Ok, Doomer‪!‬ European Leadership Network

Welcome to the third episode of “Ok Doomer!” The podcast series by The European Leadership Network’s (ELN) New European Voices on Existential Risk (NEVER) network. Hosted by the ELN’s Policy and Impact Director, Jane Kinninmont, and the ELN’s Project and Communications Coordinator, Edan Simpson, this episode will look at the question of climate change - arguably the existential risk that people around the world are mobilised by the most.
 
We set the episode up in “What’s the Problem?” and hear from Olivia Blake, Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam (UK), on how the issue of climate change resonates for voters on the doorstep in Britain and how politicians can link global and local concerns. Olivia discusses the effects of natural habitat destruction, such as moorland burning in the UK’s Peak District national park, her work running Citizen Assemblies to create policies needed to combat the climate crisis, and shares her advice for young people on how to make a difference.
 
This is followed by our “How to fix it?” panel discussion hosted by Edan.
This week, Edan is joined by Ziya Meral, Senior Associate Fellow at the European Leadership Network. Ziya is a researcher, advisor and programmes director specialising on global trends shaping defence, security and foreign policy in the Middle east and Turkey. He's also the co-leader of the Climate Change and (In)security project, run by Oxford University and the British Army’s Centre for Historical and Armed Conflict Research.
Joining Ziya is NEVER member Jakob Gomolka - a researcher at Berlin-based sustainability think tank Adelphi. Jakob is primarily interested in the catastrophic risks associated with climate change, as well as the second order and long-term effects of climate change, such as the governance of geoengineering technologies, and how a warming world will affect geopolitical competition
 
Alongside Ziya and Jakob, we are joined by NEVER member Jieqiong Duan, a PhD student at the University of Ghent. Jieqiong’s research centres on the relationship between the European Union and China, primarily relating to climate diplomacy and the effects of great power competition on existential risk.
 
NEVER member, Katie Duffy completes this week’s panel. Katie is the Programme Manager on climate resilience and infrastructure at British Expertise International and focuses mainly on the socio-economic effects of climate change as well as advising private sector clients on how best to approach the green transition.
 
The panel discuss topics including whether the increasingly noticeable effects of climate change provides an incentive for governments to cooperate and work together, especially when they are divided on so many other topics. They also cover whether the scientific solutions that are currently being developed are being utilised sufficiently by governments and policymakers, and what those working in other areas of existential risks can take from the climate change movement, especially from the angle of mobilising young people and the general public.
After our panel discussion, we “Turn Back the Clock” where Jane is joined by atmospheric chemist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Professor Susan Solomon. Professor Solomon served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the team of scientists whose atmospheric research informed the UN’s Montreal Protocol – one of the few UN protocols to be universally ratified, and the success of which means that the hole in the ozone layer should seal at some point in the middle of the century.
 
Finally, the episode is wrapped up in “The Debrief”, where Jane and Edan look back on the episode and their guests to make sense of everything covered. 
 
Catch up on previous episodes, and make sure to subscribe to future episodes of ‘Ok Doomer!"
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Nuclear War, What is it good for?” is the second episode of “Ok Doomer!” the podcast series by The European Leadership Network’s (ELN) New European Voices on Existential Risk (NEVER) network. Hosted by the ELN’s Policy and Impact Director, Jane Kinninmont, and the ELN’s Project and Communications Coordinator, Edan Simpson, this episode will look at the question of nuclear war - the original man-made existential threat to humanity.
 
What would it mean for the world if a nuclear war broke? How close we are to one? And how worried should we be? 
 
As always, we set the episode up in “What’s the Problem?” and in this episode, we hear from Dr Rishi Paul, Senior Policy Fellow at the ELN and Dr Oliver Meier, Policy and Research Director at the ELN, on the basics of how nuclear deterrence works and an introduction to nuclear arms control.
 
Joining Edan on this episode’s panel discussion are John Pope from the USA. John is the Chief Audience Officer at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the organisation that has maintained the Doomsday Clock since 1947 in response to the advent of nuclear weapons. 
 
Valeriia Hesse, a NEVER member from Ukraine, is research coordinator at the Central European University in Vienna and a fellow at the Odesa Centre for Non-proliferation (OdCNP), where she focuses on nuclear policy and risk reduction. 
 
The final panel guest is ELN Policy Fellow Dr Olamide Samuel from Nigeria. Olamide leads the ELN’s work on bolstering the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and is also an honorary fellow at the University of Leicester.
 
The panel discuss risk reduction, what it is and how it works in practice. They also discuss whether nuclear disarmament is still possible in today’s environment, the role that ordinary people can play, and how they can use their voice.
 
Jane is joined by Sahil Shah, Senior Fellow and Programme Manager at the Council on Strategic Risks for ‘Turn Back The Clock’, where we explore an example from history when humanity avoided an existential risk.
 
Finally, the episode is wrapped up in “The Debrief”, where Jane and Edan look back on the episode and all their guests to make sense of everything covered. 
 
Catch up on previous episodes, and make sure to subscribe to future episodes of ‘Ok Doomer!
Risk Reduction Classification by Wilfred Wan at UNIDIR
UNIDIR = United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
ICAN = International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
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Welcome to the first episode in this series, with your hosts, the ELN’s Jane Kinninmont and Edan Simpson. This episode kicks off by introducing the series, and the broad topic of existential risk in the feature “What’s the Problem?” speaking to Adam Thomson, Director of ELN. 
  
Edan’s panel discussion features the Rt. Hon. Lord Browne of Ladyton, Des Browne, and NEVER members Eva Siegmann and Arthur Duforest. They discuss what existential crises are, how they’re defined and how we recognise and classify them, and the impact of existential risks like nuclear war and climate change, whilst exploring interconnected solutions to these complex issues. 
  
In “Turn Back The Clock” we revisit one of the tensest periods in the Cold War - the Cuban Missile Crisis. Jane speaks to Dr Marion Messmer, senior research fellow in the International Security Programme at Chatham House and also Alexey Gromyko, Director of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IE RAS), who also happens to be the grandson of the former USSR’s foreign minister who was in office during the Cuban Missile Crisis. They dissect this critical historical event, putting the focus on the strategic “game of chess” between the superpowers, the initial successes of the Soviets in evading American detection, to the turning point brought about through careful diplomacy and mediated negotiation. 
  
And as always, we’ll end with “The Debrief”, to make sense of everything we’ve covered in this packed first episode. 
  
Listen now, and don’t forget to subscribe for future episodes. The next episode will focus on nuclear weapons and their role in the field of existential risk. 
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“Okay, Doomer!” the podcast by NEVER, is a 6-part series by the European Leadership Network and their New European Voices on Existential Risk, aka NEVER network, embarking on an exploration into the heart of the manmade existential risks threatening humanity, our planet, and life as we know it.  
  
Each episode delves into a different existential crisis, from the looming shadows of nuclear war and the escalating perils of climate change to the uncharted territories of disruptive AI technologies and biological threats. “Okay, Doomer!” not only illuminates these daunting threats but also highlights the positive endeavours undertaken by many individuals and organisations worldwide to mitigate these risks. Listeners will hear inspiring stories of resilience, innovation, and hope, showcasing the unshakeable spirit of humanity in the face of formidable challenges. This series seeks to shed light on the collective human effort to navigate and overcome the perils we have created. 
  
“Okay, Doomer!” is more than a podcast; it's a call to action, offering practical ways for listeners to get involved in these critical issues. 
  
Join us on this journey as we bring to light the risks we face and celebrate the tireless efforts of those working towards a safer, more sustainable future.  
  
Subscribe to “Okay, Doomer!” and be a part of a conversation that could define the future of our planet and species.