Green Thinking: History of climate summits

Emissions, reputation and shame: what does the history of climate conferences tell us about what to expect at COP26? Professor Paul Harris and Professor John Vogler look at whether there are different ways of approaching some of the key questions to ensure greater success in meeting targets. Why do emissions created in China for businesses based in Europe but using Chinese labour count against China’s pollution tally rather than the European businesses? Should there be a more joined up way of thinking about worldwide trade? Would a framework for businesses rather than for nation states be better? Is a focus on coal and fossil fuels the way forward?

Professor Paul Harris is Chair Professor of Global and Environmental studies at the Education University of Hong Kong. His work focuses on climate change, climate governance and justice, and he has authored and edited books on topics around environmental politics, and climate change and foreign policy. https://www.earthsystemgovernance.org/person/paul-g-harris/

Professor John Vogler is Professorial Research Fellow in International Relations at the University of Keele. His research focuses on international relations and the environment, and includes studies of governance of oceans, Antarctica and outer space. https://www.keele.ac.uk/spgs/staff/vogler/#biography

Professor Des Fitzgerald is a New Generation Thinker based at the University of Exeter.

The podcast series Green Thinking is 26 episodes 26 minutes long looking at issues relating to COP26 made in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council, part of UKRI. It explores the latest research and ideas around understanding and tackling the climate and nature emergency. New Generation Thinkers Des Fitzgerald and Eleanor Barraclough are in conversation with researchers about a wide-range of subjects from cryptocurrencies and finance to eco poetry and fast fashion.

The podcasts are all available from the Arts & Ideas podcast feed - and collected on the Free Thinking website under Green Thinking where you can also find programmes on mushrooms, forests, rivers, eco-criticism and soil. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07zg0r2

For more information about the research the AHRC’s supports around climate change and the natural world you can visit: Responding to climate change – UKRI or follow @ahrcpress on twitter. To join the discussion about the research covered in this podcast and the series please use the hashtag #GreenThinkingPodcast.

Producer: Sofie Vilcins