Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations

Stephen Smith from Exeter's Global Systems Institute shares his insights on the urgency of climate action following the Global Tipping Points Conference. He highlights both negative and positive climate tipping points, illustrating their implications for policy makers. The discussion emphasizes the need for transformative strategies and storytelling to foster climate advocacy. Smith also reveals how renewable energy advancements can accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, showcasing hopeful pathways amidst the pressing challenges.

Will Nigel Farage's Reform party succeed in demonising climate action? Or will adaptation change the conversation? Are the Tories cooked? And does Gaza create an opening big enough for Jeremy Corbyn's new party to cut into Labour support? Richard Delevan talks to More in Common's Ed Hodgson about Shattered Britain, how Britain's "Tribes" will shape the future - and why you need to understand them if effective climate communicators are going to win. Get all the bonus content and ad-free listening at wickedproblems.earth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Holland, a Professor at Brown University and former science negotiator for Palau, discusses a landmark ICJ ruling that binds states to act on climate science. She highlights how this ruling emerged from youth activism and addresses its significance for vulnerable nations. The conversation emphasizes the interplay between international law and climate justice, stressing the need for robust legal frameworks and accountability from high-emitting states. Holland also reflects on the resilience of climate advocates and the importance of storytelling in pressing for action.

For full show notes, bonus content, and ad-free experience go to wickedproblems.earth! The Intersection of Climate Change and National Security with Rear Admiral Neil: A Deep DiveIn this episode of 'Wicked Problems,' host Richard Delevan speaks with Rear Admiral Neil, former Royal Navy officer and current Professor of Climate and Resource Security at UCL, about the growing recognition that climate change is a strategic challenge impacting national security. They discuss the expanded definition of national security to include climate adaptation, various international and interdisciplinary efforts to mitigate climate impact, and how the military is adapting its strategies. The conversation covers past and present policies, the importance of societal involvement, and the role of technological advancements. Rear Admiral Neil emphasizes the need for strategic, long-term solutions, cooperation across sectors, and raises concerns about the potential for a significant crisis to wake global leadership from complacency.00:00 Introduction to Climate Change and Security00:26 Guest Introduction: Rear Admiral Neil00:57 National Security and Climate Change02:06 Impact of Climate Change on Society03:49 Military's Role and Adaptation04:44 Evolving Conversations on Climate Policy09:48 Technological Innovations in the Military19:02 International Cooperation and Policy24:49 Challenges and Future Prospects31:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Jenny Chase, a seasoned solar market analyst at BloombergNEF, and Royce Kurmelovs, an Australian climate journalist. They discuss Pakistan's rapid solar energy growth despite limited government support, raising vital questions about grid reliability and energy pricing. Royce shares insights on a pivotal Australian court ruling concerning Torres Strait Islanders' fight against climate change, emphasizing the clash between environmental responsibility and legal limitations. Both guests explore the broader implications of these issues on global energy dynamics and indigenous rights.

Get bonus content & full show notes at wickedproblems.earthThick ice caps topping some dormant volcanoes may be acting like a champagne cork. Research released earlier this month suggests that by speeding up the melt of those ice caps through human-caused climate change, we’re removing the foil and the little wire cage on some trapped liquid that will taste a bit more acidic than champagne when it gets out as the cork tries to free itself.Bob Berwyn has reported for a decade for Inside Climate News - the OG climate outlet that in 2015 broke the story of the biggest corporate scandal in history: a nine-part investigative series demonstrating how much #ExxonKnew about the effects that burning oil and other fossil fuels would have on the future climate, and then doing everything in its power to prevent anyone from stopping it.Bob’s piece on the volcano research stopped me in my tracks. As he said in this conversation:“the most profound thing about a study like this volcano study … is how profoundly we're changing fundamental parts of the global Earth system. I mean, we're sitting here talking about things like, ‘wow, could our activities actually cause more volcanoes?’ I mean, just the fact that we're asking this question is, ‘wow, what have we done?’ You know?”In This Conversation01:33 Scientific Insights on Volcanic Activity05:20 Challenges in Climate Research12:09 Global Climate Negotiations20:12 Heatwaves and Public Health23:54 Legal and Ethical Responsibilities24:36 The Reality of Heat Waves and Their Deadly Impact26:13 The Political Project Against Climate Science27:07 Social Science and Climate Action28:58 The Anti-Autocracy Handbook for Scientists31:02 Free Speech and Authoritarianism34:25 The Role of Legal Obligations in Climate Justice37:05 Public Perception and Managed Retreat40:37 Final Thoughts and Upcoming StoriesKeep Up With BobBob is an essential follow on BlueSky, and his journalism for Inside Climate News does not quit. Here are links to just some of the stories we touched on:Melting Ice Caps Could Bring Dormant Volcanoes to LifeHuman-Caused Global Warming Spiked the Death Toll of Europe’s Early Summer HeatwaveNew Handbook Aims to Protect Scientists From Autocratic ThreatsBonn Climate Talks Rife With Roadblocks and Dead EndsIf you think these conversations are worth listening to, share them with a friend or make an offering to the volcano gods to spare your town. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Wicked Problems – Climate Tech Conversations, we’re joined by Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century, a landmark work on climate-driven migration. From the existential realities of climate displacement to the politics of denial and adaptation, it’s about what happens when we stop pretending everyone will stay where they are.It BadLast week, a catastrophic flood hit Kerr County, Texas. 30 cm of rain—four months' worth—fell in hours. The Guadalupe River rose 8 metres in under an hour, swamping the area around Camp Mystic. Over 90 are dead, many of them young girls at the camp. Some are still missing.Cue the blame game. Officials who refused to fund early warning systems claimed the event was unpredictable. Trump-era cuts had gutted the National Weather Service, yet some still pointed fingers at the agency. Others called it karmic justice or MAGA-targeted weather warfare. Conspiracy theorists went further, blaming imaginary geoengineering attacks. Marjorie Taylor-Greene tweeted: “We must end the dangerous and deadly practice of weather modification and geoengineering.”Right-wing extremists, already attacking Doppler radar sites, turn tragedy into paranoia. In past hurricanes, conspiracy-fueled threats forced rescue crews to withdraw.Rapid attribution studies confirm what should be obvious: climate change makes these once-rare floods far more likely.OK DoomerIn a now-notorious quote, Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki said “it’s too late.” Critics pounced, accusing him of defeatism. But, as we discuss with Gaia Vince, the real issue isn’t optimism vs pessimism—it’s whether we’re brave enough to face what’s actually happening.After decades in media and PR, I can tell when people are dodging the truth—even for good reasons. In climate comms, there’s a lot of that. But we try something different here: saying what we think is true, even if it’s hard to hear.On the MoveGaia Vince has been writing about climate and migration for over a decade. In Nomad Century, she argues:Migration is a natural response to climate change—always has been.By 2070, up to 3 billion people may need to move as habitable zones shrink.Governments that prepare for this now will fare better than those that deny it.The book isn’t dystopian; it’s clear-eyed and pragmatic. It insists we have a choice: chaos, or planned adaptation.In This Conversation01:54 Climate Change’s Global Reach04:24 The Reality of Climate Migration09:24 Political Responses to Climate Change10:44 Economic Implications and Adaptation21:57 Innovative Solutions and Future Outlook26:10 Australia and Tuvalu27:06 UN, Sovereignty, and Vanishing Nations29:00 Climate Refugees30:05 Early Agreements30:56 Adaptation and Relocation34:21 Facing the Climate Reality46:55 Can Global Governance Step Up?Get the BookNomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval remains one of the most honest, practical guides to climate adaptation out there. Listen to the conversation—and get the book.Tips, Bribes, and AbuseGuest idea? Want to help us do more of this? Or just dying to tell us how crap we are? Reach out on Bluesky or email us at info@wickedproblems.uk—and maybe stand us a pint. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Michael Spiekermann, co-founder of Fridays for Future in Austria, Yasmine Abdu, founder of the AI startup Carbon Track, and sustainability strategist Charles Perry as they dive into the provocative debate of 'Abundance vs. Limits' in climate discourse. They discuss the moral dilemmas of climate policy, innovative approaches to sustainable shopping, and envision a future powered by renewables and AI. The conversation emphasizes grassroots activism, the need for genuine communication in climate narratives, and the power of collaborative efforts to drive systemic change.

Get all the show notes and bonus content at wickedproblems.earth!How am I gonna be an optimist about this? This conversation’s official exit music is from Bastille. But stick around for a twist. Turns out it’s not just men who think about the Roman Empire.Polymath raconteuse Solitaire Townsend - sustainability consultant, co-founder of Futerra, UN envoy, award-winning author of the non-fiction The Solutionists - wasn’t just thinking about Rome. She’s wondering, ‘what if I combine some Roman Empire stuff with climate fiction in an alt-history universe in a novel featuring a kick-arse heroine?’ And gets herself a two-book deal.Pre-order Godstorm from our Bookshop.org site or wherever you get good books.Wicked Problems is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.As a cli-fi/alt-history nerd with shelves stuffed with riffs on Rome from Gibbon to Mary Beard with stops for Asimov’s Foundation series, I cannot tell you how pleased I am to be the first to introduce Solitaire Townsend as “novelist” on a podcast.We talk about her turn to fiction, why now, why the alt-history genre, kick around ideas about alt-history from Philip K. Dick to Star Trek (with some Ursula le Guin because why not), and how she deploys the form to tell a cautionary tale about a world that could have been a lot worse off in its climate breakdown — where Rome never fell, because of the 2nd-century CE invention of the combustion engine.As Solitaire says, if we started burning oil under Marcus Aurelius, climate change would have started much sooner. The warming and rising seas fuel extreme weather events called “God-storms”, caused - according to the Imperial version of Fox News - by lack of piety.Most of that is in the background only creating the more personal, intimate world in which her characters struggle - including a gladatrix-turned-governess seeking to rescue her charge from nefarious clutches and kicking serious arse along the way.In Conversation00:28 First Podcast as a Novelist00:56 Pitching 'Godstorm'02:18 Background and Career of Solitaire Townsend02:37 Solitaire, Sustainability Caesaris04:01 Nonfiction Writing Journey05:49 Role of Storytelling in Social Change07:22 Transition to Fiction Writing08:14 Discovering a Passion for Writing10:24 Exploring Alternate History14:05 Speculative Fiction and Personal Interests17:26 Themes and Inspirations for 'God Storm'20:14 Character Development and Empathy22:14 Reflections on Ursula Le Guin and Sci-Fi27:21 Conclusion and Book Pre-Order InformationPre-order Godstorm from our Bookshop.org site.Exit Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wim Carton, a climate researcher and co-author of 'Overshoot' and 'The Long Heat', dives into the urgent climate crisis and the realities of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies. He critiques the influence of fossil fuel companies and explores the socio-political dynamics hindering meaningful action. The conversation reveals the necessity of political change for effective climate strategies. Carton argues that while CDR may be necessary, it must be separated from existing systems that perpetuate fossil fuel use. Collaboration and inclusivity in climate discussions are emphasized.