Economist Podcasts Emission creep: a contentious COP closes
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Nov 24, 2025 
Katrine Bragg, Environment editor at The Economist, provides sharp insights on COP30, highlighting its lack of mention of fossil fuels and questioning the effectiveness of the climate process. She emphasizes the need for stronger political will and discusses the impact of the U.S. absence. Meanwhile, Mike Bird, Wall Street correspondent, analyzes Bitcoin's journey into mainstream finance and warns of potential market spillovers if it crashes. The podcast also touches on fascinating whale communication, revealing patterns that might just connect them to human speech!
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Belém Scenes And Indigenous Protests
- Alessandro Ford described local indifference and vivid scenes in Belém, like queues and food trucks amid flood risk concerns.
- He also recounted indigenous protesters forcing entry to demand representation at the talks.
COP30 Underscores Multilateral Strain
- COP30 showed rising doubt about the UN process as many governments’ appetite for action wanes.
- The conference closed with a modest text that did not mention fossil fuels despite urgency.
Paris Goals Now Likely To Be Breached
- Katrine Bragg noted the Paris Agreement set clear mid-century goals but countries are far off meeting 1.5°C limits.
- She warned scientific projections suggest 1.5°C will be exceeded within about five years.