Planet: Critical

The global majority are not responsible for global warming. A tiny percentage of the world's population are in positions of power, making decisions that impact the entire planet. These are the people who own and benefit from the fossil-fuelled means of production. Professor Matt Huber says taking power back from them is a class struggle—and cannot be done without building working class power. Building on arguments from his book, Climate Change as Class War, Matt says that rather than focusing on elite consumption we should target elite production, making material arguments for systems change that the working class can relate to. He also explains what the professional class of environmentalists fail to grasp about working class voters, why capital ignores public infrastructure, and why a Green New Deal is the only way to combat petro-privatisation.Support journalism for a world in crisis. Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

The carbon cycle is more dangerous than an asteroid.An asteroid killed the dinosaurs but unstable carbon cycles caused the worse mass extinctions in earth’s history—and we are putting carbon dioxide into the air at a rate the earth has never seen before.I’m joined by science journalist Peter Brannen, author of The Ends of the World, to discuss how the carbon cycle has caused five out of the six mass extinction events — with the worst taking 10 million years for the planet to recover. Peter says all the drivers point that we are hurtling towards a sixth mass extinction if we don’t change rapidly change course, an event totally unprecedented in its man-made nature. This is an experiment in planetary systems going horribly wrong. We still have time to stop. If we don’t, the results could change the planet beyond recognition. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today! Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

A.I. is here—except it isn't. Or is it? A.I. is all over the news all of the time, and nations are scrambling to win the race and become the world leaders in this technology which we're told will change the world. This belief, this myth, is driving policy, investment, hype and conferences. It's the myth that is making A.I., a technology which has consistenly been over-promised and failed to deliver. Yet, nobody is asking if we want the changes we're told A.I. will deliver. The assumption is the future will be artificially intelligent. This means that other critical problems are falling off the agenda which is now dominated by the race towards a hyper-technological future—no matter the costs. Researcher Paul Schütze joins me to explore how these myths are making A.I. into a reality, with no consideration as to whether or not we want that reality. He explains the true cost of this A.I. futurism on the environment, social cohesion, and even our imagination. Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today!Books referenced: Rethinking Racial Capitalism Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe

Esther Afolaranmi, a lawyer and humanitarian, discusses the importance of climate reparations, gender equality, and education in climate advocacy. She highlights the need for accountability from industrialists for their role in greenhouse gas emissions. Esther also addresses challenges in upholding international laws, Nigeria's struggles in the oil industry, and the importance of empowering women to address pronatalist attitudes.

Climate change researcher Gianluca Grimalda shares his story of losing his job for refusing to fly back from fieldwork in Papua New Guinea due to his climate activism. He discusses fatalistic beliefs on climate change, challenges faced by coastal communities, mentality of the super-rich, civil disobedience, and promoting unity among climate movements.

Artist Ranu Mukherjee discusses the body politic, somatic experience, and violence in society. They explore power dynamics, the role of imagination, and the misinterpretation of saving the planet. Topics range from deep time to leadership and the interconnectedness of trauma.

Professor of Anthropology Terrence Deacon discusses the impact of symbols on culture and biology. Topics include the evolution of language, the transformative power of symbols, and the co-evolution of language and human biology. They explore the interplay of AI, globalization, and human bias, and David Sloan Wilson's work in building functional social groups.

Energy expert Art Berman discusses the global energy wars, shifting geopolitical alliances, human fallibility, and the psychological disposition to immaturity. He explores the historical roots of conflicts, the need for a healthy ecosystem, and the challenges of advocating to end oil use. The podcast also delves into global geopolitical complexities, energy consumption strategies, and the evolution of morality towards functional infrastructures.

Tim Garrett, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah, discusses the thermodynamics of collapse, energy consumption's relation to civilization, and the necessity of surplus energy for growth. Topics include renewables’ impact on fossil fuel consumption, reducing inequality through energy cuts, and organizing a sustainable civilization. The conversation explores declining to recover, challenges in aligning economists and climate scientists, and ethical considerations in societal restructuring.

AI researcher and historian, John Wild, delves into the disturbing roots of AI in eugenics and the rush for AGI despite warnings. He discusses reimagining AI as collaborative and decentralized. Podcast explores climate change's impact, unconscious intelligence in organisms, and the influence of cosmism on tech development.