Planet: Critical

Rachel Donald
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  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
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Planet: Critical

Planet: Critical is the podcast for a world in crisis. We face severe climate, energy, economic and political breakdown. Journalist Rachel Donald interviews those confronting the crisis, revealing what's really going on—and what needs to be done. www.planetcritical.com

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    WTF | Emily Atkin

    WTF – What Trump F***s.* Beside his extensive sexual assault of women, Trump’s political agenda involves violently assaulting the planet, climate legislation, industry regulations, state-led climate agendas and international negotiations. And that was just the first time round. His second term will likely be far worse, with his team having had four years to plan. Details from Project 2025—published by a think tank with links to the Atlas Network—show how Trump is likely going to strip climate legislation away and ramp up fossil fuel production. I asked Emily Atkin, editor of HEATED (which if you don’t know, you should immediately subscribe to), to explain exactly what another round of Trump does to international and national climate agendas. We also get into Musk, bitcoin, coal, what Biden could do, and how the media also needs evolve its messaging. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! *the answer is the future, btw. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

    44 min

  2. 31 OCT

    The Renewables Solution | Auke Hoekstra

    Can renewables really save the day? Auke Hoekstra, Director of the NEON Research Program, says they can. The renewables researcher firmly states that we can power this society on renewables energy, dramatically reducing the harms caused by our current energy system and providing equitable access to energy. However, he does not think this means the renewable roll-out is inevitable thanks to political and economic forces built on fossil fuelled power. Known as the “Debunker in chief”, Auke and I have a lengthy, nuanced, tense and joyful discussion about the question of renewables: their effectiveness, limitations, and how to use them responsibly. On the scientific side of the conversation, we cover the nitty gritty of energy density, materials access, and land use. We also situate the conversation in the wider socio-political context, leading to a conversation on shared values and responsibility. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

    1h 48m

  3. 24 OCT

    Nuclear and Justice | Jessica Lovering

    If not nuclear, then what else? This is Jessica Lovering's question, co-founder of the Good Energy Collective. She says the most important thing is to lift one billion people out of energy poverty. To do that, we need a low carbon source of energy without intermittency issues. Because of this, she says, nuclear is a form of environmental justice. Jessica begins by explaining the historical and current dynamics, regulatory issues, financial challenges, and technological advancements in nuclear. We then address the potential and complexities of nuclear power in addressing climate change, managing energy needs, and ensuring energy equity. We also explore community consent, nuclear waste management, geopolitical implications, employment impacts, before discussing whether or not nuclear is worth the risk in an increasingly unstable world. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

    55 min

  4. 17 OCT

    Decarbonising the War Machine | Sherri Goodman

    The U.S Military is going green. But what does that mean? Decarbonised bases, hybrid vehicles, micro electricity grids, recycling methane gas. In fact, the U.S military is doing what climate activists are crying out for governments to do—everything, that is, except changing their overarching strategy. In a mind-bending example of how climate action can be taken when the purpose fits the status quo, the U.S military is ahead of the curve when it comes to taking this problem seriously. I'm joined by Sherri Goodman, Secretary General of the International Military Council on Climate and the U.S first ever Under Secretary of Defence (Environmental Security) to discuss how the military is approaching the climate crisis. She explains what happens when a climate-denying administration disagrees with the military's prognosis, the steps they're taking to decarbonise, and the purported necessity for defence during times of resource scarcity. We then debate the reality of the big picture: Is such action truly sustainable if we're not addressing the big picture drivers which create the conditions for violence and conflict? Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

    38 min

  5. 10 OCT

    How Net Zero Killed 1.5 | James Dyke

    The Paris Agreement is dead. The celebrated target marked in ink in 2016 has been killed by the focus on technocratic solutions over systemic change. Now, rather than address the frightening reality spawned by delusion and incompetence, we're heading even faster towards two degrees—and that being the new acceptable target. Earth system scientist James Dyke explains that we cannot allow this new target to be set, which the fossil fuel industry is pushing for. This is James' second time on Planet: Critical. Just a few years ago, I interviewed him about the dangers of Net Zero policies and how these carbon accounting tricks were on course to send us over the 1.5 degree limit. Many scientists were chorusing that warning. Their concerns were not heeded and just three years later, we're on course for a truly dangerous future. In this episode, James explains how we got here, what we've done wrong, and what will happen if climate policies don't rapidly address the structural inequalities and waste of both our energy and economic systems. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

    59 min

  6. 3 OCT

    The Plastic Crisis | Jane van Dis

    We can’t harm the planet without harming ourselves. Plastic. It’s ubiquitous. We are now learning it’s also insidious. Plastic is linked to numerous serious health conditions, from cancers to heart disease. It’s changing our DNA—and now babies are being born pre-polluted. Jane van Dis is a medical doctor, academic and co-founder of ObGyns For Sustainable Future within Healthcare Without Harm. She joins me to explain the myriad impacts of plastic on the body, the collusion she has investigated between the petrochemical industry and government, how the fossil fuel industry got society hooked on the stuff, and the medical industry’s own plastic pollution problem. This is a jaw-dropping episode, exemplary both of the systems of harm we are forced to live in, and how civic advocacy begins when we take care of one another. For Jane, her journey began when she asked the question: Why are my patients getting sicker? Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

    1h 6m

  7. 26 SEPT

    The Green Washing Machine | Veronica Bates Kassatly

    What happens when an industry regulates itself? Bad science, opaque methodologies, incorrect conclusions—and few questions asked. The fashion industry has spent over 10 years drafting sustainability guidelines under the guise of independent analysis which protect brands’ bottom lines. Thanks to an elaborate network of organisations, think tanks and funders, these guidelines have even made their into Law around the world. The problem? They’re unscientific. Veronica Bates Kassatly is an economist and sustainable fashion consultant I met whilst investigating this story in 2022. Despite the extent of fashion’s greenwashing making international headlines years ago, little has come on since, as Veronica explains in the episode. We discuss the manipulation of sustainability metrics by the fashion industry to promote polyester fibre as sustainable, the deficiencies in current methodologies, and the impact of EU regulations on global trade, particularly for producers in the Global South. The episode highlights the interplay of economics, legislation, and industry incentives in perpetuating unsustainable practices, urging for inclusive discussions and genuine sustainability measures. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

    56 min

  8. 19 SEPT

    The Energy Collapse | Louis Arnoux

    What happens when economics takes precedence over thermodynamics? Eventually, the system collapses—because being incompatible with thermodynamics is impossible. That’s the stark message of this week’s guest, Louis Arnoux, a scientist, engineer and managing director of Fourth Transition, who has been working on this problem for decades. Louis and his team’s research point to our energy systems collapsing by 2030 because we’re having to spend more energy than ever before to extract fuel. Soon, the energy cost of extraction will equal the energy benefit. Such an equilibrium is, in his words, a dead state. In the episode, Louis gives a phenomenal overview of the three thermodynamic traps human civilisation is caught in, including how decarbonising to renewables is exacerbating the thermodynamic problem. He explains how our current energy systems work antithetically to the sun and the planet, including the waste problem, before highlighting the role of economics in the creation of an impossible system. He then explains what a possible energy system could look like with the technology we have available, and how we can engineer that system to mimic the efficiency and productivity of life on the planet. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

    1h 31m
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About

Planet: Critical is the podcast for a world in crisis. We face severe climate, energy, economic and political breakdown. Journalist Rachel Donald interviews those confronting the crisis, revealing what's really going on—and what needs to be done. www.planetcritical.com

Information

  • Creator
    Rachel Donald
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2024
  • Episodes
    194
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Rachel Donald
  • Show Website
    Planet: Critical

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