ClimateGenn hosted by Nick Breeze Nick Breeze

In this first published ClimateGenn episode for a couple of months, I want to thank subscribers for your patience. I have not been sitting idle but much more trying to digest the appalling consequences of climate heating that we are now experiencing.



[Order COPOUT By Nick Breeze here]

Everyday on social media, climate graphs and charts are posted with varying degrees of deep red and other markers of urgency. Yet, nothing happens except the posts become more shrill and the problem of climate disaster becomes more irreversible.



As someone who engages a lot with climate science and scientists, somehow I had fallen into a space whereby the actual meaning of these charts had become abstract. Codified and filed away in my mind to avoid real exposure to true meaning.



Then something happened. I arranged to meet with Guillermo Díaz Agras at the marine biology research station in La Grana in Galicia. The research station is a satellite of Santiago University and the team here conduct extensive research along the coast and in the river valley’s, called rias.



What I expected to be an introductory overview of the research station turned into a horrifying cerebral experience; an awakening if you like. 



Guillermo showed me a long stream of images of dead dolphins, turtles and otters, saying simply: ‘That was just last week!’. He then explained how much of the indigenous shellfish are dying. The mussels no longer forming in this stretch of coast, the seaweed that bound the mussels to the rocks and the floating platforms, no longer there. The ecosystems that were embedded within them, gone.



In 2022, 220 dolphins were found dead along this coast. In 2023 that number rose to 667. In 2024 we are already over 315 as of last week. 



He then explained that the Atlantic Ocean heatwave that we see in those charts plastered all over the internet is triggering a massive breakdown of marine ecosystems along this coastline. The heated ocean creates more evaporation which is driving the most incredible downpours of rain. This in turn is desalinating the local waters and making life impossible for many species. The northerly winds that are well known here and blow the warmer surface waters out to sea, have stopped. The acidity of the ocean water from constant burning of fossil fuels is stopping shell formation too. 



This is what is meant when scientists speak of a cascade of climate impacts. The Atlantic Ocean heatwave is the main driver of this catastrophic cascade.



But this ecosystem is deeply connected to the Galician way off life, their cultural identity and local economies. Last week, with Guillermo, I met with the head of the regional fishing group. The impacts that I have mentioned are now creating a zombie-like industry. Fishermen here used to work the whole year through, everyday. Now they work around 15 days per year and receive subsidies from the government.



The lack of life in the oceans due to the ocean heating mean that new species are being shipped in from more exotic parts of the world where they can survive the hotter waters. These species take 3 years to mature and then have to be reordered. Aside from the unknown unknowns regarding dumping foreign species into these waters, the shellfish have to be reordered. However, as this happening along the coast in different communities, demand is outstripping supply. The government are funding the 3 yearly purchase of the new stock but not the ability to breed.



Guillermo is nervous that the imported, and essentially invasive species, may have unforeseen deleterious consequences for the wider ecosystem. However, everything is dying anyway. When I asked him what he thinks we should do, he shakes his head and says, “it is too late!”



These very words are stating very clearly that it is too late to save nature. We are part of nature and intricately connected to its bounty. Just recently The Guardian newspaper blindly published an article praising Gali

In this episode I am speaking with three young people from the Cayman Islands about the existential climate threat they face. They are taking their case to the British Government to ask for assistance in what could eventually lead to an evacuation plan.



The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory lying to the south of Cuba and the North East of Honduras. Currently an estimated 85% of the worlds hedge funds are located in these islands. 



The irony is that a significant percentage of the funds flowing through the Cayman isles will be invested in or derived from fossil fuels - the very cause of the regional climate destabilisation that is getting much worse.



Aleigha, Rickeem and Connor from Sustainable Cayman all have a case to make to the British people that could end up being part of the transformational change we need immediately. 



The London meeting at the House of Commons with MPs is in collaboration with OnePlanet in the UK and is the start of a dialogue that aims to encourage the UK to act responsible in the face of existential threats to these islands.



Thank you to all subscribers for support. This is a special episode timed for the event I nLondon and more episodes will be forthcoming. Please like and share and continue to subscribe to support this work. 



You can also order my book COPOUT from Amazon or any other book store, which highlights the structural failures that are driving the worsening worldwide climate emergency.

This episode with Dana R fisher is the unofficial part 2 of 3 looking at the sociological side of collective action, while we try to slow the sinking of the Titanic, to make homes on the lifeboats.

The rub in all this is that Dana’s message is not dissimilar from Roger Hallam’s (unofficial part 1). She agrees that millions will likely die before the so-called Anthroshift kicks in and we get the cascade of structural policies we need to respond en masse to the crisis.

The detail in all we discuss is in Dana’s new book, ‘Saving Ourselves - From Climate Shocks To Climate Action’.

If you want a close up lens on the structural failures to date, coupled with the determination of those in power to ignore the loud and clear science, then please do consider buying my book COPOUT. I’ve had great feedback from climate luminaries such as Sir David King, Bill McKibben, Alice Hill, Rupert Read, and others.

Thank you to all subscribers for your support. It is greatly received as it allows this series to continue. I get so many requests for interviews and it is getting harder to keep up. More supporters means more interviews can bet processed. Thanks again.

In this ClimateGenn Episode I speak with Dr René van Westen about the recent research he published with colleagues looking at what it would take to cause the Atlantic Meridonial Overturning Circulation (AMOC) to pass through it’s tipping point.

Interpretations of this research have been published in media around the world and debated across social media. Here René gets a chance to clarify the potential for catastrophic impacts that would indiscriminately devastate Europe as well as many other regions in proximity to the Atlantic and beyond.

If you want to read about how governments have consistently lied to get us into this mess then make sure you order my book COPOUT from this link: https://amzn.to/3uzuH7y

In the next episode will be Dana R Fisher discussing her new book, Saving Ourselves, and what it will take to create the ‘Antroshift’ or social tipping point to change course for the better. If the collapsing AMOC is the answer - I will pass on that!!

Thank you to all subscribers - your support is always welcome. Extra episodes and episode previews will continue to be forthcoming.

There is a huge influx of requests for interviews and climate/ecological stories out there to cover and I am totally overwhelmed. Thanks again for interest, feedback and support.

In this ClimateGenn episode I speak with Dr Chris Kettle. Chris is Principal Scientist within the International organization Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT, one of the global CGIAR centers for Agricultural research for development. 

Chris leads their work globally on restoration and the role of trees in transitioning food systems.  This is a critically important episode and Chris really dives into the complex interconnectivity between forestry, biodiversity, climate, food systems  security, knowledge and so much more.

  Links to additional work & resources related to Dr Chris Kettle:

www.myfarmtrees.org

www.diversityforrestoration.org

You can also look at the institutional webites https://alliancebioversityciat.org/

And the https://www.cgiar.org/

Chris is leading the restoration component of the naturepositive Initiative

https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/africa-climate-summit-advanced-tree-restoration-pledges-but-a-big-seed-shortage-remains/

This recent FAO publication led by Dr Chris Kettle: https://www.fao.org/3/cc8955en/cc8955en.pdf

You can find all Chris's publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8ViBluIAAAAJ&hl=en

Actioning the knowledge we already possess in the science and indigenous communities, while taking a global instead of national perspective, has the potential to radically improve our prospects. This is the real challenge that we face today.  

Chris offers a wealth of information on both the status quo and the potential for righting the wrongs of the past to fight back and try to conserve and regenerate global forests, while supplying the worlds food at the same time.

In the next episode I speak to Honduran youth activist Ricardo Pineda who I heard speaking at COP28. It is a fascinating conversation that touches on justice issues and why he is now calling for research in climate interventions that could possibly save lives in his community.  

I am also just about to edit the interview with sociologist Dana R Fisher about her new book, ‘Saving Ourselves, from climate shocks to climate action’. This is an unofficial sequel to the interview with Roger Hallam. There are parallel lines that we all need to comprehend.   

Thank you to all supporters and subscribers. I am recording a lots of interviews at the moment and I appreciate all feedback, good and bad.  

PREORDER COPOUT:  https://amzn.to/3SqI4ii  

If you want to gain more insight into how these issues all connect together and actually fail at the political and structural level, then please do order my book COPOUT. It is available to order on Amazon and from a wide range of bookstores worldwide.

In this ClimateGenn episode I am speaking with Nigerian Climate Activist Dickson Goodness about the ongoing struggle to pressure the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, to clean up it’s colossal toxic mess left behind after nearly seven decades of oil extraction in the Niger Delta.

Beyond carbon emission, the damage done has destroyed ecosystems, decimated biodiversity, ruined livelihoods and caused misery and suffering for communities living in the region.

PREORDER COPOUT - https://amzn.to/3SflYzg

A reminder that you can preorder my book COPOUT about the UN process that has now been taken over by the extractive fossil fuel industry. A broad coalition of the most polluting nations on Earth say they want to reduce emissions while massively expanding fossil fuel production. This contradiction or outright hypocrisy underpins the very core of the human struggle for survival this century and will be discussed across future episodes in the coming weeks. Please do stay tuned.

Thank you to all subscribers and supporters. Please do join via Patron or Youtube to support the channel, getting episodes early, plus extra content. Do also comment, share and engage in whatever way possible. Thanks.