
The Climate Question
300 episodes — Page 2 of 6
How could climate change affect my health?
Climate change is having major health impacts around the world - which are only expected to increase as our planet gets warmer. These impacts range from heat stroke to the spread of tropical diseases, from hospitals losing power during extreme weather to the effect on our mental health. In this week's show, Graihagh Jackson talks to two doctors from Malaysia and Egypt about the challenges the medical sector faces, as well as possible solutions and how healthcare must also address its own emissions problem.If you have a question or a comment, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721Guests: Dr Jemilah Mahmoud, Executive Director, Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, Malaysia. Dr Omnia El Omrani, Vice-Chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance,Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Diane Richardson Research: Jordan Dunbar Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and Philip Bull Editor: Simon Watts
Your Questions Answered
The Climate Question panel discuss how to make homes - and ships - better for the climate. Plus, what about our own carbon footprints? And are oceans or forests better at storing carbon?Answering your head-scratchers are Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor; Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg's Zero podcast; and Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC CrowdScience.Got a question for the next listeners' show? You can email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721Host: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Diane Richardson Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Mike Regaard and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
Why are our tropical forests disappearing faster than ever and what can we do about It?
Tropical rainforests cover around 6% of our planet, yet they're home to more than half of the world’s species. They're also one of our planet’s most vital defences against climate change. But a new report shows how our tropical forests were ravaged in 2024 - and the Amazon rainforest was one of the worst impacted. Host Graihagh Jackson finds out why, speaking to BBC climate reporter Esme Stallard and Colombia’s former environment minister, Susana Muhamad.Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producers: Beth Timmons and Diane Richardson Sound Engineer: Dave O'Neill and Tom Brignell Editors: Simon Watts and Lisa Baxter
Could the oceans help us save our planet?
David Attenborough's new documentary argues that our oceans have been underexplored and undervalued. Could protecting our seas not only help biodiversity, but fix the climate too?Keith Scholey, one of the directors of "Ocean With David Attenborough", tells The Climate Question how the world’s seas are at a critical turning point. Many countries have pledged to protect a third of the world’s oceans, and the film’s creators hope it will push global leaders to deliver on their promise at this year's UN conference on oceans. The documentary also includes some of the most detailed footage ever captured of bottom trawling, a widespread fishing method that damages the seabed. In this episode we ask why we know so little about the ocean? And why the largest part of our planet been under-protected for so long? Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar Producer: Beth Timmins Sound Engineers: Ben Andrews, Mike Regaard and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsGot a question? Email us: [email protected]
Can nature help us to store carbon?
Around the world, scientists and entrepreneurs are pouring billions into researching new ways of storing carbon dioxide. We look at a scheme in India to put CO2 in rocks and research in the UK using kelp. Will either of them be effective?Host Graihagh Jackson dives into the waters off Britain's southern coast to find out more about the magical powers of kelp, while Chhavi Sachdev visits a tea plantation in Darjeeling which is hoping to diversify into carbon sequestration.Contributors: Shrey Agarwal, CEO, Alt Carbon. Dr Steve Smith, Arnell Associate Professor of Greenhouse Gas Removal, Oxford University. Dr Ray Ward, Queen Mary University of London. Carbon sequestration lead, Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in India: Chhavi Sachdev Producer: Diane Richardson Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
Can the past teach us how to fight climate change?
Climate change is making weather more extreme and threatening crops and wildlife. But could old solutions help us tackle these challenges? Around the world, farmers and scientists are reviving ancient crops, and reintroducing ancient animals to build resilience against climate impacts. In this episode, reporter Beth Timmins travels to the Peruvian Andes to meet the ‘Potato Guardians’, while Jordan Dunbar visits London’s Natural History Museum. Curator Lottie Dodwell-Williams introduces the museum's first climate-focused exhibit, Fixing Our Broken Planet, which includes a plan to bring bison back to Britain. Host Graihagh Jackson chats to Jordan and Beth about how traditional knowledge and techniques from the past are being used to combat the effects of climate change today. Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporters: Beth Timmins and Jordan Dunbar Production Co-Ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Editors: Sophie Eastaugh and Simon Watts If you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
What makes a good climate novel?
A new climate fiction prize has been launched in the UK, with the aim of spreading awareness about climate change and its solutions. But is that a realistic hope? And how should novelists be writing about climate change anyway?Graihagh Jackson talks to the Nigerian winner of the Climate Fiction Prize, Abi Daré , and the chair of judges, Madeleine Bunting.Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Di Richardson Sound mix: Hannah Montgomery and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsThe Climate Fiction Prize is supported by Climate Spring.If you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
Will the new Pope be a climate campaigner?
Will Pope Leo continue the Catholic Church's work on fighting global warming? And how influential might he be? Graihagh Jackson investigates.Guests: Christiana Zenner, Associate Professor of Theology, Science and Ethics in the Department of Theology at Fordham University. Author of the forthcoming "Beyond Laudato Si" Dr Adil Najam, President of WWF International, and Professor of International Relations and of Earth and Environment at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston UniversityProducer: Beth Timmins Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sounds Engineers: Dave O'Neil and David Crackles Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
Trump and the planet: The first 100 days
President Trump has made sweeping changes to America's policies on climate since being sworn in 100 days ago. He has announced plans to "unleash" American energy, including revitalising the coal industry and boosting oil and gas. The president has also cut funding for clean energy projects and renewables, while slashing jobs in government-funded climate research. Experts also say Washington's trade tariffs are having a big impact on the global market for new technologies such as solar panels and electric vehicles.So what does all this mean for the green transition in America and beyond? Graihagh Jackson talks to the BBC's US environment correspondent, Carl Nasman, BBC climate editor Justin Rowlatt and Zerin Osho, director of the India programme at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development based in Washington DC. Graihagh also chats to Tom Di Liberto, a climate scientist who was recently fired from America's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producers: Sophie Eastaugh and Beth Timmins Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound: Gabriel O'Regan and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
Are dams still worth it?
Hydroelectricity is the world’s biggest source of renewable energy, and dams have long been a popular - if controversial - way to fast-track development and boost economies. Jordan Dunbar is in Thailand, a country that has been transformed by hydropower. He meets Thais who've been helped by dams, and those they’ve hurt. And he finds out how a warming world could put the future of hydropower in jeopardy. Presenter: Jordan Dunbar Producer: Ellie House Assistant Producer in Thailand: Maew Wilawan Watcharasakwej Sound design: Tom Brignell Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
Could a love of nature bring out the eco-hero in you?
A growing body of scientific evidence from across the globe suggests that a love of nature could inspire us to be more sustainable – something scientists say is more necessary than ever given the climate crisis. The more we connect with nature, the more likely it is that we're willing to protect it. It’s never too late to build that bond, but studies show that outdoor adventures as children make us more likely to be eco-heroes later on. Getting outside isn't just a win for the planet. Science has shown that increased time in nature yields a plethora of positive impacts, ranging from reduced crime rates and enhanced family bonding to improved physical health, peace of mind, child development, and overall well-being. The Climate Question celebrates Earth Day by speaking to children at a wildlife club in Kenya, a virtual reality film director in South Africa whose ambition is to make up-close encounters with animals accessible for everyone, and a leading nature connection expert in Canada. Guests: Ulrico Grech-Cumbo, CEO Habitat XR in South Africa John Zelenski, Professor of Psychology at Carleton University in Canada Gabriel Ngale, Nairobi Region Conservation Education Head, Wildlife Clubs of Kenya Production team: Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in Kenya: Michael Kaloki Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Producer: Diane Richardson Sound mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Sophie EastaughIf you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
How can we cut the world’s shipping emissions?
As the UN's shipping body, the International Maritime Organization, meets to decide on a pivotal levy that will tax ships for using polluting fuels, host Graihagh Jackson and BBC Climate Reporter Esme Stallard discuss whether this will be enough to cut the industry's significant carbon emissions. From the Port of Rotterdam, we find out how the industry is already trying to reduce its carbon footprint. And are alternative shipping fuels really as green as it's claimed. We dive into the issue, along with more of April's climate news. The BBC’s Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt speaks to one of COP30’s top officials, a new study on carbon-gobbling forests in China and the latest on India’s heatwave. Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Esme Stallard Producer: Beth Timmins Editor: Sophie Eastaugh Sound mixing: Tom Brignell Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown
How is climate change affecting motherhood?
Graihagh Jackson talks to mothers from India, Kenya and the UK about how climate change is affecting women's decisions about whether to have children and how to raise them.
Your Questions Answered
Graihagh Jackson and guests tackle more of your intriguing questions: Why do we use big wind turbines instead of small ones? Can petrol and diesel vehicles be converted to EVs? And can floodwater be captured and stored? In the debate are Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor; Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg's Zero podcast; and Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC Crowdscience, If you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Diane Richardson Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Dave O'Neill and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
How do you stop a megacity going under water?
Bangkok is a mega city of more than 10 million people, the economic powerhouse of Southeast Asia and one of the world’s most visited cities. Billions of dollars worth of new luxury real estate is planned as huge skyscrapers pierce the sky and become back drops to some of our biggest film and TV series. But there’s a problem, Bangkok is sinking; in fact, it’s one of the fastest sinking cities in the world.To make matters worse, climate change is affecting both sides of the city: sea levels are rising in the Bay of Bangkok, and water levels are increasing in the mighty Chao Praya river.Jordan Dunbar is in the Thai capital to find out: How do you stop a mega city sinking? Reporter: Jordan Dunbar Producers: Ellie House and Maew Wilawan Watcharasakwej Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at the [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at +44 8000 321 721
Can I save money and save the planet?
Experts say we need to be 40 per cent more energy efficient to meet our climate goals. Is that doable? And might it save us money too?It's a solution that's been called the main route to net zero: energy efficiency - or using less energy to get the same or better results. But there’s an issue – it's got an image problem as many people think it’s boring. And it is hard to get excited about the idea of better lightbulbs!But energy efficiency could save us money on our bills too - especially in a warming world, where many countries will need air conditioning just to function. So does this crucial area in the fight against climate change need a rebrand. And could it even become sexy?In a programme first broadcast in 2024, Presenter Jordan Dunbar talks to: Dr Rose Mutiso - Research Director Energy for Growth Hub Prima Madan – Director, Cooling & Energy Efficiency, International Natural Resources Defence Council, India Kofi Agyarko – Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Ghana Energy Commission Thomas Naadi – BBC Correspondent, GhanaProduction Team: Ben Cooper, Octavia Woodward, Brenda Brown, Simon Watts Sound Design: Tom Brignellemail: [email protected]: The speech made by President Jimmy Carter mentioned in the programme, was made in 1977 not 1974, as stated.
Elon Musk and science, and polar bear encounters
Graihagh Jackson and BBC Climate Reporter Esme Stallard discuss the latest news from around the world - including a row at Britain's prestigious Royal Society about whether to expel Elon Musk, the latest numbers on the state of glaciers and a report from Germany on the future of the country's massive coal industry. Plus, Caroline Steel from the BBC's Crowdscience podcast has been finding out how Norwegians are protecting themselves from the growing number of encounters with polar bears.Presenter: Graihagh Jackson and Esme Stallard Reporters: Caroline Steel and Tim Mansel Sound engineer: James Beard, Neil Churchill and Tom Brignell Produced and Edited by Graihagh Jackson and Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at the [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at +44 8000 321 721
Why are some countries fighting extreme cold?
Climate change is usually associated with hotter weather, but experts say that in Mongolia it's making the country's cold snaps even harsher. Can Mongolian nomads survive much longer in extreme winter conditions known as "dzuds"? Or will the loss of their livestock and livelihoods force herders to abandon a way of life that dates back millennia?Graihagh Jackson finds out more about the situation on the ground from Mongolian reporter Khaliun Bayartsogt, and explores possible solutions with Khulan Dashpuntsag from the UN-funded ADAPT project.Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in Mongolia: Khaliun Bayartsogt Producers: Tsogzolmaa Shofyor, Octavia Woodward, Caroline Bayley, Ellie House Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at the [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at +44 8000 321 721
How can we build mental resilience to climate change?
How can we protect our mental health from climate change related trauma? Can family, friends and community help to boost recovery and resilience in places hit by extreme weather? Graihagh Jackson finds out about a local support network called "After The Fire", set up following the wildfires which swept through Northern California in 2017. And she hears how the Manobo tribe in the Philippines are protecting their community from flooding and typhoons. Plus, we hear some top tips about mental health first aid, and how to build psychological resilience, from Jyoti Mishra, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of California and Dr. John Jamir Benzon R. Aruta, Associate Professor at the de La Salle University in the Philippines.You can find out more about the story from the Philippines by following the link to an article by our friends at BBC Future Planet. Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Diane Richardson For BBC Future Planet: Gab Mejia, Ivan Torres, Jeremy Riggall and Isabelle Gerretsen Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at the [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at +44 8000 321 721
Who wins in the electric vehicles transition?
Across the world vehicle manufacturers are racing to make zero emission cars in the move away from fossil-fuel powered vehicles. It’s a huge market which could reach 9 trillion dollars worldwide by 2030. One small country which is grabbing this opportunity is Hungary. Located in the heart of Europe but with a population of under 10 million, it’s becoming one of the top battery producers globally for electric cars. This transition is bringing billions of euros of investment into the Hungarian economy and creating tens of thousands of jobs. One city in particular – Debrecen – the country’s second biggest, is becoming an epi-centre for battery production. The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar has been to Debrecen to find out who’s benefitting from the green gold rush. He speaks to local people and businesses about their hopes and fears as their city is transformed. Presenter: Jordan Dunbar Producers in Hungary: Ellie House and Balint Bardi Producer in London: Caroline Bayley Sound Designer: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts If you have a question, email us at the [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at +44 8000 321 721
Is Climate Change ruining your relationship?
How can you have a successful relationship with someone if you believe passionately in climate action, but they don’t? The fate of our planet can be a divisive, emotive, even frightening issue. It’s something that’s tearing more and more couples and families apart, experts have told us.It’s not easy getting past those differences with the ones we love, but it is possible. We speak to a couple, as well as a mother and daughter, to find out how. And we ask whether the way we talk to our loved ones about climate change might offer important lessons on how we discuss the issue more broadly.Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by:Daze and Antonia Aghaji, from London Caroline Hickman, researcher at the University of Bath in the UK and psychotherapist Mohini and Sam Pollock, from Campbell, CaliforniaThanks to Jasmine Navarro, founder of Nava, for her help with this episode, which was first broadcast in 2023.Producer: Simon Tulett Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production co-ordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie HillIf you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
Grace and Kisilu's Story
The Musya family from rural Kenya have become the stars of two documentaries, inspiring audiences around the world with their efforts to fight the impact of climate change.The award-winning 'Thank You For The Rain' shows how Kisilu Musya manages to keep his family on their farm by planting trees, diversifying their crops and adapting to more extreme weather events. 'Grace And The Storm' tells the story from the perspective of his daughter Grace and was made by CBBC for children around the world.The Climate Question visits the Musya farm in Kenya and talks to the documentary-maker Julia Dahr. Dahr directed 'Thank You For the Rain' and co-directed 'Grace And The Storm' with Dina Mwende. UK viewers can watch 'Grace And The Storm' via the link.Presenter: Jordan Dunbar Reporter in Kenya: Michael Kaloki Producers: Ellie House and Graihagh Jackson Sound Design: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
Your questions answered: The speed of global warming; space junk; advice for kids
Climate Question listeners take over the programme again, putting their queries to Graihagh Jackson and her panel: BBC climate editor Justin Rowlatt, Bloomberg News senior climate reporter Akshat Rathi and the presenter of BBC CrowdScience Caroline Steel. One listener asks why the climate appears to have changed so dramatically and fast in the last 50 years. Another wonders whether "space junk" plays a role in global warming. Plus, a question from a five-year old and - in a first for the programme - a listener's climate song!If you have a question, email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721 Producer: Michaela Graichen Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: James Beard and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
Could ancient rice seeds help fight climate change?
How farmers and scientists in eastern India are using ancient rice seeds to fight flooding, increasing soil salinity and drought. The BBC’s William Kremer tells Graihagh Jackson about his visit to the Sundarbans in West Bengal, where cyclones and rising sea levels have devastated crops, and meets the rice growers drawing on the skills of their forefathers, to feed their families. Graihagh also gets a global overview from Dr Rafal Gutaker, rice expert at Kew Gardens, London.And if you'd like to hear more about rice, the BBC World Service's Food Chain programme has just made a show about the climate impacts of the crop. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5xp0Reporter in India: William Kremer Production Team: Diane Richardson, Graihagh Jackson, Octavia Woodward Sound Mix: Neil Churchill and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question for the team, email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721
News update: The Earth breaches its temperature target
In 2024, the global temperature was more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Graihagh Jackson and BBC Climate Report Esme Stallard consider the significance of this key climate target being breached. Plus, why farmers in Malawi are switching to banana wine and how global warming might be forcing humpback whales to migrate even further.With Zeke Hausfather, Climate Scientist at the University of California, Berkeley; and BBC Africa reporter Ashley Lime.Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Production Team: Anne Okumu in Malawi; Diane Richardson, Ellie House and Sophie Eastaugh in London Sound Mix: James Beard and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
How is climate change affecting animal migration?
Every year, the great migration sees hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, gazelles, zebras and antelopes migrate from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya, in search of water and juicy grass. But rising temperatures and unpredictable weather are changing this epic animal journey dramatically. It’s the same for great white sharks, which are being spotted in areas where they’d never normally live.Tanzanian safari guide Neema Amos takes us into the Serengeti to explain why the wildebeest migration is so important. And shark expert Trisha Atwood reveals how these changes affect not just the animals, but our fight against climate change itself.Presenter Sophie Eastaugh is joined by: Neema Amos, Safari Guide in Tanzania Trisha Atwood, Associate Professor of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University Joseph Ogutu, Senior Statistician at University of HohenheimEmail us at [email protected]: Sophie Eastaugh and Octavia Woodward Editors: Graihagh Jackson and Tom Bigwood Series Producer: Simon Watts Sound design and mixing: Tom Brignell Production Coordinator: Brenda BrownArchive from the Sir David Attenborough programme, ‘Wildebeest: The Super Herd’, BBC Two, 2008This programme was first broadcast in March 2024
Review of the year 2024
From elections around the world to records in both temperatures and renewable energy, 2024 has been jam-packed with extreme weather and climate news. Graihagh Jackson, Jordan Dunbar and an expert panel reflect on the key climate stories of the year. Dr Rose Mutiso from the Energy for Growth Hub reveals a ‘silent solar revolution’ that has surged across rooftops in South Africa and beyond, helping the grid finally meet people’s electricity needs. We discuss the rise of electric vehicles – but also, deforestation. And the BBC’s Climate Reporter Esme Stallard explains why rising ocean temperatures are the red flag to which we should all be paying more attention. So, has 2024 been a good or bad year for the climate? Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter: Jordan Dunbar Guests: Dr Rose Mutiso, Research Director at the Energy for Growth Hub Esme Stallard, BBC Climate Reporter Producer: Sophie Eastaugh Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and James Beard Editor: Simon Watts
Quiz of the Year 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, join Graihagh Jackson as she hosts The Climate Question’s inaugural Quiz of the Year. Two teams battle it out – with questions, games, and challenges looking back at the past year in climate change. Can you beat them?Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Competitors: Jordan Dunbar, Dr Rose Mutiso, Jacqui Wakefield, and Dr Akshat Rathi Producer: Ellie House Sound Mix: James Beard Editor: Simon Watts
Climate change and plastic - what's the connection?
Plastics are everywhere – for good reason – they're cheap, abundant and can go into a myriad of different products from food packaging to vital medical equipment. But plastic waste has a devastating effect on the environment and the manufacturing process is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The world is trying to agree on a treaty to reduce plastics pollution but a recent meeting in South Korea ended in failure. Graihagh Jackson talks to experts on the past and future of plastics, and she hears a report from Malaysia, where plastic waste dumps can be up to 15 metres high.Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in Malaysia: Leana Hosea Guests: Susan Frankel, author of "Plastic: A Toxic Love Story", and Dr Cressida Bowyer, Associate Professor in Arts and Sustainability at the University of Portsmouth. Producer: Octavia Woodward Production Support: Ellie House Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
What do melting glaciers mean for the Himalayas?
Climate change is melting thousands of glaciers in the Himalayas and having a devastating impact on the people who live there. The BBC's Caroline Davies has just been to the Pakistani side of the world's highest mountain range: she tells Graihagh Jackson how villagers are coping, and how they are determined to stay put despite the risks of floods and the disruption to their traditional way of life.You can watch Caroline's reporting from Pakistan here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00246nx/from-above-melting-glaciersGot a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in Pakistan: Caroline Davies Producers in Pakistan: Fakhir Munir, Usman Zahid, Kamil Dayan Khan Producers in London: Ellie House and Osman Iqbal Sound Mix: Rod Farquhar and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
Was the COP climate summit a success?
For two weeks, nearly 200 countries have been in Azerbaijan trying to come to an agreement on climate change and how to finance the transition to clean and green economies in developing nations. At COP 29, there were walk-outs, there was drama, and then there was a deal - of sorts. Graihagh Jackson is joined by an all-star panel to re-cap what happened and ask what all of this means for our planet. Guests: Justin Rowlatt, BBC Climate Editor Adil Najam, Professor of International Relations and Environment at the Pardee School and President of WWF David Victor, Professor of Innovation and Public Policy at the University of California, San Diego Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the UN Convention on WetlandsGot a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenters: Graihagh Jackson with Jordan Dunbar Producer: Octavia Woodward Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison Editor: Simon Watts Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell and Giles Aspen
How does climate change affect me?
In his latest climate change 101, Jordan Dunbar looks at how climate change affects our everyday lives. He discusses the impact on our weather with BBC forecaster Louise Lear; while BBC Africa business journalist Clare Muthinji looks at what a warmer world means for the economy - from prices at the supermarket to where we go on holiday!CORRECTION: In this episode we quote an London School of Economics report that found food prices are 37% higher due to climate change. This is incorrect. While the LSE report found food prices rising globally in part due to climate change, the 37% figure comes from a different piece of research.Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter and Producer: Jordan Dunbar Researchers: Octavia Woodward, Osman Iqbal and Tsogzolmaa Shofyor Sound Design: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
What do developing nations want from the big climate summit?
When Cyclone Freddy swept through Malawi, it left 100s of thousands of people destitute. Now, survivors are among the first in the world to receive a new kind of climate compensation to relocate and rebuild their lives. This "loss and damage" funding is one of the key issues at the COP meeting in Baku. This year, the focus of the global climate summit is the help which more developed nations should give to countries in the Global South. Graihagh Jackson hears directly from Malawians who've received international climate aid, in their case from Scotland. And she asks Scottish First Minister, John Swinney: Is the money enough? Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Presenter: Graihagh Jackson BBC Africa Reporter in Malawi: Ashley Lime Producers: Octavia Woodward and Anne Okumu Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
What progress have we made on fighting climate change?
In his latest climate change 101, Jordan Dunbar looks at the world's success stories. These include the rise of renewable energy, greener urban planning and deep - if insufficient - cuts in carbon emissions. His guest is Dr Caterina Brandmayr, Director of Policy and Translation, Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London.Presenter and Producer: Jordan Dunbar Researchers: Octavia Woodward and Tsogzolmaa Shofyor Sound Design: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
The Climate Question x Global News Podcast: Listeners Questions Special
In a special programme, The Climate Question join forces with The Global News Podcast to tackle listeners' climate questions from around the world. How does war impact climate change? How can we protect small island nations? And what practical actions can we all take as individuals? Plus, what to look out for at COP 29, The UN's annual Climate Change conference, set to open in Azerbaijan. The Climate Question’s Graihagh Jackson, BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, and Global News Podcast host Nick Miles, provide the answers to a whole range of fascinating questions.Producers: Anna Murphy and Osman Iqbal Sound Engineers: James Piper and Tom Brignell Editors: Karen Martin and Simon WattsTell us what you think of the show or send us your own climate question. Email: [email protected] or Whatsapp: +44 8000 321 721
Trump wins: What does it mean for the climate?
How will the US election result alter climate policy at home and abroad? Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar hear from BBC Environment Correspondent Matt McGrath, US Environment Correspondent Carl Nasman and Zerin Osho, Director of the India Programme at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development in Washington DC.Producers: Octavia Woodward and Jordan Dunbar Sound Mix: Neil Churchill Editor: Simon WattsTell us what you think of the show or send us your own climate question. Email: [email protected] or Whatsapp: +44 8000 321 721
How is climate misinformation evolving?
Climate science and reporting are vital to understanding how our climate is changing and what we can do about it. But false information about climate change spread online is causing big problems. It’s no longer just about saying that climate change isn't happening; it’s increasingly about spreading uncertainty about its causes, its speed and the solutions. That’s making climate misinformation and disinformation harder to spot - and more divisive. Host Jordan Dunbar is joined by Jacqui Wakefield, global disinformation reporter with the BBC World Service and guests Marco Silva, climate disinformation journalist at BBC Verify and Prof Michael E Mann, climatologist and director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania.Researcher: Tsogzolmaa Shofyor Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Simon WattsTell us what you think of the show or send us your own climate question. Email: [email protected] or Whatsapp: +44 8000 321 721
Should we put a price on nature?
Everyone who steps outside can appreciate the value that the natural world brings to our lives. To some people, the idea of placing a monetary value on trees and mangrove forests is wrong because nature and its gifts are priceless. But others say the love of nature has not stopped it from being polluted or destroyed. The natural world plays a major role in capturing the carbon from our atmosphere. A marketplace now exists where countries and big businesses can pay others to protect their forests, swamps and bogs in return for offsetting their emissions. But several of these schemes have faced scandal and corruption. Could the world’s largest biodiversity conference in Colombia, COP16, help put a stop to that? Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar are joined by Kevin Conrad, founder, Coalition for Rainforests; Tina Stege, climate envoy, Marshall Islands; Pavan Sukhdev, chief executive officer, GIST Tell us what you think of the show or send us your own climate question. Email: [email protected] or Whatsapp: +44 8000 321 721 Producers: Darin Graham and Graihagh Jackson Researcher: Natasha Fernandez Reporter: Gloria Bivigou Series producers: Alex Lewis and Simon Watts Sound engineers: Graham Puddifoot and Tom Brignell
Your questions answered: The value of trees, "black" oxygen, AI's carbon footprint
Climate Question listeners take over the programme again with their head-scratchers. Graihagh Jackson and her panel: Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor, Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg's Zero podcast and Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC Crowdscience, ponder the impact of deforestation and marvel at the beauty of sequoia trees, which can live for more than 1000 years. There are also questions on the carbon cost of generative AI, the discovery of "black" oxygen in our oceans and deep-sea mining. Plus, which animal has the biggest carbon footprint?If you've got a query, email us at [email protected] or leave a Whatsapp message on +44 8000 321 721Producer: Osman Iqbal Sound mix: Gareth Jones and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
Is the climate on the ballot at the US election?
The southern US state of Georgia has received billions of dollars in investment in clean technology, creating tens of thousands of jobs at solar power factories and electric vehicle factories. It is also on the front-line of extreme weather - facing the threat of hurricanes, heatwaves and drought. So will voters in this swing state be considering climate change when they cast their ballots for the US presidential election in November? And how are politicians in Georgia talking about the issue. Jordan Dunbar takes a road trip across the state to find out.Got a question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter: Jordan Dunbar Producer: Beth Timmins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
Why don’t we use more geothermal energy?
Geothermal energy is renewable, reliable and powerful. So, why is most of it untapped? That’s what our listener, Anna in the UK, wants to know. Full disclosure, she’s a geologist and is thoroughly perplexed by the lack of uptake. Geothermal is renewable, reliable and abundant and yet, less than 1% of the world’s energy is generated from it. Host Graihagh Jackson hears about a team in Iceland who hope to "super-charge" geothermal power by drilling directly into volcanic magma. And she travels to Germany to visit Vulcan Energy, a company which is combining geothermal with extracting one of the world's most sought-after metals: Lithium. Plus, our reporter in Indonesia tells Graihagh about local opposition to some geothermal power plants.Got a question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Host: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in Indonesia: Johanes Hutabarat Producer: Osman Iqbal Sound Mix: James Beard Editor: Simon Watts
What's it like like losing your home to the sea?
Experts predict that millions of people around the world will have to migrate by 2050 because of sea level rise linked to climate change. How will they cope? Jordan Dunbar hears stories from Fiji and the UK.Email us your comments and questions to [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter: Jordan Dunbar Producers: Octavia Woodward and Graihagh Jackson Sound mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
News update: Sea level rise, Mexico's "green" president, Ivory Coast's chocolate crisis
The United Nations has just published a worrying new report about the rate of sea level rise in the Pacific. BBC climate reporter Esme Stallard talks us through the details. Plus, Mexico is preparing for the inauguration of an environmental scientist as its new president. The BBC's Will Grant heads to a bustling market in Mexico City to report on Claudia Sheinbaum's record in her previous job as mayor of one of the world's biggest metropolises. And we hear how climate change is fuelling a crisis for cocoa growers in Ivory Coast - and sending global prices for chocolate sky high. John Murphy from the BBC's Assignment podcast has that story.Email us your comments and questions to [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter and Producer: Graihagh Jackson Reporter: Esme Stallard, Will Grant, John Murphy Sound engineer: Morgan Roberts and David Crackles Editor: Simon Watts
Somalia: Where climate change meets conflict
BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt travels to Somalia to investigate the links between global warming and the decades-long conflict there. He hears how Somalis are responding by launching businesses and their own renewables industry.Presenter: Justin Rowlatt Producer in Somalia: Stuart Phillips Producers in London: Miho Tanaka, Sara Hegarty Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and David Crackles Editor: Simon Watts
What’s the future of wine in a warming world?
Climate change is transforming wine production around the world. New wine-growing regions are emerging, where the conditions have never been better; while for many traditional producers, drought and rising temperatures are causing a crisis. How is the changing climate impacting the taste and origin of wine, and who are the winners and losers? Presenter Sophie Eastaugh heads to the Crouch Valley in Essex, England, to find out why the area’s becoming a hotspot for boutique wine. And she travels to Penedes in Catalonia, where one of Spain’s oldest family wine companies, Familia Torres, are battling a four-year drought. How can traditional wine growers adapt to the challenge of a warming world? Featuring: Katie & Umut Yesil, Co-founders of Riverview Crouch Valley wine in Essex Duncan McNeil, vineyard manager in Essex Miguel Torres, President of Familia Torres in Spain Josep Sabarich, Chief Winemaker at Familia Torres Mireia Torres, Director of Knowledge and Innovation at Familia Torres Email us your comments and questions to [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Production team: Presenter: Sophie Eastaugh Producers: Sophie Eastaugh, Jordan Dunbar and Osman Iqbal Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound designer: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
Why is climate change fuelling child marriage?
Extreme weather, such as droughts and storms, is increasing the risk of more girls being pushed into child marriage. Graihagh Jackson speaks to girls and parents in Bangladesh who are experiencing these impacts first hand, and finds out why this is happening and what is being done to stop the problem.A huge thanks to UNICEF and Save the Children's Gabrielle Szabo, for their help in making this programme. Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter: Tasnim Khandoker Producer: Octavia Woodward Additional Production: Farhana Haider Production co-ordinators: Brenda Brown, Sophie Hill Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
Can bringing back nature save our cities from floods?
Engineers across the globe, from China to East Africa and the US, are turning to a new, nature-based solutions to fight floods, which are becoming more likely in many places because of climate change. They’re taking a pickaxe to asphalt and concrete and instead are restoring wetlands, parks and riverbanks, turning our metropolises into so-called ‘sponge cities’. Plants, trees and lakes act just like a sponge, mopping up rainwater instead of letting it pool and eventually flood our homes. Professor Priti Parikh tells Jordan Dunbar how these spongey solutions have many benefits beyond flooding, encouraging biodiversity, helping our mental health and storing the planet warming gas, carbon dioxide. The BBC’s China Correspondent, Laura Bicker, meets the man who came up with the concept, Professor Kongjian Yu, and visits Zhengzhou, a sponge city in the making. And Katya Reyna tells Jordan how her NGO is helping low-income communities in Portland in the US to ‘depave’ disused car parks, turning them into plant-oases. Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Contributors: Priti Parikh, Professor of Infrastructure Engineering and International Development, University College London and a Trustee at the Institution of Civil Engineers Laura Bicker, BBC China Correspondent Professor Kongjian Yu, Professor of Landscape Architecture at Peking University in Beijing Katya Reyna, Co-Director of Depave, in Portland, USAProducers: Graihagh Jackson, Ben Cooper and Joyce Liu Mixing: Tom Brignell and Andy Fell Editor: Simon Watts
Your questions answered: Geo-engineering; keeping houses cool; the climate powers of sharks
Presenter Graihagh Jackson and her regular panel take Climate Questions from listeners. BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, Prof Tamsin Edwards of King's College London, and Dr Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News, discuss ideas for geo-engineering the atmosphere, the links between climate change and shipping, and which animals do the best job of helping us store carbon.Plus, Graihagh visits a Climate Question listener to investigate his idea of using yoghurt to keep our homes cool in heatwaves!If you've got a head-scratcher, email us at [email protected] or leave a Whatsapp message on +44 8000 321 721 Producer: Osman Iqbal Sound Engineers: Andy Fell and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
How are Afghans fighting climate change?
Climate change has been tightening its grip on the people of Afghanistan, with flood after flood and drought after drought. It’s considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, not just because it’s warming twice as fast as the global average, but because its people’s ability to fight back has been severely hampered by decades of conflict and war. To add insult to injury, Afghanistan has contributed very little to the industrial emissions that fuel the global climate crisis. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, financial aid to help locals adapt has drastically dropped, leaving Afghans to take matters into their own hands. But presenters Graihagh Jackson and Barry Sadid hear how the diaspora is helping villages back home to build life-saving dams and protect themselves against extreme weather. And we ask if there’s a way for foreign governments to financially support Afghanistan without legitimizing the Taliban. Experts include: Dr Orzala Nemat, Development Research Group LTD Najib Sadid, an Afghan hydrologist based in Germany Naim Yosufi, Project Manager for the Daikundi Irrigation Project Mohammad Ayoub, Keil Mosque, Germany Have a question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or Whatsapp +44 8000 321 721, starting your message with "climate"Producers: Jordan Dunbar and Barry Sadid from BBC Monitoring Sound Engineers: Tom Brignell and Hal Haines Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford, Sophie Hill, Brenda Brown Editor: Simon Watts
The Climate Question meets People Fixing The World
In this special programme, the Climate Question team join forces with our World Service colleagues from People Fixing The World to share some of our favourite ways of fighting the impacts of climate change.Jordan Dunbar and Myra Anubi discuss solutions big and small - from tidal power in Northern Ireland to floating solar panels in Albania. Plus, we hear about pioneering community initiatives to protect forests in Borneo and ColombiaProduction team: Osman Iqbal, Zoe Gelber, Craig Langran, Tom Colls, Jon Bithrey and Simon Watts Sound mix: Neil Churchill, Hal Haines, Gareth Jones and Tom BrignellGot a question for The Climate Question? Email us: [email protected] or Whatsapp +44 8000 321 721, starting your message with "climate"