Advertise on podcast: To a Lesser Degree from The Economist

COP26 has come to a close. What does the outcome mean for the future of the planet? We measure it against earlier landmarks of environmental summitry.  Gro Harlem Brundtland, a former Norwegian prime minister and pioneer of environmental dealmaking, tells us the process is yielding results. And science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson makes the case for optimism. Hosted by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist’s global energy and climate innovation editor, with environment editor Catherine Brahic, and Oliver Morton, our briefings editor.   For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/climatepod and you can sign up to our fortnightly climate newsletter at economist.com/theclimateissue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The COP26 conference is taking place amid an energy crisis. How will political pressures on the negotiators from activists, public opinion, and a troubled energy market influence the outcome? UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed tells us why the negotiations are so important to the poor world. We go to The Netherlands, where green activists have turned to the courts and we look at America’s tricky energy politics.  Hosted by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist’s global energy and climate innovation editor, with environment editor Catherine Brahic, and Oliver Morton, our briefings editor.   For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/climatepod and you can sign up to our fortnightly climate newsletter at economist.com/theclimateissue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the COP26 climate conference begins in Glasgow, much is at stake. Will the leaders gathered there be able to reach an agreement to slow global warming? US climate envoy John Kerry tells us why he is optimistic. We report from Australia, one of the rich countries lagging in its climate commitments, to look at the politics behind the negotiations. Hosted by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist’s global energy and climate innovation editor, with environment editor Catherine Brahic, and Oliver Morton, our briefings editor.   For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/climatepod and you can sign up to our fortnightly climate newsletter at economist.com/theclimateissue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Actions to combat climate change have been primarily focused on mitigation - limiting the amount of greenhouse-gas emissions in the atmosphere. But even with those efforts, the planet's temperature will continue to rise, leading to more extreme weather events. How will humanity adapt? Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, tells us why adaptation in agriculture is critical to feeding the world. We go to China to explore a new kind of “sponge city,” which is designed to absorb water. And we examine the peril and promise of solar geoengineering.  Hosted by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist’s global energy and climate innovation editor, with environment editor Catherine Brahic, and Oliver Morton, our briefings editor.   For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/climatepod and you can sign up to our fortnightly climate newsletter at economist.com/theclimateissue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The green revolution won’t be cheap, but there is enough money to make it happen - if it goes to the right places. What role can finance play in steering economies towards a low-carbon future? Elemental Excelerator’s Dawn Lippert tells us why Hawaii is the best place to help climate start-ups find funding. Tariq Fancy, who ran sustainable investments for Blackrock, asks whether environmental investing makes any difference at all.  Hosted by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist’s global energy and climate innovation editor, with environment editor Catherine Brahic, and Oliver Morton, our briefings editor.   For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/climatepod and you can sign up to our fortnightly climate newsletter at economist.com/theclimateissue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lowering greenhouse gas emissions won’t be enough to stop the world from overheating. Carbon needs to be sucked out of the atmosphere. But can that be done quickly enough -- and on what scale? Nathalie Seddon of the Nature-Based Solutions Initiative explores the ways ecosystems can be enhanced to store carbon. And we go to Iceland to visit the world’s largest direct air capture facility that removes carbon from the air, which is then injected into volcanic rock. Hosted by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist’s global energy and climate innovation editor, with environment editor Catherine Brahic, and Oliver Morton, our briefings editor.   For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/climatepod and you can sign up to our fortnightly climate newsletter at economist.com/theclimateissue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eating less meat or giving up flying are palpable ways people can help mitigate climate change. But how much does personal action matter? And how should societies meet the challenge of lowering greenhouse gas emissions? Yael Parag of the Reichman University in Tel Aviv weighs the merits of individual carbon budgets. Bruce Friedrich of the Good Food Institute highlights the impact of eating beef. And Jon Fasman, The Economist’s US digital editor, tries a lab-grown meat substitute to assess its flavour and potential. Hosted by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist’s global energy and climate innovation editor, with environment editor Catherine Brahic, and Oliver Morton, our briefings editor.   For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/climatepod and you can sign up to our fortnightly climate newsletter at economist.com/theclimateissue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's not too late to avert a climate disaster. The question is, how? We map out the three priorities: reducing emissions and finding ways to suck carbon out of the air, adapting to climate change; and navigating the fraught global politics to reach agreement at November’s UN Climate Conference in Glasgow. John McDermot, The Economist’s Chief Africa Correspondent, reports from South Africa on the difficulties of weaning the country off coal.  Hosted by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist’s global energy & climate innovation editor, with Catherine Brahic, environment editor, and Oliver Morton, briefings editor.   For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/climatepod and you can sign up to our fortnightly climate newsletter at economist.com/theclimateissue.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rising global temperatures have already increased the frequency of floods, wildfires, droughts, and heatwaves around the world. If humanity does not change course rapidly, the effects of climate change will become more extreme. What can be done to avoid this outcome? Vijay Vaitheeswaran, the Economist’s global energy and climate innovation editor, will be joined weekly by expert guests to explore how everything—from finance to agriculture, transport to international policy—will have to change to take the world’s temperature down ‘To a Lesser Degree'.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.