

The Climate Question
BBC World Service
Why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 1, 2023 • 27min
Are disabled people forgotten in climate disaster plans?
Guests including Sébastien Jodoin discuss the disproportionate impact of extreme weather events on disabled individuals and the need for improved accommodations and inclusion in climate policies. The inclusion of accessibility measures in the infrastructure bill is also highlighted, emphasizing the importance of making society more accessible for all.

Sep 24, 2023 • 27min
Can tourism ever be good for the climate?
This week, we’re off to Costa Rica, an eco-tourism hotspot in collaboration with BBC’s The Travel Show.Eco-tourism is big business - it’s forecasted to generate $103 billion annually by 2027. But how well do its green claims actually stack up when it comes to the climate? Presenter Qasa Alom visits the birthplace of Sea Turtle conservation, goes on patrol with a ranger protecting the forest from loggers and miners, and spots luxury tourist developments in the terrain of the puma. How big is tourism’s climate impact, and can this ever be mitigated by its benefits? Guests:
Ralf Buckley, Director of the International Centre for Ecotourism Research, and Research Director of the Climate Response Program at Griffith University, Australia.
Stefan Gossling, Professor at the Linnaeus University School of Business and Economics and Lund University's Department of Service Management If you have a question about climate change that you’d like us to answer, or a comment – please email them to theclimatequestion@bbc.com Presenter: Qasa Alom
Producers: Sophie Eastaugh for The Climate Question and Jamie Hamilton for The Travel Show
Researcher: Octavia Woodward
Series Producer: Simon Watts
Editor: China Collins
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill, Jacqui Johnson

27 snips
Sep 17, 2023 • 23min
What should I eat to help fight Climate Change?
Experts discuss the impact of food and drink on climate change, including greenhouse gas emissions and sustainable choices at the supermarket. They explore implementing a carbon tax on imported meat products and the benefits of organic farming. The podcast also addresses transportation and packaging's impact on the environment and emphasizes the importance of a plant-based diet and resilient local food systems.

Sep 10, 2023 • 27min
Meet the Climate Quitters: Part Two
In this, the second episode in our spin-off series on Climate Quitters, we invite trailblazers from three different continents to reveal the ups and down, highs and lows of their new lives in climate conscious careers. In Mumbai, Namita Dandekar swapped a role marketing stock for one of India's largest - and wealthiest - conglomerates for a front-line position with The RainTree Foundation, an organisation that works with rural communities to introduce climate friendly practices into their everyday lives and livelihoods. In Vihiga County in Kenya, Kevin Makova traded in his job as a schoolteacher to create sustainable employment opportunities for members of the community keen to work in climate and conservation focused jobs. And in Berkeley, California, Eugene Kirpichov said goodbye to a lucrative post developing AI systems for Google to build a new, global workforce that he hopes will be capable of solving the climate crisis conundrum. But is the grass always greener - and cleaner - for climate quitters? What are the realities of life on the other side of that leap? And does putting the planet first come at a personal cost?In this globe-spanning episode, your host, Paul Connolly, probes all three guests for their views and experiences so far - and we go a step further to bring you on-the-ground, in-person reports from the projects based in both India and Kenya. Presenter: Paul Connolly
Series Producers: Simon Watts and Alex Lewis
Editor: China Collins
Sound engineers: James Beard and Tom Brignell
Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Sep 3, 2023 • 27min
Going carbon neutral: Lessons from Denmark
Bornholm, a Danish island, aims to go carbon neutral by 2025 and zero waste by 2032. They produce biogas from pig manure, use wind turbines, and pilot salt battery energy storage. Local businesses support these goals, such as a carbon-neutral brewery and a Michelin-star restaurant using local food. The island also focuses on zero waste, with projects turning used nappies into compost and recycling insulin vials. Challenges include transitioning to renewables and storing wind and solar energy. Lessons learned can be applied to sustainability efforts elsewhere.

Aug 25, 2023 • 27min
Can live music go green?
The podcast explores the impact of the live music industry on the climate and discusses efforts to reduce emissions. It also explores the use of virtual reality in music and the role of artists in promoting sustainability. The chapter emphasizes the power of music in addressing the climate crisis and the need for accurate data on emissions in the industry.

Aug 20, 2023 • 24min
Can small islands live with climate change?
Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados, discusses the impact of climate change on small island nations. The podcast explores rising sea levels, financial difficulties, and land loss. It also highlights the importance of mangroves in coastal protection and adaptation measures in the Maldives. The emotional attachment to ancestral homes and the existential risks faced by small islanders are also discussed.

Aug 16, 2023 • 15min
What is Climate Change?
The podcast introduces the concept of climate change, discusses its impact on various systems of life, explores cleaner energy and transportation solutions, and emphasizes the importance of voting and positive changes in climate action.

6 snips
Aug 9, 2023 • 26min
Prof Jim Skea: living in an era of 'global boiling'
July 2023 has been confirmed as the hottest month ever on Earth. A combination of heatwaves across the Northern Hemisphere, unseasonable warmth in parts of South America and Antarctica, and global sea surface temperatures around 0.51°C above the 30-year average, meant it broke all previous records.Climate scientists are now poring over the data, including Prof Jim Skea, the newly-elected chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He joins presenter Graihagh Jackson to discuss how worried we should be, and the challenges ahead as he takes up the most important role in global climate science. Producer: Ben Cooper
Researcher: Isobel Gough
Series producer: Simon Watts
Editor: China Collins
Sound Engineers: Graham Puddifoot and Neil Churchill
Production Coordinators: Gemma Ashman, Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Aug 6, 2023 • 27min
Meet the Climate Quitters: Part One
Have you thought about quitting your job because of climate change?Research shows more and more people are worried about their career’s impact on the planet. So this week The Climate Question hears from four people from around the world who’ve taken the plunge and done it.Luke Jones meets an air steward who's swapped flying for teaching; a restaurant critic who's become a tree-planter; a fossil fuel company engineer who's switching to working in renewables; and a multinational CEO turned sustainable business campaigner. Presenter: Luke Jones
Series Producers: Alex Lewis and Simon Watts
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell
Editor: China Collins


