The Climate Question

The podcast explores how extreme heat due to climate change affects pregnant women in India, with research showing double the risk of stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, and miscarriage. Personal stories highlight the challenges faced by women working in scorching agricultural fields. It discusses the need for simple solutions to make their work safer and the importance of providing proper facilities and care for pregnant women.

You asked, we answered. This week our expert panel dive into your questions. Can climate change cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? How bad are avocados for the environment? Is climate change reversible? Send your questions to: theclimatequestion@bbc.com Plus, a look at biofuels and vertical farming, China’s electric vehicle boom, and the apparent contradiction between more renewable energy and the continuing rise in planet-warming gases Join Graihagh Jackson and our expert panel: Dr Akshat Rathi, senior reporter for climate, Bloomberg; Justin Rowlatt, climate editor, BBC News; Prof Tamsin Edwards, climate scientist, Kings College London.

Discover sustainable living practices in a Danish eco village and modern homes. Explore the balance between individual actions and government policies to combat climate change. Learn how sustainable living can enhance quality of life and promote meaningful connections.

As climate change makes the world hotter, some cities have appointed "Chief Heat Officers" to try to improve their response to record-breaking temperatures. Graihagh Jackson speaks to two women who have done the job in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and Monterrey, Mexico. What does their role involve? What solutions are out there? And do they get enough funding?Plus, Umaru Fofana reports from Freetown on the extreme heat gripping the city. Umaru talks to locals forced to sleep outside because of the temperature, despite risks to their health and safety. And he also investigates a new piece of building design that might help people living in informal settlements. Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in Sierra Leone: Umaru Fofana Producer: Osman Iqbal Researcher: Octavia Woodward Editor: Simon Watts Sound Engineers: James Beard and Tom Brignell

In the podcast, they discuss the idea of assembling solar farms in space to beam renewable energy to Earth by 2050. They cover the challenges of assembling, cost, and safety of the solar farms. They talk to experts from the European Space Agency and Portsmouth University, as well as an astronaut from the International Space Station. The concept is compared to nuclear fusion as a clean energy source.

Exploring the need for a 'Category 6' for hurricanes in the face of escalating storm severity due to climate change. Discussions on the formation and impact of cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons, highlighting the importance of improved protection measures. Debate on introducing a new hurricane category to convey the increasing strength of storms and challenges in updating the warning system.

President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, discusses Ghana's plans to build nuclear power plants by 2030 to combat climate change and energy crisis. The podcast explores the financial dynamics and challenges of nuclear power in emerging markets like Ghana, highlighting the implications for safety, financing, and maintenance culture.

Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary-General of the Convention on Wetlands, discusses the importance of wetlands in combating climate change. Topics include the role of wetlands in carbon storage, their protection against extreme weather events, and the preservation of land and communities through planting mangroves in Bangladesh.

Global temperatures have already increased by around 1.3C above pre-industrial levels, but this warming is not spread evenly across the planet. The Arctic, despite being one of the coldest regions on Earth, has become a hotspot for global warming. Local temperatures there are rising as much as four-times faster than in other parts of the world. This rapid warming is unsettling the delicate environmental balance, causing significant ice loss – with implications for both the region and the wider world. In a previous episode on the Arctic region, Graihagh Jackson explored the impact that climate change was having on the people – and ice sheet – of Greenland. In the second part of The Climate Question's focus on the High North, she explores the implications of an increasingly ice-free region on global politics, military relations, and trade. Guests: Mathieu Boulègue, consulting fellow at Chatham House and global fellow at the Polar Institute of the Wilson Centre Julie Brigham-Grette, professor of Earth Sciences in the Department of Earth, Geographic and Climate Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Malte Humpert, senior fellow at the Arctic Institute Amund Trellevik, Norwegian journalist with Investigate EuropeProducer: Ben Cooper Series Producers: Simon Watts and Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford, Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson

Explore the potential impact of climate change on the 2024 elections, with insights from voters around the world. Discover the varying political approaches to climate change, including the US re-entering the Paris Climate Accord and Britain's net zero emissions commitment. Uncover the influence of climate change on the Australian election, and the importance of involving people in climate solutions. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes on the US, Ghana, and India.