The Climate Question

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What does 'net zero' really mean? Apr 24, 2022

Show notes

When talking about climate change, the term net zero has become popular with politicians over the last few years. More than 130 countries have now pledged to go net zero to help slow global warming. Reaching net zero means reducing the amount of emissions as much as possible and removing any that remain from the atmosphere. We hear from communities in South Africa, where the government plans to reach net zero by 2050. But the country is heavily tied to coal and faces several challenges around employment and energy security. And while politicians make their net zero announcements, the United Nations projects that emissions will continue to rise even with the current pledges politicians have announced. What does net zero mean and could it help climate change?

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble are joined by: Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN climate change high-level champion for Egypt

Lola Vallejo, climate programme director at the IDDRI

Dr Benny Peiser, director of the Global Warming Policy Forum

Clarification: this programme includes a contribution from Dr Benny Peiser, director of the Global Warming Policy Forum. Within the programme, we should have also said that the Forum questions climate change science and the cost of policies to tackle it.

Reporter: Zinhle Kanyane Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Producer: Darin Graham Series producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Nicola Addyman Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

How are young people feeling 6 months from COP? Apr 17, 2022

Show notes

Hundreds of youth activists travelled to Glasgow, Scotland, to have their voices heard. As we approach the halfway point between COP26 and COP27- to be held in Egypt - we want to know how young people are feeling about progress made.

We speak to Maria Reyes from Mexico, Edwin Namakanga from Uganda and Farzana Faruk Jhumu from Bangladesh, who all attended the conference. Is the world on course to protect nature, curb emissions and generate the necessary finance to help poorer nations adapt?

Helping us answer these questions is Wanjira Mathai, a COP veteran and the Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute, and COP26 president Alok Sharma. With presenters Jordan Dunbar and Mora Morrison.

Producer: Mora Morrison Researcher: Natasha Fernandes Series Producers: Ros Jones + Alex Lewis Studio engineer: Tom Brignell

Is space travel a problem for the climate? Apr 10, 2022

Show notes

As more countries launch more rockets into orbit for commercial and scientific reasons, the space industry is experiencing rapid growth.

It’s on the verge of an even greater increase as space tourism takes off. The International Space Station is now open to tourists and private companies have developed rockets that can be reused – all meaning more launches into space.

But rocket exhausts contain particles that can affect the climate. What are the potential impacts and is it time to apply the brakes to the new space race?

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Phoebe Keane are joined by:

D Raghunanadan, director at the Delhi Science eForum Eloise Marais, associate professor of physical geography at University College London Stephen Freeland, emeritus professor of international law at Western Sydney University.

Producer: Darin Graham Researcher: Lizzie Frisby Reporter: Mike Killian Series producer: Alex Lewis Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Emma Rippon

What does war in Ukraine mean for the climate? Part 2: Energy Security Apr 03, 2022

Show notes

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, parts of the world are so dependent on Russian gas that they have no option but to continue to buy it. This week’s episode looks long term plans for improving energy security, particularly in Europe where the biggest focus is on increasing renewables. Whilst this sounds like great news for the climate, Europe only accounts for 10% of the worlds’ emissions. For fossil fuel rich countries like the United States, energy security policy will mean pumping more oil and gas out of the ground.

We visit Bonny Island in the Niger Delta where business in Liquified Natural Gas is booming to explore how other resource rich countries stand to gain from the increase in oil and gas prices. And ask, as the world makes plans to stop purchasing Russian oil and gas, what will this mean for Russia’s climate policy?

Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar speak with contributors: Simone Tagliapietra, Senior Fellow and Energy expert at European think tank, Bruegel Laura Cozzi, Chief Modeler at International Energy Agency (IEA) Ken Caldeira, Senior Scientist at Carnegie Institution of Sciences and at Breakthrough Energy Oksana Antonenko, Global Risk Analyst at Control Risks Group

Researchers: Natasha Fernandes, Frances Reed and Julian Kwong Reporter: Fyneface Dumnamene is Executive Director at Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre Producer: Dearbhail Starr Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Nicola Addyman Studio Engineer: Tom Brignell

What does war in Ukraine mean for the climate? Part 1: Russian gas Mar 27, 2022

Show notes

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been met with harsh financial sanctions. These have come from North America and Europe. The US and Canada have also banned Russian oil and gas, but Europe has found itself unable to do so - even as natural gas prices soar. The EU receives 40% of its natural gas from Russia, and for many countries, if they turn it off, the lights will go out and they’ll be unable to keep themselves warm. As a result European money continues to pay Russia for its natural gas resources.

This episode looks at the short term plans for European countries, dependent on Russian gas, to remove it from their energy systems and ask if this could be the perfect moment to turn away from fossil fuels, including natural gas, and turn toward a much improved renewable energy network?

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble are joined by:

Victoria Gill, BBC Science and Climate Correspondent Simone Tagliapietra, Senior Fellow specialising in European Union climate and energy policy at think tank, Bruegel Bernice Lee, is Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow for sustainability, Chatham House

Team: Producer: Dearbhail Starr Reporter: Alessia Cerantola Researcher: Natasha Fernandes & Frances Read Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Nicola Addyman Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Can we rely on insurance to help rebuild after extreme weather? Mar 20, 2022

Show notes

Scientists say extreme weather is intensifying and becoming more frequent because of climate change and the impacts are causing huge losses.

People living in Brisbane and other parts of eastern Australia dealt with those impacts recently, when heavy rain fell for days - destroying thousands of homes and at least 22 people are known to have died.

Authorities declared it a once in a-100-year-event, making it the second disaster of its kind in the same area in just 11 years. While insurers face losses trying to cover it all, reinsurers say climate change is now a number one risk.

We talk to residents in Brisbane as they clean up after the floods and ask if insurance can be the world’s safety net as the impacts of climate change intensify?

Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble are joined by:

Ernst Rauch, chief geo and climate scientist, Munich Re Robin McConchie, reporter based in Brisbane. Ekerete Olawoye Gam-Ikon, insurance strategy consultant Maryam Golnaraghi, director, climate change and environment, the Geneva Association

Producer: Darin Graham Reporter: Robin McConchie Researchers: Lizzie Frisby, Frances Read, Natasha Fernandes, Perisha Kudhail Series producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Nicola Addyman Sound engineer: Tom Brignell

Can animals evolve to deal with climate change? Mar 13, 2022

Show notes

As climate change brings rising temperatures, droughts and shifting patterns of rainfall, animals are adapting to keep pace. Bird’s bodies are growing smaller, their wingspan longer, lizards are growing larger thumb pads to help them grip more tightly in hurricane strength winds, beak size is changing. We visit the Galapagos, where evolution was first discovered by Charles Darwin, and investigate the many ways animals are adapting their behaviour and physiology to survive the impact of climate change. Changes to climate are also influencing animals’ genetics, meaning that we are seeing species evolve within our own lifetime. However, most animals won’t be able to adapt quickly enough to cope with the speed they need to in order to survive in a warming world. Presenters Jordan Dunbar and Kate Lamble look at what role evolution plays in helping animals adapt to climate change. Contributors: Kiyoko Gotanda, Assistant Professor at Brock University Ramiro Tomala, Expedition leader, Metropolitan Touring in the Galapagos Thor Hanson, conservationist and author of Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid Anne Charmantier, Director of Research at Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Montpellier With thanks to research carried out by Colin Donihue of Institute at Brown for Environment and Society. Producer: Dearbhail Starr Reporter: Mark Stratton Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Nicola Addyman Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

The 'unequivocal' consequences of climate change Mar 06, 2022

Show notes

"A brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity” is how a new major climate change report from the UN described the effect of rising emissions. Already 40% of the world's population is "highly vulnerable" to the impacts, according to the latest report from the International Panel on Climate Change. And it’s all happening much more quickly than previously thought.

Sophie Eastaugh and Jordan Dunbar discuss the findings with a panel of experts. How much more serious do things need to get before action is taken? Produced for the BBC World Service by Darin Graham.

How quickly is battery technology advancing? Feb 27, 2022

Show notes

The need to be able to store electricity as part of our low carbon future, has increased dramatically as the use of renewable energy has expanded. Both solar and wind energy rely on sunlight and weather, only providing intermittent power. Electric cars need to be able to travel greater distances on one charge and cost less to have mass market appeal. It’s clear batteries are a key - but evolving - technology. Improvements still need to be made to their safety, power and cost.

Megawatt batteries are being built in many countries, in a step toward creating a renewable energy back-up for the grid. But these batteries are made using Lithium, which is limited because of their size, the length of their lifespan, and their track record in causing fires.

We look at the limitations of the batteries that exist right now, and what new technology in the field is expected to bring in the coming 10 to 15 years. We also visit a hydro-pump powered energy storage system in Israel, where the company, Augwind, is developing an interesting alternative to electric batteries.

Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar are joined by:

Susan Babinec is Program Lead in Energy Storage at the Argonne National Laboratory Sandra Chavez is Director Partnerships at Powerhouse Gary Yang is Founder of UniEnergy Technologies Eshhar Chetsrony is the VP Business Development at Augwind

Producer: Dearbhail Starr Reporter: Roni Dori Researchers: Lizzie Frisby Series Producer: Alex Lewis and Rosamund Jones Editor: Emma Rippon Sound Engineer: Andrew Garratt

What will happen if the world's glaciers melt? Feb 20, 2022

Show notes

We hear a lot about how melting glaciers are contributing to sea-level rise but not so much about the impact inland. In places like Tajikistan, glaciers feed rivers and are a significant water source.

As they melt climatologists expect water flows to increase, contributing to a rise in mudslides and floods. But in the long term, the melting ice will lead to water shortages.

We look at mountain communities living near glaciers and try to understand what impact this is having now and what might happen in the future. What can we do to prepare for the consequences of glacier melt?

Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar are joined by:

Edson Ramírez Rodriguez. glaciologist, University of San Andrés Jemma Wadham, professor of glaciology, University of Bristol Natalya Idrisova, project coordinator, The Little Earth

Reporter: Navruz Karimov Producers: Darin Graham and Tatyana Movshevich Series Producer: Alex Lewis Researcher: Matilda Welin Editor: Emma Rippon Sound engineer: Tom Brignell

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