What maniac would suggest a hothouse earth would be economically positive?The financial services—and their incorrect models is costing us time to implement effective policies to mitigate climate change as much as possible. This is the warning from a report published by the Institute of Actuaries. The Emperor’s New Climate Scenarios warns that the world of finance is massively underestimating the destruction climate change will cause on our economy after 1.5 degrees of warming.Actuary and lead author, Sandy Trust, joins me to explain how such thinking got baked into the financial services by way of one man’s dodgy calculations, how to better interpret climate modelling, and the difference between risk assessment and scientific assessment. This is a truly fascinating conversation with Sandy expertly guiding us through technical terms to reveal a stark image: The people in charge are totally unaware of what’s coming. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

James Schneider, Communications Director for Progressive International, discusses the need for a green democratic revolution to address the failures of the ruling class. He critiques the Green New Deal and emphasizes the importance of fast and profound change in response to the climate crisis. Schneider explores the influence of media and the challenges of getting people excited about politics. He also delves into the distinction between free radical capital and fossil capital, highlighting the exploitation embedded within the system. This podcast provides an acute analysis of the crises we face and the potential for collective action.

Former CEO of BP, John Browne, discusses the oil industry's knowledge on climate change and the impact of fossil fuels on conflict. The podcast explores the need for action, challenges in reducing carbon emissions, and shifting subsidies. It also highlights the role of state-owned companies in fossil fuel production and the consequences of the British government's climate policies.

Hamza Ali Shah, a British-Palestinian writer and journalist, discusses the lack of moral clarity surrounding the genocide in Gaza. Topics include the colonial roots of Israel's ethnic cleansing, failures of Arab state leaders, weaponization of ideology, and obfuscation of linguistic tricks that allow Israel to act with impunity. The podcast explores power dynamics in the Middle East, energy demands and power conflicts, settler violence, culture wars, and the exploitative nature of capitalism.

Guest Ketan Joshi, climate researcher and communications consultant, reveals the tactics used by the fossil fuel industry to delay energy transitions and the inequitable distribution of resources. Topics include greenwashing, climate denial, wealth's influence, sufficiency, deceptive actions of fossil fuel companies, challenges of transition, and the importance of activism.

Investigative journalist Matt Kennard discusses how corporations have created a shadow legal system to manipulate governments, the destructive impact of corporations on democracy, hidden systems and corporate influence, the power and influence of corporations in international venues, the revolving door between state and corporate world, corporate power and government relations in Tanzania and Colombia, the recent reshuffle in the Labour government, and the need for platforming ground voices.

Poet and political activist, lisa minerva luxx, discusses the dignity of the Palestinian people and their right to resist. The podcast explores the interconnectedness of liberation movements and solidarity, the complex conversation around violence and non-violence, and the importance of coalitions and resistance movements. It also delves into undoing power structures in the climate movement, land reclamation in Palestine, the humanization of resistance, and the concept of revolutionary love and localization.

Investigative journalist Jacob Goldberg exposes the UN's greenwashing of its climate neutrality claims. The UN performs no checks on the carbon credits it buys, linked to protest, rainforest destruction, and indigenous dispossession. The podcast explores the damaging effects of government subsidies, problems with carbon offsetting, corrupt deals, challenges in journalism, and the greenwashing of the Teles Pierce Dam in Brazil.

It’s one rule for Israel and her allies—another for everyone else.Israel’s allies can turn a blind eye to its genocide of Palestine—as long as some of the war crimes are denied. The settler state received unequivocal backing from the vast majority of Western leaders whilst it committed war crimes under the Geneva Convention, including cutting off electricity, water and food—everything the EU decried as war crimes when committed by Russia.On Tuesday night, a spokesperson for the Israeli government confirmed an Israeli airstrike hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza, killing 500 sick, wounded and refugees. But hours later, the statement was retracted and Israel began sowing doubt about the origins of the strike, pointing the finger at Palestinian Jihadis. Hamas denied the claim. Israel released footage showing the “misfiring rocket” but Twitter users pointed out the videos either had the wrong time stamp, or were clips from 2022. But by Thursday morning, Western journalists were running with the story that both sides were blaming the other—despite the fact that Israel had called the hospital and ordered it to evacuate because of planned strikes.Marc Owen Jones, Associate Professor at HBKU researching disinformation and digital authoritarianism joins me to explain how Israel weaponises doubt to allow its Western allies enough plausible deniability to continue staunchly supporting the regime, the West’s closest stronghold to the largest oil reserves in the world. Marc also explains the relationship between Israeli propaganda and Western media, revealing why so much coverage of what campaigners are calling a genocide against Palestinians only portrays Israel as the victim.Watch Bassem Youssef's amazing interview.Planet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it. Support the project by becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

“All of those sectors are rapidly changing and the incumbent industries in those sectors are going to collapse. This is being driven by economic dynamics. It's going to happen.”What if the only viable future is a better one?Whatever the future holds, one thing is certain: tomorrow’s world will not look like today’s. We could see fossil-fascism in which nations hoard their fossil reserves (coal and gas) for accelerated use at the expense of international collaboration. We could see eco-fascism after an unplanned recession which crashes the financial system and slashes demand. We could see a descent into madness in which we run out of fuel to heat, to eat, to survive.We could also see degrowth, eco-socialism, renewable sharing and governance reimagined to meet human rights. No, this isn’t utopia—it’s laid out in the policy plans of many scholars around the world as one of the only paths to navigating the planetary crisis.Systems theorist Nafeez Ahmed joins me to discuss the interconnected grid—a piece of renewable infrastructure which, by its design, would change our economic system, our geopolitics and our relationship with one another. Nafeez debated Simon Michaux a few months ago, and I highly recommend listening to these episodes as a trio: Nafeez, Simon, the debate.Planet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it. Support the project with a paid subscription. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe