The Climate Question

The Climate Question receives lots of emails from listeners asking about the impact that the food and drink we consume on a daily basis has on the environment and climate: which foods are most associated with greenhouse gas emissions? Which fruits and vegetables are the most sustainable choices at the supermarket? How would a tax on carbon-intensive imported produce, like beef, work? In this programme, a panel of experts answer your questions to help you see past the product packaging, wherever you are in the world. Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Dan Saladino, food journalist, author and presenter; Franziska Funke, Associate Doctoral Researcher in environmental economics at the Technical University of Berlin; Dr Ximena Schmidt, sustainability expert at Brunel University, London; If you have a question about climate change that you’d like us to answer, or a comment – please email them to [email protected] Producer: Ben Cooper Researcher: Octavia Woodward Series Producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford, Sophie Hill and Sabine Schereck

In this, the second episode in our spin-off series on Climate Quitters, we invite trailblazers from three different continents to reveal the ups and down, highs and lows of their new lives in climate conscious careers. In Mumbai, Namita Dandekar swapped a role marketing stock for one of India's largest - and wealthiest - conglomerates for a front-line position with The RainTree Foundation, an organisation that works with rural communities to introduce climate friendly practices into their everyday lives and livelihoods. In Vihiga County in Kenya, Kevin Makova traded in his job as a schoolteacher to create sustainable employment opportunities for members of the community keen to work in climate and conservation focused jobs. And in Berkeley, California, Eugene Kirpichov said goodbye to a lucrative post developing AI systems for Google to build a new, global workforce that he hopes will be capable of solving the climate crisis conundrum. But is the grass always greener - and cleaner - for climate quitters? What are the realities of life on the other side of that leap? And does putting the planet first come at a personal cost?In this globe-spanning episode, your host, Paul Connolly, probes all three guests for their views and experiences so far - and we go a step further to bring you on-the-ground, in-person reports from the projects based in both India and Kenya. Presenter: Paul Connolly Series Producers: Simon Watts and Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineers: James Beard and Tom Brignell Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Bornholm – a Danish island in the Baltic Sea – is trying to go carbon neutral by 2025. It is a lofty ambition that would put the island decades ahead of most countries. This dream has been 15 years in the making; a crash in fish stocks meant Bornholmers had to reinvent themselves and they chose to become ‘the bright green island’. Since then, they have been making biogas from pig manure, building wind turbine after wind turbine, and now they are piloting new ways of storing this renewable energy, including in a battery made of salt. The island is not just trying to rid itself of fossil fuels – it is also aiming to go zero waste by 2032. Graihagh Jackson teams up with CrowdScience presenter Caroline Steel to explore Bornholm’s double quest to go green.The changes have not just been at top-level – the island’s businesses and 40,000 residents have been encouraged to reduce their climate impact too. Graihagh visits a brewery whose production has gone carbon neutral by capturing CO2 to create the bubbles in its beers, and meets a chef whose Michelin-star restaurant uses locally-sourced food. And over on CrowdScience, Caroline tackles Bornholm’s zero waste ambition, visiting a project turning used nappies into compost and a glassblower making tableware out of wasted insulin vials. See link below.Will Bornholm make its bold goals, and what lessons can be learned for elsewhere? Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Caroline Steel Producer: Sophie Eastaugh Production co-ordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill Series Producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell

The live music industry is booming. With global growth in concerts and festivals, more and more of us are enjoying our favourite bands and artists live. The music industry now relies on touring for money – encouraging more and more bands to travel and fans to see them. This is causing emissions to soar just like the private jets. So what can be done? Jordan Dunbar discovers the problem isn’t coming from who you might think and that this could be a climate opportunity rather than a problem.Guests: Ben Pol, Afrobeats star Prof Carly McLachlan, Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Research, University of Manchester Jordi Herreruela, Director of the Cruilla Barcelona Festival Luke Howells, Head of Sustainability for Coldplay and Glastonbury Festival Henry Stuart, Co-Founder and CEO of VisualiseProducers: Osman Iqbal and Ben Cooper Reporter in Barcelona: Esperanza Escribano Researchers: Octavia Woodward and Isobel Gough Series producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound engineers: Tom Brignell Production coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has been raising awareness of the impact that climate change is having on small island nations like hers, from the Caribbean to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In addition to facing more extreme weather and temperatures, these islands also have to contend with the threat posed by rising sea levels – which, for some islands, is existential. In this episode, Qasa Alom speaks to reporters in Fiji and the Maldives about what small island nations can do to survive.Guests: Dr Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, Director of the Ocean Physics program at NASA Dr Rosanne Martyr-Koller, Coastal Hazards and Adaptation Scientist at Climate Analytics Shahudha Mohamed, on-the-ground reporter in the Maldives Tim Vula, on-the-ground reporter in Fiji Producer: Ben Cooper Researcher: Octavia Woodward Series producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound engineers: Hal Haines and Rod Farquhar Production coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Jordan Dunbar introduces The Climate Question's guide to the Climate Change basics - with the help of some friends of the show.

July 2023 has been confirmed as the hottest month ever on Earth. A combination of heatwaves across the Northern Hemisphere, unseasonable warmth in parts of South America and Antarctica, and global sea surface temperatures around 0.51°C above the 30-year average, meant it broke all previous records.Climate scientists are now poring over the data, including Prof Jim Skea, the newly-elected chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He joins presenter Graihagh Jackson to discuss how worried we should be, and the challenges ahead as he takes up the most important role in global climate science. Producer: Ben Cooper Researcher: Isobel Gough Series producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound Engineers: Graham Puddifoot and Neil Churchill Production Coordinators: Gemma Ashman, Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Have you thought about quitting your job because of climate change?Research shows more and more people are worried about their career’s impact on the planet. So this week The Climate Question hears from four people from around the world who’ve taken the plunge and done it.Luke Jones meets an air steward who's swapped flying for teaching; a restaurant critic who's become a tree-planter; a fossil fuel company engineer who's switching to working in renewables; and a multinational CEO turned sustainable business campaigner. Presenter: Luke Jones Series Producers: Alex Lewis and Simon Watts Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Editor: China Collins

Funeral rites are steeped in culture, tradition and faith, with most of the world opting for cremation or burial. However, with new research now revealing the carbon impact of established funeral choices, more people are questioning their cost to the climate. With alternatives such as ‘water cremation’ and ‘eco-burials’ becoming available, will people start to consider another way?Presenter Jordan Dunbar hears about initiatives in India to modify traditional funeral pyres, calculates the climate cost of the most common choices, and hears from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter, Rev. Mpho Tutu van Furth, about her surprise at her father’s final act on earth.Producer: Osman Iqbal Researcher: Octavia Woodward Series Producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Climate change has been tightening its grip on the people of Afghanistan, with flood after flood and drought after drought. It’s considered to be 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 climate crisis. Since the Taliban takeover two years ago, financial aid to help locals adapt has drastically dropped, leaving Afghans to take matters into their own hands. Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Barry Sadid hear how the diaspora are helping villages back home to build life-saving dams and protect themselves against flood and drought. And we ask if there’s a way for foreign governments to financially support Afghanistan without legitimising the Taliban.Producers: Jordan Dunbar and Barry Sadid from BBC Monitoring Series Producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Scientists say an El Nino weather event has started. Its effects will be felt everywhere in the form of heavier rainfall in some parts of the world and deeper droughts in others. What's the link with Climate Change? And is it making it harder for us to prepare?On this week's edition of The Climate Question, Graihagh gets a briefing on El Nino from a leading expert; we travel to Peru to meet the coastal communities on the front line; and we hear how ancient civilisations not only learned to deal with El Nino, but managed to use it to their advantage.Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Tom Di Liberto, Meteorologist at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in the US Dr George Adamson, Senior Lecturer in Geography, King's College London Dr Laila Shahzad, Disaster Risk expert at Government College, Lahore.Producer: Osman Iqbal BBC reporter in Peru: Guillermo Olmo Research: Octavia Woodward and Matt Toulson Sound: Tom Brignell Series Producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins

The journey from catwalk, to wardrobe, to landfill is getting shorter and shorter. Our demands for fast fashion mean around 100 billion garments are produced every year. We’re buying more, then wearing them less often. Many will end up in the trash. Not only that, there’s been a big growth in clothes being made out of synthetic materials originating from crude oil. In this updated edition, we ask: can fashion cost less to the climate? and how much progress is the industry making? Speaking to Kate Lamble and Sophie Eastaugh are- • Vanessa Friedman, New York Times Fashion Editor • Lily Cole Fashion model, actress and podcast host ‘Who Cares Wins’ • Phillip Meister, Quantis Sustainability Consulting • Claire Bergkamp, Textile Exchange • Sonya Bhonsle, Global Head of Value Chains, CDP. Producers: Jordan Dunbar and Ben Cooper Researcher: Natasha Fernandez Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, is on a mission to fight climate change through a radical scheme to reform the international financial system.Called the Bridgetown Initiative, her plan aims to transform global institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank – freeing up billions, maybe even trillions of dollars, for poorer countries that are struggling to cope with the impacts of a hotter planet.Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by the BBC’s Climate Editor, Justin Rowlatt, who interviewed Prime Minister Mottley at a crucial climate finance summit in Paris. With time running out in the battle to keep the world below the 1.5C warming threshold, we find out more about her plan, how it works and the progress being made.Producers: Ben Cooper and Miho Tanaka Researcher: Octavia Woodward Series Producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

The world loves coffee. We drink two billion cups each day! But it’s very vulnerable to climate change, and millions of coffee farmers are struggling. Rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall and diseases are threatening our favourite caffeinated drink and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. But there are solutions. We hear from a coffee farmer in Uganda and taste a new variety that could be a gamechanger for coffee in a warming world. Presenter Sophie Eastaugh is joined by: Aruna Chandrasekhar, journalist at Carbon Brief specialising in land and food Dr Aaron Davis, head of coffee research at Kew Gardens Ashley Limaye, journalist at BBC Africa Digital We love to get your questions and comments, please email them or send a voice note to [email protected] Producers: Ben Cooper and Chris McHugh Researcher: Louise Byrne Series Producer: Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

With the Ukrainian counter-offensive underway, Sophie Eastaugh looks at the climate damage caused by the conflict there and by the recent civil war in Tigray, Ethiopia. Sophie speaks to Lennard de Klerk, a Dutch specialist in carbon accounting, who’s just published the most comprehensive analysis yet of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the fighting in Ukraine. For her part, an environmental researcher in Kyiv tells The Climate Question her country may have an opportunity to build back greener once the war is over.The programme also hears from farmers in Tigray about how a region once praised internationally for its reforestation efforts is now losing tree cover at an alarming rate.And this edition of The Climate Question looks more broadly at the carbon footprint of militaries around the world, speaking to Professor Neta Crawford, one of the leading experts in the field. Presenter: Sophie Eastaugh Producer: Daniel Gordon Research: Matt Toulson Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Series producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Production coordinators: Sophie Hill, Debbie Richford Contributors: Lennard de Klerk, Carbon Accounting Expert Professor Neta Crawford, Balliol College, Oxford Natalia Gozak, Ukrainian environmentalist Biniam Gidey, Reporter, Tigray, Ethiopia

This week, we’re off to Costa Rica, an eco-tourism hotspot in collaboration with BBC’s The Travel Show.The Climate Question gets lots of emails from listeners asking what they can do about climate change. Is it morally justifiable to fly for leisure? Which type of fish is most sustainable? And how can I use my career or free time to help the planet? In this programme a panel of experts answer your questions and run through some of the most effective things you can do to make a difference, wherever you are in the world. Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Alice Brock, Phd researcher at Southampton University who specialises in personal carbon budgets Disha Ravi, climate activist with Fridays for Future India Tambe Honourine Enow, Founder of the Africa Climate and Environment Foundation If you have a question about climate change that you’d like us to answer, or a comment – please email them to [email protected] Producers: Sophie Eastaugh for The Climate Question and Jamie Hamilton for The Travel Show Researcher: Matt Toulson Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

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. Producer: Simon Tulett Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production co-ordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

The impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world. Research shows that some groups are disproportionately affected. Women already face many socioeconomic, cultural, and political inequities, with those living in areas heavily impacted by natural disasters related to climate change, such as floods, drought, and coastal erosion, enduring even worse outcomes. So what can be done to address this?Presenter Sophie Eastaugh is joined by: Dr. Mayesha Alam, Vice President of Research at FP Analytics, senior fellow at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research, and professor at Johns Hopkins University Verania Chao, Programme Specialist in Climate Change, Gender Equality and Inclusion at UNDP Sahar Habib Ghazi, on-the-ground reporter in Sindh province, PakistanProducers: Ben Cooper and Matt Toulson Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Billions of dollars have been pumped into the promise of a climate-friendly way of producing meat, but is growing a steak in a lab any better for the planet than rearing a cow on a farm? Supporters of the idea say it will dramatically reduce the impact of livestock, which is responsible for about 15% of the world’s planet-warming gases, as well as returning huge amounts of land to nature. But studies suggest cultivating meat in a lab might actually be worse for the planet, at least in the long-run – we put both claims to the test. Plus, ten years on from the unveiling of the world’s first lab-grown meat, we ask why it’s still only available to buy at one restaurant in Singapore, and only on Thursdays.Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Tasneem Karodia, co-founder of Mzansi Meat, in South Africa; John Lynch, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Oxford, in the UK; Nick Marsh, the BBC’s Asia business correspondent, in SingaporeProducer: Simon Tulett Researcher: Matt Toulson Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

If you are planning a trip, but you want to check the climate impact before choosing how to get there, then beware. Google has been seriously underestimating the carbon footprint of plane flights, and overestimating that of some train journeys. And its calculations don’t just appear in its search results, but also feed the sites of more and more online booking companies, like Skyscanner and Booking.com. To be fair, carbon footprints are actually very hard to get right, as the BBC’s Climate Editor, Justin Rowlatt, discovers on his own trip to Rotterdam. On the way out, he takes the Eurostar high-speed train, whose carbon emissions depend on the weather over the North Sea that day. On the way back he catches a plane, whose climate impact… also depends on the day’s weather conditions over the North Sea. So what is Google doing to fix its methodology and can we trust carbon footprint calculations at all? And do passengers even really care that much about the environmental impact of their journey, or should they be made to pay for it directly? Presenter Justin Rowlatt is joined by: Doug Parr, chief scientist and policy director at Greenpeace UK Dr Feijia Yin, assistant professor for the climate effects of aviation at Delft University of Technology Andrew Murphy, head of sustainability at Eurostar Sola Zheng, aviation researcher at the International Council on Clean Transportation Email us: [email protected]: Laurence Knight Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Debbie Richford Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

The idea of cities where everything you need on a daily basis can be reached within a quarter of an hour by foot or bike has grown in popularity in recent years, as local authorities adopt more sustainable approaches to urban planning. In theory, by having work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure all within a short distance could reduce dependency on cars, improving personal health and lowering carbon emissions. But the idea of adapting cities in this way hasn’t been universally-welcomed. Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Jay Pitter, author and urban planner Mark Watts, Executive Director at C40 Cities Gian Carlo Vega, on-the-ground reporter in Bogotá, Colombia, who was joined by Vanessa Velasco, Urban Development Specialist at the World Bank Producer: Ben Cooper Researchers: Matt Toulson, Bethan Ashmead-Latham and Pierre-Antoine Denis Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed, Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Many blame our obsession with economic growth as being one of the biggest drivers of climate change. The United Nations is currently looking at options for what might replace Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the world’s primary go-to indicator of success, taking into account factors including sustainability and the natural environment. If this happens, it would be the biggest shift in how economies are measured since nations first started using GDP in 1953, 70 years ago.Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Ehsan Masood, author, science journalist and an editor at the journal, Nature; Diane Coyle, economist and Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge; Adil Najam, Dean Emeritus and Professor at the Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University; Fouty-Boulanga Mouleka, on-the-ground reporter in GabonProducer: Ben Cooper Researchers: Matt Toulson, Pierre-Antoine Denis, Bethan Ashmead-Latham and Laura Cain Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

Wind and solar power will play a crucial role in curbing climate change, but what happens to all the worn-out turbines and photovoltaic panels once they are past their best?Most wind turbine blades are almost impossible to recycle, and solar panels are very expensive to disassemble, but efforts are under way to prevent a possible renewable waste mountain.Presenter Graihagh Jackson hears how old wind turbine blades are being turned into everything from bridges to flowerbeds, and we visit one of the world’s only solar panel recycling facilities. Plus – what’s the carbon footprint of a wind turbine or a solar panel in the first place?Plus we hear from listeners Prateek, Alex and Elle. Let us know what you think about the show – email [email protected]: Paul Leahy, lecturer in wind energy at University College Cork, Republic of Ireland, and principal investigator at Re-Wind; Ute Collier, deputy director of the Knowledge, Policy and Finance Centre at the International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi; Guy Chichignoud, chief technology officer, ROSI, France; Vivian Jia Tong Li, campaigner for Greenpeace East Asia, Beijing.Producer: Simon Tulett Researchers: Matt Toulson and Pierre-Antoine Denis Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Simon Watts Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators - Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but the idea of assembling giant solar farms in space and then beaming the renewable energy back down to Earth is gaining real life traction. Some advocates have claimed it could supply all the world’s energy needs by 2050. But how would these solar farms be assembled, how much fuel and money would it take to blast them into space in the first place, and how would we safely beam their energy back to Earth?Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones speak to Sanjay Vijendran, in charge of space-based solar at the European Space Agency, learn about the history of the idea from Rick Tumlinson, founder of SpaceFund, and hear words of caution from Dr Jovana Radulovic, head of mechanical and design engineering at Portsmouth University in the UK. Plus, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet describes life on the International Space Station and how it’s powered. Thanks to the Space Studies Institute for extracts of their interview with Gerard O’Neill.Let us know what you think about the show – email [email protected]: Simon Tulett Researchers: Matt Toulson and Graihagh Jackson Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinator - Siobhan Reed

In 1856, an American woman called Eunice Newton Foote discovered that higher levels of carbon dioxide would warm the planet. But credit for discovering climate change was given to someone else who made the same discovery three years later. We celebrate Foote’s role in early climate science by recreating her little-known experiment and asking if there are some voices that continue to be overlooked in climate science today – and how we overcome these climate blind spots?Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Dr Alice Bell, Head of Climate and Health Policy at Wellcome and author of ‘Our Biggest Experiment – An Epic History of the Climate Crisis’ Professor Regina Rodrigues, Professor of Physical Oceanography and Climate at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Florianopolis, Brazil. Professor Andrea Sella, Professor of Chemistry at University College London. Producer: Louise Parry Researcher: Louise Byrne Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Email us: [email protected]

With rolling blackouts and huge waste disposal issues a regular occurrence in large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, we look at how green tech start-ups offer smart, climate-friendly ways to solve the issues holding the region back.In Malawi, our repórter Peter Jengwa meets Admore Chiumia, whose company Green Impact Technologies turns waste into energy.In Zimbabwe, the BBC’s Shingai Nyoka visits AI entrepreneur Leroy Nyangani who’s come up with a way of making solar energy more financially accessible, while also solving a big problem of energy access in the country where, almost 70% are not connected to the grid and blackouts are the norm.Audrey-Cynthia Yamadjako from the African Development Bank outlines a new scheme designed to support green SMEs on the continent.Presenter Luke Jones is joined by the BBC’s Karnie Sharp who was raised in South Africa. They discuss how, with proper support, green solutions to everyday problems may unlock Africa’s economic and human potential.Producer: Ivana Davidovic Researcher: Matt Toulson Series producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Tom Brignell

Worsening energy blackouts are crippling South Africa. They’re being caused in part by an over-reliance on ageing coal-fired power stations which can’t produce enough electricity. The government has an ambitious plan to rapidly build up solar and wind power by opening up the grid to private providers. But it’s facing opposition from the coal lobby.Will this electricity crisis be the thing that finally pushes South Africa to implement its climate plan? And can it be implemented in a way that treats all South Africans equally, and doesn’t unfairly benefit a rich minority? Presenters Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones are joined by: Dr Nthabiseng Mohlakoana, expert in South Africa’s Just Energy transition, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands Steve Nicholls, Head of Mitigation at the Presidential Climate Commission, South Africa’s Elna Schutz, freelance journalist who spoke to businesses in and around Johannesburg Email us: [email protected] Producer: Laurence Knight Researcher: Matt Toulson Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

The effects of climate change on weather patterns around the world, including seasonal temperatures and rainfalls, are being felt keenly in agriculture – with shifting seasons and varying yields undermining years of habit-formed knowledge and process. Technology experts are helping farmers, including in some of the world’s poorest regions, adapt to the new food production landscape through the use of artificial intelligence, or AI, and machine learning.Presenters Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones are joined by: Ranveer Chandra, Managing Director for Research for Industry and the CTO of Agri-Food at Microsoft Himanshu Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of ClimateAI Dr Claudia Ringler, Deputy Director of Environment and Production Technology Division at the International Food Policy Research InstituteEmail us: [email protected]: Ben Cooper Researchers: Matt Toulson and Laura Cain Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Sound Engineer: James Beard

Some oil and gas giants are being pushed by shareholders to adopt more climate friendly strategies. An environmental law charity is suing the directors of a global oil company, arguing their climate strategy is not adequate to meet current targets, supported by other shareholders. Elsewhere, a group of investors in another fossil fuel giant, recently unseated multiple board members in an effort to force a change of direction. How effective is this form of activism? Presenter Paul Connolly is joined by: Chris James, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Engine No.1, US Camila Domonoske, NPR journalist, US Tariq Fancy, former Global Chief Investment officer for Sustainable Investing at BlackRock, Canada Email us: [email protected] Producers: Ben Cooper and Mora Morrison Researcher: Matt Toulson Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: James Beard and Rod Farquhar

Our warming world is changing the geographical distribution of several animal species. Mosquitoes have been able to colonise new regions, places where they haven’t been found before including Afghanistan and countries in Europe. According to the World Health Organisation, dengue fever is the most critical mosquito-borne viral disease in the world. Globally there’s been a 30-fold increase in infections in the last 50 years. But is there a way to prevent the spread of the disease? Presenter Paul Conolly is joined by: Valdya Baraputri, reporter, BBC News Indonesia in Jakarta Dr. Dewi Iriani, Paediatrician at Koja Hospital, Jakarta Dr Nyla, Vice Director of Koja Regional Hospital, Jakarta Dr. Imran Pambudi, Director of Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, Health Ministry of Indonesia Manisha Kulkarni, Associate Professor University of Ottawa in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health Felipe Colon Gonzalez, Technology Lead The Wellcome Trust, London Email us: [email protected] Producer: Ivana Davidovic Researcher: Matt Toulson Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar

Record-breaking temperatures in the Alps in Europe have led to a disappointing ski season so far. Some slopes have been more brown than white, while others have been forced to close all together. Many worry this is a bad omen for the whole industry – which employs thousands globally. This is part of a wider trend of unpredictable weather. Some ski resorts are trying to adapt, by making artificial snow for example, but these short-term measures aren’t always sustainable. It’s predicted that the Alps will have 25% less snow by 2050, whereas resorts in Arctic Sweden are forecast to stay colder for longer. Could the northern country become skiing’s last resort, or will the industry have to fundamentally change to survive? Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Anna Richards, freelance journalist Linda Lundmark, associate professor at Department of Geography at Umea University Mathias Vuille, professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at the University of Albany Rob Stewart, writer and PR Director for Ski Press With thanks to additional research by Harald Rice, University of Surrey.Email us: [email protected] Producers: Ben Cooper and Mora Morrison Researcher: Matt Toulson Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Series Producer: Ros Jones Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Natural gas is often seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to coal, yet it’s a fossil fuel and gives off climate warming emissions when burned. On the internet there are many adverts suggesting that natural gas is a clean and green way to reduce emissions. We investigate whether these adverts mislead the public as to whether gas is really ‘green.’ Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Marco Silva are joined by: Pep Canadell, Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project & Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science and affiliated Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University Former Senator, Mary Landrieu, co-chair of ‘Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future’Email us: [email protected]: Frances Read and Marco Silva Researchers: Natasha Fernandes and Matt Toulson Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

The ocean covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface and can hold more than 150 times the amount of carbon dioxide as air. Around a quarter of CO2 emissions created by human activity each year is absorbed by them. From phytoplankton to whales to seagrass meadows, we explore how this happens. And in climate news, we hear about the wildfires and drought affecting Chile. Hosts Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble speak with: Rita Steyn, Contributing Editor at The Marine Diaries and lecturer at University of Tampa, Florida Michael Yap is a Marine Biologist and Founder of Seagrass Guardians, Malaysia Dr. Haimanti Biswas, Principal Scientist of Biological Oceanography at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, India Dr. Annette Scheffer, Marine Biologist and Lecturer, speaking with us from Antarctica John Kirkwood, Marine Biologist and Expedition Leader speaking with us from Antarctica Alex Godoy Faundez, Director of the Sustainability Research Centre, Universidad of Desarrollo in Chile This programme was first broadcast in May 2022 Researcher: Immie Rhodes Reporter: Mark Stratton Producers: Dearbhail Starr and Sophie Eastaugh Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell and Neil Churchill Production coordinator: Siobhan Reed

India has made a lot of climate pledges in the last couple of years. They’ve had mixed reviews. Some have applauded the country’s ambition – including committing to a net zero target - while others argue it’s still too reliant on coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. India is already facing the brutal impacts of a warming planet and, with a population of around 1.4 billion, its energy demand is huge – and growing. But there are reasons to be optimistic. We travel to a rural area near Mumbai to hear about the benefits of solar energy and get a temperature check from BBC Marathi’s Janhavee Moole on what people are discussing locally. We also speak to two experts to better understand how we can rate India’s commitments compared with other countries as well as the barriers it could face as it transitions to a greener economy. Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Janhavee Moole are joined by: Dr Nandini Das, an Energy Research and Policy Analyst at Climate Analytics Harjeet Singh from The Climate Action Network based in Delhi Email us: [email protected] Producers: Mora Morrison, Sophie Eastaugh and Ivana Davidovic Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

In 2009, the G20 countries pledged to phase out 'inefficient' fossil fuel subsidies, which have long been seen as an obstacle to fighting climate change. But today, subsidies for oil and gas producers are at record levels -- $64 billion in 2021. It’s not just to do with the war in Ukraine. Despite its image as a leader on climate change, the UK is listed as one of the worst offenders for government support to oil and gas producers because of its generous tax relief. We hear from the centre of the UK’s oil and gas industry in Aberdeen, Scotland, about the difficult balance between energy security, jobs and climate change. Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Luke Jones are joined by: Ipek Gensu, Senior Research Fellow at Overseas Development Institute Lord Deben, Chairman of the UK’s independent Climate Change Committee and former Secretary of State for the Environment from 1993-97 Kevin Keane, BBC Scotland’s Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs correspondent – at Aberdeen port Fran Bell, Fiscal and Investor Relations Manager at Offshore Energy UK Email us: [email protected] Producer: Sophie Eastaugh Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick Cross and Siobhan Reed Archive: The Obama White House

The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average temperature. Ice caps are melting, forcing the indigenous Inuit community living around the Northwest passage to change their way of life. Polar bears and wildlife are losing their habitats and the ability to hunt. Further south, Middle Eastern countries are facing temperatures above 50 Celsius more regularly. We speak to people living in these rapidly warming parts of the world and find out why their countries are warming faster than others and what impact it is having. Presenters Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones are joined by: Carlo Buontempo, from Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme Kenzie Azmi, Greenpeace Middle East Campaigner Essa Ramadan, Meteorologist and Weatherman in Kuwait Reporter: Mark Stratton in the Arctic Plus interviews with Dr Wenju Cai from Southern Hemisphere Oceans Research and Ben Rich from the BBC Weather Centre Email us: [email protected] Team: Producer: Natasha Fernandes Production coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Siobhan Reed Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill

Heatwaves are already the most deadly of climate risks. If we don’t keep climate change in check, we’ll experience more of them, reaching even higher temperatures.Already we need cooling to keep our homes, hospitals and workplaces comfortable, our vaccines stable and our food nutritious. As the planet warms up we’ll have even greater need.Currently the cooling industry is incredibly polluting – it accounts for around 10% of global CO2 emissions. And the demand for it is only going to increase. An International Energy Agency report said that the amount of air conditioners will grow by 5.6 billion by 2050, up from 1.6 billion today – which amounts to 10 new ACs sold every second for the next 30 years.So how can we cool our warming world sustainably?This episode looks at the biggest problems with cooling, the rapid rise in air conditioners and the surprisingly simple ways we can keep things cool without using any energy at all.Presenters Luke Jones and Graihagh Jackson are joined by:Zerin Osho, International Climate Law and Policy at Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development Karim Elgendy, Associate Fellow at Chatham House and Associate Director at engineering consultancy firm Buro Happold Chhavi Sachdev, Journalist, IndiaEmail us: [email protected]: Lily Freeston Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Half of all the energy we use globally goes on heating and cooling. We need heating for all sorts of things; from keeping our homes warm to industry which needs super high temperatures. At the moment, the heat we use is mostly powered by polluting fossil fuels, a huge driver of climate change. But can renewables deliver the high temperatures and a constant supply which are so vital? In this episode we visit the world's first commercial-scale sand battery in Finland and find out how it’s using renewables to heat 100 homes and a public swimming pool. Presenters Luke Jones and Graihagh Jackson are joined by: Erika Benke, Journalist, Finland Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh, Professor of Intelligent Engineering Systems, Nottingham Trent University Professor Dan Gladwin, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Sheffield And BBC Brasil journalist Nathalia Passarinho on the swearing in of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as President and his climate promises.Email us: [email protected] Producer: Lily Freeston Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Bridget Harney Sound Engineers: Tom Brignell and Graham Puddifoot

Extreme weather is becoming even more extreme thanks to climate change. Countless lives are claimed by heatwaves, cold snaps, cyclones, droughts and torrential rains every year around the world. Climate change threatens to make things worse. But the United Nations is spearheading new action to make sure every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems within the next five years. It’s hoped that this could dramatically reduce the numbers of deaths caused by extreme weather. Presenters Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson were joined by: Laura Paterson, from the World Meteorological Organization Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health at the Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction at University College, London, UK and University of Agder, in Kristiansand, Norway. Hasin Jahan, the Director of WaterAid in Banglasdesh Reporter: BBC’s Nicolas Négoce in Senegal Email us: [email protected] Production Team Producer: Claire Bowes Production coordinators: Helena Warick-Cross and Siobhan Reed Series producers: Jordan Dunbar & Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Fenton Smith Sound Engineer: James Beard

From climate sceptic to climate campaigner, Sarah Ott grew up in the US surrounded by doubters, listening to out-right deniers. This is the story of what changed her mind. We also hear people’s questions about climate change from Kenya where there’s major drought and we speak to BBC Disinformation reporter Marco Silva on dealing with climate misinformation. Presenter Neal Razzell is joined by: Sarah Ott, teacher and former sceptic Marco Silva, BBC Climate Disinformation Reporter Michael Kaloki, journalist in Kenya With thanks also to Sander van der Linden, Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge, UK Email us: [email protected] Producer: Mora Morrison Researcher: Richard Tisdale Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Bridget Harney Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot

Back in 2010, FIFA announced that the tiny country of Qatar would host the 2022 World Cup. It would be the first Middle Eastern country to do so. The tournament has seen thousands of fans travel to see it, with millions tuning in around the world. But it hasn’t been without controversy.The event’s organisers claimed that it would be the first fully carbon-neutral World Cup. A big new solar park was built, fleets of electric buses were released onto the roads and climate-friendly projects were set up to offset emissions.Some say that organisers are trying to do the right thing. But others are critical, arguing that emissions have been underestimated and that the carbon-neutral claim is misleading.This episode dives into the debate and asks if the 2022 World Cup was really as green as it seemed.Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Luke Jones are joined by: Rumaitha Al Busaidi, Omani football pundit and climate change activist Khaled Diab, Communications Director at not-for-profit Carbon Market Watch Zach Banzon, goalkeeper for Kaya FC in the Philippines and “Team Player” for We Play Green Peter Ball, Journalist, BBC World Service Josephine Moulds, Reporter at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism Producers: Lilly Freeston and Sophie Eastaugh Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Siobhan Reed Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

The ecosystems of the land and ocean absorb around half our planet warming emissions. But these are being destroyed by human activity. At the same time, climate change is a primary driver of the destruction of these habitats and biodiversity loss. If biodiversity is our strongest natural defence against climate change (as it’s been described), what’s stopping us from doing more to protect it?As the big global biodiversity conference (COP15) gets underway in Montreal, Canada, presenters Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones are joined by a panel, including Victoria Gill, BBC science correspondent at COP15 in Montreal; Felipe Zapata, a Colombian botanist at UCLA; Marcela Fernandez from conservation NGO Cumbres Blancas; Akanksha Khatri, Head of Nature Action Agenda at the World Economic Forum Email us: [email protected]: Frances Read Producer: Georgia Coan Editor: Bridget Harney

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

At the start of COP 27 Egyptian President Fattah al-Sisi told the world that it was vital that African countries receive "appropriate support and funding according to the principle of shared responsibilities and burdens”. For years the richest nations have been accused of failing to meet their $100 billion-a-year pledge for funding. It turn out this doesn’t even scratch the surface - a recent report puts the estimated figure for all of Africa’s climate needs closer to $2.8 trillion dollars.The Climate Question looks at whether COP 27 made a difference to the money flowing and asks how African countries will get what they need to protect themselves from climate change. Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell are joined by:Peter Okweche from the BBC’s Focus on Africa Gyude Moore, former Liberian government minister, now Senior Policy Fellow for the Centre for Global Development in Washington Ayaan Adam, Senior Director at The Africa Finance Corporation Mxolisi Kaunda, Mayor of Durban Yvonne Denise Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar at COP27 in Sharm El SheikhEmail us: [email protected]: Georgia Coan and Sophie Eastaugh Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Fenton Smith Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

The world has been in Egypt for COP27, the UN’s big climate talks. It’s a country that’s already feeling the acute effects of climate change – temperatures have risen by two degrees since last century, damaging farming and driving up food prices. Tensions are rising, but many are concerned that restrictions on the right to protest and freedom of expression mean that climate change is not getting the attention it deserves and preventing Egypt from adapting. The Climate Question hears how global warming is affecting Egypt – and whether the government is listening. Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell are joined by: Amr Magdi, Senior Researcher, Middle East & North Africa Division at Human Rights Watch BBC Arabic’s Sally Nabil Glada Lahn, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House think tank The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh Email us: [email protected] Producers: Lily Freeston and Sophie Eastaugh Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Fenton Smith Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Last year at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, countries made big promises to tackle climate change – by curbing their greenhouse gas emissions and reducing deforestation. But as this year’s COP27 continues in Egypt, we ask whether countries are keeping to their word. Presenters Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson are joined by a host of guests at COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh: The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar; Esme Stallard, BBC Climate and Science journalist; Joe Curtin, managing director, power and climate at the Rockefeller Foundation; Carlos Nobre, Earth System scientist from National Academy of Sciences, Brazil; Suranjali Tandon, assistant professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi; Dr Frances Colon, former American science diplomat; Jennifer Morgan, German climate envoy; Belinda Margono, Directorate General of Forestry Planning, Indonesian government.Email us: [email protected] Presenters: Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Producers: Sophie Eastaugh and Georgia Coan

If there were fewer of us, would the amount of greenhouse gasses we emit reduce? It’s a question that often creeps up in discussions about climate change. Studies show that the global population will decline eventually and populations in many rich nations are already declining. However, 11,000 scientists signed a paper warning of “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless society transforms, including the reversal of population growth. But an analysis by the United Nations found that affluence has a greater impact on the climate than population. When we talk about overpopulation, what are we really saying and where does the conversation go from here? This episode was first broadcast on 13th December 2021.Presenters Neal Razzell and Kate Lamble are joined by: Nyovani Madise, head of the Malawi office of the African Institute for Development Policy. Anu Ramaswami, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Princeton. Arvind Ravikumar, professor in energy transition and climate policy at the University of Texas. Producer: Darin Graham Reporter: Rajesh Joshi Series producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production coordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

We’ve been told that big finance is crucial to the transition to net zero, and billions of dollars are invested in so-called sustainable finance every year. But the BBC’s Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, have been looking into a new green finance product and found that not all is quite as it seems.Their investigation has found an example of sustainable finance backed by the multi-national bank HSBC being used to help extract a vast new reserve of fossil fuels in Brazil. And it's not the only one. Some question how this can happen, while others defend it. Presenters Justin Rowlatt and Graihagh Jackson are joined by: Tariq Fancy, former Global Chief Investment officer for Sustainable Investing at BlackRock Caroline Harrison, Head of Market Intelligence Research at Climate Bonds Initiative Ulf Erlandsson, Chief Executive at the Anthropocene Fixed Income Institute Julia Carneiro, journalist based in Brazil Email us: [email protected] Producers: Sophie Eastaugh and Miho Tanaka Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editors: Bridget Harney and Richard Fenton-Smith Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross

Africa accounts for around 10 per cent of the world's known fossil-fuel reserves. But plans to build an oil pipeline through East Africa to transport hundreds of thousands of barrels a day have been condemned by the European Union. The pipeline, which runs from the source in Uganda to the Tanzanian coast, will generate billions of dollars a year. But critics say it will release tens of millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In this programme we hear from the people involved in the fight over the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, and find out if they think it will go ahead. Presenters Dickens Olewe and Graihagh Jackson are joined by Faten Aggad, Senior Advisor on Climate Diplomacy and Geopolitics at the African Climate Foundation Tony Tiyou, Founder and CEO of Renewables in Africa Brian, climate campaignerEmail us: [email protected] Reporter: Aboubakar Famau, BBC Swahili Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Producer: Lily Freeston Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Clare Fordham Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Siobhan Reed Sound Engineer: Tom Brignall

We know many of the obstacles in the way of a creating a cleaner planet - making cement green, decarbonising electricity or creating affordable clean transport. But how do we get the experts the funding they need to bring these solutions to the world? Many people see innovation prizes as the answer - from Prince William’s ‘Earthshot’ to Elon Musk’s ‘X-Prize’ there are hundreds of millions of dollars up for grabs. Is this the best way to find solutions to the climate crisis? Who really wins from these prizes, companies or the climate? Joining presenters Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson are – Marcius Extavour, Chief Scientist and Vice President for Energy and Climate at the XPrize foundation Robert Burrell, Professor of Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law Zorina Khan, Professor of Economics at Bowdoin College and Author of Inventing Ideas Vidyut Mohan, Co-Founder of Takachar Plus an interview with Hannah Ritchie from Our World In Data, on plans put forward by the New Zealand Government to tax cow burps. Email us: [email protected] Producer: Jo Casserly Reporter: Partha Prasad Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Series Producer: Jordan Dunbar Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross