The Intelligence from The Economist Emission creep: a contentious COP closes
17 snips
Nov 24, 2025 
Katrine Bragg, the Environment editor at The Economist, dives into COP30’s lack of ambition, highlighting the absence of fossil fuel discussions and the need for parallel climate actions. Mike Bird, Wall Street correspondent, explores the precarious state of Bitcoin and its ties to tech stocks, suggesting a potential crash could ripple through the financial system. They further discuss the captivating sounds of whale communications, revealing that whales may use vowel-like structures in their calls, opening the door to understanding their language.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Local Life And Protests In Belém
- Alessandro Ford describes Belém residents largely indifferent to COP30 amid local flooding fears and daily life.
- Indigenous activists tried to force entry to protest exclusion, highlighting tensions around representation.
COP30 Sidestepped Fossil Fuels
- COP30 ended with a modest text that did not mention fossil fuels despite widespread scientific agreement they're critical to cut.
- Katrine Bragg warns the UN climate-summit process is increasingly falling short as emissions targets slip.
COPs Have Moved The Needle Before
- The Paris Agreement moved global projections from ~3.5°C to about 2.3–2.5°C, showing COPs can change outcomes.
- Katrine Bragg says COPs still matter but must be complemented by action outside the UN process to meet urgent targets.