Planet A - Talks on Climate Change

Latest Episodes:

Dr. Julio Friedmann - on carbon capture, utilization and storage Oct 02, 2020

Show notes

In the seventh episode of the podcast, Dan Jørgensen talks with Dr. Julio Friedmann, who served as Lead of President Obama’s Research and Development program for Carbon Capture and Storage and CO2 utilization in the U.S. Department of Energy.

Dr. Friedmann is renowned as one of the world’s leading experts on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as well as Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS). The discussion on the podcast covers CCS – the process of capturing carbon and storing it underground – and CCUS – the process of using the carbon to produce green hydrogen, methanol or ammonia.

Dr. Friedmann argues that both CCS and CCUS are prerequisites to combat climate change. He explains that the technologies has been available for decades, but that we need more research, development and finance to scale the technology and bring down costs. He says that CCS is not a product per se, and thus need financial incentives to be further developed.

Today, Dr. Friedmann, a Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center for Global Energy Policy where he is leads their Carbon Mitigation Research Initiative.

While originally educated as a musical composer, Dr. Friedmann received his Ph.D. in Geology, before embarking on his career in both academia, politics and the business world.

Prior to working for President Obama, he was the Chief Energy Technologist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - one of the United States leading energy research institutions.

He has also worked as a research scientist at the University of Maryland and as a Senior Research Scientist at ExxonMobil.

During the interview, Dr. Friedmann mentions his former boss, “Ernie Moniz” – a reference to Dr. Ernest Moniz, the United States Secretary of Energy from 2013-17.

Christiana Figueres - on the past, present and future of the COP-negotiations Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

In the sixth episode of the podcast, Dan Jørgensen talks with Christiana Figueres, the former United Nations’ Climate Chief about the past, present and future of the international climate negotiations.

Figueres was appointed Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC in July 2010 and five years later she successfully rallied 195 nations around the Paris Agreement.

She recounts the change from COP15 in Copenhagen to COP21 in Paris, resulting from gradually changing the political mindset from one of confrontation to one of collaboration.

To Figueres, the outcome of the upcoming U.S. Presidential elections will decide the global geopolitical outlook for not only next year’s COP26 in Glasgow, but for many decades. Finally, Figueres shares her views on the transition to a low carbon economy, including on the need to re-train coal workers and bringing other countries on-board.

Even though it has been four years since she left the UN, Figueres remains one of the most important voices in the global environmental debate: In 2017, she co-founded “Global Optimism”, a group focused on social and environmental change. Furthermore she has authored the book “The Future We Choose” and co-hosts the weekly climate podcast “Outrage and Optimism”.

Prior to joining the UN, Figueres worked as a Costa Rican diplomat and served as Director of the Renewable Energy in the Americas (REIA) Initiative, and directed the non-profit Center for Sustainable Development of the Americas (CSDA).

Jane Goodall - on chimpanzees, humans and climate change Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

In the fifth episode of the podcast Dan Jørgensen talks with Dr. Jane Goodall, the world’s leading primatologist, about the similarities between chimpanzees and humans as well as how climate change impact us all.

She describes how the changing climate disproportionally affects wildlife and the poorest people around the globe.

Dr. Goodall argues, that the world must overcome poverty, consumerism and population growth to prevent an environmental catastrophe. Particularly people in the developed world need to make more ethical choices; ensuring that they do not buy products that have harmed the environment, were made in inhumane working conditions or led to animal cruelty.

Dr. Goodall began her groundbreaking research on apes in Gombe, Tanzania, in 1960, which has transformed our understanding of chimpanzees, and redefined the relationship between humans and animals in ways that continue to emanate around the world.

However, Dr. Goodall is not only an eminent scientist, but has also excelled as a conservationist and activist over the last eight decades. Most notably, she founded the “Jane Goodall Institute”, an organization that creates sanctuaries for Apes. She has also established “Roots & Shoots” - a program that works in nearly 100 countries to raise awareness of environmental issues among schoolchildren.

Furthermore, Dr. Goodall has been the subject of more than 40 films and authored dozens of books for both adults and children.

She has received countless awards, prizes and honorary titles, including her appointment as “Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” by Queen Elizabeth II.

We apologize for the sporadic poor sound quality during the episode, which was caused by digital interference on the internet connection during the recording.

Katherine Richardson - on climate tipping points and what humanity can learn from nature Aug 20, 2020

Show notes

In the fourth episode of the podcast, Dan Jørgensen talks with Katherine Richardson, Professor in Biological Oceanography at the University of Copenhagen and one of the world’s leading experts on climate change.

Based on her research article “Climate tipping points - too risky to bet against”, they discuss the notion of climate tipping points - such as the loss of the Amazon rainforest and the West Antarctic ice sheet – and how they can cause irreversible damage to the global eco-system.

Richardson also explains about feedback loops, such as the “Albedo Effect” where if snow covering areas warm up and melts, more sunlight is absorbed, and the temperature tends to increase.

They conclude by discussing planetary boundaries and what humanity can learn from nature.

Katherine Richardson was born in the U.S. and educated at Harvard University, but have lived and worked in Denmark since the 1980’s.

Aside from her extraordinary academic work, Richardson has been a member of numerous esteemed advisory groups, including the Danish Council on Climate Change and the United Nations Expert Panel that prepared the 2019 Global Sustainable Development Report.

Nicholas Stern - on the economics of climate change in the age of COVID-19 Aug 06, 2020

Show notes

In the third episode of Planet A, Dan Jørgensen talks with Professor Lord Nicholas Stern, Chairman of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics.

Jørgensen and Stern discuss the economics of climate change, climatic change feedback mechanisms and the need to build sustainable infrastructure in the coming decades.

Stern argues that the consequences of climate change is “far, far worse” than he anticipated in his 2006 report “The Economics of Climate Change”. Nevertheless, the rapid development of renewable energy technology, has meant that Stern is optimistic that humankind can tackle climate change.

Finally, Stern talks about need to rebuild the economy in the wake of COVID-19-crisis and touches upon the lessons we can learn from the failure to double down on climate action in response to the 2008 financial crisis.

Stern has distinguished himself as a professor of economics at a number of the world’s leading universities and as the World Bank’s Chief Economist. However, he emerged as the global thought leader on the nexus between economics and climate change, when he authored the landmark report “The Economics of Climate Change”(also known as the Stern Review)for the British government in 2006.

Jeffrey Sachs - on globalization, climate change and happiness Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

In this second episode of the podcast, Dan Jørgensen talks with Jeffrey Sachs, Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University.
They discuss climate change and the urgent need for a swift global green energy transition in light of Sachs’ new – and very timely – book, “The Ages of Globalization”. A discussion that also touches on the subjects of poverty, sustainability and happiness.
Professor Sachs started his illustrious career as an academic and is perhaps best known for his tenure as Director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University from 2002 to 2016.
During that time, he led a university-wide organization of more than 850 research scientists and policy experts in support of sustainable development.
But Professor Sachs is not only one of the most prominent economists of our time. He was twice named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential world leaders and is a bestselling author and syndicated columnist whose monthly newspaper columns appear in more than one hundred countries.
Professor Sachs has also had a prolific career as adviser to three UN Secretary Generals (Kofi Annan, Ban Ki-moon, and António Guterres) as well as dozens of heads of state, prime ministers and even Pope John Paul II (on the encyclical Centesimus Annus).
He is currently Director of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development.

John Kerry - on climate politics in the wake of the COVID-19 Jul 10, 2020

Show notes

In this first episode of the podcast, Dan Jørgensen talks with former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry about the outlook for climate politics, in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

They discuss the consequences of COVID-19, the urgent need for global leadership on the climate issue, the promise of the Paris Agreement and the importance of big investors engaging in the green transformation. Furthermore Kerry shares his view on the resurgence of activism and the potential of the climate movement.

John Kerry has had a distinguished career in American and international politics. He served as U.S. Senator for 28 years and was the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations. He also ran for President against George W. Bush in 2004 and served as President Barack Obama’s Secretary of State from 2013-2017.

In the podcast, Kerry identifies the American environmentalist Rachel Carson as a source of inspiration for his interest in sustainability as a teenager. Rachel Carson is renowned for her writings on environmental pollution and bestselling books such as “The Sea Around Us” (1951) and “Silent Spring” (1962).

Recently, John Kerry was appointed to lead Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders Unity Task Force alongside congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The Task Force released its recommendations this week which will serve as the Democratic Party’s political platform on a number of issues, including climate change.

Kerry has led a number of consequential international negotiations, including on the Paris Agreement, the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, the nuclear deal with Iran and the U.S.-China Strategic dialogue.

John Kerry is currently a Visiting Distinguished Statesman at the think tank The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, working with conflict resolution and global environmental challenges.

Planet A Jul 03, 2020

Show notes

The fact of the matter is that we do not have a “Planet B”.

Welcome to Planet A - a podcast on climate change hosted by the Danish Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities, Dan Jørgensen.

This podcast will invite some of the world’s leading experts, policy makers and activists to share their thoughts with us. Not only to address the challenges and dilemmas inherent in climate change. But also to talk about its possible solutions.

The first three episodes will feature former Secretary of State John Kerry, professor Jeffrey Sachs and Lord Stern as guests.

In this podcast trailer, you will hear the voices of some prominent figures in the global debate on climate change. The voices are in chronological order:

Al Gore - Nobel Lecture 2007 - courtesy of Nobelmedia.
Greta Thunberg - UN Climate Action Summit, NYC 2019.
Frans Timmermans - Closing statement on the European Green Deal, 2019.
Laurent Fabious - Announcing the Paris Agreement at COP21, 2015.
Barack Obama - Speech in the Rose Garden on the Paris Agreement, 2016.
Ban Ki-moon - Climate Week NYC, 2014 by The Climate Group.
Leonardo DiCaprio, High-level Signature Ceremony for the Paris Agreement, 2016.

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