Episode notes
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…
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.
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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…
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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…
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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
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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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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,…
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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…
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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…
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