’t Have Time - The largest media platform for climate action, founded by Ingmar Rentzhog. And here is the viral meme created by Elon Musk featuring Clover – discussed in the episode. To learn more about different perspectives on climate activism and how it’s portrayed in the media:Carbon Brief (2024) – Shows that 2023 saw a record number of UK newspapers opposing climate action, almost exclusively from right-leaning titles. Green European Journal (2023) – Explores how the media portray climate activists as “enemies of society”. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

Environmental law is the law relating to environmental problems – but these problems are anything but simple. Traditional legal systems weren’t designed with challenges like climate change or biodiversity loss in mind, making this one of the most diverse, evolving, and demanding areas of law today.In this episode, James and Daisy are joined by Philippe Sands KC – a leading international lawyer, professor at UCL and Harvard, and author of East West Street and the recently published 38 Londres Street. Together, they explore the role of international law in protecting the environment. When did international law begin to take environmental issues seriously? Can nature itself have legal rights? What might international environmental law look like for future generations? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Financial Times (2025) – Philippe Sands argues that our planet – not just its people – should have legal rights. “Should Trees Have Standing?” by Christopher Stone (1972) – A landmark law review article that launched the idea of legal rights for nature. LSE (2024) – Analysis of climate change litigation cases in 2023, drawing on the Sabin Center’s Climate Change Litigation Databases. Stop Ecocide International – Leading the movement to make ecocide a crime. Philippe helped draw up the legal definition: “Ecocide" means unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts.KEY CASES AND LEGAL CONCEPTS: Chernobyl – The most serious nuclear accident in history. Philippe’s book, Chernobyl: Law and Communication, explores the international legal aftermath of the disaster.ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons (1996) – Paragraph 29 recognised a state’s obligation to respect the global environment. A new ICJ advisory opinion on climate change is expected in 2025. Chagos Islands – Philippe has long represented Mauritius in its legal battle against the UK over the Chagos Islands. In 2023, he argued that the UN’s International Telecommunication Union could deem UK-US activities there unlawful.The Gambia vs Myanmar – A landmark ICJ case against Myanmar for violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in relation to the Rohingya Muslims.Red Eagle vs. Colombia – A case involving Colombia’s protection of the pàramos ecosystems from mining. The Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression – Proposed in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, aiming to hold individuals responsible. The proposal followed this article by Philippe. Montreal Protocol – A successful international treaty to phase out ozone-depleting substances. Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – An EU carbon tariff on carbon intensive products, such as steel, cement and some electricity. The Law of Sea – Governs maritime conduct and environmental protection beyond national borders.OTHER ADVOCATES, FACTS, AND RESOURCES:Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) – A nonprofit focused on environmental law (founded in 1989). Brownlie's Principles of Public International Law by Ian Brownlie – A foundational text in public international law. Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane – At powerful book on the legal and imaginative rights of nature. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson – A groundbreaking book published in 1962 on the environmental harm caused by the widespread use of pesticides that reshaped environmental policy. Bill McKibben – An American environmentalist, author, and journalist who has written extensively on the impact of global warming.Thomas Buergenthal – An Auschwitz survivor who became a judge with the UN war crimes court in The Hague. Sir Nicholas Lyell QC – An Attorney General in the John Major government and Conservative MP.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.