Planet: Critical

According to the laws of physics, the economy can only sustain itself by growing. So how bound are we by the laws of thermodynamics?Professor Tim Garrett, atmosphere scientist at the University of Utah, argues we’re completely bound by those laws. He has modelled how the behaviour of snowflakes and clouds can be used to predict energy consumption and GDP, bridging the gap between economic theory and the natural world. Planet: Critical is a resource for a world in crisis, supported by people like you. Join the community by becoming a subscriber today.Tim’s research is nothing short of fascinating; this is a mind-bending hour you won’t regret. Listen to the episode here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.Read more of Tim’s work here.You can also follow Planet: Critical on Youtube and support the project on Patreon where I upload a bonus video every Saturday.© 2022 Rachel Donald Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Welcome to this special episode of Planet: Critical where we journey from the podcast’s humble beginnings to what it is today, and what I hope it will evolve into.None of this would be possible without you all and so I thank you endlessly for your support and encouragement. It’s wonderful to witness a community coalesce around the podcast and the information my incredible guests provide us, and I’m so looking forward to what we will continue learning, and where it will take us. Knowledge is the only renewable fuel we have and I’m humbled to play a small part in spreading it as far and wide as possible. I wouldn’t be getting very far without you all, especially given how terrible I am at promoting the show. So to those of you who spread the word every week, and to the others who chose a paid subscription—thank you, I’m touched you find value in my work.I hope you all enjoy whatever plans you have for this December 31st, and here’s to a 2022 filled with critical thinking and vision.Cheers,RachelPlanet: Critical is a resource for a world in crisis, supported by people like you. Join the community by becoming a subscriber today. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Did you know that four years of studying mainstream economics at university has such a profound impact on students that their value systems change? And not for the better.Economic theory affects the very fabric of human society, and the dominant neoliberal model is at the root of many of the crises we face. Assuming human nature is fundamentally selfish has created a terrible feedback loop of individualism, precarity and abuse. Ecological economists are fighting back with new models, models they believe are more in line with humankind’s long history of collaboration.Planet: Critical is a resource for a world in crisis, supported by people like you. Join the community by becoming a subscriber today.Joshua Farley is a Professor of Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont. His research focuses on designing an economy capable of balancing what is biophysically possible with what is socially, psychologically and ethically desirable. This episode is a big picture conversation about the roots of the climate and social crises. We discuss human values—and common sense—and how to reimagine an economics which will allow the best of human nature to triumph. Listen to the episode here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.Read more of Joshua’s work here.You can also follow Planet: Critical on Youtube and support the project on Patreon where I upload a bonus video every Saturday.© 2022 Rachel Donald Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

What’s theoretical physics got to do with trees? Everything.Life on this planet is in grave danger. While life does what it can to self-regulate (breaking the second law of thermodynamics to do so), when environments become disturbed beyond repair, the “biota” breaks down exponentially. To physicist Anastassia Makarieva, this is the reality of climate change.Planet: Critical is a resource for a world in crisis, supported by people like you. Join the community by becoming a subscriber today.Anastassia has dedicated her life to understanding the biota and, more specifically, how the world’s forests regulate not just themselves but the water system of the entire planet. Alongside her colleagues, Anastassia is desperately trying to raise awareness of the dangers of disturbing the world’s forest, especially the Boreal forest, which despite being the largest on the planet is often forgotten about. She says stopping logging overnight would have the biggest impact on reducing climate change. So why isn’t anyone listening? Listen to the episode here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.Read more of Anastassia’s work here and here.You can also follow Planet: Critical on Youtube and support the project on Patreon where I upload a bonus video every Saturday.© 2022 Rachel Donald Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Tackling climate obesity will take a very strict diet—and it’s not a one size fits all solution. We’ve got to make big changes, and fast. But who is “we” and what are these changes?Journalist and author Paul Greenberg joins me this week to break down some of the radical solutions individuals can make to fix their climate diet (that’s the fish part). We then go on to discuss renewables vs nuclear (fusion), before tackling the big problem bringing international negotiations to a grinding halt: Who’s to blame, and how do we make them change?There’s a lot to learn in this episode. Listen here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.Tuck into Paul’s fantastic range of books.You can also follow Planet: Critical on Youtube and support the project on Patreon where I upload a bonus video every Saturday.© 2022 Rachel Donald Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Welcome to the era of generalists, of the big picture thinkers who translate concepts into action. These are the people who join the dots to get a better sense of how our world fits together—and how we impact each other.Planet: Critical is a resource for a world in crisis, supported by people like you. Join the community by becoming a subscriber today.Nate Hagens is one of the most acclaimed big picture thinkers tackling the sustainability question. He joins me to explain that creating a sustainable future demands tackling social and economic inequalities, and ultimately creating a new system of values. Listen here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.Nate currently teaches a systems synthesis Honors seminar at the University of Minnesota ‘Reality 101 – A Survey of the Human Predicament’. Nate is on the Boards of Bottleneck Foundation, IIER and Institute for the Study of Energy and the Future.You can also follow Planet: Critical on Youtube and support the project on Patreon where I upload a bonus video every Saturday.© 2022 Rachel Donald Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Ugo Bardi is a Professor in Physical Chemistry at the University of Florence, and a member of the Club of Rome. Ugo’s work focuses on promoting a sustainable transition to renewable energy on the basis of a quantitative energy yield analysis. In his blog, he examines among other things the “Seneca Effect”, a biophysical interpretation of the collapse of complex systems.In this fascinating interview Ugo ranges from discussing what killed the dinosaurs to revealing a theory of evolution that could radically transform how we combat the climate crisis. He also provides details on some of the most exciting technological advancements which could help us navigate our energy, economic and ecological crises. This isn’t one to miss. Listen here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.Ugo’s blog, The Seneca Effect.You can also follow Planet: Critical on Youtube and support the project on Patreon where I upload a bonus video every Saturday.© 2022 Rachel Donald Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Gary Juffa is the Governor for Oro Province in Papua New Guinea, and has become famous for taking on the illegal logging cartels decimating one of the world’s most precious rainforests. He attended COP26 in Glasgow to speak on behalf of his people, his forests and the creatures that call it home—and to bravely name and shame the companies “raping and pillaging” his country.Gary explains how the “timber mafia” landed in Papua New Guinea from Malaysia and how they took over local government through bribes, blackmail and even assassination. He explains how he’s fighting them in his province, and how the West must lend funds and muscle to the fight, and what he thinks of the deals made at COP26.What Gary has to say is jaw-dropping. Listen here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.You can also follow Planet: Critical on Youtube and support the project on Patreon where I upload a bonus video every Saturday.© 2022 Rachel Donald Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Dr. Carey King, a research scientist and Assistant Director at the Energy Institute, discusses the fallacy of efficiency in the context of climate change. He challenges traditional views on economic growth and energy consumption, advocating for a new understanding he terms the 'economic superorganism.' The conversation explores the paradox of 'bullshit jobs,' critiques unsustainable capitalist models, and emphasizes the need for effective, holistic solutions to global challenges. King's insights encourage a re-evaluation of how we perceive energy and economy in our quest for sustainability.

Blair Fix is an economist and post-doc at York University, but he has done a lot of his research outside of the structure and security of the academy. Blair is in the same camp as Steve Keen, believing neoclassical and mainstream economists are not only holding back society’s progression, but putting humanity and the planet in danger.We discuss his research that proves the relationship between power hierarchies and income inequality (sorry, Hayek, looks like free markets aren’t that free!), how to manage resource distribution, and why GDP is a flawed metric for success.Listen here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.Support Blair on Patreon and follow his research on Economics From The Top Down. You can also follow Planet: Critical on Youtube and support the project on Patreon where I upload a bonus video every Saturday.© 2022 Rachel Donald Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe