Fossil vs Future

James Cameron and Daisy Nicholls
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This is Fossil vs Future, a warm conversation between generations on climate change. - Each podcast episode will be focusing on a different climate-related challenge, as godfather and goddaughter, James and Daisy, share their individual experiences and perspectives, with the hope of fostering understanding between generations. - James is at the later stage of his working life dedicated to dealing with climate change, through law, finance, and social entrepreneurship, and Daisy is at an earlier stage of her career, equally focused on the climate and how to drive systemic change through her experience in the finance, business, and non-profit sectors. - We want to use intergenerational dialogue as a tool to learn, inspire, and get stuff done! - LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/fossil-vs-future Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/fossil_vs_future TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@fossil_vs_future

  1. 3D AGO

    WHAT ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST? Relying on fossil fuels or leading clean energy?

    The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region sits at the heart of the world’s energy system, home to many of the top oil and gas producers. Yet it also one of the most climate-vulnerable regions, with huge renewable energy potential. In this episode, James and Daisy discuss the region’s climate challenges. How is MENA impacted by climate change? Is the region serious about the energy transition? What were the key takeaways from Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week?  SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:  Masdar – A fast-growing renewable energy company owned by three UAE energy companies (ADNOC, Mubadala Investment Company, and TAQA) with projects in 40+ countries across six continents with a combined capacity of more than 65GW. COP28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber chairs Masdar while also leading ADNOC. Masdar is building the world’s largest solar-plus battery project, that will run 24 hours a day, displacing 5.7 million tons of CO2 annually – equivalent to planting 100 million trees and covering 90 square kilometres, roughly the size of Copenhagen.Zayed Sustainability Prize – The UAE's global award that recognises SMEs, nonprofits, and schools with impactful sustainable solutions. This year’s Energy winner was Switzerland’s BASE Foundation with its cooling-as-a-service solution. Ignite Energy Access, a UAE-based climate-tech company scaling sustainable infrastructure solutions across Africa won the Energy Innovation category at COP28. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES: Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) – One of the world’s largest sustainability gatherings, hosted by Masdar. Our World in Data – A graph of oil production by region shows that roughly one third comes from the Middle East. Ember (2025)– In 2023, 7% of the Middle East’s electricity was generated from clean sources, below the global average of 39%. Saudi Arabia aims for 50% renewable electricity by 2030.IEA (2025) – In 2024, MENA supplied over 30% of the world’s oil and nearly 20% of its natural gas. Between 2000 and 2024, electricity demand tripled – making the MENA region the third-largest contributor to global electricity demand growth after China and India. Average temperatures in MENA are rising at more than twice the global rate, and summer temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C.Financial Times (2025) – How plans for the utopian city of Neom have unravelled.  BloombergNEF (2025) – Michael Liebreich makes the case for a pragmatic climate reset.Cleaning Up (2025) – Liebreich in conversation with Lord Browne, former CEO of BP.Breakneck by Dan Wang (2025) – Shows how the cost of one US nuclear plant equals roughly 11 in China.  SOME FACTS: Investopedia: The MENA region includes Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, and Yemen.IEA – MENA holds five of the world’s top 10 oil producers (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Kuwait) and three of the top 20 gas producers. Nearly 95% of electricity generated in the Middle East comes from natural gas and oil – the highest share in the world. World Bank (2025) – MENA holds more than half of the world’s oil reserves and 40% of gas reserves.World Bank (2022) – MENA’s GHG footprint is 8.7% of global emissions. MENA is the world’s most water scarce region with 60% of people living in high or extremely high water stressed areas. MENA receives 22-26% of all solar energy striking the earth and its solar potential per square kilometre is equivalent to energy produced by 1-2 million barrels of oil annually and could meet at least 50% of global electricity demand. 75% of MENA has average wind speeds that exceed the minimum threshold for utility-scale wind farms.Earth.Org (2025) – Saudi Aramco accounts for 4.38% of global CO2 emissions.  The Guardian (2025) – Saudi Arabia spent more on fossil fuel subsidies than it did on its national health budget in 2023.NY Times (2025) – Over the past year, EVs accounted for 76% of all passenger vehicles sold in Nepal.WRI (2025) – In 2024, EVs made up 92% of passenger vehicle sales in Norway.  Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:  LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok You can also now watch us on YouTube. Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3 Producer: Podshop Studios Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

    40 min

  2. JAN 20

    WHAT ABOUT DATA CENTRES? Powering progress or slowing climate action?

    Demand for digital services has exploded — and with it, the rapid expansion of data centres providing the compute power behind everything from streaming and cloud storage to AI. But this growth could have serious climate consequences. In this episode, James and Daisy explore the rise of data centres. What exactly are they? Why are they becoming so central to our lives? And how can we guide their future growth to align with our climate goals? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:  Cleaning Up (2025) – An on-location podcast episode where Michael Liebreich visits Sines, Portugal, where Start Campus is building a data centre, set to be Europe’s largest. Carbon Brief (2025) – Five charts on data centre energy use and emissions. Brookings (2025) – Analysis on the future of data centres.  OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES: Green Mountain – SVG-Rennesøy is a Norwegian Tier III mountain hall data centre built inside a former high security NATO ammunition storage facility and cooled by fjord seawater.The Guardian (2025) – Google plans to put AI data centres into space, with the first trial equipment sent into orbit in early 2027. Solar panels powering these data centres could be up to eight times more productive than those on Earth. Terrestrial Energy – A developer of Generation IV nuclear plants using proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) technology.NESO – The National Energy System Operator for Great Britain, responsible for electricity system planning amid rising demand.BBC (2023) – The waste heat from a washing-machine-sized data centre is being used to heat a public swimming pool in Devon.Bloomberg (2025) – Finland and Sweden are pairing data centres with district heating systems.WEF (2020) – Microsoft’s ‘Project Natick’ tested a shipping-container-sized underwater data centre off the coast of Orkney, Scotland, finding it was eight times more reliable than land-based equivalents.Kraken – An all-in-one, smart operating system automating much of the energy supply chain, supporting efficiency and flexibility as energy systems decarbonise. SOME FACTS: MIT News (2025) – The first data centre was built at the University of Pennsylvania in 1945 to support the ENIAC, the first general-purpose digital computer. IEA (2023) – Since 2010, the number of internet users worldwide has more than doubled, while internet traffic has increased 25-fold. Data centres and data transmission networks each account for 1-1.5% of global electricity use and around 1% of energy-related GHG emissions. UK Parliament (2025) – Data centres consume around 2.5% of the UK’s electricity, with demand expected to quadruple by 2030.GOV.UK (2024) – Data centres are designated as Critical National Infrastructure, alongside energy and water systems.BBC (2025) – There are an estimated 500 data centres operating across the UK.McKinsey (2025) – By 2030, $6.7 trillion in global investment in data centres will be needed to meet demand for compute power, of which 70% will come from AI workloads. Demand for AI-ready data centre capacity is expected to grow by 33% per year between 2023 and 2030. By 2030, up to 65% of AI workloads in Europe and the United States will be hosted on hyperscalers’ infrastructure.Ofgem (2006) – One megawatt-hour (MWh) equals 1,000 kilowatt hours – roughly enough to power around 2,000 homes for one hour.MIT Sloan School of Management (2025) – When the full cost of delivering AI to customers is included, data centres could account for up to 21% of global energy demand by 2030.WEF – Power use in data centres is typically split between IT equipment (40–50%), cooling systems (30–40%), and auxiliary systems such as lighting and security (10–30%).NY Times (2025) – Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta spent more than $360 billion in capital expenditures over 12 months.CSO (2023) – Data centres already account for over 20% of Ireland’s total electricity consumption.IEA (2024) – Nearly one-third of Ireland’s electricity demand is expected to come from data centres by 2026.WEF (2025) – Climate hazards such as extreme heat and drought could add $81 billion per year in costs to data centres globally by 2035.The Guardian (2025) – More than 230 environmental groups have called for a national moratorium on new US data centres, citing rising electricity bills and worsening climate impacts.CNBC (2025) – Google, Oracle and Microsoft estimate AI hardware lifespans of up to six years, but sceptics such as short seller Michael Burry argue that they may be significantly shorter.  Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:

    40 min

  3. JAN 6

    WHAT ABOUT COP30? What happened and what’s next?

    The COP – or ‘Conference of the Parties’ – is the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In November 2025, COP30 took place in Belém, Brazil – the thirtieth of these annual meetings and a milestone marking ten years since the Paris Agreement. As with many COPs, reactions to the final outcomes were mixed. In this episode, James and Daisy reflect on COP30 and look ahead to what comes next. What were the most significant outcomes? What is the plan for COP31? How might the COP process itself be reformed?  SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:  Mutirão Decision – The central outcome text from COP30. “Mutirão,” a term from the Tupi-Guarani language meaning “collective efforts,” was adopted by the COP30 Presidency as the guiding theme to inspire global climate action.Inside COP – A special edition of the Outrage + Optimism podcast, created in partnership with the COP30 Presidency, offering exclusive behind-the-scenes insights from the negotiations. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES: Carbon Brief (2025) – A clear summary of COP30 outcomes, including the agreement to triple adaptation finance by 2035 and the establishment of a just transition mechanism. Although more than 80 countries supported a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels, the final text did not include such a reference.NDC Tracker – A live tracker showing which countries have submitted updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).WRI (2025) – An analysis of COP30’s achievements and shortfalls. By the close of the conference, 119 countries — representing 74% of global emissions — had submitted new NDCs. While these reflect progress, together they deliver less than 15% of the emissions reductions needed by 2035 to keep warming to 1.5°C.UNEP (2025) – Current projections estimate global warming of 2.3–2.5°C if all NDCs are fully implemented, and around 2.8°C based on current policies.  Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement ten years ago, temperature predictions have fallen from 3-3.5°C. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative – In response to the absence of fossil fuel language in the COP30 text, Colombia and the Netherlands announced they will co-host the First International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, to be held 28–29 April 2026 in Santa Marta, Colombia — a key coal-exporting port city.UNFCCC (2025) – Türkiye will host COP31, including the World Leaders’ Summit. The Pre-COP will be hosted in a Pacific Island country, supported by Australia. A representative of Türkiye will serve as COP31 President-Designate from the close of COP30, with an Australian representative appointed as President of Negotiations.IISD (2015) – Background on the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF), launched in 2009 to foster candid dialogue among major emitters and build political momentum for climate action. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:  LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok You can also now watch us on YouTube. Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3 Producer: Podshop Studios Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

    44 min

  4. 10/21/2025

    WHAT ABOUT CITIES? Engines of emissions or hubs of innovation? 

    More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities – and that number keeps growing. Cities are engines of opportunity and economic growth, but they also generate vast amounts of waste, pollution, and emissions. Yet by bringing together people, ideas, and investments, cities also become hubs of innovation where climate solutions can emerge and scale.  In this episode, James and Daisy explore the relationship between climate and cities. How is climate change reshaping urban life? How are cities adapting? And how can cities lead the way towards a more sustainable future?  SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:  C40 Cities – A network of nearly 100 mayors taking collective action on climate. 3 in 4 C40 cities are reducing per capita emissions faster than their national governments. Cities & Regions Hub at COP30 – Elevates the role of subnational governments as key actors in the COP process and anchors their contributions to the global climate agenda. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES: Sustainable Development Commission – Formerly the UK Government's independent adviser on sustainable development (closed in 2011).Clover Hogan (2024) – People should stop buying electric cars and instead ask, “how do we redesign mobility?” SUN Mobility – Aims to establish one of the largest battery swapping networks by 2030, accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles.  Smart Surfaces Coalition – Helps cities make “smart” surface decisions by demonstrating the value of surfaces that manage the sun and rain.The Wildlife Trusts (2022) – Bauer Outdoor Media aimed to have instal 150 bee bus stops across the UK by the end of 2022.  ULEZ – London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone is the largest clean air zone in the world. Sadiq Khan (2025) – “It was predicted to take 193 years to meet legal limits for air pollution in London – we did it in 9.”London National Park City – Declared in July 2019, with 49.7% of the city made up of green and blue space.Wild West End – A partnership between property owners (including The Crown Estate) to create ecological corridors between London’s Royal Parks and garden squares.LBC (2025) – Oxford Street was car-free for a day and footfall rose nearly 50% as thousands rediscovered the joy of a truly public space.BBC (2024) – Honeybees account for 57% of all pollinating insects within the City of London despite being only one of 270 UK bee species. Paris – The 2021-2026 cycling plan aims to make Paris a fully cycle-friendly city, expanding bike infrastructure, secure parking systems, and the cycling ecosystem. Barcelona – The Master Plan for Barcelona’s Trees 2017-2037 aims to increase the city’s tree cover by 5% so that 30% of the city is covered by trees. The Guardian (2025) – In Jerez de la Frontera in Spain green canopies of grapevines cool streets  by up to 8°C.  UNDP (2024) – In Lima, Peru, fog catcher technology and automated irrigation are used to harvest water from fog oases. In Lagos, Nigeria, economic losses from flooding are already US$4 billion per year. Indonesia is set to replace Jakarta, the world's fastest-sinking city, with a newly planned capital that has yet to be built.Singapore – The “garden city” vision was introduced by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 11 May 1967.BBC (2024) – Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking due to water extraction and the increasing weight of their rapid expansion. Shanghai has sunk over 3m in a century.NEOM – A futuristic mega-project in Saudi Arabia designed to harness technology, sustainability, and development. SOME FACTS:  UNEP – Cities only occupy 3% of the Earth’s land surface. World Bank – Over 4 billion people live in cities. By 2050, it will be nearly 7 in 10. Cities produce over 70% of global GHG emissions and account for 80% of global GDP.  Since 1985, over 75,000 km2 of new urban land, equivalent to about 50 times the area of Greater London, has been developed in areas prone to severe flooding.IPCC (2021) – Urban emissions rose from 25 GtCO2-eq (about 62% of global share) in 2015 to 29 GtCO2-eq (67–72%) in 2020.UNEP – Cities consume over 75% of natural resources. UNEP (2021) – The world’s cities are heating up at twice the global average rate due to rapid urbanization and the urban heat island effect. By 2100, many cities could warm as much as 4°C.WEF (2018) – By 2100, 13 of the world’s largest megacities will be located in Africa; none in the Americas, China, or Europe. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:  LinkedIn | Instagram |

    46 min

  5. 10/07/2025

    WHAT ABOUT MUSIC? In tune with climate action or out of key? | Featuring Daniel Morrell

    Like any industry, music has a carbon footprint – from live events and global touring to merchandise and streaming. Yet what makes music unique is its reach and power to inspire change.  In this episode, James and Daisy are joined by Daniel Morrell – sustainability pioneer, environmental activist, artist, and electronic musician. Together they explore music’s role in the fight against climate change. What are the impacts of the industry? How can music drive climate action? Who is leading the change? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:  Chant Live – An experimental “Space Punk” cocktail made up of music legends, technological innovation and environmental action with a dash of one special ingredient – you. Upload your voice via the app to create a unique visual sonic signature and feature in the next gig. It’s free for now but future proceeds will plant land art forests. BalanceEco – A platform that makes it easy for people and businesses to 'balance' their environmental impact effectively over the long term.  EarthPercent – Invites artists and the music industry at large to donate a small percentage of their income to nature. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES: Coldplay – Reducing the carbon footprint of their Music of the Spheres World Tour. In 2024, the direct emissions were almost 60% lower than their 2016–17 stadium tour (with 18 shows powered entirely by portable battery systems and 72% of all waste diverted from landfill).Massive Attack – Their Act 1.5 show produced 98% less power emissions than comparable concerts.Billie Eilish – A vocal climate advocate and organiser of the Overheated conference that brings together climate activists, musicians and designers to discuss the climate crisis. AURORA – A Norwegian singer, songwriter, producer, and advocate for environmental and social issues.Glastonbury – Since 2023, the festival has been powered entirely by fossil-free energy. Tyndall Centre (2021) – A roadmap for the UK live music sector to play its part in tackling the climate crisis.  Julie’s Bicycle – A non-profit mobilising the arts and culture to act on the climate, nature and justice crisis. Hosts the world’s largest environmental resource library for the arts. A Greener Future – Helps organisations, events, festivals, and venues around the world to be more sustainable.REVERB – Dedicated to creating a more sustainable music industry.Music Declares Emergency – Brings together artists, industry professionals and fans to call for a governmental response to the climate emergency through the No Music on a Dead Planet campaign. Music Climate Pact – Sets out a series of high-level commitments to serve as a declaration of intent for the global music sector.   Future Forests – The first carbon offsetting company (later renamed The CarbonNeutral company). Live Earth – A series of benefit concerts featuring 150+ musicians across 12 locations held on 7 July, 2007 to combat climate change. SOME FACTS:  Nature (2024) – In 2010, researchers used figures from 2007 to estimate that the UK music industry produced some 540,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, around 0.1% of the country’s total energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Live music accounted for 74% of that.    WORTH A LISTEN:  NATURE – Nature is now an official artist on Spotify. At least 50% of recording royalties from “feat. NATURE” tracks are directed to EarthPercent, funding high-impact, rights-based conservation initiatives. Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell’s environmental anthem.  Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:  LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok You can also now watch us on YouTube. Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3 Producer: Podshop Studios Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

    32 min

  6. 09/23/2025

    WHAT ABOUT FOOD WASTE? An everyday habit or a global climate threat?

    Roughly one-third of all food produced is never eaten. Beyond the financial and social costs, food waste is also a major driver of climate change. When we waste food, we waste the land, water, and energy used to produce it, and as it decomposes, it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. In this episode, James and Daisy explore the causes and consequences of food waste, sharing their experiences with organisations fighting the problem. Why do we waste so much food? What are the impacts? And what solutions are there? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:  Project Drawdown: Identifies reducing food loss and waste as one of the largest climate solutions across all sectors. The Felix Project: London’s largest food redistribution charity, rescuing high quality, surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to over 1,200 community organisations.FoodCycle: Reduces loneliness, food poverty and food waste by cooking nutritious meals from surplus food at volunteer-run hubs.  OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES: Winnow: Provides AI-powered food waste monitors and digital scales in professional kitchens, giving detailed data analytics to help chefs and managers cut waste.  WEF (2022): Reports on how heatwaves and droughts have resulted in oddly shaped crops of fruit and vegetables.Tesco (2020): During the pandemic, egg demand rose 30%, prompting Tesco to sell white eggs for the first time since the 1980s. Tesco: In 2013, Tesco became the first retailer to publicly report on food waste in its own operations.PVM: At least 60% of the surface of a Pink Lady® apple must be covered by a pink blush.Oddbox: Works with growers to rescue the “too odd” and “too many” at risk of going to waste, delivering boxes of farm-fresh fruit and veg to households. Too Good To Go: The world's largest marketplace for surplus food – an app that connects consumers with surplus food from stores, cafés, and restaurants at a discount.Olio: A mobile app for sharing by giving away, getting, borrowing or lending things in your community for free, aiming to reduce household and food waste.Mimica (2018): Creator of “Bump”, a temperature-sensitive label that turns bumpy when food actually spoils. Chanzi: Uses Black Solder Fly larvae to convert food waste into nutritious protein for animal feed.  SOME FACTS:  UNEP (2024): In 2022, households wasted over 1 billion meals a day, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity.UNEP (2024): Food waste results in the throwing away of more than US$1 trillion worth of food every year. In households alone, each person, on average, wastes more than the average mass of an adult human per year.IPCC (2019): During 2010–2016, global food loss and waste equalled 8–10% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions.Our World in Data (2020): If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of GHGs after China and the US.WRAP (2020): While 81% of people reported being concerned about climate change, only 37% understand how wasted food contributes to it. The Independent (2012): A wrapped cucumber lasts more than three times as long as an unwrapped one.  Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:  LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok You can also now watch us on YouTube. Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3 Producer: Podshop Studios Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

    38 min

  7. 09/09/2025

    WHAT ABOUT DEMOCRACY? Empowering citizens or letting us down?

    Democracy literally means “rule by the people” – a system designed to safeguard our collective voice through the creation of laws and institutions. But today, many democratic systems are struggling to respond adequately respond to the wicked problems the world faces, including climate change. Young people, in particular, are losing faith.  In this episode, James and Daisy speak about democracy. Why does it matter? Do democratic systems empower us tackle climate change – or slow us down? How might we strengthen democracy?   SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:  Economist Intelligence Unit (2024) – Only 45% of the world’s population lives in a democracy, 39% under authoritarian rule, and 15% in “hybrid regimes” that combine electoral democracy with authoritarian tendencies.Centre for the Future of Democracy – Globally, millennials are most dissatisfied with democracy, and more so than previous generations at the same stage of life. Furthermore,  young people are most positive about democracy under populist leaders of both left and right. Climate Citizens – A project run out of Lancaster University that wants to transform climate policy from something that happens to people, to something that happens with people.Climate Assembly UK – Over 100+ people from all walks of life and of all shades of opinion met over six weekends in Spring 2020 to discuss how the UK should meet its net zero target by 2050. They heard balanced evidence on the choices the UK faces, discussed them, and made recommendations about what the UK should do. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES: National Geographic – The word “democracy” comes from two Greek words that mean people (demos) and rule (kratos). The first known democracy was in Athens.The Economist (2021) – The Swiss have the most pervasive system of referendums of any country in the world. Referendums are a form of “direct democracy”, in which citizens vote directly on policy questions rather than allowing elected delegates to decide (“representative democracy”). The Guardian (2025) – A majority from Europe’s Gen Z – 57% – prefer democracy to any other form of government. Rates of support varied, however, reaching just 48% in Poland and only about 51-52% in Spain and France, with Germany highest at 71%.Ipsos (2024) – Just 37% of 18-to-24 year olds voted at last July’s general election, down from 47% in 2019.GOV.UK – “Modernisation of UK democracy will see 16- and 17-year-olds able to vote in next general election.”CNN (2025) – Leaders of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran gather in Beijing for huge military parade in challenge to the West.UK Parliament – First-past-the-post is a type of electoral system. In the UK it is the system used for the election of MPs to the House of Commons and for some local government elections.UK Parliament – Proportional representation is an electoral system in which the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each party, e.g., if a party gained 40% of the total votes, a perfectly proportional system would allow them to gain 40% of the seats. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:  LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok You can also now watch us on YouTube. Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3 Producer: Podshop Studios Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

    39 min

  8. 08/26/2025

    WHAT ABOUT OUR HEALTH? A crisis to fear or a reason to act?

    The climate crisis is also a health crisis. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are driving more heat-related deaths, spreading vector-borne diseases, and damaging mental health – impacts that fall hardest on the most vulnerable communities.  Framing climate change through the lens of health makes it personal – and the solutions preventative. Clean energy doesn’t just cut carbon; it saves lives by cleaning the air we breathe. Greener cities reduce emissions, protect us from heatwaves, and support our wellbeing.  In this episode, James and Daisy explore the urgent connections between climate change and health. How is our health already being affected? How can health risks drive climate action? And what solutions offer the greatest benefits for both people and planet?   SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:  Outrage + Optimism (2025) – A fantastic podcast episode from Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson exploring why health must be central to climate communication. They are joined by Julia Gillard, Chair of the Wellcome Trust.  Force of Nature – Founded by former Fossil vs Future guest, Clover Hogan, this non-profit provides mental health resources and research on the rise of eco-anxiety. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES: Our World in Data (2024) – “Almost no one has “heat” or “cold” written on their death certificate, but sub-optimal temperatures lead to a large number of premature deaths.”EAT-Lancet Commission (2019) – Proposes a global planetary health diet that is healthy for both people and planet. NY Times (2025) – The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) will stop funding research on the health effects of climate change.NY Times (2025) – With 59% of its revenue coming from federal and external sponsors, Harvard’s School of Public Health faces what has been called an “existential crisis.”Smart Surfaces Coalition – Promotes the adoption of green, porous, and reflective surfaces to enable cities to decrease urban heat, save money, reduce flooding risk, and strengthen urban liveability, resilience, and equity.City of Barcelona – Offers a publicly available map of climate shelters across the city. Wellcome – Showcases climate solutions with health co-benefits, such as protecting forests in Indonesia by meeting community needs. CNN (2023) – Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, once called air conditioning “the greatest invention of the 20th century” and credited it for helping to transform the island. Verv – An AI-based smart home product that allows remote control of HVAC units, switching to standby, setting temperature points, and programming set points.NHS & UNHSA (2025) – Partnered with the UK Met Office to integrate climate science and modelling into health impact assessments and launch an impact-based Weather-Health Alerting System. SOME FACTS:  WHO (2023): 37% of heat-related deaths can be linked to human-induced climate change, and heat-related deaths among people over 65 have risen by 70% in just the last two decades.Imperial (2020): Changing temperature and rainfall across Africa could increase yellow fever deaths by up to 25% by 2050.UNEP (2023): Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to public health globally and accounts for more than 8 million premature deaths every year.The Lancet (2021): A survey of 10,000 young people (aged 16-25 years) in 10 countries found that 59% were “very or extremely worried” about climate change, and 84% were at least moderately worried. LSE (2024): The UK experienced five heatwave periods during summer 2022 with record-breaking temperatures of over 40°C in England.NHS: During summer 2022’s record breaking temperatures, England experienced an estimated 2,803 excess deaths.World Bank (2024): A changing climate could lead to excess health costs in low- and middle-income countries of at least US$21 trillion by 2050, equivalent to approximately 1.3% of their projected GDP. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation:  LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok You can also now watch us on YouTube. Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3 Producer: Podshop Studios Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

    39 min
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This is Fossil vs Future, a warm conversation between generations on climate change. - Each podcast episode will be focusing on a different climate-related challenge, as godfather and goddaughter, James and Daisy, share their individual experiences and perspectives, with the hope of fostering understanding between generations. - James is at the later stage of his working life dedicated to dealing with climate change, through law, finance, and social entrepreneurship, and Daisy is at an earlier stage of her career, equally focused on the climate and how to drive systemic change through her experience in the finance, business, and non-profit sectors. - We want to use intergenerational dialogue as a tool to learn, inspire, and get stuff done! - LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/fossil-vs-future Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/fossil_vs_future TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@fossil_vs_future

Information

  • Creator
    James Cameron and Daisy Nicholls
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 James Cameron and Daisy Nicholls