A few years ago there were very few podcasts on climate change. Then all of a sudden there were dozens, and I wrote a list of climate podcasts that I listened to at least occasionally. Fast forward four years and the podcast landscape has shifted significantly, with seven out of the ten podcasts I recommended no longer running. So what the climate folks listening to today?
Outrage + Optimism – still going and as good as ever. As it’s fronted by Christiana Figueres, the powerhouse behind the Paris Agreement, alongside Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson, they’re able to secure high profile guests. They roam well beyond environmentalism and diplomacy too, speaking to artists, writers and economists, with a global outlook.
The Climate Question – the BBC’s main climate programme, and one my wife Louise has produced episodes for in the past. With each episode framed as a question, the podcast taps the reach of the media giant to report from across the world and consult experts from the worlds of science, health and the environment.
Sustainable(ish) – another one with a personal connection, as this one’s presented by a colleague of mine at Let’s Go Zero and an author and podcaster as well. Jen Gale is back after a hiatus, picking up her long running podcast on being ‘imperfectly green’, putting aside the guilt and empowering people to do what they can.
People Fixing the World – Not strictly a podcast, as this is a BBC World Service radio programme. Neither is it strictly about climate, as People Fixing the World covers inspiring solutions to do with poverty, waste, social justice, health and all sorts of things, all ably presented by Myra Anubi. Global in scope and really diverse in its content.
Climate One – The BBC has had two mentions in this list already, so let’s make room for an American public radio show too, which is also available as a podcast. Climate One is potentially the longest running climate podcast in fact, airing its first episodes in 2007 and continuing to cover international developments with a friendly gravitas.
Volts – David Roberts has been an environmental journalist for Vox and Grist, and now runs a Substack and podcast. It’s quite in-depth and focused on the US, so I don’t get to every episode, but I keep an eye on the topics. I like Roberts’ intellectual curiosity, and episodes often focus on learning from experts and replicating good ideas from other parts of the world.
The Circular Economy Show – The podcast from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the thought leaders of the circular economy. It has a business focus and short episodes, making it easy to dip in and catch up on circular economy news, pioneering business models, new approaches to materials and their latest research.
Cleaning Up – Michael Liebreich is a respected investor and adviser on clean energy, and his weekly Youtube show and podcast is a straightforward chat to a leader from business or politics. As a well informed insider, you get a good view of what those in power actually think. He is Conservative in his politics, which makes him a more unusual voice in climate podcasting.
Everything Electric – Formerly the Fully Charged Show and majoring on electric cars, the new name reflects a broadening range of interests. Expect electric vehicles of all kinds, but also renewable energy, batteries and energy storage, low carbon heating, all in the amiable company of Robert Llewellyn, Jack Scarlett, and Imogen Bhogal.
A Matter of Degrees – One more to make it ten. A Matter of Degrees is presented by Dr Leah Stokes, an author and envionmental studies professor, and Dr Katherine Wilkinson, author of All We Can Save. With episodes monthly or less, it’s about quality rather than quantity and worth bookmarking for intelligent climate conversation.
There are many more, and new things come and go all the time, so let me know if you’ve come across anything good lately.
The Earthbound Report 