Podcast · Tech & Science

The Climate Question

by BBC World Service · English · Tech & Science

Why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 26 min
Latest: 4 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

4 Oct 2026 · 26 min

The battery revolution

From Mongolia to Texas, record numbers of lithium-ion batteries are being added to the world's electricity grids - helping to provide more reliable power and speeding up the transition to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. China is installing over half of these new batteries, often in giant battery farms, followed by the United States and Europe. And with prices dropping fast, the trend is likely to continue and spread to more developing countries. But is battery development moving fast enough to help us meet our climate goals? And what about alternatives to lithium-ion…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

27 Sep 2026 · 29 min

Climate overshoot: The world beyond 1.5°C

The United Nations says the world will pass its most important climate target within a few years. So can we bring the planet's temperature back down quickly? Or will the damage be irreversible? In 2015, world leaders agreed in Paris to try to keep the global temperature below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst effects of climate change. But the UN now says what scientists call "overshoot" is guaranteed, and it may have devastating consequences. Experts are worried that the higher temperature may trigger "tipping points" in vital parts of our planet's climate system,…
20 Sep 2026 · 23 min

The solar power boom in Pakistan and the Philippines

The Philippines and Pakistan are now the world's top solar panel importers. We find out why, and what other countries can learn from the boom! Cheap solar panels, mainly imported from China, are transforming lives and slashing electricity bills across Asia. In the last year, Filipinos have put up five times as many rooftop solar panels as the previous ten years combined. Installation companies are struggling to keep up with demand. In Pakistan, where the boom started earlier, solar power has reached every sector of the economy from the textile industry to farming. Solar has helped Pakistanis…
13 Sep 2026 · 28 min

Can China build its way out of climate change?

Huge construction projects are transforming China - think enormous dams, giant solar power farms and a vast high-speed rail network. Will Beijing's "engineering mindset" help it deal with climate change? China's senior leadership is dominated by engineers, starting with President Xi, who trained as a chemical engineer in the 1970s. They have overseen megaprojects like the 50-kilometre bridge joining Hong Kong and Macau, and a plan to move water from southern China to the much drier north. The engineering mania extends to energy, where the world's largest polluter has invested trillions of…
6 Sep 2026 · 26 min

How will melting glaciers change Nepal?

As shown by the recent flash floods, Nepali mountain communities are on the front line of climate change. Can they adapt? Host Jordan Dunbar talks to two Sherpas who have become climate researchers. They are glaciologist Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa, and Pasang Yangjee Sherpa, who researches how global warming affects indigenous groups in Nepal. This programme was recorded in July 2026. Got a question for The Climate Question? Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com Producers: Diane Richardson and Melanie Stewart-Smith Sound engineer: Tom Brignell and Dave O'Neill Editor: Simon Watts
30 Aug 2026 · 26 min

Can we cope with droughts?

Europe is reeling from a record-breaking drought which has closed nuclear power stations, stopped river traffic and sent food prices soaring. And there may now be more intense droughts in some parts of the world because of climate change. Our host Graihagh Jackson explores solutions from water usage apps in South Africa to solar irrigation systems in Egypt. She also looks at the challenges of adapting our energy infrastructure for a warming planet. Her guests are Dr Iain Staffell, Associate Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London, and Dr Vidhisha Samarasekara, Strategic…
23 Aug 2026 · 23 min

How do we save Africa's forests?

African forests are vital for food and economic development, as well as for supporting millions of species of animals and plants. We find out how to protect them better with one of Africa’s top environmentalists! From the giant Congo rainforest to the Kenyan highlands and the mangroves of Mozambique, Africa’s forests are some of the most spectacular places on Earth. And these sensitive ecosystems are not just important for Africa: they play a vital role in the global climate because they store huge amounts of carbon dioxide and pump out oxygen. Kenyan environmentalist Wanjira Mathai has been…
16 Aug 2026 · 26 min

Is air conditioning the answer to extreme heat?

Experts say we may now need to spend more on cooling our homes than heating them because of climate change. In fact, the International Energy Agency thinks the equivalent of 10 new air conditioners every second will be installed for the next 30 years! This surge in air con will put strain on the world’s electricity grids, which are still mostly powered by fossil fuels. The units also pump heat into the streets outside our homes – making cities feel even hotter when we step outside. But there are alternative options – like redesigning houses to include more shading and increase the air flow,…
9 Aug 2026 · 23 min

Is this a new era of wildfires?

Huge wildfires have been sweeping across Southern Europe and North America. Is climate change increasing the risk? And what can we do? Weather experts say the world is starting to see new types of wildfire – including enormous Pyrocumulonimbus fire clouds that spit lightning and black hail. These infernos can burn for more than a year. They can also spawn fire tornadoes, which move at more than 200 kilometres an hour, destroying everything in their path. The Climate Question hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar talk to John Vaillant, the author of “Fire Weather”, about how wildfires are…
2 Aug 2026 · 26 min

How is climate change affecting motherhood?

Graihagh Jackson talks to mothers from India, Kenya and the UK about how climate change is affecting women's decisions about whether to have children and how to raise them. Her guests are Bhavreen Kandhari, a clean air campaigner from Delhi; Dr Susan Chomba, a Kenyan forest scientist and environmentalist; and Dr Elizabeth Cripps, a political philosopher specializing in climate justice. This programme was first broadcast in 2025. Got a question for The Climate Question? Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com Produced and presented by Graihagh Jackson Sound mix: Tom Brignell and Neil Churchill…
26 Jul 2026 · 26 min

Do climate protests ever work?

Climate activists have blocked highways, scaled oil rigs and even thrown soup at master artworks. But have protests ever made a difference? The modern green movement started in the 1970s when Greenpeace sailed a fishing boat towards a nuclear test site in Alaska. It now encompasses everything from bake-ins and marches to Radiohead concerts. A small minority of activists even favour breaking the law to raise awareness about climate change. Some of them have superglued themselves to railings and blocked bridges. BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt has made a new podcast series about the green…
19 Jul 2026 · 26 min

Could climate change fuel an epidemic?

Scientists are warning that climate change and deforestation increase the risk of outbreaks of deadly diseases. How big is the danger? And what action can we take? Dr Neil Vora is a so-called “disease doctor” - an epidemiologist who has travelled the world to help trace the sources of outbreaks of Ebola, cow pox and rabies. Dr Vora tells The Climate Question hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar about his specialism in zoonotic diseases, which are caused by infections passing from animals to humans. He is worried that the combination of climate change and cutting down forests will lead to…
12 Jul 2026 · 26 min

Can science fiction help us fight climate change?

The acclaimed US sci-fi author Kim Stanley Robinson is also a star in the world of climate activism because his work often features climate change - on Earth and beyond. Robinson has been a guest speaker at the COP climate summit, and novels such as The Ministry For The Future and The Mars Trilogy are admired by everyone from Barack Obama to former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres. Robinson's books are not just imaginative but scientifically accurate, and some of their ideas have even inspired new thinking about climate-proofing technology. Kim Stanley Robinson spoke to the Climate…
5 Jul 2026 · 26 min

How to build a climate friendly city

More than seven billion of us are expected to be living in urban areas by 2050. So what are the world’s great cities doing about climate change? Humans are now city creatures – with more than half the world’s population already living in urban environments, and huge growth expected in cities in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa during the rest of the 21st century. So mayors are on the front line of dealing with climate change – whether it’s keeping people cool during heatwaves or redesigning cities to cope with floods. In this edition of The Climate Question, Host Jordan Dunbar hears about…
28 Jun 2026 · 23 min

"Super" El Niños and climate change

Scientists say the El Niño weather pattern has started and this one is potentially so strong that it could have devastating effects in many parts of the world. So how does El Niño work exactly? And what’s the connection with climate change? El Niño starts when water temperatures rise near the Pacific coast of South America, but the impact on weather is felt around the globe. Some regions are more likely to experience severe droughts or more powerful storms; others could face the threat of severe flooding. This “Super” El Niño is likely to add 0.2 or 0.3 degrees to the global temperature.…
21 Jun 2026 · 25 min

Is climate change ruining our sleep?

Parts of India have been facing extreme heat - with temperatures soaring past 46 degrees Celsius. But a less familiar story unfolds after dark. When temperatures stay high after sunset, an essential human need is threatened: sleep. Scientific research suggests that hot nights are leading many of us around the world to lose shut-eye already. Our bodies need to cool down to fall asleep – but hotter nights make that much harder. And the impacts go way beyond just feeling tired; disrupted sleep has links to poor cardiovascular health and depression. Women, children, the elderly and those living…
14 Jun 2026 · 24 min

How will climate change affect insects?

Insects play a crucial role in food production and the spread of disease, as well as being keystone species in many ecosystems. What does a warmer world mean for them? Climate Question hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar talk to zoologist Dr Tim Cockerill, Senior Lecturer at Falmouth University. Got a question or comment? You can email the team: theclimatequestion@bbc.com Producers: Diane Richardson, Graihagh Jackson and Grace Braddock Sound mix: Mike Regaard and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts
7 Jun 2026 · 27 min

Can the World Cup cope with extreme heat?

Scorching temperatures are expected at this year’s World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. How will players and fans cope? And how will it affect the action on the pitch? Scientists are concerned about the impact of extreme heat on the biggest sporting event in history. The organisers, FIFA, is introducing mandatory water breaks to keep players cool, but experts say the hot conditions may slow down the game and give an advantage to teams that play more matches in air-conditioned stadiums. There’s also concern about the health effects on fans. FIFA has put in place measures such as cooling…
31 May 2026 · 26 min

Can we save the world's coral?

Corals protect humans and sustain 25% of all marine life. But reefs are under threat from climate change, and mass bleaching events mean that some scientists estimate they could disappear by 2100. In this episode, Graihagh Jackson is joined by BBC CrowdScience presenter, Caroline Steel. We go to Puerto Rico to see how self-duplicating, carnivorous coral could be the solution. We also speak to the scientist who helped discover what was causing coral bleaching in the first place - back when climate change was commonly denied. This programme was first broadcast in 2024. Guests: Dr Ove…
24 May 2026 · 23 min

Should we mine the deep ocean?

In the global race for critical minerals - could the seabed provide solutions? Or should we leave these metal-rich environments undisturbed? Governments and mining companies around the world are on the hunt for the critical minerals we need for the green tech transition. And there’s growing interest in an unlikely source – potato-shaped nodules that are found kilometres below the surface of our oceans. These polymetallic nodules contain high levels of elements like cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper. Supporters of deep-sea mining say that harvesting them might be less damaging to the…
17 May 2026 · 26 min

The electric car boom in South East Asia

Electric vehicle sales are soaring in Thailand and Vietnam. What’s behind the boom? And will it help the climate? Thais and Vietnamese are switching to electric cars in huge numbers – attracted by government subsidies and a more exciting range of EVs. Jobs in the car industry are also up in both countries as a new generation of manufacturers compete for domination of the emerging electric market. But can the pace of growth last? Will the boom in electric cars reduce the chronic air pollution in cities like Bangkok? And will it help Thailand and Vietnam reduce their carbon emissions? In this…
10 May 2026 · 26 min

Q+A: The carbon footprint of your tech and AI

What’s the carbon footprint of streaming your favourite shows or doing an AI search? How vulnerable are river estuaries to climate change? Plus, are you a climate optimist or pessimist? Graihagh Jackson and her panel answer your questions. The panel are Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor; Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg's Zero podcast; and Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC CrowdScience. Got a question or comment for the next listeners' show? You can email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721 Production…
3 May 2026 · 26 min

Is this climate change or just crazy weather?

It’s one of the most commonly debated questions in the climate world: Is this weather we’re experiencing natural, or is it linked to man-made climate change? In this episode of The Climate Question, Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar are joined by BBC Lead Weather Presenter, Matt Taylor. Matt’s forecasts are seen not just in the UK but around the world. Matt chats to Graihagh and Jordan about the crucial difference between weather and climate, and the challenge of communicating this on air. They discuss why heavy snowfall will still be possible in a warmer world, as well as the likely…
26 Apr 2026 · 28 min

Chernobyl at 40: Is nuclear power back in fashion?

In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear accident devastated the Soviet Union and shocked the world. But, 40 years on, are we now seeing a nuclear renaissance? And what does that mean for the climate? Climate Question host Jordan Dunbar has just visited the most contaminated place in the world for a BBC World Service documentary. He tells co-host Graihagh Jackson about the ghostly atmosphere in the former Chernobyl control room and the huge dome that now covers the remains of the nuclear reactor that exploded. Jordan and Graihagh also discuss how the disaster set back the nuclear power industry for…
19 Apr 2026 · 26 min

Can technology help us fight flooding in cities?

With more and more people moving to cities, informal settlements are expected to grow. When floods hit these unplanned places, it can be disastrous, as we often don’t know much about them. Crucial questions often remain difficult to answer, like how many people live there, what are the buildings made of, and could they withstand a flood? In the township of Alexandra in Johannesburg, the BBC’s Nomsa Maseko visits a project using drones and artificial intelligence to help authorities prevent the worst impacts of flooding. And in Porto Alegre in the south of Brazil, we hear how an innovative…
12 Apr 2026 · 26 min

Earthquakes and climate change

Earthquakes are caused by a sudden release of stress along faults in the earth's crust, not by climate change, but some new studies suggest that melting glaciers and permafrost may influence when, where and how often seismic activity occurs. In this episode, hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar chat to seismologist Dr. Verena Simon from the Swiss Seismology Service and Associate Professor of Geosciences at Colorado State University, Sean Gallen. Got a question or comment? email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com Production team: Diane Richardson, Grace Braddock Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell…
5 Apr 2026 · 23 min

Why are some cities banning fossil fuel ads?

How much does advertising influence what we buy and how we think? A growing number of cities are restricting adverts for fossil fuel products, from flights and petrol cars to gas heating. From May, Amsterdam is set to become the first capital city to do so. In 2024, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on countries to introduce similar bans worldwide. In this episode of The Climate Question, Jordan Dunbar asks whether banning fossil fuel adverts is a good idea and whether it makes any difference when it comes to fighting climate change. He speaks to Marco Silva from BBC Verify…
29 Mar 2026 · 26 min

What's it like being a chief heat officer?

As climate change makes the world hotter, some cities have appointed so-called Chief Heat Officers to try to improve their response to record-breaking temperatures. In 2024, Graihagh Jackson spoke 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 what happens when extreme heat grips the city. Umaru talks to locals forced to sleep outside because of the temperature, despite risks to their health and safety. And he also…
22 Mar 2026 · 26 min

Can better buses fix city pollution?

Transport is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and in cities around the world it is also one of the biggest daily frustrations. Congestion, pollution and long journeys to work affect millions of people every day. In this episode of The Climate Question, Jordan Dunbar explores how cities can move large numbers of people more quickly, cheaply and with fewer emissions. With most urban journeys still dominated by private cars, the challenge is how to shift people towards more efficient forms of transport. He speaks to Dario Hidalgo, a transport expert based in…
15 Mar 2026 · 26 min

Q&A: Beavers, solar panels in the Sahara and nuclear waste

The Climate Question panel answer your queries. Do beavers protect the planet? Should we put solar panels in deserts? And why does the world need to upgrade its electricity grids? Host Graihagh Jackson puts your head-scratchers to Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor; Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg's Zero podcast; and Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC CrowdScience. Got a question for the next listeners' show? You can email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721 Production team: Diane Richardson and Grace…

About The Climate Question

Why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.

The Climate Question is a English tech & science podcast from BBC World Service. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: BBC World Service
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 26 min
Latest episode: 4 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1538415261
Website: bbc.co.uk/programmes/w13xtvb6
Rights: (C) BBC 2026

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