The Climate Briefing

Ahead of the G7 Summit in June 2021, the Climate Briefing returns to the question of financing climate action. While the economic challenge of dealing with climate change was already well-established before the pandemic, the costs of responding to COVID-19 threaten to limit the fiscal capacity of governments to fund climate action. In this episode, Anna and Ben speak to two experts about the relationship between economic development, developing country debt and climate action. Ben speaks to Farhana Yamin, a leading environmental lawyer who is also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House. They discuss the economic threat posed by climate change and the need for a paradigm shift away from conventional, carbon-intensive, approaches to economic development. Then Anna is joined by Paul Steele, Chief Economist for Shaping Sustainable Markets at the International Institute for Environment and Development, to find out how developing country debt relates to climate finance, and what can be done to address the so-called triple crisis of debt, climate change and biodiversity loss. Credits: Speakers: Farhana Yamin, Paul Steele Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

In 2021 the UK is hosting COP26, but also presiding over the G7. How can it leverage its presidency of the G7 to accelerate climate action in the run-up to COP26? To discuss this, Anna is joined by Rachel Kyte, Dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University. They consider the key opportunities and debates that will emerge at the G7 Leaders Summit. Read the Chatham House briefing: Kick-starting the green recovery in 2021 Credits: Speaker: Rachel Kyte Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

This week the Climate Briefing turns its attention to how societies are can deal with the real-time effects of climate change. While mitigation remains a central focus of the international climate negotiations, vulnerable states and communities are calling for greater cooperation on addressing the fallout from climate-related environmental devastation. To discuss this, Anna is joined by H.E. Saida Muna Tasneem, Bangladesh's High Commissioner to the UK and Ambassador to Ireland and Liberia. They discuss the international politics around climate adaptation, and the contested issue of 'loss and damage'. Then Ben discusses how governments and aid agencies can improve adaptation practices through locally-led approaches, with Marek Soanes from the International Institute for Environment and Development. Read the IIED report: Principles for locally-led adaptation Credits: Speakers: Saida Muna Tasneem, Marek Soanes Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House

More than five years have passed since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, and there are only nine months to go until COP26. To kick off its second season the Climate Briefing podcast focuses on how climate change politics have shifted since COP21 in Paris, and explores the roles of the three largest emitters – China, the United States and the EU – in global climate action. The episode also provides a timely recap of the main aims of COP26. To discuss these themes, Anna and Ben are joined by Camilla Born (Deputy Director of Strategy for COP26 in the UK Cabinet Office) and Antony Froggatt (Deputy Director of the Energy, Environment and Resources Programme at Chatham House). Credits: Speakers: Camilla Born, Antony Froggatt Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Original Music: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

In the latest episode of the Climate Briefing the team explore the concept of carbon pricing, a set of mechanisms which incentivise businesses and consumers to reduce their carbon emissions, and consider the dynamics of the hotly contested Article 6 negotiations. Ben speaks to Stuart Evans from Vivid Economics about how carbon pricing works, how it can help reduce emissions and how these mechanisms could have contrasting effects in developed and developing countries. In the second interview, Anna and Aglaja Espelage from the Perspectives Climate Group take a deep dive into the negotiations on Article 6 with the aim of disentangling what parties are negotiating, why the negotiations are important and why it has been so difficult to reach an agreement. Credits: Speakers: Stuart Evans, Aglaja Espelage Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

The media cycle in the US and across the world is consumed by the final weeks of the 2020 presidential election, with incumbent Donald Trump hoping to win a second term against the challenge of former Vice-President Joe Biden. Much of the debates around the election have focused on the response to COVID-19, and the candidates' positions on issues related to 'law and order'. But what will the election mean for climate policy? And how will the result affect the international negotiations at COP26 and beyond? To find out Anna speaks to Amy Harder, an energy and climate change reporter at Axios, about Trump's first term of climate policy and the campaign pledges of the respective candidates. Then Ben discusses the international implications with Jennifer Morgan, the Executive Director of Greenpeace International. Credits: Speakers: Amy Harder, Jennifer Morgan Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

The Climate Briefing returns from its summer break with a deepdive into the history of the international climate agenda. Professor Robert Falkner of the Grantham Institute speaks to Ben about the origins of the UN-led climate negotiations, and explains why some conferences have been more successful than others. Then Anna discusses the historic role developing countries have played in the climate agenda with Professor Kathryn Hochstetler from the London School of Economics. Read the International Affairs article: The Paris Agreement and the new logic of climate politics

The Climate Briefing returns with two new interviews on the transition towards a renewable energy sector. It is widely acknowledged that slowing climate change will be impossible without reducing the global reliance on fossil fuels as a source of energy. In this episode, Ben and Anna speak to Dr Daniel Quiggin from Chatham House, and Simon Sharpe from the UK Cabinet Office, to assess the recent progress of the 'energy transition' and consider whether the coronavirus pandemic will accelerate or obstruct efforts to introduce cleaner energy sources. Read the Expert Comment: Green Industries Can Accelerate a True Jobs-Focused Recovery Credits: Speakers: Daniel Quiggin, Simon Sharpe Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Industry accounts for approximately 24% of global energy-related emissions, and the decarbonisation of the sector is therefore essential to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. To date, however, the emissions from 'heavy' industries - like cement, steel and chemicals - have been considered particularly difficult to abate. This episode focuses on the strategies that can be deployed to enable the industrial sectors in both developed and developing countries to reach net-zero emissions. Ben speaks to Professor Steve Evans from the University of Cambridge about the range of policy solutions available to support decarbonisation. Then Johanna discusses how the UK Government is approaching this issue with Catherine Barber from the UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Credits: Speakers: Catherine Barber, Steve Evans Hosts: Ben Horton, Johanna Tilkanen Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Finance plays a key role in enabling climate change mitigation and adaptation. It is also a contested issue in the UN climate negotiations. The UK Government has made climate finance one of its top thematic priorities for COP26 and 2020 constitutes the deadline for developed countries to mobilise USD 100 billion per year to support climate action in developing countries. This week the Climate Briefing team speak to three experts to find out more. Mattias Frumerie, from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explains the key debates surrounding climate financing. Tenzin Wangmo, Lead Negotiator for the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group outlines how developing countries view these financial concerns. Finally, Rachel Ward from the IIGCC provides an insight into how investors are approaching the issue. Read the meeting summary: Climate Finance and the COP Credits: Speakers: Matias Frumerie, Tenzin Wangmo, Rachel Ward Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton, Johanna Tilkanen Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House