S2E33: From Greenland to deep sea mining: Is geopolitics killing climate action?

Feb 2, 2026

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Yes, it’s a scary time. But more than ever we need to talk about climate and nature.

Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

Right now, it seems we’re in an ‘ice age’ for climate action. Geopolitics is all we can talk about and it’s pretty much wiped climate change and nature from the headlines. Wars and conflict, trade rows, attacks on climate policies and science and the fracturing of multilateralism have created a more fraught and uncertain world.

Some countries and businesses have weakened their environmental targets and policies, even as the climate and nature crises worsen. So what can be done? Can the shift to bilateral and regional climate and energy agreements replace unified global action? Can renewable energy remain a powerful uniting force? And how can we get climate and nature back into the headlines?

Join hosts Audrey Tan and David Fogarty as they discuss these questions and more in the latest episode of The Straits Times’ Green Pulse podcast.

Have a listen and let us know what you think!

Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

1:51 For all the talk of fossil fuels, renewables are stealing the show

7:59 Rush for resources and the Greenland reality check

12:59 Weakening of multilateralism is changing the way we talk about climate and nature.

18:51 Focus on climate and nature might be in a rut. What will it take to refocus minds?

25:33 The human touch. Journalists need to put people at the centre of their environment stories.

Follow Audrey Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/848W

Read her articles: https://str.sg/JLM2

Follow David Fogarty on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/jcvy

Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu