Tyndall Talks

Tyndall Centre

Tyndall Talks is the Tyndall Centre's series of podcasts where we untangle the questions and discussions on climate science and climate policy.

  1. 05/14/2024

    Art, Climate Change, and Community Engagement

    This episode is about art, climate change, and community engagement. In this episode we will talk to a panel from the Sainsbury Centre and Norwich University of the Arts to share experiences and insights from their recent event, “Going to Meet the Sea”. We will talk about understanding the role of the arts in communicating the impacts of climate change, preparing for adaptation, and building resilience within communities. How does the act of walking deepen our connection and awareness of the environment that surrounds us? Can art serve as both a record and a journey? How can heightened attention and mindfulness towards our environment alter and enrich our understanding of the complex ecosystem of the natural world? Prompted by these intriguing questions, the Sainsbury Centre, in partnership with Norwich University of the Arts embarked on a project entitled "Going to Meet the Sea - Art Talks to Climate Change" last February.  This pioneering event, inspired by the "Walking as Research" concept, featured a coastal walk in Great Yarmouth to spotlight the urgent issue of climate change and the accelerating erosion of Norfolk's coastlines. Facing an annual reduction of 0.4 to 2 metres, Norfolk's coastline is predicted to meet further challenges due to climate change. This initiative aimed to explore the rich mosaic of the region's landscape, which includes wetland habitats, farmland, towns, and historic features, through visual experiences, chance encounters, and in-depth conversations. Our guests for this episode are Jago Cooper and Ken Paranada from the Sainsbury Centre and Louis Nixon and Candice Allison from the Norwich University of the Arts. Music by BenSound

    42 min
  2. 04/02/2024

    The science, politics, and communications of 1.5C

    Our episode will talk about 1.5C – what it means science wise, policy wise,  and communications wise. 1.5C has been one of the most recognised numbers when we talk about climate change. Where did this number come from? The goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is a key aspect of international efforts to address climate change. This target is central to the Paris Agreement. 1.5C has actually been the rallying call of the alliance of small islands states (also called the AOSIS group), backed by scientific evidence from research by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. AOSIS argued that 1.5C would be the safe limit for their countries. In a 1.5C world, many of the deadliest effects of climate change are reduced, especially for small islands and low-lying nations threatened by rising sea levels and storms. In Paris at COP21, 106 countries supported the 1.5C limit, allowing it to be part of the Paris Agreement. But there has been a lot of discussion about 1.5C in the last months – especially with reports coming out that the global average temperature has breached the target. Last year, 2023, was the hottest year globally since records began in 1850, and 2024 might be warmer, because of periodic influencing by El Nino warming. So it perhaps seems improbable that 1.5C is an achievable target. What does it mean when we breach the 1.5C target? In this episode, we have Asher Minns, Executive Director of the Tyndall Centre and Manoj Joshi, Professor of Climate Dynamics at the School of Environmental Sciences at the UEA. Music by Ben Sound

    56 min
  3. 03/04/2024

    How can we reduce shipping emissions?

    Our episode today is about shipping and its impact on climate change. In today’s episode, we will talk about some of the work by colleagues from the Tyndall Centre at Manchester University including the International Maritime Organisation's - the IMO’s in short - new shipping and climate strategy, technology like wind ships and electrification of ships, as well as the demand side of shipping. International shipping emits around 700 million tonnes of CO2 a year, equivalent to emissions from Germany. So the sector is a major contributor to climate change. The IMO  is the United Nations specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. Last year, the IMO set out a new strategy that “includes an enhanced common ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around, i.e. close to, 2050.” Is this new strategy enough? And what solutions are there? Today we speak with Alice Larkin, Chris Jones, James Mason, and Simon Bullock from the University of Manchester – who all research shipping emissions. Alice is a Professor of Climate Science and Energy Policy in Tyndall Manchester, where she has worked since 2003 on various aspects of decarbonising international aviation and later shipping. Chris is the knowledge exchange fellow for Tyndall Manchester, connecting research expertise in the group to industry, government and civil society stakeholders. James is a data scientist at Smart Green Shipping and visiting academic at Tyndall Manchester. He develops ship routing software that harnesses weather optimisation for ships using modern day sail technology. Simon is a research associate at Tyndall Manchester, focussing on shipping and climate change.  Music by Ben Sound

    39 min

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Tyndall Talks is the Tyndall Centre's series of podcasts where we untangle the questions and discussions on climate science and climate policy.