191 episodes
The Climate Question BBC World Service
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- Science
A global programme that reflects the variety of takes on climate change, how best to understand it and the world’s attempts to avert it, temper it or adapt to it.
It is not about questioning whether climate change is happening, it’s about finding the best ways to respond to it.
This is sharp-edged, analytical inquiry. Hard scrutiny, touched with a sense of adventure and discovery, and where we can find it, hope.
It includes stories from across the world on why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.
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Your questions answered: Climate change for kids, solar power, music for plants
Graihagh Jackson is joined by her regular panel to answer climate-related 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 telling children about climate change, solar panels, nuclear fusion and more.
Plus, Graihagh finds out if playing music really helps plants to grow.
If you have got a climate question, email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com
Production team: Osman Iqbal, Octavia Woodward, Neil Churchill, Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts -
What does China's green tech revolution mean for the world?
China is scouring the globe for the raw materials of the future. How will we be affected? Graihagh Jackson investigates.
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Can we build better cities for mental health and the climate?
Today, more than half the world’s population live in cities – and as our numbers swell, so will our cities, especially those around the Pacific Rim, where it’s predicted our largest megacities of 10 million plus will be situated. And herein lies an opportunity: 60% of the buildings needed for 2050 are not yet built.
Could we shape our cities into places that are good for the climate and also good for our mental health? Can we design buildings and infrastructure that make green decisions easier and also help us deal with stress or depression?
Jordan Dunbar hears about examples in the Netherlands and Egypt. Are there win-win options out there that can help the world deal with two of its biggest challenges?
Contributors:
Houssam Elokda -Urban Planner, with Happy Cities, Vancouver
Sally Nabil - BBC Arabic Egypt Correspondent, Cairo
Anna Holligan - BBC Correspondent, The Hague, Netherlands
Production Team: Graihagh Jackson, Octavia Woodward, Brenda Brown, Simon Watts
Sound Design: Tom Brignell
email theclimatequestion@bbc.com -
Can we 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?
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 Ghana
Production Team: Ben Cooper, Octavia Woodward, Brenda Brown, Simon Watts
Sound Design: Tom Brignell
email: theclimatequestion@bbc.com
NOTE: The speech made by President Jimmy Carter mentioned in the programme, was made in 1977 not 1974, as stated. -
What is caused (and not caused) by climate change?
In this episode, Graihagh Jackson explores the new field of climate attribution science with leading climatologist Dr Friederike Otto. Dr Otto's team of experts can now rapidly assess to what extent extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts or floods have - or have not - been caused by man-made climate change.
Graihagh finds out how this information is becoming crucial for disaster planning and response. She is also joined by BBC World Service disinformation reporter Jacqui Wakefield to discuss how Dr Otto's data can help fight a growing tendency by politicians and journalists to overstate the role of climate change.
Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Jacqui Wakefield
Producer: Osman Iqbal
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound design: Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts -
Bonus Ep: the climate activists who sued their government (and won)
In this extra episode, Graihagh Jackson hears from our friends on BBC podcast The Global Story about a case that could change the history of climate activism.
For nearly a decade, a group of elderly women argued that Switzerland’s weak climate policies violated their human rights. Their victory – the first of its kind in the European Court of Human Rights – sets a precedent 46 countries must now follow. The BBC's climate reporter, Georgina Rannard, has been covering the case for years. She shares the women’s personal stories with presenter James Reynolds, while climate lawyer Sophie Marjanac explains what it could mean for those seeking climate justice everywhere.
The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. They want your ideas, stories and experiences to help them understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email: theglobalstory@bbc.com or message/leave a voice note via WhatsApp: +44 330 123 9480.
And remember you can also email your climate-related questions and comments to Graihagh and The Climate Question team at theclimatequestion@bbc.com.
Production team for The Global Story: Laurie Kalus, Alix Pickles, Neal Razzell, Mike Regaard, Sergi Forcada Freixas, Sam Bonham.