The Small Island Nations that Got Big Action on Climate

In 2015, the landmark Paris Agreement was adopted. For the first time, nearly every country on Earth pledged to cut carbon emissions to tackle climate change. But in the years since, emissions have continued to rise. Now, an estimated 25,000 people are descending on Glasgow, Scotland for COP26, to hammer out the next steps after the Paris Agreement, and it’s fair to ask...do these climate talks even matter? We argue that yes, they do – and to show you how, we tell an incredible story: How small island nations took on the world’s biggest powers over climate change, and won – changing the world in the process.

Guests: Former President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed; Dr. James Fletcher, Former Saint Lucia Minister of Sustainable Development; Prof. Saleemul Huq, Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD); Dean Bialek, COP26 Climate Champions Team

Calls to Action

• Call Congress! Right now, the lawmakers are debating whether to pass what could be the most consequential climate legislation in U.S. history.. Scientists have warned that to keep warming below 1.5 °C, the world needs to cut carbon emissions 45% below 2010 levels by 2030. Congress is currently considering legislation that’s (mostly!) in line with those goals – but lawmakers face pressure to water it down. If you’ve ever thought about calling your member of Congress, now is the time! Not sure how? You can find contact information for your representatives and ideas for simple scripts to help you call at Call4Climate.com
• This article from the Guardian has more information on what’s currently in the climate package (but keep an eye on the news – it’s changing all the time!). You can find the full breakdown from the White House here.
• For more tips on calling your representatives (and to hear Alex and Ayana model how to do it!) check out our episode, Is Biden’s Jobs Plan a ‘Skinny Green New Deal’?
• Check out the Global Day of Action during COP26. Want to make your voice heard during COP26? Check out the Global Day of Action on Nov. 6, with events and rallies all over the world.

Check out our Calls to Action archive for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Send us your ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. Sign up for our newsletter here. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Rachel Waldholz with help from Hannah Chinn. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis and Anna Ladd. Our supervising producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Nicole Welch. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Peter Leonard and Emma Munger. Our fact checker this episode was Claudia Geib. Special thanks to Ian Fry and Bill Hare and to Mark Hertsgaard of Covering Climate Now. 

UPDATE 11/02/21: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that in the 30 years since the UN first began negotiating on climate change, we have emitted more greenhouse gases than in all of human history before that. It should state that in the 30 years since the UN first began negotiating on climate change, we have emitted more carbon dioxide (from fossil fuels and industry) than in all the years before that. The episode has been updated.

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