The Climate Question

Climate change is having major health impacts around the world - which are only expected to increase as our planet gets warmer. These impacts range from heat stroke to the spread of tropical diseases, from hospitals losing power during extreme weather to the effect on our mental health. In this week's show, Graihagh Jackson talks to two doctors from Malaysia and Egypt about the challenges the medical sector faces, as well as possib...

The Climate Question panel discuss how to make homes - and ships - better for the climate. Plus, what about our own carbon footprints? And are oceans or forests better at storing carbon?

Answering your head-scratchers are Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor; Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg's Zero podcast; and Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC CrowdScience.

Got a question for the next liste...

Tropical rainforests cover around 6% of our planet, yet they're home to more than half of the world’s species. They're also one of our planet’s most vital defences against climate change. But a new report shows how our tropical forests were ravaged in 2024 - and the Amazon rainforest was one of the worst impacted.

Host Graihagh Jackson finds out why, speaking to BBC climate reporter Esme Stallard and Colombia’s former environment m...

David Attenborough's new documentary argues that our oceans have been underexplored and undervalued. Could protecting our seas not only help biodiversity, but fix the climate too?

Keith Scholey, one of the directors of "Ocean With David Attenborough", tells The Climate Question how the world’s seas are at a critical turning point. Many countries have pledged to protect a third of the world’s oceans, and the film’s creators hope it w...

Around the world, scientists and entrepreneurs are pouring billions into researching new ways of storing carbon dioxide. We look at a scheme in India to put CO2 in rocks and research in the UK using kelp. Will either of them be effective?

Host Graihagh Jackson dives into the waters off Britain's southern coast to find out more about the magical powers of kelp, while Chhavi Sachdev visits a tea plantation in Darjeeling which is hopin...

Climate change is making weather more extreme and threatening crops and wildlife. But could old solutions help us tackle these challenges? Around the world, farmers and scientists are reviving ancient crops, and reintroducing ancient animals to build resilience against climate impacts.

In this episode, reporter Beth Timmins travels to the Peruvian Andes to meet the ‘Potato Guardians’, while Jordan Dunbar visits London’s Natural His...

A new climate fiction prize has been launched in the UK, with the aim of spreading awareness about climate change and its solutions. But is that a realistic hope? And how should novelists be writing about climate change anyway?

Graihagh Jackson talks to the Nigerian winner of the Climate Fiction Prize, Abi Daré , and the chair of judges, Madeleine Bunting.

Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Producer: Di Richardson Sound mix: Hannah Montgome...

Will Pope Leo continue the Catholic Church's work on fighting global warming? And how influential might he be? Graihagh Jackson investigates.

Guests: Christiana Zenner, Associate Professor of Theology, Science and Ethics in the Department of Theology at Fordham University. Author of the forthcoming "Beyond Laudato Si" Dr Adil Najam, President of WWF International, and Professor of International Relations and of Earth and Environment...

President Trump has made sweeping changes to America's policies on climate since being sworn in 100 days ago. He has announced plans to "unleash" American energy, including revitalising the coal industry and boosting oil and gas. The president has also cut funding for clean energy projects and renewables, while slashing jobs in government-funded climate research. Experts also say Washington's trade tariffs are having a big impact o...

Hydroelectricity is the world’s biggest source of renewable energy, and dams have long been a popular - if controversial - way to fast-track development and boost economies.

Jordan Dunbar is in Thailand, a country that has been transformed by hydropower. He meets Thais who've been helped by dams, and those they’ve hurt. And he finds out how a warming world could put the future of hydropower in jeopardy.

Presenter: Jordan Dunbar P...

A growing body of scientific evidence from across the globe suggests that a love of nature could inspire us to be more sustainable – something scientists say is more necessary than ever given the climate crisis. The more we connect with nature, the more likely it is that we're willing to protect it. It’s never too late to build that bond, but studies show that outdoor adventures as children make us more likely to be eco-heroes late...

As the UN's shipping body, the International Maritime Organization, meets to decide on a pivotal levy that will tax ships for using polluting fuels, host Graihagh Jackson and BBC Climate Reporter Esme Stallard discuss whether this will be enough to cut the industry's significant carbon emissions. From the Port of Rotterdam, we find out how the industry is already trying to reduce its carbon footprint. And are alternative shipping f...

Graihagh Jackson and guests tackle more of your intriguing questions: Why do we use big wind turbines instead of small ones? Can petrol and diesel vehicles be converted to EVs? And can floodwater be captured and stored?

In the debate are Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor; Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg's Zero podcast; and Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC Crowdscience,

If you have a q...

Bangkok is a mega city of more than 10 million people, the economic powerhouse of Southeast Asia and one of the world’s most visited cities. Billions of dollars worth of new luxury real estate is planned as huge skyscrapers pierce the sky and become back drops to some of our biggest film and TV series. But there’s a problem, Bangkok is sinking; in fact, it’s one of the fastest sinking cities in the world.

To make matters worse, cl...

Experts say we need to be 40 per cent more energy efficient to meet our climate goals. Is that doable? And might it save us money too?

It's a solution that's been called the main route to net zero: energy efficiency - or using less energy to get the same or better results. But there’s an issue – it's got an image problem as many people think it’s boring. And it is hard to get excited about the idea of better lightbulbs!

But energy ef...

Graihagh Jackson and BBC Climate Reporter Esme Stallard discuss the latest news from around the world - including a row at Britain's prestigious Royal Society about whether to expel Elon Musk, the latest numbers on the state of glaciers and a report from Germany on the future of the country's massive coal industry. Plus, Caroline Steel from the BBC's Crowdscience podcast has been finding out how Norwegians are protecting themselves...

Climate change is usually associated with hotter weather, but experts say that in Mongolia it's making the country's cold snaps even harsher. Can Mongolian nomads survive much longer in extreme winter conditions known as "dzuds"? Or will the loss of their livestock and livelihoods force herders to abandon a way of life that dates back millennia?

Graihagh Jackson finds out more about the situation on the ground from Mongolian reporte...

How can we protect our mental health from climate change related trauma? Can family, friends and community help to boost recovery and resilience in places hit by extreme weather?

Graihagh Jackson finds out about a local support network called "After The Fire", set up following the wildfires which swept through Northern California in 2017. And she hears how the Manobo tribe in the Philippines are protecting their community from f...