Should poorer countries be compensated for climate disasters that aren't their own making?

The concept of "loss and damage" was debated at the United Nations COP27 climate summit in Egypt in November 2022 – which resulted in an historic agreement to establish a loss and damage fund to compensate countries that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

In our final episode of Fear & Wonder, we hear from Senegalese meteorologist Aïda Diongue-Niang, who called us from COP27. She explains how African nations are already highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. She also takes us inside the gruelling final approval session of the IPCC's Synthesis Report. Her behind-the-scenes account reveals the dedication and determination of the scientists involved.

We also hear from Mauritanian public health expert Guéladio Cissé, who details how more intense rainfall is already increasing the risk of water-borne and vector-borne diseases. Finally, we recap what we've learned throughout this podcast. We reflect on how the event that sparked its creation – the Australian Black Summer bushfires of 2019–20 – has inspired survivors to fight for climate action.

In case you're new here: Fear & Wonder is a new climate podcast, brought to you by The Conversation. It takes you inside the United Nations’ era-defining climate report via the hearts and minds of the scientists who wrote it. The show is sponsored by the Climate Council, an independent, evidence-based organisation working on climate science, impacts and solutions.

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If you liked this episode, you might also like to subscribe to The Conversation's new Science Wrap newsletter: https://bit.ly/406nQgk. And if you really like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation – we're a non-profit newsroom who rely on the support of our readers to fund our expert-led journalism: https://bit.ly/42ABoCi.

If you'd like to support the Climate Council and receive your free copy of Joelle's book Humanity's Moment, click here: https://bit.ly/40sQ4BP.

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"The problem [of climate change] is getting worse," explains Greg Nemet, a Canadian renewable policy expert and IPCC author. "But we've got solutions now that are so much more affordable than they were."

After studying advances in solar technology, which has seen rapid expansion and price reductions, he's optimistic about our capacity to avert the worst possible climate outcomes. 

In this week's episode of our climate podcast Fear and Wonder, we speak to Greg about the pace of change in the solar industry and whether it can be replicated for other technologies.

We also hear from fellow IPCC author and Algerian energy policy expert Yamina Saheb, about the emission reductions that are possible by adopting age-old sustainability concepts.

In case you're new here: Fear & Wonder is a new climate podcast, brought to you by The Conversation. It takes you inside the United Nations’ era-defining climate report via the hearts and minds of the scientists who wrote it. The show is sponsored by the Climate Council, an independent, evidence-based organisation working on climate science, impacts and solutions.

...

If you liked this episode, you might also like to subscribe to The Conversation's new Science Wrap newsletter: https://bit.ly/406nQgk. And if you really like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation – we're a non-profit newsroom who rely on the support of our readers to fund our expert-led journalism: https://bit.ly/42ABoCi.

If you'd like to support the Climate Council and receive your free copy of Joelle's book Humanity's Moment, click here: https://bit.ly/40sQ4BP.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I'm often asked if I feel hopeful for the future," says former IPCC climate scientist Lesley Hughes. "For me, hope is a strategy, rather than an emotion. Because if we don't have hope and optimism, then we all give up, and if we all give up, then we are truly lost."

In this live bonus episode of Fear & Wonder, recorded on May 1, host Michael Green spoke with Hughes, alongside current IPCC authors Mark Howden and Frank Jotzo to unpack the latest Synthesis Report. All three guests have been at the forefront of climate science in Australia for decades. They trace how climate science went from a relatively peripheral topic to one of central importance to scientists and governments around the world.

They reflect on their respective journeys, the key takeaways from the IPCC's most recent Synthesis Report, and they imminent challenges and opportunities for Australia and the world.

In case you're new here: Fear & Wonder is a new climate podcast, brought to you by The Conversation. It takes you inside the United Nations’ era-defining climate report via the hearts and minds of the scientists who wrote it. The show is sponsored by the Climate Council, an independent, evidence-based organisation working on climate science, impacts and solutions.

...

If you liked this episode, you might also like to subscribe to The Conversation's new Science Wrap newsletter: https://bit.ly/406nQgk. And if you really like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation – we're a non-profit newsroom who rely on the support of our readers to fund our expert-led journalism: https://bit.ly/42ABoCi.

If you'd like to support the Climate Council and receive your free copy of Joelle's book Humanity's Moment, click here: https://bit.ly/40sQ4BP.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.