Low-lying Pacific Nation Tuvalu is not taking the prospect of going underwater lightly. In fact – they’ve already digitised their land, archived their culture, and moved their government online. The man behind the digital nation campaign and Tuvaluan politician, Simon Kofe MP, joins Climate Curious to share what Tuvalu’s resilience and wisdom can teach the rest of the world, asks what happens to a country without land, and encourages us to think of ourselves as a global community, not individual nations.

COP28 starts today in Dubai. And you’re going to be hearing a lot about it over the next two weeks. To help you get an on-the-ground picture of what goes on at a COP, we spoke to seven experts to compile you a climate mixtape! A mashup of expert hot takes designed to soothe your soul, raise your spirits, and understand what the priorities are for this year’s 2023 COP.

It’s smelly, it lasts roughly 12 years in the atmosphere and has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide. Methane is an underestimated greenhouse gas produced in large part by food systems, organic waste and weirdly, cow burps. Biochemical engineer and CEO of Global Methane Hub, Marcelo Mena, joins Climate Curious to break down how we tackle this invisible climate villain. Recorded live at Climate Week NYC.

Three ways to talk about climate in a way that people care about? Focus on simplicity, humanity, and accountability. Make it real, make it regular, and always accompany it with a consequence. Says the climate marketing professor who’s delivered 3 billion ads on the topic, the founder and CEO of Potential Energy, John Marshall, all on this week’s Climate Curious.

“No-one wakes up in the morning and says it’s a great day for decarbonisation,” says climate marketer who’s delivered 3 billion ads on the topic, the founder and CEO of Potential Energy, John Marshall. Climate Curious co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst chat to John about how we can really make climate “pop”: from using real and regular messengers (not politicians) to talking more about “stopping the top 100 polluters” rather than “stopping climate change” (too vague and conceptual), John shares the effective strategies that will get people engaged and fired up to take action. And, he reveals the number one message that is most effective across all demographics. Recorded live at Climate Week NYC at TED.

“The Last of Us” thriller tv series put fungal disease in the spotlight. But how realistic is it? Thanks to our warming petri dish of a planet, the scenario isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds… Climate Curious speaks to disease detective, Neil Vora, to explain why increasing global temperatures means the emergence of new health threats is more likely.

It’s spooky season! We welcome disease detective Neil Vora to Climate Curious Live, with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to explain why ‘The Last of Us’ scenario isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds… Thanks to our warming petri dish of a planet, a fungal horror show might be on the cards! The solution? Protect biodiversity and wean ourselves off of fossil fuels so we can halt the loss of nature and slow climate change to prevent viral spillovers! Recorded live at TEDxLondon Countdown 2023 in London.

Funghi, fossil fuels, finger pointing… we spoke to four environmentalists LIVE at Climate Week NYC to get you the scoop on what’s in, and what’s out, in the world of climate.

Featuring:
Willow Defebaugh, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Atmos
Wawa Gatheru, founder of Black Girl Environmentalist
Kalpana Arias, founder of Nowadays on Earth
Isaias Hernandez, founder or Queer Brown Vegan

Want more? Listen to the full conversation:
You just heard the B-side of a panel discussion held at Climate Week NYC. Listen to the A-side over at Supersede, a podcast examining how passionate folks find their climate superpowers.
This episode was created in collaboration with the amazing folks at Seeding Sovereignty, Supersede, Queer Brown Vegan, Nowadays on Earth, all recorded live at The Symbiocene.

Climate Curious season 5 is here. Co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst sit down to digest a busy week of recording the upcoming season at Climate Week in none other than the Big Apple… New York City! Tune in to hear the major themes, what topics are coming up this season, and what the iconic duo got up to in NYC. 

ESG, net zero, decarbonisation – climate gibberish has got us in a chokehold! So how do we talk about climate change in tangible, relevant ways that gets more people to take action? Climate Curious speaks to a climate marketer who’s delivered 3 billion ads on the topic, the founder and CEO of Potential Energy, John Marshall.

This October 17th, TEDxLondon Countdown is bringing UK climate solutions to the world stage. Forget hopeless narratives, complex numbers and unreadable graphs, you’ll leave feeling empowered and inspired to kick some serious climate butt. Climate Curious speaks to TED’s youth lead Shiv Soin to learn how TED Countdown is supporting 12 TEDx events across the world. Expect local climate solutions, actions and ideas!

If you can’t imagine a future, how can you create it? The narratives we tell ourselves have a powerful role in the climate agency we feel able to take, says Pip Wheaton, Planet & Climate team at Ashoka, on Climate Curious by TEDxLondon. Tune in to learn about Pip’s latest research, giving you actionable tips on how to make climate change relevant to your audiences: making it personal, curating support, and realigning systems. Recorded live at Skoll World Forum in Oxford.

Kynan Tegar, an 18-year old filmmaker and Indigenous Dayak Iban, joins Climate Curious to unearth the truth behind Indonesia’s capital city relocation. Specifically, why the government’s move of the capital from Jakarta to Borneo – to become a so-called “sustainable forest city” – is a pipe dream. Kynan shares how the capital city move imperils his Indigenous community that has stewarded the land successfully for centuries. Recorded live at Our Village NYC Climate Week. 

Drag artist, cultural icon, and general good egg – Cheddar Gorgeous – joins Climate Curious to share why drag artistry is the perfect trojan horse for climate action. Over to Cheddar to share why drag is an incredible medium to one, create spectacle and grab awareness, and two, disrupt the master narratives that dictate our society.

Living in Chile, Catalina Santelices regularly experiences firsthand the effects of a changing climate – droughts, floods, polluted food, ruined crops. That’s why Catalina co-founded Latinas for Climate, a movement that embraces young Latina identities and perspectives in climate action. Catalina joins TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious to share what’s going on in Chile, why we need an intersectional approach to climate justice, and how you can help support Latinas championing climate via HERO | herocircle.app.

200 Farmers, 100,000 trees, 100 hectares of restored land. The Cacao Project in the Philippines is a restorative agroforestry initiative working to build climate-resilient livelihoods for farmers. Founder Louise Mabulo joins Climate Curious to share what climate resilience is, how planting toward a full moon or burying a rock under root crops for a better yield, and why invisible knowledge might hold the key to helping us adapt our ecosystems to a changing climate. Recorded live at TED Countdown Summit 2023.

Next time you look into your wardrobe instead of seeing clothes, brands, logos, maybe your favourite dress, dig a little bit deeper into the story behind the clothes. Fashion designer Amy Powney joins Climate Curious to delve into the problems surrounding our pursuit of cheap clothing, from health and pollution to landfills that are visible from space. Whether you shop at Primark or Prada, Amy shares the one key strategy everyone can apply now to make a positive impact. Recorded live at TED Countdown Summit 2023.

Xiaojun “Tom” Wang grew up in the Chinese province of Shanxi, the world’s largest coal producer. Tom joins Climate Curious to share the devastating impacts of coal mining; air pollution, landslides, acid rain, soil degradation, whilst asking, what really is China’s strategy when it comes to climate? And as the world’s largest producer of renewable technologies, how can Shanxi, and China, break free from its coal addiction? Recorded live at TED Countdown Summit 2023.

Climate success story alert! Fifteen years ago, Uruguay was experiencing an energy crisis; today, the nation produces 98 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. That’s thanks to the work of just energy transition leader, Ramón Méndez Galain and his team, a former particle physicist who charted the country’s transition to renewables as head of the country’s National Energy Agency. Ramón joins us to share how he did it, and how you can, too. This episode was recorded at TED Countdown Summit 2023.

Mini-grids, or localised renewable energy systems, are increasing energy accessibility for people across Africa, says Tombo Banda, clean energy access innovator. And with 500 million people still lacking access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa, relying instead on highly polluting materials like diesel and firewood, this climate solution will create better lives for millions of people, quickly! Tombo Banda joins TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious to break down how many countries are successfully leapfrogging to green energy solutions.

Coffee or a liveable future? You decide! Climate activists are doing one of the world’s most crucial, and dangerous jobs. So how come they don’t get paid for it? In this week’s Climate Curious, we’re talking to Mauricio Porras, co-founder of HERO | herocircle.app, which is the subscription platform providing a stable monthly income to activists on the frontlines of climate policy campaigning with the support of citizens worldwide. For the price of a grande pumpkin spice frappuccino (which we estimate to be about £6), every month, you can support climate activists around the globe who are working to secure our future.

Cheddar Gorgeous joins Climate Curious to discuss how Pride 2023 shut down big oil. Calling for people to “pump ass, not gas”, the queer community sashayed away from oily cash, and won! Cheddar explains more.

Big Oil wants you to think climate change is a lifestyle issue, says environmental campaigner Tzeporah Berman on Climate Curious. Tune in to learn why oil companies want us to sit home, blame ourselves and focus on plastic straws. Instead, let’s get curious!

This Pride, we’re talking queer ecology – gender shifting fish, intersex birds, and how trees can impregnate themselves – by revisiting our conversation in 2021 with iconic environmental and intersectional drag queen, Pattie Gonia. If you enjoyed this quickie, why not listen to Pattie’s full episode on Climate Curious – Why Mother Nature is a Drag Queen: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-mother-nature-is-a-drag-queen/

Every job can be a climate job, says Kristy Drutman the founder of Browngirl Green and the Green Jobs Board, on the Climate Curious podcast. With the potential for 24 million new green jobs to be created globally by 2030, this episode outlines some different routes for climate careers you might consider taking, and why it’s not just up to the environmentalists, engineers and scientists – there’s plenty room for everyone else, too!

Climate doom and gloom got you feeling like it’s too late? That you wouldn’t know where to start anyways? Or that you’re not an expert, so what’s the point? The narratives we tell ourselves have a powerful role in the climate agency we feel able to take, says Pip Wheaton, Planet & Climate team at Ashoka, based in New Zealand, on Climate Curious by TEDxLondon.

Your gas stove’s gotta go if you want to improve your home’s air quality and protect your health, says Manager in RMI’s Carbon-Free Buildings program, Brady Seals, on the Climate Curious podcast by TEDxLondon. Including four easy tips to reduce your gas exposure at home today: open a window, turn on your extractor fan, cook on the back burner, and get a plug in induction plate or even an air fryer!

As idyllic as looking after a biodiverse sanctuary in the Philippines sounds, it’s been no walk in the rainforest. This week on Climate Curious by TEDxLondon, we’re joined by Ann and Billie Dumaliang, co-founders of the Masungi Georeserve Foundation. Tune in to learn why nature reserves are under attack, and what you can do to support #SaveMasungi.

Exposing carbon credits, why offsetting isn’t working, with environmental justice advocate, Daze Aghaji. Ever thought it was a bit fishy that you can take a “greener” flight? Or how that corporate event in Las Vegas was magically reduced to a “net zero” impact? You’re not alone. And you’re not wrong! This week on Climate Curious, we’re discussing the murky world of carbon offsets, and why they kinda suck (right now).

B-lines aka insect superhighways are enabling bugs to zip through our cities, feasting on our window boxes, nibbling our herbs and pollinating north, south, east and west! Buglife director Paul Hetherington joins us to explain more about this climate success story, and shares why wasps deserve your love.

Teenage robotics whiz turned custodian of the oceans, Sidhant Gupta, co-founder of Clearbot is going global with his fleet of smart, waste-clearing boats to clean up and decarbonise our oceans. He speaks with TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious to share how a trip to Bali turned into a business idea strong enough to sail the seven seas!

We all know riding the tube hurts your ears (ouch) and your feet (standing room only!), but did you know that it may also be hurting your lungs? Tune in to Climate Curious to discover how Tanya Beri, founder at CAIR London, is helping reduce air pollution exposure for London Underground users, plus the best tube line she recommends you ride.

Which fashion companies come top (and bottom) of the Fossil Free Fashion Scorecard? The average grade is a D, says Rachel Kitchin, a campaigner at Stand.Earth on TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious. Tune in to see how you can make more than just a fashion statement with your style choices!

Good news – the solutions we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the IPCC’s targets are all invented and available today, says Anand Gopal, the Executive Director of Policy Research at Energy Innovation on TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious. If you’re looking for a solutions-focused debrief of the intense IPCC report published last week, you’re in the right place!

What hope can we take from the intense IPCC report released this week? Climate Curious spoke to five experts to compile our first ever mixtape! A mashup of expert hot takes designed to soothe your soul and raise your spirits. As Isaias Hernandez puts it, “Evidence based hope is not just this wishful type of thinking. It’s actually rooted in this continued momentum of progress that is being made.”

Featuring contributions from:
Mark Dyson, RMI
Isaias Hernandez, environmental educator
Tessa Khan, Uplift
Jessica Kleczka, climate psychologist
Dr. Faith Mwangi Powell, Girls Not Brides

It’s confirmed – players say they want more green content, says Deborah Mensah-Bonsu, the founder of Games for Good on TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious. With more than 3 billion gamers on the planet, plus a tonne of green themed content, tune in to explore the ways in which people are playing for the planet, and how games can help us change the world for the better, together.

Space trash could impact our ability to gather climate data, says former NASA astronaut, Kathy Sullivan, on TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious. As fellow crew members on the spaceship that is planet Earth, tune in to learn about intergalactic waste, why space-based observations are crucial for climate action, and if Kesller syndrome could affect earth’s orbit.

From protecting ancient forests against HS2 to standing up to the CEO of Shell, Scottish #StopRosebank climate campaigner Lauren MacDonald knows a thing or two about climate protest. They join TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious to share why all climate action is equal – it’s the taking part that matters most.

If you’re climate curious, tune in to a one-off special guided meditation with Sister True Dedication, a Zen Buddhist Nun ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh. Whether you’re sitting on a bus, walking down the street or lying on your sofa, take a pause to breathe and be with the environment you find around you. Inhale… exhale… headphones in.

Mindfulness, meditation and active listening can help us take more nourishing climate action, says Sister True Dedication, a Zen Buddhist Nun ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh on TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious. Tune in to learn why good vibes energy is actually the first step to taking impactful climate action – who knew!?

How diverse and inclusive really is the climate sector? Could be better, says Andres Jimenez, executive director at Green 2.0. Tune in to this week’s Climate Quickie to hear some pretty juicy findings from their latest research which shares how diversity, equity and inclusion is going inside some of the big environmental NGOs and foundations. Or not, as you’ll discover…

How do we totally rethink our relationship with food, on a systems level? Not just thinking about what’s on our plate, but creating a consistent global food supply where no-one goes hungry? To share some ideas is Dr. Zitouni Ould-Dada, the Deputy Director in the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. In conversation with Climate Curious co-hosts Ben Hurst and Maryam Pasha at Climate Week NYC, he explains how reconnecting with the basics can lead to better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.

Climate can feel dull, depressing and doomsdayish. And no wonder! Given how bad climate news tends to be. Enter Jessica Kleczka, the climate psychologist, activist and educator behind ‘Positive Climate News’ – a weekly online series highlighting climate wins from around the world. Tune in to learn how focussing on the climate positives can help us hack our psychological hardwiring.

We spend 90% of our lives inside buildings, so why do think of mountains and lakes, not induction hobs and heat pumps, when it comes to taking climate action? Here to explain why electrification is the most cost-effective way to decarbonise your building is Stephanie Greene, RMI’s Managing Director of Carbon-Free Buildings Program. From saving you money, to giving you a better quality of life, tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to learn why electrified buildings are a win for our health, our finances, and the planet.

Eco-art isn’t about painting, it’s about engaging others to paint a better world, says eco-artist and former lawyer Xavier Cortada. Facing rising sea levels in his coastal hometown of Miami, Florida, Xavier started a movement around beautifully designed elevation markers highlighting the risk of flood damage. Tune into Climate Curious to understand how a creative vision can engage, educate and empower.

Energy bills making you feel climate furious? Here to debunk how electricity is made and why gas prices have gone crazy recently is Mark Dyson, a Managing Director with the Carbon-Free Electricity Program at RMI. In conversation live from Climate Week NYC with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst, Mark shares why he’s 10 out of 10 sure that we can make a just transition to carbon-free electricity using wind and solar power, why coal-plants are dying but they’re not dead yet, and what a carbon-free future looks like.

Happy Veganuary! Isaias Hernandez, content creator @queerbrownvegan, joins Climate Curious to explore how we can make the plant-based movement more inclusive and accessible, shares tips for how you can take small steps to creatively redesign your relationship with food, and reveals their favourite Mexican vegan dish. Yum.

Pacific Islanders are calling for a climate victim overhaul. Tired of the doomism, typically depicted in global media as moments away from total inundation or annihilation – climate vulnerable nations are doing the most to ensure a carbon-free future. We speak to Josephine Latu-Sanft, a communications specialist and native Tongan to learn more about how we can all play our part in actively shifting the narrative and passing the mic back to those directly affected by climate change in the Global South.

In this week’s climate quickie, we hear from Josephine Latu-Sanft, an international communications expert and native Tongan on why climate doomism needs a reset. Being from a climate-vulnerable nation herself – the South Pacific Island of Tonga – Josephine shares the impact of being depicted in global media as powerless victims, moments away from total inundation or annihilation, and how we can reframe the representation of climate-vulnerable communities.

TV addicts rejoice! Climate action is coming to a screen near you. Well, your living room to be exact. From series and films to writers and production, Netflix is getting serious about climate action. Here to share why culture and entertainment is key to gaining mass engagement with climate change is Netflix’s Sustainability Officer, Emma Stewart. Live from Climate Week NYC, tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to learn how Netflix is working with creators to bring eco entertainment into everyday life, plus a watch-list of Emma’s top green premise shows.

UK energy bills are some of the highest in the world right now. How did we get here? Tune in with Climate Curious expert, Tessa Khan, the founder and director of Uplift, on why reducing our dependence on fossil fuels can solve the cost-of-greed crisis.

This January, ditch the deprivation and build a wellbeing economy. Good for you, good for your loved ones, good for the planet. Activist and philosopher Liz Zeidler joins Climate Curious’ Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to share what a wellbeing economy is, why it’s an urgently needed sustainable model that can help us reverse climate change, and how you can get involved.

How to solve a man-made problem? Gender equality! Tune in with Climate Curious expert, Dr. Amiera Sawas, the Director of Programmes and Research at Climate Outreach to understand how climate change affects genders differently.

Why the blame game won’t work in climate and what to say instead during those pesky holiday season climate conversations, with atmospheric scientist, author, TED speaker and one of TIME’s 100 most influential people, Katharine Hayhoe on the Climate Curious podcast by TEDxLondon.

Young people aren’t just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to climate action, they should be picking the puzzle, says Shiv Soin, Executive Director of Treeage and the Youth Lead at TED Countdown. On this week’s Climate Curious tune in with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to discover how youth-led climate action truly is the future (yes, it’s cliché, but it’s true!), how making our cities liveable and healthy inspires him, and how he’s connecting youth organisers all over the world to strengthen the movement.

86% of everything trapped in our atmosphere comes from three things: oil, gas, and coal AKA fossil fuels, so why has the phrase been strangely invisible in global climate negotiation and climate policy? Here to explain is Tzeporah Berman, the chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty Initiative.

Dough, dosh, moolah: we all want it. But how can it benefit both our wallet, and the wider world? Here to share the answer is Anneka Deva, the lead at Money Movers. Tune in to learn how she’s helping create a movement of over 30,000 women to move 1 billion pounds for climate action.

Money makes the world go round. But when it comes to women, we’re not engaging with one of the most powerful climate actions out there: our finances. A story of gender equity and climate justice in action, this week’s Climate Curious by TEDxLondon shares how Anneka Deva is growing Money Movers, a movement of 1000s of women coming together around dinner tables and Zoom rooms to help each other move their money for the planet. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to learn how Anneka hopes to collaborate with women to shift £1billion to green investments by 2030 and show that women can be a powerful force for climate action.

We all know we’re in a climate emergency, but what’s the timeline looking like? Here to share a prediction of what the next seven years will look like is Mark Campanale, the founder of non-profit think tank, Carbon Tracker Initiative. Tune in to learn how we can solve this, and why there’s so much to look forward to in our lifetime, including free energy!

A ‘list to rule all lists’ is helping citizens and organisations hold polluters, governments and greenwashers accountable, says Carbon Tracker’s executive director Rob Schuwerk on TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious. Data, transparency, accountability – we’ve all heard the buzzwords – but this initiative actually gives us some serious teeth to cut through endless pledges, dreamy statements and downright greenwashing. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to learn why polluters like to keep people in the dark, how open-sourced data can help us hold harmful players to account, and why the end is in sight for fossil fuels. Bye bye big oil!

Ever feel totally overwhelmed by the climate crisis, and like it’s too complicated an issue to solve? That’s because it’s a wicked problem: an interdependent problem that can feel impossible to solve. TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious podcast catches up with neuroscientist specialising in polarisation, Dr. Kris De Meyer, about what a wicked problem is, and how it can make you feel like you can’t drive change, all in under 5-minutes!

Imagine a more equitable and diverse future, one in which both people and planet are thriving. That’s intersectional environmentalism! In this week’s Climate Quickie Leah Thomas the founder of Intersectional Environmentalist joins us to break down what the movement’s about, and how you can get involved, live from TED Countdown.

Current extreme weather events are contributing to higher prevalence of child marriage, says Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell, CEO of Girls Not Brides on the latest Climate Curious by TEDxLondon. Picture this – there’s a heatwave, followed by a drought, your cows have nothing to drink, your crops fail, you’ve got six mouths to feed, and no income. The only option to survive? Finding a husband for one of your daughters in exchange for a bride price. Tune in with co-hosts Ben Hurst and Daze Aghaji to learn why 12 million girls globally are married below the age of 18, how the three Cs – climate change, covid and conflict – are making the situation worse, and how education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet for child marriage.

Climate change is increasing the incidence of child marriages, shares this week’s quickie expert Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell the CEO of Girls Not Brides. Tune in to discover how globally, every year, 12 million girls are married below the age of 18. That’s one girl every three seconds. And why crop failure, drought and extreme weather is pushing families to look for income outside their natural resources.

Who runs the world? Girls! Who doesn’t have ownership of natural resources or positions of power? Girls! Intersecting dynamics between gender, race and class make women and girls more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, says Dr Amiera Sawas, Director of Programmes and Research at Climate Outreach on the Climate Curious podcast. Tune in with co-hosts Ben Hurst and Daze Aghaji to learn how diversifying climate leadership and increasing local-led solutions is the first step for both climate and gender equality action, how female leadership is proven to improve climate outcomes, and the surprisingly simple way we can solve this man-made problem.

Big BOSS states – big ocean sustainable states – are calling for action, recognition and reparations at the upcoming COP27 Sharm el-Sheik. This is part of a broader conversation around why and how we need to reframe the representation of climate-vulnerable communities, and what they want to see from this year’s COP. Here to break it down is our quickie expert, Josephine Latu-Sanft, a communications specialist and native Tongan.

Intersectional environmentalism is a growing movement – but what exactly is it? And why is it vital? Leah Thomas aka Intersectional Environmentalist joins TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious to share the ways in which identity, race, class and gender impacts everyone’s experience with the natural world around you. And how it helps us dismantle systems of oppression to protect people and planet. Tune in with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to discover which social justice movement inspired Leah to write her debut novel, why being an black, female influencer is weaponised against her, and how she’s making environmental education accessible to all.

Everyone’s talking about COP27, but what is it? To clear up the confusion we’re joined by this week’s Quickie expert, Helen Clarkson, CEO at Climate Group. Live from Climate Week NYC, tune in to understand what the focus is for this year’s United Nations ‘Conference of the Parties’, what a good outcome looks like, and why now’s the time to deliver on the $100 billion of climate finance pledged at COP26 that’s yet to be seen…

A grassroots people powered movement has transformed how electricity is made in the US, away from the most carbon intensive fossil fuel, coal, toward renewable energy, shares this week’s Climate Curious expert, Mary Anne Hitt, Senior Director at Climate Imperative. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to hear Mary Anne’s story of extraordinary grit and tenacious dedication to help build one of the most successful climate movements of our time. Over the course of a decade, the campaign, ‘Beyond Coal’, triumphed in securing the retirement of two thirds of the coal plants – from 530 to 172 – the lion’s share of the greenhouse gas reductions in the US. As Mary Anne says, “it gave me a huge appreciation for how much is possible and how much we actually can change the world.” Win, win, win!

A just transition means a fair transition. But when the Global North has benefitted from 150 years of fossil fuels, is it fair to deny the Global South the same opportunities? To share a vision of how developing countries can leap frog to a carbon-free energy is this week’s Quickie expert, Akil Callender, a youth specialist at Sustainable Energy For All. Live from TED Countdown, tune in to learn about the key points when it comes to this mind-blowingly unfair ethical dilemma, and how financing and technology transfer can help get us there.

Join Climate Curious Live: https://tedxlondon.com/climate-curious-live/

A storm-proof megawatt solar farm is helping communities hit by hurricanes get back on their feet more quickly – thanks to reliable energy supply. And with Hurricane Fiona hitting Puerto Rico five years to the day after the devastating Hurricane Maria, which killed nearly 3,000 people and caused the longest power blackout in US history, we know we need to build resilience to these increasingly incurring extreme weather events, fast. Here to share the details of how we do that is this week’s Climate Curious expert Justin Locke, the Managing Director of RMI’s Global South Program. Tune in with Ben Hurst and Maryam Pasha live from Climate Week NYC to learn how solar farms can stop hospitals losing power during hurricanes, how clean energy creates 7.6 new jobs for every million dollars invested, and why grandmas are the real hub of knowledge in any community.

Join Climate Curious Live: https://tedxlondon.com/climate-curious-live/

Not your everyday office job – climate journos are out in the field, asking awkward questions and coming up against some of the most powerful voices in the world. To share a snapshot of a ‘day in the life of a climate reporter’, we’re joined by this week’s Quickie expert, Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME magazine covering climate change. Live from TED Countdown, tune in to learn what it’s like to be a climate journalist, the most impactful stories he’s covered, and some of the dangers involved in this sort of work.

Find your joy to save the planet, says Dominique Palmer, a 22-year-old climate activist, storyteller, model and organiser of Climate Live, and member of Fridays for Future and the Bad Activist Collective. Why joy? Joy is key to making the climate movement more sustainable. Because joy in itself IS sustainable! In conversation with Climate Curious co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst, Dominique shares why art and culture is the only way to change behaviour and society, why the climate fight is a crisis of connection and community, and what it really feels like to stand up to oil executives and heads of state.

Nuclear energy gets a bad rap, but is it deserved? To clear up the confusion we’re joined by this week’s Quickie expert, Mark Dyson, a Managing Director with the Carbon-Free Electricity Program at RMI (formerly Rocky Mountain Institute). Live from Climate Week NYC, tune in to understand how nuclear stacks up against oil, gas, coal, wind, and solar power as an energy source, and whether it’s part of an affordable, carbon-free energy future.

How do we measure the success of climate action if we don’t have timely data? That’s the question Lekha Sridhar, Senior Policy Analyst and Climate TRACE set out to answer. Building a satellite and AI-powered dataset to help identify where precisely emissions are coming from, it’s helping countries, governments and companies to then reduce them. On the latest Climate Curious by TEDxLondon, tune in with Ben Hurst and Maryam Pasha live from Climate Week NYC to discover which greenhouse gases are worse than others, how satellite imagery is helping us to identify observable signals of once invisible emissions, and why this isn’t just an exercise to identify the ‘bad guys’ – transparency and accountability helps us all create a better future.

We’re all partial to a bit of Netflix and chill, but what if maxing and relaxing could also save the world? To share some hot off the press green Netflix recommendations is this week’s Quickie expert, Emma Stewart, Netflix’s Sustainability Officer. Live from Climate Week NYC, tune in to understand why climate content isn’t just about polar bears, and how Netflix is working with creators to bring eco entertainment into everyday life. Pass us the popcorn!

You know what they say about greenwashing: “you know it when you see it”. But how do we move beyond it? We speak to the CEO cracking the climate whip by building influential networks and holding organisations accountable – Helen Clarkson from Climate Group. She shares how big business can be at the forefront of climate action – but only if they up their pace, scale and urgency. Tune in to Climate Curious from Climate Week NYC with co-hosts Ben Hurst and Maryam Pasha to get a grip on the climate levers that big businesses pull behind the scenes, what dynamic capitalism is (hint: collaboration not cannibalism), and a look inside the organisation uniting businesses to drive demand on a global, systems level. Ultimately? It’s about building economic systems for change. Now that’s something we can get behind! Let’s get down to business.

Read the summary article: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/how-to-go-beyond-greenwashing/

The world’s youngest policy maker Scarlett Westbrook joins us for this week’s Climate Quickie to share the story behind how she built the Climate Education Bill. Tune in to hear the awe-inspiring student demanding for schools to teach climate ABCs. How it all started? A self-taught A-Level course in government politics.

Defunding big oil is our best shot at forcing change, says Mark Campanale, the founder of non-profit think tank, Carbon Tracker Initiative. Tune in to Climate Curious live from The Conduit in London with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Clover Hogan to connect the dots between finance and climate change, why investors and banks own climate change because they own the fossil fuel system, and how you can use your own money (bank account, pension, insurance policies) to drive change.

Buy your tickets for TEDxLondon’s Beyond Borders, October 2nd: https://tedxlondon.com/bb2022/

Care about the world, but find the climate conversation, well, a bit, meh? You’re not alone. Your brain isn’t optimised to process the climate crisis, but finding a personal connection with it can make it easier, says neuroscientist Dr Kris De Meyer. Tune in to this week’s Climate Quickie to understand the psychology of climate change and unleash your inner activist.

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to the full Climate Curious episode with Kris on ‘Why there’s much more to climate action than reducing your carbon footprint’: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-theres-much-more-to-climate-action-than-reducing-your-carbon-footprint/

Grab your tickets for TEDxLondon, October 2nd: https://tedxlondon.com/bb2022/

Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels can solve the cost of living crisis, says Tessa Khan, a lawyer, campaigner, strategist and founder and director of Uplift. Tune in to Climate Curious live from The Conduit in London with our special guest co-host Clover Hogan and our fave Maryam Pasha to join the dots between the climate crisis and the fuel poverty crisis, understand the context of what’s led us to this point, and moving forward, how we can escape fossil fuel dependency. And with wind and solar energy currently nine times cheaper than gas, there’s no shortage of solutions! As Tessa explains, “I think everyone is reckoning with the fact that fossil fuels are really screwing us in so many different ways. And there’s never been a better moment to make the argument that we’ve got to get off them.”

Read the summary blog here: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/how-to-solve-the-cost-of-living-crisis-tessa-khan/

If you enjoyed this chat, you’ll enjoy our past episode on ‘Why fossil fuels are the new weapons of mass destruction’: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-fossil-fuels-are-the-new-weapons-of-mass-destruction/

We’ve all heard of meatless meats, but what exactly are they and how are they made? To put the patty in the bun is this week’s Quickie expert, Sonalie Figueiras, founder and editor-in-chief of Green Queen Media. Tune in to understand the three ways alternative proteins are created, and how such innovative methods can ensure a healthier, safer and more sustainable approach to food. Without compromising on our favourite foods – yay!

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to our episode on how seaweed reduces cow burps: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-seaweed-reduces-cow-burps/

Grab your ticket for TEDxLondon, October 2nd: https://tedxlondon.com/bb2022/

A circular plastics system is helping people make low carbon choices on the daily, thanks to ‘the plastics man’ Peter Goult, a Programme Director at SYSTEMIQ. A story of climate innovation, pragmatism and optimism in action, this week’s freshly wrapped (biodegradable obvs) Climate Curious by TEDxLondon is a celebration of how life could be better in plastic, if we remake the system. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from New York Times’ Climate Forward event at The Conduit in London to learn about what plastic is made from, why we don’t recycle a whopping 91% of it, and how Peter hopes to create a net zero plastics system by eliminating unnecessary plastic, substituting, recycling, and investing in ground-breaking chemical recycling methods.

Read the summary blog here: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/how-life-in-plastic-can-still-be-fantastic/

Love, duty and care are climate’s secret weapon, says Daze Aghaji, a 22-year-old climate justice activist and artist on the Climate Curious podcast by TEDxLondon. We’ve all seen the ‘soft life’ trend on TikTok this summer, but to what extent can you apply that self-care thinking to your relationship with the planet? Daze suggests: all of it! Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst from New York Times’ Climate Forward event as we ask, is it time to enter your climate activist soft era? As Daze explains, “in these systems of abuse: no-one wins.”

Read the summary blog: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/how-to-act-from-a-place-of-climate-love-not-climate-fear/

Creativity can help us demand clean air, says founder of creative industry alliance COPI Humphrey Milles on the latest episode of Climate Curious by TEDxLondon. Its most effective campaign to date? A postcode checker alerting people to levels of pollution at any UK address, hitting property owners where it hurts most – their wallets! Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from The Conduit in London to learn how creative people can unite to drive climate action, why air pollution is a good entry point issue for climate newbies (hint: it’s a health issue), and although London’s toxic air is off the charts, it’s not an insurmountable challenge (yay!).

Get a free air quality report for your address: https://addresspollution.org/

Read the summary blog: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/why-creativity-is-climates-uncut-gem/

An invisible killer; air pollution is a hard topic to drive action around. But 19-year old co-founder of Choked Up Destiny Boka Batesa found a way. Launching a hard-hitting air pollution campaign, they made national news, sparking a UK-wide conversation about how inequality affects the air we breathe. And they’re not stopping there – now, they’re pushing for laws to enshrine our right to clean air. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from The Conduit in London to discover what environmental racism looks like, how you can be a climate campaigner and still shop at Urban Outfitters, and why, even though this is a question of survival, it’s not too late. As Destiny says, “it’s really nice and refreshing to feel like you can do the right thing.”

Read our summary blog: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/how-inequality-affects-the-air-we-breathe-2/

Buy your ticket to join our next Climate Curious Live event in London, September 5th: https://tedxlondon.com/climate-curious-live/

The category is: climate realness. As part of a Pride Climate Curious series featuring guest co-host, Jamie Windust, we hear from the co-founders of PermaQueer Guy Ritani and Toad about the systemic resilience that their queer, permaculture community has built, and what this approach can teach the mainstream climate movement. As Guy tells us, “queerness is the growing vital edge of regeneration, love and care.” Tune in with co-hosts Ben Hurst and Jamie Windust as they discuss the unexpected luxuriousness of dumpster diving, why we need more grassroots community projects, and why queerness – meaning an ever-evolving state of innovation and creativity – is essential for the systemic overhaul this planet so desperately needs!

Read our summary blog: Read more in our summary blog: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-what-queerness-can-teach-the-climate-movement/

“I created Queer Brown Vegan because my queerness has been something that I really have often hidden away in environmental research”, says Isaias Hernandez, an environmental educator, explaining how male, pale and stale climate spaces gatekeep the climate movement – but now – thanks to Isaias and others like them – that’s changing.

Tune in to hear their experiences of reshaping the professional and digital creative climate space to be something entirely more inclusive, and engaging.

Enjoyed this quickie? Why not listen to Isaias’s full episode on Climate Curious – Why Climate Has a Youthwashing Problem: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-climate-has-a-youthwashing-problem/

This Pride, we’re revisiting a Quickie with iconic environmental and intersectional drag queen, Pattie Gonia. They give us a quick introduction to queer ecology – we’re talking gender shifting fish, intersex birds, and even how trees can impregnate themselves. Yep – queerness is natural!

Tune in to discover why queer ecology is so much more than “gay dolphins in the ocean”. Instead, “queerness is just the oddity in this world to problem solve, no matter what, to almost be different, and to bring beauty and brilliance to that “, they say.

If you enjoyed this quickie, why not listen to Pattie’s full episode on Climate Curious – Why Mother Nature is a Drag Queen: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-mother-nature-is-a-drag-queen/

“You need to understand you are much, much more powerful than the head of any big organisation that does not know how to sing and dance properly,” says Kumi Naidoo, a South African human rights and environmental activist, explaining how we can use our creative talents to drive climate action.

Artivism in a nutshell? Don’t project your consciousness on the people that you’re trying to organise, Kumi explains. You need to come from a common place of understanding, and inspire them!

Enjoyed this quickie? Why not listen to Kumi’s full episode on Climate Curious – How culture can help us win the climate war.

Part 1: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-culture-can-help-us-win-the-climate-war-part-1/

Part 2: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-culture-can-help-us-win-the-climate-war-part-2/

“It’s not a story that gets told very often… about former colonial peoples standing up against the oil industry,” says Melinda Janki, the environmental lawyer taking on Exxon Mobil in one of South America’s most beautiful nature spots, Guyana. In this Climate Quickie, we learn about what’s going on in Guyana, and why deep sea oil drilling a carbon sink (i.e. a country which removes more carbon than it produces) is straight up “crazy”.

Enjoyed this quickie? Why not listen to Melinda’s full episode on Climate Curious – How the Guyanese people are fighting big oil: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-guyanese-people-fighting-big-oil/

Hear about how you take on a government and win in this week’s Climate Quickie with legal powerhouse and founding CEO of ClientEarth, James Thornton. We revisit the clip where he shares his story about shutting down coal fired power stations in Poland, one lawsuit at a time. Pretty inspiring stuff!

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to our full-length chat with James on why the law can save the planet: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-the-law-can-save-the-planet/

This Earth Day, take a step back from the noise and check-in with yourself. As climate change becomes more of a living reality, more and more of us are experiencing eco-anxiety, says 22-year-old activist Clover Hogan. In this week’s Climate Quickie we revisit a clip where she shares advice of how she catalysed her own eco-anxiety to step-up, not shut down in the face of climate change.

If you enjoyed this Quickie why not listen to the full episode with Clover: why you feel anxious about climate change (and what to do about it): https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-you-feel-anxious-about-climate-change-and-what-to-do-about-it/

Climate justice cannot happen without racial justice, says Member of Parliament for Tottenham and Foreign Shadow Secretary David Lammy on this week’s Climate Quickie. We’re revisiting Lammy’s episode where he explains why it’s vital for us to connect the dots between climate and racial justice, referring back to industrialisation’s exploitative past, and policies today which see black and brown people bearing the brunt of rising sea-levels, hotter temperatures and polluted air in cities.

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to our full-length chat with Lammy on the Climate Curious podcast: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-climate-justice-cant-happen-without-racial-justice/

It turns out there are big health issues sitting in your kitchen: in your gas stove. Nobody would burn coal in their kitchen without a chimney, so why are we burning gas in our homes without one? In this Climate Quickie we catch up with Executive Directive at Climate Imperative, Bruce Nilles, about the everyday household gas appliances that are damaging our health.

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to our full-length chat with Bruce on why your gas stove has to go: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-your-gas-stove-has-to-go/

Dry science, boring monologues, scary stats? Think again. In this week’s Climate Quickie, we get the low-down from Ben and Maryam on what really goes down at a climate conference. Tune in for a quick behind-the-scenes tour of TED Countdown 2021; the week which introduced Climate Curious to so many new amazing people, inspiring ideas, and fuelled our most intersectional season to date.

Read the summary blog of season 3 highlights: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/best-of-season-3-climate-curious/

Ben Hurst and Maryam Pasha take a look back on their favourite moments of Climate Curious Season 3 by TEDxLondon. This episode provides a handy overview of some of the most powerful insights and conversations from the series recorded at TED Countdown. Get up to speed on what you missed, or refresh your memory on some of the most jaw-dropping moments yet.

Read the summary blog: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/best-of-season-3-climate-curious/

The end of polluting exhaust pipes is within sight, but it all depends on the actions we take together, says clean transportation expert, Anthony Eggert. Arguably one of the climate movement’s biggest success stories, electric vehicles, and the industrial sized batteries that power them, are fast-tracking us to a cleaner, quieter, healthier future. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown for this good news episode where we learn why 100% electric road transportation will benefit our climate, health, justice, and economy, how it will soon become a cheaper choice than petrol vehicles, and what an electrified Rolls Royce might look like.

Read the summary blog to get the highlights: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-the-ev-dream-is-becoming-a-reality/

If you enjoyed this episode, listen to our chat back in season one with electrification advocate and TED speaker, Monica Araya, on why we must ditch the tailpipe: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-our-cities-must-ditch-the-exhaust-pipe/

The fossil fuel industry wants you to think climate change is a lifestyle issue, says anti-fossil fuel environmental campaigner, Tzeporah Berman, in our latest Climate Quickie. Tune in to learn why oil companies want us to sit home, blame ourselves and focus on plastic straws.

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to our full-length chat with Tzeporah on why fossil fuels are the weapons of mass destruction – everyone has them, but nobody needs them: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-fossil-fuels-are-the-new-weapons-of-mass-destruction/

“Cutting methane is the single fastest, most effective opportunity to reduce climate change risks in the near term,” says atmospheric scientist Ilissa Ocko on the latest Climate Curious by TEDxLondon. That’s because methane doesn’t hang around like other greenhouse gases – but it does pack a powerful punch – so reducing it means we could slow down the rate of warming by as much as 30 percent, before 2050 – yay! Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to discover the three biggest causes of methane emissions, why methane behaves differently to carbon dioxide and why it matters, and most excitingly, get introduced to the methane satellite Ilissa’s team is launching this year – MethaneSAT.

Read the summary blog of this episode to get the highlights: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-reducing-methane-is-the-ultimate-climate-hack/

Watch Ilissa’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/ilissa_ocko_the_fastest_way_to_slow_climate_change_now

A greenhouse-in-a-box is helping small-scale farmers yield more dependable and successful crops in India, thanks to TED Fellow and green farming innovator, Sathya Raghu Mokkapati. A story of equity and climate justice in action, this week’s uplifting Climate Curious by TEDxLondon is a celebration of how an easy-to-build, low-cost structure is helping farmers earn an extra $100 per month in profits. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to learn about why farmers in India perceive climate change as an act of God, how practical and simple solutions can sometimes be the best, and how Sathya hopes to reach 100,000 farmers in the next five years.

Read the summary blog to get the highlights: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-what-farmers-in-india-are-doing-to-protect-their-crops-from-heat-waves/

Why the blame game won’t work in climate and what to say instead, with atmospheric scientist, author, TED speaker and one of TIME’s 100 most influential people, Katharine Hayhoe.

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to our full-length chat with Katharine on why talking is the most important thing you can do to fight climate change: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-talking-is-the-most-important-thing-you-can-do-to-fight-climate-change/

Wanna make big bucks? Invest in climate positive companies, says Silicon Valley climate tech investor, Gabriel Kra, on the latest episode of Climate Curious by TEDxLondon. Once seen as lame, low return investment options, climate tech companies are having a major comeback. So much so, that they’re now the highest return businesses to invest in – let’s get that moolah! Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to smash through the fossil fuel investing myth, learn how we’re all affected by it (hint – your pension), and why Gabriel believes this is “the greatest business opportunity of our generation.”

Read the summary blog to get the highlights: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-climate-tech-got-its-sexy-back/

Watch Gabriel’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/gabriel_kra_5_promising_factors_propelling_climate_action

How to fix climate change? Start by having a good old chit chat about it, says atmospheric scientist, author, TED speaker and one of TIME’s 100 most influential people, Katharine Hayhoe. Tune in to the latest episode of Climate Curious by TEDxLondon to discover actionable tools to having a productive chinwag about climate change, which she tells us is really as simple as one, two, three… connect, bond, and inspire. From avoiding gloom and doom facts, to simply leaving the climate deniers behind, this episode with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst will equip you with buckets of hope and healing! As Katharine puts it, “talking catalyses action – it’s the first domino that then leads us all the way to a better future.”

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-talking-is-the-most-important-thing-you-can-do-to-fight-climate-change/

“We’ve just been talking about the ocean as a victim, but I believe that it’s part of the solution,” says ocean adviser for the UN, Susan Ruffo, on the latest episode of Climate Curious by TEDxLondon. They provide half of the oxygen we breathe, absorb almost a third of the world’s carbon and cover 71% of the planet. But, Susan argues, oceans get surprisingly little air time in the climate conversation. And given how many solutions its unexplored depths might provide to climate problems – that needs to change. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to learn about why we must think of the ocean differently, what changing the chemistry of the ocean means for the creatures living in it, how oyster reefs are being used to reduce the threat of flooding and more.

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-oceans-are-heroes-not-victims/

“It’s impossible to have healthy people on a sick planet,” says climate and health campaigner Shweta Narayan, on the latest episode of Climate Curious by TEDxLondon. Shweta introduces a new perspective: by viewing climate change through the lens of the Hippocratic Oath — an ancient set of ethical standards sworn by physicians (and no, it has nothing to do with hippos!)— every person has a role to play in the climate fight. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to learn about why how we must focus on “first doing no harm” before anything else, how we cannot put a cost on our ability to simply breathe clean air, and how her four dogs are her secret weapon to avoiding eco-burnout.

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-the-climate-crisis-is-a-health-crisis/

Watch Shweta’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/shweta_narayan_it_s_impossible_to_have_healthy_people_on_a_sick_planet

Gassy cows no more – Ermias Kebreab, animal scientist and TED speaker shares how feeding cows seaweed reduces their methane filled burps on the latest episode of the Climate Curious podcast by TEDxLondon. Tune in with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to learn why stopping eating meat and dairy is not an option for most people in the world, how approaching food with a different sort of sustainability mindset is key, and why we already have the solutions we need – it’s right there, in that slimy smelly stuff wrapped around our ankles at the beach – seaweed! As this visionary Burger King puts it, “it’s a win, win, win situation.” Even Ben says he’s “feeling really, really, really encouraged.” Kerching! We’ve hit the climate jackpot this week.

If you want to look after the planet, first of all, you need to look after yourself. We catch up with anti-fossil fuel environmental campaigner, Tzeporah Berman, on how to take care of your mental health, when it feels like the world is literally crumbling!

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to our full-length chat with Tzeporah on why fossil fuels are the weapons of mass destruction – everyone has them, but nobody needs them: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-fossil-fuels-are-the-new-weapons-of-mass-destruction/

Youthwashing is the latest corporate eco marketing strategy. But young climate activists aren’t falling for it, says environmental educator Isaias Hernandez, aka @QueerBrownVegan on the latest episode of the Climate Curious podcast by TEDxLondon. In a bid to try and clean up their image, multinational businesses (usually with a vested interest in fossil fuels), feature WAY too many young faces in their ads… and we’re over it. In this chat with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst, learn what institutionalised racism feels like in the climate movement (from someone on the inside), why we need to push for multigenerational wisdom as opposed to piling the pressure on young people to save the world, and how foraging for mushrooms is the perfect eco self-care activity to try today. Tune in to learn why climate has a #youthwashing problem.

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-climate-has-a-youthwashing-problem/

Check out Isaias’ page, @queerbrownvegan: https://queerbrownvegan.com/

Cities — if they are designed to be sustainable, equitable and joyous — are the best hope for humanity, says architect, author and TED speaker, Vishaan Chakrabarti, on the latest episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious. This self-confessed city-lover aka ‘Professor Skyscraper’ is putting the joy back into our cities by designing communities that are cheaper to live in, easier to get around, and offer more collective, inter-generational and diverse living. Vishaan shares his vision for changing the narrative when it comes to ‘green cities’ – think less urban parks and more clean electrical grids and goldilocks homes – not too big, not too small – just right! Tune in with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to learn why cities, as Vishaan puts it, are a bit like acupuncture; “a small move can make a really big difference.”

Read more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-cities-are-redefining-what-it-means-to-be-green/

Watch Vishaan’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/vishaan_chakrabarti_a_vision_of_sustainable_housing_for_all_of_humanity

Everyone’s talking about COP26, but what is it? We sit down with Rt Hon. David Lammy MP, to get a 5-minute explainer on what this curious ‘COP’ is, which according to Lammy, is actually quite like a “festival” – count us in!

Tune in to discover what really goes on at the ‘Conference of The Parties’, and why so much hinges on the 26th meeting this year in Glasgow. ​​

Enjoyed this quickie? Listen to our full-length chat with David Lammy MP from Season 1 on why climate justice can’t happen without racial justice: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-climate-justice-cant-happen-without-racial-justice/

In what world would stockpiling something so deadly it threatens the future of human survival on planet Earth, make sense? Yep, that’s right, THIS planet! We’re currently on track to produce 120% more oil, coal and gas (aka fossil fuels) in the next decade than the world can ever burn. So why are we still stockpiling it? In this jaw-dropping episode of Climate Curious by TEDxLondon, environmental campaigner, Tzeporah Berman, reveals the shocking grip the fossil fuel industry has on our governments, economies, societies… and even our minds, and what we can do to fight back. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst live from TED Countdown to learn about how we can think and act more like citizens and less like consumers, why fossil fuel polluters want us to feel guilty about our lifestyle choices, how ‘groupthink’ made us all focus on emissions instead of production, and as Tzeporah puts it, why “we don’t need better light bulbs, we need better laws.”

Read more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-fossil-fuels-are-the-new-weapons-of-mass-destruction/

Watch Tzeporah’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/tzeporah_berman_the_global_treaty_to_phase_out_fossil_fuels

Sign the Fossil Fuel Non-ProliferationTreaty: https://fossilfueltreaty.org/

We’re back! Launching October 27, co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst give a sneak peek of the climate goodies we’ll be sharing in Season 3 of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious, recorded live from TED’s Countdown event in Edinburgh.

From protesting on the front lines against the apartheid in South Africa to sitting in the boardrooms of global climate change and human rights organisations, Kumi Naidoo is a lifelong activist with a tonne of experience in how to make people in power sit up and take notice. The only way? Through music, dance, culture – ‘artivism’, says Kumi, in this week’s Climate Quickie.

“When I started as a 15 year old, I had an intuitive sense of injustice. […] What I learned in the first sort of 10 years of my activism was probably the most instructive. I wish I had hung on to some of the core lessons even stronger than I did. But I got contaminated a little bit along the way, by the idea of doing things where you had big logos and marketing and communications,” says Kumi.

If you enjoyed this quickie, why not listen to Kumi’s full 2-part episode on the #ClimateCuriousPod – How culture can help us win the climate war: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climatecuriouskumi

Why is it that the communities that have the least to do with creating climate change are the ones who suffer the most harm? You only have to look at Guyana, one of the world’s few carbon sinks, to see how flooding and a dangerously low sea level is putting the nation at risk of going underwater. In this Climate Quickie with environmental lawyer, Melinda Janki, hear her thoughts on why stories of the Global South’s pioneering approaches to the climate crisis are kept quiet, and how we can rebalance the climate conversation to be more representative of global realities, as opposed to the usual Western perspectives.

If you enjoyed this quickie, why not listen to Melinda’s full episode on Climate Curious – How the Guyanese people are fighting big oil https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-guyanese-people-fighting-big-oil/

We hope you enjoy this new format we’re sprinkling in as an extra to our standard 30 minute episodes. Let us know what other interesting facts, digestible explainers and practical tips from former guests you’d like to hear info@tedxlondon.com

“Our lungs are not experiments. Every single minute, every day, damage is being done. And that’s what happened to Ella,” says clean air advocate Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah and mother of the late Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah in the latest episode of the Climate Curious podcast. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to learn about how Rosamund took on the UK government and won a landmark case, what a future clean air act should look like and how it can help us save nearly 9 million lives a year, and the simple things you can do today to limit your exposure to air pollution – including walking on quieter streets. This episode will give you an insight into why we need to reframe air pollution as a health thing, not just an environment thing, the tension between Ella’s positive impact on the air pollution campaign and the impact it has on her family, and why poor and marginalised communities are not given equal footing in the climate debate, despite this landmark win.

Read the Coroner’s report on how to prevent future deaths like Ella’s: https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/ella-kissi-debrah/

The biggest myth about healthy food? That it’s expensive. In this Climate Quickie with knowledge broker, community chef and food policy-maker Dee Woods, she breaks down how to find affordable, healthy food – think hyper-local! This visionary food actionist shares how if you cut out the middleman and shop directly from a grower, market gardener or farmer, you can shortcut to healthy, nutritious food.

If you enjoyed this quickie, why not listen to Dee’s full episode on Climate Curious – How to Be A Global Food Citizen: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-to-be-a-global-food-citizen/

We hope you enjoy this new format we’re sprinkling in as an extra to our standard 30 minute episodes. Let us know what other interesting facts, digestible explainers and practical tips from former guests you’d like to hear info@tedxlondon.com

In the second of a special two-part feature, we’re back with South African human rights and environmental activist, Kumi Naidoo, on how we can tap into culture, communications and identity to influence politics and reveal the truth about the climate crisis.

In the first of a special Climate Curious two-part feature, we hear from the extraordinary South African human rights and environmental activist, Kumi Naidoo, on how we can tap into culture, communications and identity to influence politics and reveal the truth about the climate crisis.

Read the highlights in our article: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climatecuriouskumi

Our latest feature Climate Quickies gives you bitesize nuggets of climate goodies – in under 5 minutes! This week, we’re talking queer ecology – gender shifting fish, intersex birds, and how trees can impregnate themselves – with iconic environmental and intersectional drag queen, Pattie Gonia.

If you enjoyed this quickie, why not listen to Pattie’s full episode on Climate Curious – Why Mother Nature is a Drag Queen: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-mother-nature-is-a-drag-queen/

We hope you enjoy this new format we’re sprinkling in as an extra to our standard 30 minute episodes. Let us know what other interesting facts, digestible explainers and practical tips from former guests you’d like to hear info@tedxlondon.com

Superfood sardines, omega three and the ultimate brain food… fish is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, but overfishing is putting them at risk of destruction, and the local people who rely on them, says environmental social scientist Christina Hicks in the latest episode of the Climate Curious podcast. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to explore why this topic feels so icky (hint – it’s a wicked problem!), why we need to open our eyes to the inefficiencies of white environmentalism in order to save the planet, and how to recognise when simple climate solutions are being pedalled to you. From what insiders are really saying about that infamous fish documentary (you know the one!), to why fish is crucial to the first 1,000 days of human’s mental and physical development, dig into the real deal around the troublesome topic of oceans, seas, and fish!

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-whats-going-on-with-fish-in-west-africa/

Our latest feature Climate Quickies gives you bitesize nuggets of climate goodies – in under 5 minutes! First up: transitioning to a green economy – how much is it going to cost us? This week’s guest is economist, environmentalist and TED speaker, Angela Francis. She breaks down what a counterfactual is – and how you can use it to win over your friends about the benefits of a green economy!

If you enjoyed this episode, listen to our full episode with Angela, How Green Money Can Make The World Go Round: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-green-money-can-make-the-world-go-round/

We hope you enjoy this new format we’re sprinkling in as an extra to our standard 30 minute episodes. Let us know what other interesting facts, digestible explainers and practical tips from former guests you’d like to hear info@tedxlondon.com

Guyana is a carbon sink and a climate leader, but has been airbrushed out of the global climate movement, as many developing countries are, says international environmental lawyer Melinda Janki in the most compelling episode to date of the Climate Curious podcast. “It’s not a story that gets told very often… about former colonial peoples standing up against the oil industry,” says this superstar legal eagle, who has spent the last 25 years working to make environmental damage illegal and save our planet. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to hear Melinda’s extraordinary story of how she’s standing up to multinational oil giants to save one of South America’s most beautiful countries from a carbon bomb disaster. The learnings? The people who have contributed the most to climate change are not really the ones that are bearing the brunt of it, society is still blinded by the false promises of fossil fuel wealth, and a climate confession that will make you feel it’s never too late to turn over a fresh leaf!

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-guyanese-people-fighting-big-oil/

“Moving to a green economy delivers on the things that people are already worried about,” says TED Speaker, environmentalist and economist, Angela Francis, on the latest episode of the Climate Curious podcast by TEDxLondon. With over 1.4 million views on her TED Talk, this champion for the green economy breaks down what an economy is, how a green one would work, and why the dirty economy model must go. So how do we do it? Reshape our value systems, reward green businesses, and find ways to communicate the true cost of living in a dirty economy. Simple! Right? Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to get a solid, straightforward grounding in environmental economics, direct from one of the world’s most inspiring green economists.

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-green-money-can-make-the-world-go-round/

Veganism isn’t the only answer to climate change, dignity and equity are, says knowledge broker, community chef and food policy-maker, Dee Woods. In this week’s Climate Curious by TEDxLondon, we’re discussing food – yum! Contributing to a whopping 21-37% of greenhouse gas emissions, the global food system needs a rethink, stat. Instead of restricting our diets, we need to reconnect with where our food comes from – so we can start making more localised, equitable choices. Join co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to hear Dee breakdown why solving bigger problems of the food industry can help us fight climate change, how chicken shops are in fact a policy-driven food apartheid, and why building localised food economies is essential to the future of people and planet.

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-how-to-be-a-global-food-citizen/

Buy a Granville Community Kitchen Good Food Box: http://granvillecommunitykitchen.org.uk/good-food-box/
Sign MP Ian Byrne’s #RightToFood petition: https://www.ianbyrne.org/righttofood-campaign

Scary creepy crawlies, indestructible cockroaches and fluffy bumble bees… we’ve written narratives that have got bugs all wrong, says modern day explorer Will Hawkes in the latest episode of the Climate Curious podcast. Tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to learn about the little known, but incredible role insects play in the world’s ecosystem – from helping us grow crops and keep pests under control – bugs need love, too. From planting herbs on your balcony, to eating organic foods and pressuring your council to reduce verge cutting, discover what you can do today to give bugs their buzz back!

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-we-need-to-stop-hating-on-bugs/

If you’ve ever thought about being a lady in the streets, but a freak on the peaks – this one’s for you! Thigh high boots, full glam and bouncy curls for days – Mother Nature’s had a makeover, and we’re not mad about it. In the first episode of Season 2 of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious we’re joined by the iconic environmentalist and intersectional drag queen, Pattie Gonia, who explains the need for everyone to connect to nature, why we must diversify the climate movement and why queer ecology is so much more than “gay dolphins in the ocean” – urging us to “advocate for our one true Queen, Mother Nature with all of our creativity and intersectional identities.” Join co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to discover why Pattie believes the outdoors isn’t just for white, straight, cis males, but instead, for everyone – especially Queer people and other marginalised groups, how you can be an environmentalist and still love your sofa and why hiking in 6-inch heels feels so right.

Learn more: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/climate-curious-why-mother-nature-is-a-drag-queen/

We’re back! Launching June 2nd, co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst introduce some of the topics we’ll cover in Season 2 of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious.

Far from being frivolous, fashion is cultural currency, a tool of self-expression, and a much-loved confidence boost, but sadly it’s a problematic friend. Whether you’re donning Primark or Prada, thanks to hazy supply chains and labour practices, there’s no guarantee as to who made your clothes, and how sustainable they really are. In this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious we’re joined by Baroness Lola Young, an activist, author, crossbench peer in the House of Lords, and Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, widely known for her contribution to creating legislation to eliminate modern slavery, a number which shockingly still stands at 40 million today globally. This pioneer urges us all to wake up to the labour behind the label, and to disengage from the fast fashion blame game and change what we can, today, with the resources we have. Tune in with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to understand why it’s not about banning fast fashion – it’s about pressuring governments to make firms smarten up their act to end modern slavery, discover why being more thoughtful about people is the first step to being more thoughtful about consumption, and explore the surprisingly easy thing you can do today to make a difference – simply wear your clothes more! In this week’s Climate Confessions we take on shoe addictions, shopping to make yourself feel better (we’ve all been there) and recklessly running the hot tap for no good reason – why not!?

Forget imaginary superheroes, there is a team of legal avengers that are fighting every day on behalf of us and the planet. These legal heroes are shutting down coal power plants in Poland, re-designing what law looks like in China, making air pollution a thing of the past in the UK and uniting with local communities in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia and the Republic of Congo to stop deforestation. In this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious, we’re joined by the legal powerhouse that is James Thornton, the founding CEO of ClientEarth, and one of the New Statesman’s ‘ten people who could change the world’ – a lawyer who helps protect the planet and its people. Tune in with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to discover what it takes to sue Governments and huge corporations, understand why working as a community is key to dismantling the fossil fuel economy, and explore why getting creative with the law is empowering nations to redesign ‘the system’ from within to reduce carbon emissions. In this week’s Climate Confessions, or Climate Crimes (for one week only!) we’re talking environmental litigation envy, disposable face masks and how your coffee addiction can lead you to some climate compromising decisions.

Young people are terrified, depressed and anxious about the climate crisis. And the pressure society puts on them to drive innovation and lead change isn’t helping. In fact, it’s wearing them down – with 70% of 18-24-year-olds saying they feel eco-anxiety. In this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious we’re joined by visionary 21-year-old activist Clover Hogan, who urges us to give youth activists the space to have nuance and express their true feelings. Tune into this illuminating episode with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst where they explore the importance of an intergenerational approach to the climate crisis, explain why it’s so important to face these negative or scary feelings, and suggest how to turn your anxiety into agency. This week’s Climate Confessions? A nearly vegan burger, long hot baths, and a shocking revelation about coconut water you won’t be able to unhear.

The climate conversation is changing; a more inclusive, diverse and equitable story around climate is emerging, with race at the centre. This week’s extra special guest Member of Parliament for Tottenham and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy explains that the fight for racial justice is critical to saving the planet. He urges us to reframe the climate debate and see it as a humanitarian crisis: “this in the end is not just about saving the planet. It’s about the people on the planet. And the people on the planet bearing the brunt of it are black,” David explains. On this episode of Climate Curious by TEDxLondon tune in with co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst as they discuss why we need more black representation in the climate conversation, interrogate why if you care about identity, race, gender or equality you should also care about climate, and explore how we can all join the dots between racism and climate to create a more equitable world. And don’t miss out on this week’s scandalous Climate Confessions, which includes an hilarious overshare on some very personal habits!

What comes to mind when you think of the climate change conversation? Puffed-up academics? Militant hippies? Infuriating climate sceptics? Only ten years to save the world? Yep – it’s pretty overwhelming, pretty polarised, and we’re here to help you find a way through this ‘wicked problem’ of climate change. In this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious we’re joined by the legendary TEDxLondon speaker and neuroscientist specialising in polarisation, Dr. Kris De Meyer, who gives us the tools to disarm ourselves of limiting values and opinions and instead approach the climate crisis from a place of pure action. Tune into our most empowering episode to date with Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst where they explain why climate change is a wicked problem, debunk why the 2020 climate conversation feels so fragmented and hostile, and unpack the neuroscience at the centre of this polarising topic. Spoiler alert – it involves going on a journey to discover where your ‘agency’ and climate intersect. This week’s Climate Confessions? Engaging with strangers on climate, vowing to be less judgemental and struggling to sort the recycling.

For a full list of sources and further reading in this episode visit the TEDxLondon site: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-theres-much-more-to-climate-action-than-reducing-your-carbon-footprint/

You don’t have to be an expert or a car owner to get involved in the exhaust pipe debate – from the way your parcels are delivered to how you get around, we’re all using a transport system which is hurting our planet. The solution? Electrifying transportation, especially fleets. On this episode of TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious podcast electrification advocate and TED speaker Monica Araya breaks down how we can shift to an emissions-free world, in an equitable way. She joins hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst to debunk the different energy sources that power our vehicles, explain why EVs are so much more than a Tesla, and highlight the cities leading the way to eliminate these exhaust pipe polluters. Having spent her career campaigning for clean air across the world, Monica is optimistic for where we’ll be in ten years; “the sound of the city will be different”. This week’s Climate Confessions? Taking flights just for the loyalty points, hybrid Ubers, and being unable to resist buying that new shirt.

For a full list of sources and further reading in this episode visit the TEDxLondon site: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-our-cities-must-ditch-the-exhaust-pipe/

It’s not just what you are cooking that could be killing you, but how you are cooking. Millions of people each day turn on their gas stoves without a single thought to the silent, but deadly pollution the stove is emitting and that they are breathing in – with serious consequences for our health. This week on TEDxLondon’s Climate Curious podcast hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst speak to climate pioneer and campaigner extraordinaire, Bruce Nilles. He spent 15 years working to replace dirty coal plants with clean energy and now he’s set his sights on eliminating another highly polluting fossil fuel, “natural” gas. Join us to learn why there is nothing natural or clean about fossil gas, how gas causes dangerous indoor air pollution that especially harms children, and how cities are leading the way in dismantling the fossil fuel empire and electrifying everything. Having fought powerful vested interests to shut down hundreds of coal plants across the United States and in Europe, Bruce knows we can get it done; “we’re one little planet and we’ve got to do this together.” And don’t miss out on this week’s Climate Confessions, which involves mouldy tupperware, chewing plastic straws and a hard cheese obsession!

For a full list of sources and further reading in this episode visit the TEDxLondon site: https://tedxlondon.com/news/climate-curious-why-your-gas-stove-has-to-go/

Charmian Love wants you to shake up your mindset. More specifically, to stop worrying about whether you’re on the right or wrong side of the climate conversation and instead focus on taking action. Newsflash: We all have a role to play and it is time to move beyond the blame game and focus on solutions. In this first episode of Climate Curious, Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst speak to Charmian Love, Social Entrepreneur in Residence at the Skoll Centre at the University of Oxford and co-founder of B Lab UK. Charmian shares how we need to actively work towards systems level fixes while also taking individual action against climate change. From thinking like a sunflower to approaching problems and solutions as interconnected, our conversation explores how we can cultivate a mindset to access the climate conversation and why Charmian believes kindness and creativity are at the heart of a healthy planet. And don’t miss Charmian, Ben and Maryam’s ‘Climate Confessions’ at the end of the episode to discover the shady secret hiding in their drawers.