The Climate Question

BBC World Service

Why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    How does extreme heat affect pregnancy?

    Graihagh Jackson and the BBC’s former Global Health Correspondent Tulip Mazumdar investigate how extreme heat, fuelled by climate change, is affecting pregnant women in India. In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Tulip hears the heart-breaking stories of some of the women affected and explores simple solutions that would make their work in scorching agricultural fields safer. The programme was first broadcast in 2024. Email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com Produced by Sophie Eastaugh, Graihagh Jackson and Camilla Horrox Editor: Sophie Eastaugh Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell and James Beard Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

    26 min

  2. 15 SEPT

    Will the switch to green technology become unstoppable?

    When people talk about tipping points in the climate, it’s usually bad news – the irreversible melting of ice sheets or the collapse of rainforests. But could there be positive tipping points too, moments where climate solutions break through and spread rapidly? Tim Lenton, Professor of Climate Change at the University of Exeter and author of Positive Tipping Points: How to Fix the Climate Crisis, says it’s already happening – from the dramatic rise of renewable energy to the surge in electric vehicles. He explains how in Norway, the 80s pop band A-Ha played a crucial role in making EVs mainstream. So, could positive tipping points hold the key to addressing the climate crisis? Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar speak to Professor Lenton about how positive tipping points happen and what we can learn from them. Got a question? Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com Production Team: Jonathan Baker, Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, Diane Richardson, Sabine Schereck and Nik Sindle Editor: Simon Watts

    23 min

  3. 8 SEPT

    Will there be a solar power boom in Africa?

    Africa gets a world beating amount of sunshine — but has just 1% of the world’s solar panels. Over half the continent still lives without electricity, stalling progress and holding back people’s lives. But change may be coming — thanks to a surge in solar imports from China. New data from energy think tank EMBER shows a 60% jump in solar panel shipments to Africa in the past year. If installed, they could generate 15 GW — nearly doubling Africa’s current solar capacity. It’s not just the biggest energy users like South Africa, Nigeria, and Algeria. Countries like Liberia, DRC, Benin, Angola, and Ethiopia have tripled their imports. So, is this the start of a solar-powered revolution on the continent? Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar speak to Dr Rose Mutiso, Science Advisor at the Energy for Growth Hub and Founder of the African Tech Futures Lab. Got a question? Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com Production Team: Jordan Dunbar, Nik Sindle, Diane Richardson, Grace Braddock, Chris Gouzaris and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

    23 min

  4. 1 SEPT

    Are wetlands our secret weapon in fighting climate change?

    The world's wetlands store carbon and can help us tackle some of the impacts of climate change. Are we overlooking their importance? And what can we do to protect them more? Graihagh Jackson travels to wetlands near her home in East Anglia while Qasa Alom reports from the Bay of Bengal. And The Climate Question catches up with an old friend of the show, Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary-General of the Convention on Wetlands. This programme was first broadcast in 2024. Production team: Osman Iqbal, Octavia Woodward, Brenda Brown, Simon Watts Sound design by Tom Brignell. Send your questions to: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

    26 min

  5. 25 AUG

    Can we build a world where hurricanes can't kill?

    Twenty years ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated America’s Gulf coast and overwhelmed the city of New Orleans. The destruction and the response to the storm became infamous and are debated to this day. Climate scientists warn that the warming world is likely to make typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes more intense and so even more dangerous. Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar ask what the world has learned since the disaster in New Orleans, and how we can build cities that can stand up better to more extreme weather events. They chat to Prof Reggie DesRoches, an engineer who was on the ground in the aftermath of Katrina to help find out what had gone wrong. His work specialises in adapting infrastructure for natural disasters, including developing innovative materials and practical techniques that might just help us adapt to more violent storms. Can we build a world where hurricanes can't kill? Guest: Prof Reggie DesRoches, President, Rice University, Houston Presenter: Graihagh Jackson with Jordan Dunbar Producers: Jordan Dunbar, Di Richardson and Nik Sindle Sound mix: Tom Brignell and Sarah Kimberley Editor: Simon Watts Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721

    26 min

  6. 18 AUG

    Is Brazil doing enough to protect the Amazon?

    This week Host Graihagh Jackson grabs a chat with the BBC’s correspondents in two countries that will shape our future climate. Brazil is about to host the giant COP climate conference in the Amazon, but the pace of reducing deforestation has just slowed and there are concerns about potentially weaker environmental standards. Ione Wells in Sao Paulo also talks Graihagh through proposals for oil exploration in the mouth of the rainforest. Plus, China has just started work on the world’s biggest hydroelectric dam. It’s a huge 167-billion dollar project to bring power from Tibet to Hong Kong. The dam will increase Beijing’s use of renewable energy, but comes with a potential environmental cost, as well as the risk of creating tension with China’s neighbours. Laura Bicker gives us some staggering facts and figures about the dam – as well as an explanation of how fish can use “ladders”. Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Presenter: Graihagh Jackson with Jordan Dunbar Producer: Diane Richardson Production Co-Ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge Sound Engineers: Dafydd Evans and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

    26 min

  7. 11 AUG

    How do we fight the risks of melting glaciers?

    Climate change is melting thousands of glaciers in the Himalayas and having a devastating impact on the people who live there. In 2024, the BBC's Caroline Davies visited the Pakistani side of the world's highest mountain range: she told Graihagh Jackson how villagers are coping, and how they are determined to stay put despite the risks of floods and the disruption to their traditional way of life. You can watch Caroline's reporting from Pakistan here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00246nx/from-above-melting-glaciers Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in Pakistan: Caroline Davies Producers in Pakistan: Fakhir Munir, Usman Zahid, Kamil Dayan Khan Producers in London: Ellie House and Osman Iqbal Sound Mix: Rod Farquhar and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

    26 min

  8. 4 AUG

    Bill Gates: Why I'm a climate optimist

    Bill Gates, the tech billionaire turned philanthropist, has been combating poverty, disease, and inequity around the world for decades. However, in recent years he has shifted focus and resources towards the climate crisis. Gates believes fighting climate change and fighting poverty are two sides of the same coin. Food, health and economic crises will last longer and become more severe as climate threats escalate, disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable communities. But the billionaire remains optimistic and believes the power of human ingenuity will win out with a technology-driven approach to reducing carbon emissions and dealing with the impact of global warming. In 2023, Graihagh Jackson sat down with Bill Gates to talk about his positive outlook and the billions he’s investing in tackling climate change. Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Osman Iqbal Series producers: Alex Lewis and Simon Watts Editor: China Collins Sound engineers: James Beard, Graham Puddifoot and Tom Brignell

    24 min
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About

Why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC World Service
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    262
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2025
  • Show Website
    The Climate Question

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