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ClimateGenn hosted by Nick Breeze

ClimateGenn hosted by Nick Breeze

By Nick Breeze

Interviews with environmental / climate change experts discussing the choices we collectively face in determining what future we will shape for ourselves, future generations, and all other life within the biosphere.

The podcast is produced by Nick Breeze - find out more at genn.cc + patreon.com/genncc

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Nick Breeze
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Inside COP26Glasgow; is this the ambition needed to avert disaster? Nick Breeze with Prof's Kevin Anderson & Jonathan Bamber

ClimateGenn hosted by Nick BreezeNov 04, 2021

00:00
19:24
Cayman Islands Youth Make case For climate survival with potential evacuation plan

Cayman Islands Youth Make case For climate survival with potential evacuation plan

In this episode I am speaking with three young people from the Cayman Islands about the existential climate threat they face. They are taking their case to the British Government to ask for assistance in what could eventually lead to an evacuation plan.


The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory lying to the south of Cuba and the North East of Honduras. Currently an estimated 85% of the worlds hedge funds are located in these islands. 


The irony is that a significant percentage of the funds flowing through the Cayman isles will be invested in or derived from fossil fuels - the very cause of the regional climate destabilisation that is getting much worse.


Aleigha, Rickeem and Connor from Sustainable Cayman all have a case to make to the British people that could end up being part of the transformational change we need immediately. 


The London meeting at the House of Commons with MPs is in collaboration with OnePlanet in the UK and is the start of a dialogue that aims to encourage the UK to act responsible in the face of existential threats to these islands.


Thank you to all subscribers for support. This is a special episode timed for the event I nLondon and more episodes will be forthcoming. Please like and share and continue to subscribe to support this work. 


You can also order my book COPOUT from Amazon or any other book store, which highlights the structural failures that are driving the worsening worldwide climate emergency.

Feb 28, 202423:41
'Saving Ourselves' by Dana Fisher: A policy cascade only after millions die from climate shocks!

'Saving Ourselves' by Dana Fisher: A policy cascade only after millions die from climate shocks!

This episode with Dana R fisher is the unofficial part 2 of 3 looking at the sociological side of collective action, while we try to slow the sinking of the Titanic, to make homes on the lifeboats.

The rub in all this is that Dana’s message is not dissimilar from Roger Hallam’s (unofficial part 1). She agrees that millions will likely die before the so-called Anthroshift kicks in and we get the cascade of structural policies we need to respond en masse to the crisis.

The detail in all we discuss is in Dana’s new book, ‘Saving Ourselves - From Climate Shocks To Climate Action’.

If you want a close up lens on the structural failures to date, coupled with the determination of those in power to ignore the loud and clear science, then please do consider buying my book COPOUT. I’ve had great feedback from climate luminaries such as Sir David King, Bill McKibben, Alice Hill, Rupert Read, and others.

Thank you to all subscribers for your support. It is greatly received as it allows this series to continue. I get so many requests for interviews and it is getting harder to keep up. More supporters means more interviews can bet processed. Thanks again.

Feb 24, 202431:13
The AMOC Tipping Point (And what we need to know!) with Dr René van Westen

The AMOC Tipping Point (And what we need to know!) with Dr René van Westen

In this ClimateGenn Episode I speak with Dr René van Westen about the recent research he published with colleagues looking at what it would take to cause the Atlantic Meridonial Overturning Circulation (AMOC) to pass through it’s tipping point. Interpretations of this research have been published in media around the world and debated across social media. Here René gets a chance to clarify the potential for catastrophic impacts that would indiscriminately devastate Europe as well as many other regions in proximity to the Atlantic and beyond. If you want to read about how governments have consistently lied to get us into this mess then make sure you order my book COPOUT from this link: https://amzn.to/3uzuH7y In the next episode will be Dana R Fisher discussing her new book, Saving Ourselves, and what it will take to create the ‘Antroshift’ or social tipping point to change course for the better. If the collapsing AMOC is the answer - I will pass on that!! Thank you to all subscribers - your support is always welcome. Extra episodes and episode previews will continue to be forthcoming. There is a huge influx of requests for interviews and climate/ecological stories out there to cover and I am totally overwhelmed. Thanks again for interest, feedback and support.

Feb 16, 202416:47
Dr Chris Kettle: Systems Under Stress, Trees, Forests, Food + Human and Planetary Health

Dr Chris Kettle: Systems Under Stress, Trees, Forests, Food + Human and Planetary Health

In this ClimateGenn episode I speak with Dr Chris Kettle. Chris is Principal Scientist within the International organization Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT, one of the global CGIAR centers for Agricultural research for development.  Chris leads their work globally on restoration and the role of trees in transitioning food systems.  This is a critically important episode and Chris really dives into the complex interconnectivity between forestry, biodiversity, climate, food systems  security, knowledge and so much more.   Links to additional work & resources related to Dr Chris Kettle: www.myfarmtrees.org www.diversityforrestoration.org You can also look at the institutional webites https://alliancebioversityciat.org/ And the https://www.cgiar.org/ Chris is leading the restoration component of the naturepositive Initiative https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/africa-climate-summit-advanced-tree-restoration-pledges-but-a-big-seed-shortage-remains/ This recent FAO publication led by Dr Chris Kettle: https://www.fao.org/3/cc8955en/cc8955en.pdf You can find all Chris's publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8ViBluIAAAAJ&hl=en Actioning the knowledge we already possess in the science and indigenous communities, while taking a global instead of national perspective, has the potential to radically improve our prospects. This is the real challenge that we face today.   Chris offers a wealth of information on both the status quo and the potential for righting the wrongs of the past to fight back and try to conserve and regenerate global forests, while supplying the worlds food at the same time. In the next episode I speak to Honduran youth activist Ricardo Pineda who I heard speaking at COP28. It is a fascinating conversation that touches on justice issues and why he is now calling for research in climate interventions that could possibly save lives in his community.   I am also just about to edit the interview with sociologist Dana R Fisher about her new book, ‘Saving Ourselves, from climate shocks to climate action’. This is an unofficial sequel to the interview with Roger Hallam. There are parallel lines that we all need to comprehend.    Thank you to all supporters and subscribers. I am recording a lots of interviews at the moment and I appreciate all feedback, good and bad.   PREORDER COPOUT:  https://amzn.to/3SqI4ii   If you want to gain more insight into how these issues all connect together and actually fail at the political and structural level, then please do order my book COPOUT. It is available to order on Amazon and from a wide range of bookstores worldwide.

Feb 10, 202427:54
Dickson Goodness: Shell, clean up your mess! Call for justice in the Niger Delta.

Dickson Goodness: Shell, clean up your mess! Call for justice in the Niger Delta.

In this ClimateGenn episode I am speaking with Nigerian Climate Activist Dickson Goodness about the ongoing struggle to pressure the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, to clean up it’s colossal toxic mess left behind after nearly seven decades of oil extraction in the Niger Delta. Beyond carbon emission, the damage done has destroyed ecosystems, decimated biodiversity, ruined livelihoods and caused misery and suffering for communities living in the region. PREORDER COPOUT - https://amzn.to/3SflYzg A reminder that you can preorder my book COPOUT about the UN process that has now been taken over by the extractive fossil fuel industry. A broad coalition of the most polluting nations on Earth say they want to reduce emissions while massively expanding fossil fuel production. This contradiction or outright hypocrisy underpins the very core of the human struggle for survival this century and will be discussed across future episodes in the coming weeks. Please do stay tuned. Thank you to all subscribers and supporters. Please do join via Patron or Youtube to support the channel, getting episodes early, plus extra content. Do also comment, share and engage in whatever way possible. Thanks.

Feb 03, 202414:00
Roger Hallam: Can Rolling Climate Dice End The Carbon Regime?

Roger Hallam: Can Rolling Climate Dice End The Carbon Regime?

In this ClimateGenn episode I speak with Roger Hallam, original cofounder of Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil and other socially focussed organisations. He also hosts the ‘Designing The Revolution’ podcast. Roger’s communication style is often confrontational and very direct. In this interview Roger discusses where he thinks we are now and the complex sociological processes at work that will determine the future. Moving into 2024 we are faced with the reality that the largest fossil fuel producers are expanding production around the world, demonstrating disregard for all the scientific warnings and broken-promises that litter the decades since the 1970’s, regarding over consumption and carbon pollution. PREORDER 'COPOUT - HOW GOVERNMENTS HAVE FAILED THE CLIMATE' By Nick Breeze - https://amzn.to/3U2EwFt The COP process of the last eight years from Paris to Dubai is documented in my book COPOUT which is available to preorder on Amazon now. Endorsements from key people involved in confronting climate & ecological issues are included in the notes. This year I will be focussing on speaking with people who articulate the myriad pathways forward from the social, political, natural and technological options - and their inevitable pitfalls. The objective is to see what we can learn and improve our chances for a better outcome than what we currently face. Thank you for all supporters who make this series possible. Please do subscribe, share the episodes or do whatever you can to be part of the conversation. Praise for COPOUT: ‘COPOUT is required reading for anyone trusting on global action by governments to solve the planet’s climate crisis.’ Dr Alice Hill, former special assistant to President Barack Obama and senior director for resilience policy at the National Security Council. ‘A must-read for all of us who care about and work for a manageable future for humanity and the ecosystems that we depend on’ Sir David King - Former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government. 'COPOUT gives a very strong sense of what the stakes are, in the climate struggle and shows the urgent need for other nimbler ways forward as we finally face up to the existential threat now upon us’ Emeritus Professor Rupert Read, author of Why Climate Breakdown Matters and Co-Director of the Climate Majority Project ‘This is just what we need!’ Professor Hugh Hunt, Director of Centre for Climate Repair at University of Cambridge

Jan 21, 202440:42
Dr Jennifer Francis- 2024 and beyond "Expect surprises, destruction, suffering..."
Jan 01, 202414:24
Lord Martin Rees - The public need to show politicians they care for them to act
Dec 27, 202335:01
Spirituality, heat, climate and conflict - Rabbi Yonatan Neril at COP28
Dec 14, 202316:57
Why The COP Fails - Fossil Fuel Treaty Chair, Tzeporah Berman digs in

Why The COP Fails - Fossil Fuel Treaty Chair, Tzeporah Berman digs in

Listen to Tzepora Berman explain why over 30years of COPs, emissions continue to rise and the problem gets worse. Also why we need civil society to demand a plan for rapid decarbonisation right now!


PreOrder 'COPOUT - How governments have failed the people on climate' by Nick Breeze - https://amzn.to/3NrXIIG


Subscribe on Youtube and Patreon to get more content and earlier (note during COP28, episodes are being published in full due to time constraints and for wider reach. Thank you.

Dec 13, 202313:15
Professor Kevin Anderson - #COP28 A Big Success... Just Not For You!

Professor Kevin Anderson - #COP28 A Big Success... Just Not For You!

In this climategenn episode recorded from COp28 in Dubai at the midway point between the 2 weeks, I speak with Professor Kevin Anderson about how the COP has failed humanity but actually is succeeding very well for the people running this colossal festival of carbon in the desert.  

Link to Order my book COPOUT - How governments have failed the people on climate: https://amzn.to/487PMnI   

We discuss unexpected voices arising here at COP28, from both the Global south and the Arctic Circle, calling for urgent research into geoengineering. They claim the negotiations to eliminate carbon pollution has failed and it is their human right to have all options available to them.  We also discuss how the IPCC has aligned itself with the heads of COP, which is essentially aligning itself with prolonged fossil fuel use way beyond the boundaries of safe climate.   

This is a very desperate time when even the urgency required to tackle the root cause is being ignored in favour of prolonging the fossil age.   

More interviews from COP28 will be published in the next week in full and made public. All of this is causing a rewrite of the final chapter of COPOUT which will drive my publisher at Ad Lib Books crazy. A big thanks to them for their patience. 

You can preorder COPOUT globally from here:https://amzn.to/487PMnI .   Thank you for listening.

Dec 10, 202335:32
With Professor Kevin Anderson Discussing Remarks By Bill Gates
Dec 05, 202308:08
Sally Weintrobe: Climate Psychology and the struggle to care

Sally Weintrobe: Climate Psychology and the struggle to care

In this ClimateGenn episode I am speaking with author and member of the Climate Psychology Alliance, Sally Weintrobe.

We discuss underlying mental processes ranging from Narcissistic entitlement, to profound caring. These form the individual and collective conflicts that society is wrestling with in responding to the climate and ecological crisis.

Thanks to all members and subscribers for supporting this work. There is a great deal more interviews to record and to process and your support is vital.

[Please note that due to COP28 being in process I am not editing this to a shorter version]

Sally is also quoted in my book COPOUT that is available now for preorder. (https://amzn.to/4a2woub) I discuss the failure of governments to act in the last three decades of climate conferences that have passed by and highlight the changing themes that are dominating the current rounds of climate talks.

This year will also mark the first COP where Professor Saleemul Huq will not be present. Saleem died last month, leaving a legacy of clear thinking, relentless action and calling out the people, governments and corporations pushing us all into catastrophe. He has featured in many of my interviews and been a significant influence and inspiration in my work over the last decade.

Thanks again for listening.
Dec 04, 202330:52
Dr Kaitlin Naughten - Antarctic Ice sheet Loss Acceleration - British Antarctic Survey

Dr Kaitlin Naughten - Antarctic Ice sheet Loss Acceleration - British Antarctic Survey

In this ClimateGenn episode I am speaking with Dr Kaitlin Naughten from the British Antarctic Survey about her new research looking at the unavoidable sea-level rise from west Antarctica.

[Subscribe to the ClimateGenn Podcast on Spotify via Patreon to get episodes early: https://patreon.com/genncc ]

[Preorder COPOUT by Nick Breeze: https://copout.genn.cc ]

Although ending fossil fuels is still the main course to pursue, no amount of emissions reduction this century, can slow the melt of this region of Antarctica. We discuss the implications, such as abandoning coastal areas, as well as learning to accept and respond to the growing climate migrant crisis. We also discuss the psychological toll of processing this kind of scientific findings.In the next episode I will be speaking with author and psychoanalyst, Sally Weintrobe about her latest work.As policymakers meet in Dubai for the preCOP discussions, it is with great sadness that we note the death of Professor Saleemul Huq on the 28th October. Saleem has been a huge source of insight for my work over the last decade, giving me many interviews that provide the much needed perspective of the vulnerable nations in the global south. As mentioned before, my own book COPOUT is available for preorder and I am pleased to say that Saleem’s wise words inform the narrative, threading the way from Paris to this years COP in the UAE.Thank you to all Youtube and Patreon subscribers for supporting the channel - with ever more aspects to the climate and ecological crisis emerging, your support makes it a difference.

Nov 24, 202321:08
Professor Kevin Anderson - Climate Failures and Phantasies ahead of COP28
Nov 14, 202343:29
The Great Barrier Reef ahead of this summer - multi-year bleaching & the future- Prof. Terry Hughes

The Great Barrier Reef ahead of this summer - multi-year bleaching & the future- Prof. Terry Hughes

In this Climategenn episode I speak with Professor Terry Hughes, Director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) based at John Cook University in Australia. Join via Patreon (https://patreon.com/genncc) or Youtube to get access to full episodes weeks early. Full episode contents: 1. The role of coral reefs 2. State of reefs in the worlds oceans 3. Is it "game over" for the oceans? 4. Can reefs bounce back from multiyear bleaching events? 5. Australian government: climate rhetoric v's action 6. Should we try to intervene to save the reefs with geoengineering?

Nov 02, 202325:17
UN University Report on Risk Tipping Points, 'Interconnected Disaster Risks' with Dr Jack O'Connor
Oct 25, 202324:60
Dr Euan Nisbet - Methane: Wetlands are “turning on” - a feedback effect to human induced climate heating causing a Termination event.

Dr Euan Nisbet - Methane: Wetlands are “turning on” - a feedback effect to human induced climate heating causing a Termination event.

Episode contents:

1. Comparisons between methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
2. Working out the methane budget.
3. Atmosphere getting richer in Carbon 13 isotope from fossil fuel industry.
4. Something happened in 2006 as Carbon 12 started to rise.
5. Rising methane from biological sources.
6. Regional increases are spiking.
7. Different types of biological sources.
8. Feedbacks switching on.
9. Wetlands are “turning on”.
10. Historic precedent: “huge rapid change”
11. Events known as a “Terminations”
12. A rapidly changing planet.
13. Should we use geoengineering?

Oct 17, 202317:36
Is the COP process set up to fail? Joe Romm Interview PT3 - dodgy offsets, double accounting

Is the COP process set up to fail? Joe Romm Interview PT3 - dodgy offsets, double accounting

In part 3 with Joe, we discuss how dodgy offsets and double accounting feed into COP28 and ask the question - is the COP process set-up to fail? A link to Joe’s in-depth paper on all of this is in the notes.To get full episodes much earlier, join via Youtube or Patreon: https://patreon.com/genncc

Link to Joe's paper on offsets: https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/web.sas.upenn.edu/dist/0/896/files/2023/06/OffsetPaper7.0-6-27-23-FINAL2.pdf

Part 3 Content Guide

1. With so many nations trying to defraud the Paris Agreement carbon accounting mechanism, will we ever achieve our goals?


2. Denmark, the oil company and Microsoft - blending the real with the fake offsets for cash.3. UNFCCC Jargon: Authorised offsets, corresponding adjustments… agreed but not compulsory.

3. Where are the positives in all this?


4. Is the COP set-up to fail?

Sep 17, 202323:25
Dr Joe Romm Pt 2 - Double Accounting & Climate Colonialism

Dr Joe Romm Pt 2 - Double Accounting & Climate Colonialism

In Part 2,  with Dr Joe Romm, we discuss how offsetting impacts the NDC accounting systems that underpin the Paris Agreement and expose much less well off countries to yet another form of what Joe calls Climate Imperialism

Become a member to get full episodes early: https://patreon.com/genncc

Or on Youtube for video versions: https://www.youtube.com/@NickBreeze/videos

Link to Joe Romm's paper on offsets: https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/web.sas.upenn.edu/dist/0/896/files/2023/06/OffsetPaper7.0-6-27-23-FINAL2.pdf

In part 3 with Joe, we discuss how dodgy offsets and double accounting feed into COP28 and ask the question - is the COP process set-up to fail? A link to Joe’s in-depth paper on all of this is in the notes.

Content guide:


1. Switching from the voluntary market to the “compliance market”.

2. Defining emissions double accounting.

3. Who gets to count the emissions reduction and why.

4. Paris Agreement did not solve this issue.

5. Two solutions (aside from banning offsets): ‘Mitigation contributions’ and ‘corresponding adjustment’ (an authorised offset).

6. How authorised offsets backfire on developing nations.

7. COP26 made is easier for developed countries to skim off cheap emissions from developing nations who will have to pay later.

8. Climate colonialism or imperialism if the phoney (unregulated)  offset price is used.

9. The price of offsets will rise. 

10. Don’t believe the lies of abundant cheap emissions reduction.

11. They are cheap because they are meaningless.

12. Switzerland buying up cheap carbon offsets to pretend they are making an effort.

13. Don’t be a bad faith actor in good faith market.

14. It doesn’t cut $2 a tonne to go to zero!

Sep 15, 202315:31
Dr Joe Romm: Dodgy Offsets, Double Accounting plus why solving climate is not a $2 a tonne problem.

Dr Joe Romm: Dodgy Offsets, Double Accounting plus why solving climate is not a $2 a tonne problem.

Contents - Part 1 (of 3):

[Support this channel by joing via https://patreon.com/genncc or https://www.youtube.com/@NickBreeze/videos]

Download Joes Paper here.

1 - A license to pollute

2 - Offsets relationship to “net zero”

3 - “Carbon neutral” claims = greenwash

4 - Pay to pollute

5 - 94% of offsets are worthless

6 - Quantifying deforestation is tricky

7 - 2 types of lawsuit

8 - Disputing claims of carbon neutrality

9 - Unregulated markets

10 - Solving the climate problem for a few bucks a tonne (?)

11 - European Carbon Trading System

12 - Unregulated Markets


In this first of three part interview with Dr Joe Romm, we discuss how dodgy off-sets and double accounting are plaguing climate progress at a time when the world urgently needs to get serious about climate change. 


Joe Romm was the acting assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewables in the US Department of Energy, back in the 1990’s and also the founder of the now ceased Climate Progress blog. Today Joe is a senior research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Centre for Science, Sustainability and Media.


Part 1 focuses on the how offsets are misused by big brand names and nations in unregulated markets to peddle lies to the public.


In Part 2 we discuss how this impacts the NDC accounting systems that underpin the Paris Agreement and expose much less well off countries to yet another form of what Joe calls Climate Imperialism. 


In Part 3 we discuss how COP28 does not bode well having an oil boss as the president and how all these strands come together to reinforce the notion that the UNFCCC process is set-up to fail.

Aug 25, 202317:58
Professor Jason Box - Atmospheric River Rapids + why next year will be worse

Professor Jason Box - Atmospheric River Rapids + why next year will be worse

All the main points from this interview with prof. Jason Box from the Geological Survey of Greenland. To get the full episode and also support this channel, you can join on youtu.be/9Ddb9pRqcDw or at patreon.com/genncc
Content points
- What are atmospheric river rapids?
- what do these teach us about extreme deluge events around the world that we are seeing now?
- What is driving it?
- Why next year will be worse
- What do we have to do?
Jul 30, 202318:46
Summary Version: A Treaty To End Fossil Fuels - Tzeporah Berman Interview Summary with Nick Breeze

Summary Version: A Treaty To End Fossil Fuels - Tzeporah Berman Interview Summary with Nick Breeze

A fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty is exactly what is needed to switch off the fossil fuel pipelines that are driving crazily hot temperatures, flash flooding, and droughts that directly threaten the global food production system.

[Join now to get full episodes early: https://genn.cc or https://patreon.com/genncc ]

In this ClimateGenn episode I speak with the Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, Tzepora Berman. Tzepora and her colleagues are designing the framework by which we can begin to switch off the fossil fuel supply that is the root cause of what is a real-time climate emergency.

Jul 23, 202317:57
Dr Julia Steinberger - The Hour Before Dawn Is Always The Darkest

Dr Julia Steinberger - The Hour Before Dawn Is Always The Darkest

Episode full contents:

[For full episode interviews join via Patreon: https://patreon.com/genncc or on Youtube: https://youtu.be/v9fEcRYVaf4 ]

1. Fossil fuel companies were never a partner is solving climate change.
2. The possible world that we see emerging around us.

3. How do we face the strength of the fossil fuel industry?
4. COP28 is symbolic of political failure.

5. Fossil fuel companies are trying to take over key structural processes.

6. We must all use our collective agency.

7. The Energy Charter Treaty (ETC), and why it must be ended.

8. The fossil fuel industry is fragile; don’t be duped into inaction.

9. There is another world we can create from this.

10. Become the mainstream by better articulating the mission.


Links:

https://www.fossilbanks.org/

https://fossilfueltreaty.org/

https://www.celinekeller.com/dawn-of-the-ect

https://www.beyond-growth-2023.eu/

Jul 09, 202314:16
Dr Alice Hill: The Insurance industry is the retreating canary in the CLIMATE coal mine

Dr Alice Hill: The Insurance industry is the retreating canary in the CLIMATE coal mine

Full 25 min version: [members link: https://youtu.be/NSdk6BwsSQA or https://genn.cc/dr-alice-hill-insurance/ ] Welcome to the ClimateGenn podcast. This summary version is edited from the full interview. Included are the key points from the discussion and the full version can be accessed by all Youtube and Patreon members. Overview of topics covered: US politicians debate the causes of extreme weather, stymying effective longterm policy. “California is the 4th largest insurance market in the world… so to pull out of that is big news!” State run back-up plan - but back-up plans are ballooning as concentrated risk discourages insurers. Extensive wildfires in 2017 and 2018 wiped out quarter of a century (25yrs) of profits in California. Insurers in California are not allowed to use models that account for the growing risk of climate change. Insurance policies evaluate 1 year of risk but climate is a long-term issue. AXA: At some point the world becomes uninsurable with climate change. Can the risk be spread across the nation? How do we build national resilience (fortresses?)? Too much infrastructure already at great risk. Post Covid, many Americans moved into areas “destined to burn”. East coast of America is subsiding and has one of the worst rates of sea-level rise in the world - “A bad combination!” “A profound risk to the stability of our real estate markets. We are watching the problem but there is a reluctance to address the problem… because it is so large!” What do we need to do? We will see large movements of people and devaluation of assets over time.

Jun 28, 202312:44
Sir David King - Antarctic Warming and the COP28 Nightmare [13 min summary version]

Sir David King - Antarctic Warming and the COP28 Nightmare [13 min summary version]

Full versions on: https://genn.cc - https://patreon.com/genncc - https://www.youtube.com/@NickBreeze/membership

Full 26 min members version Contents:

  1. Antarctica Sea Ice Decline
  2. Antarctic versus Arctic differences
  3. Greenland can change the global map
  4. Arctic methane release and potential warming
  5. Have we crossed a global threshold?
  6. Can we repair climate?
  7. Interventions - climate repair?
  8. Climate is only one of our challenges
  9. We need new economic models
  10. UN COPs and broken promises
  11. Climate is a today problem from Bangladesh to Vietnam
  12. Loss & Damage is the insurance of the future
  13. Can we save Antarctic Ice Sheets?
  14. COP28 nightmare
Jun 18, 202313:16
Dr Chad Briggs - Integrating disaster risk and national security with climate policy

Dr Chad Briggs - Integrating disaster risk and national security with climate policy

(Full Episode 27 mins - members: https://youtu.be/xZ7i5_m7udE or https://genn.cc/dr-chad-briggs-risk/) Contents: Military lens - military objectives requires enemies. A hammer in search of a nail. US Air Force - largest user of fuel in the world. Mitigation inevitably leads to less flight hours. Not an option. All military, governmental and even social responses have a technology bias. “Reducing emissions” is unpalatable. In Washington, Trump era impacts on EPA, hangover into Biden Administration. EPA not responding to disinformation, which has a negative impact on policymaking. Biden has already approved more oil and gas projects than the entire Trump presidency. Willow Project and LNG projects with 1200km pipelines across thawing permafrost. Huge cost - what benefit? Persistent belief that magical techno-fixes will remove pollution from the atmosphere. SRM - Can’t be controlled once aerosols are up in the stratosphere. Issues with deployment - companies attached to smaller countries sidestepping regulation. Conspiracies kill rational discussion. The Pentagon won’t even discuss it. New paradigm of disaster era present need for integrating disaster risk with climate policy. Companies still seeking to profit off climate destruction with business models projecting out 10-20 years into the future.

Jun 11, 202313:39
Dr Jennifer Francis - 2023’s symptoms of climate chaos, El Niño, Ocean Heatwaves, and Arctic Sea Ice lows

Dr Jennifer Francis - 2023’s symptoms of climate chaos, El Niño, Ocean Heatwaves, and Arctic Sea Ice lows

In this ClimateGenn episode I am speaking with Dr Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Climate Research Center, in the US. 2023 has already seen record breaking temperatures in the atmosphere, land and oceans, with horrific impacts to human life, communities and ecology.

[Visit https://genn.cc or https://patreon.com/genncc for additional content]

Here we focus on three factors in the climate system that drive these extremes and are still set to break more records, creating a great deal more destruction this year. We focus on the forming El Niño climate phenomenon, as well as ocean heatwaves, impacting the Atlantic and the North Pacific. 

Finally, we also discuss the role of the thinning sea ice that is accelerating change in the Arctic region. These changes drive up heat in the Arctic faster, impacting ecosystems and altering the jet stream, these latter impacts being the focus of Dr Francis’s research for over a decade. 

You can support this channel via Patreon or by becoming a Youtube member, where episodes appear early and for Water and Food level members, there is access to a growing number of longer, unpublished, and previously unseen content.

Thank you.

May 27, 202322:45
Sources of Water In A Drier World | Aquaseek | Marco Simonetti (Intro with Al Gore speaking at COP21)
May 10, 202314:48
Leave Africa Alone - Solidarity With The Voices Of The Voiceless – Ina-Maria Shikongo

Leave Africa Alone - Solidarity With The Voices Of The Voiceless – Ina-Maria Shikongo

In they climate Genn episode I am speaking with Namibian Activist, Ina-Maria Shikongo (Twitter: @IMariashikongo).  Ina Maria has been speaking out about the unlawful exploitation of the Okavango Delta in Africa, calling on the Canadian oil company, Recon Africa, to leave Namibia.

Visit https://genn.cc for more information and become a member for exclusive unseen interview content via https://patreon.com/genncc)

This conversation highlights the plight of countries like Namibia in Africa and beyond, where consumption in the west creates misery and destruction elsewhere. It is absolutely critical that we understand that wider destruction is accelerating back towards us and, if we don’t take radical action to change course and consume much less, as Ina-Maria points out, the future will be bleak for us too.

Apr 29, 202329:32
Capture6 - Scaling Carbon Removal - Interview with Dr Ethan Cohen Cole CEO.

Capture6 - Scaling Carbon Removal - Interview with Dr Ethan Cohen Cole CEO.

In this ClimateGenn episode I am speaking with California Climate Tech CEO, Dr Ethan Cohen-Cole, about the impact the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank had on his business and the niche climate tech sector as a whole.

Read more at https://genn.cc/capture6-svb/ - Support this channel via: https://patreon.com/genncc

Far from a 2008 financial domino effect, Ethan says this is a case of ‘one particularly mismanaged institution’, highlighting an unforeseen upside.

In any conversation of this kind, it is critical to state clearly, that all of this is waste of time if anthropogenic carbon emissions are not drastically reduced to zero in the shortest possible time. That is something that is clearly not happening now and something we all need to push for.

What piqued my interest in Capture6 is the potential coupling with existing large-scale technology such as desalination of seawater. In a drier world, we urgently need to make sure we can supply water without further damaging ecosystems. 

The atmospheric burden of greenhouse gases is now so high that we are starting breach critical thresholds in the earth system. We don’t just need to stop burning fossil fuels, we need to accelerate the reduction of atmospheric carbon, down from the current levels of around 420 parts per million to well below 350 parts per million. Policymakers are currently not making the structural changes necessary for a system-wide downward shift of the emissions curve.

Apr 17, 202326:58
David Spratt: [Articulating And] Reclaiming the Climate Emergency

David Spratt: [Articulating And] Reclaiming the Climate Emergency

That was Professor James Hansen speaking during an interview I recorded in Vienna at the European Geophysical Union Conference, in 2012. In this ClimateGenn episode I speak with David Spratt, Research Director, Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration in Australia, about his recent article, ‘Reclaiming the Climate Emergency’ - the links to the article are in the notes.


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We discuss the origins, treatment and what next? Aspect of how do we reclaim and respond appropriately in a real Climate Emergency - much like the one we are irrefutably in.


I have also inserted a segment from this first interview with Professor Hansen in the interview with David, to better highlight how perilous the lack of action over the last decade has really been. 


Patreon and Youtube ‘Water Tier’ members can watch the whole unedited 26 minutes interview with Professor Hansen that I have just uploaded. Given the lack off any progress on tackling climate change, much of what Jim said in 2012 is entirely relevant today.


Thank you for listening. I am currently working on the interview and article with Professor Jingfang Fan at the University of Beijing and also Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. We discuss his research on teleconnections between Earth system tipping points and the identification of possible cascade mechanisms.


Thank you.


Reclaiming 'climate emergency’”,  today published in English in the Slovenian journal Filozofski vestnik.


The article is also available at:

https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/filozofski-vestnik/article/view/12054/11185


The whole issue is at:

https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/filozofski-vestnik

Apr 10, 202322:28
Jojo Mehta, Ecocide: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PROPOSES INCLUDING “ECOCIDE” IN EU LAW

Jojo Mehta, Ecocide: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PROPOSES INCLUDING “ECOCIDE” IN EU LAW

In this ClimateGenn episode I am speaking with Jojo Mehta, Executive Director of Stop Ecocide International about the positive news that the European Parliament is proposing to include Ecocide in EU Law, an important development in the course to have this vital legislation enshrined in international law.


[Support this channel and access episodes early by joining up on Patreon or Youtube]


For those that are not familiar with Ecocide it has this simple definition: Ecocide means unlawful or wanton acts, committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or longterm damage to the environment, being caused by those acts.


A law of Ecocide was first proposed by the late Polly Higgins and it is fantastic to see the progress the organisation is making in fulfilling its objectives. Outlawing environmental destruction is a critical part of how we as a species, reassess our relationship with nature, in the face of climate and ecological breakdown.


In the next episode I am speaking with David Spratt, Research Director, Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration, in Australia about his new article on reclaiming the Climate Emergency.


Thanks for listening.

Apr 02, 202318:53
Italys Creeping Disaster - crossing the drought threshold

Italys Creeping Disaster - crossing the drought threshold

Discussing the critical drought situation in Europe with a focus on Italy. Visit https://genn.cc for more information. View more in the water series by backing this channel on Patreon or by becoming a Youtube member. 

Quote by Dr Francesco Avanzi:

“Droughts are often called the creeping disaster because at the very beginning, you don't realise that it's coming up. And when you realise that it's often too late. And in that the dynamic is somehow similar to how the COVID pandemic played out in the early months. That awareness came when somehow it was already too late.”

“what we also see is a shift towards earlier snow seasons. So a later start, earlier melt out date. There are data from some colleagues of ours from CIMA, that have just showed that the duration of the snow season right now is unprecedented over the last 600 years in the Alps. So that's also part of the problem. So this means that, on the one hand, we have to cope with less water from snow, coming earlier than usual during spring. This means that we will have to rethink, to some extent, some of our practice in terms of where and when we store water, and when and how we use it. Last year gave us already quite a lot of lessons and I think to some extent it raised our awareness of changes that are happening. We will have to continue that adaptation and mitigation.”

Nick Breeze: This reminds us, as Francesco said at the outset, that drought is a creeping disaster. The water is stored as snow in the mountains. It runs down into rivers, into the soils and is stored beneath as groundwater. It is a mechanism that we regard as an infinite cycle. Human made climate change is interrupting the cycle by erasing the source of the water.

Dr Francesco Avanzi

“…snow that is not accumulating in a mountain during winter is water that we are not going to have during summer. That's when we need water the most for agriculture, for freshwater supply, and that translated into significant streamflow deficit…

“Groundwater is a savings account. We can take from that to cope with a single dry year. But then when we look at several dry years in a row, that reserve may dry up.”

Mar 12, 202320:52
2023 - The Dawning Era Of Overshoot & Intervention (Climate Engineering)
Jan 01, 202315:00
Prof. Dan Bodansky - The Rise The Mega-COP's and the gap between expectation and reality

Prof. Dan Bodansky - The Rise The Mega-COP's and the gap between expectation and reality

In this ClimateGenn episode, recorded on the last night of the extended COP in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, I am speaking with US COP veteran and legal expert, Professor Dan Bodansky from Arizona State University.

[Support this channel on Patreon at https://patreon.com/genncc and also access additional content at https://genn.cc ]

Dan has extensive experience working with the US negotiating team over the years and shares his insights as to what motivates negotiators and how the nature pot the COP’s themselves are changing from bureaucratic conferences to mega-COP jamborees where the circus atmosphere leeches into the proceedings and influences the outcomes.

However, none of this appears to be stemming the rise of global emissions to below 1.5ºC, the scientific red line that is commonly used to measure the effectiveness of climate policy.

As the breakdown of trust between Global North and South countries continues to haunt the talks, a new think tank appeared at COP27 called The Overshoot Commission tasking itself with looking at navigating a climatically unstable world.

With geoengineering in the form of carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation management firmly back on the table, Dan highlights that these investigations are currently about the exclusion of technologies that will not deliver, rather than the selection of technologies for deployment.

The clock ticks and the world is moving into new territory on multiple fronts.

Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please check the genn.cc website for the full COP27 interview and session list. Patreon backers will have access to extra content collected from the conference.

Nov 25, 202224:26
The Long Game on Loss And Damage With Dr Saleemul Huq

The Long Game on Loss And Damage With Dr Saleemul Huq

In this COP27 interview with Dr Saleemul Huq we discuss the arrival of Loss & Damage into the negotiations. We also discuss the need to urgently reduce emissions, first in the wealthy nations that have caused, and are causing, so much suffering and destruction, and then with assistance, across the Earth.

Please support this work on https://Patreon.com/genncc and https://genn.cc

Saleem has been involved in the negotiations here since day 1 so is well placed to discuss the function and dysfunction of the COP process whilst keeping in mind that this is the only forum in the world where poorer vulnerable nations have a seat at the table, even if, as he says, they are not listened to.

All this must change, and fast if we are going to survive the onslaught of accelerating extreme climate impacts like fires, floods, and droughts.

Here at the COP, in the wake of incredible destructive flooding that took lives and destroyed heritage, the nation of Pakistan offers this portentous warning: “What happened in Pakistan won’t stay in Pakistan

Nov 17, 202216:40
At COP27 with Professor Katharine Hayhoe Asking, Are These The Shifting Sands of Climate Policy?

At COP27 with Professor Katharine Hayhoe Asking, Are These The Shifting Sands of Climate Policy?

Recorded in week 2 of COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

See more climate change podcasts at https://genn.cc and support my work at https://patreon.com/genncc

Professor Hayhoe is a Canadian climate scientist and communicator at the Nature Conservancy and Texas Tech University on the United States.

I this episode we discuss the shifting momentum away from 1.5ºC as a boundary for climate heating, as well as the new arrival of Loss & Damage into the negotiations.

Are the public becoming too cynical and are we all, on the outside, powerless to have any impact? Katharine gives her take on all these issues.

Nov 16, 202215:52
Greenland: Zombie Ice or One Foot In The Grave - Professor Jason Box

Greenland: Zombie Ice or One Foot In The Grave - Professor Jason Box

In this ClimateGenn episode, I speak with Professor Jason Box about his recent research that identifies the amount of Greenland’s ice sheet that is committed to melting in the coming decades.

[Support my work on https://genn.cc/ or directly via https://patreon.com/genncc ]

This so-called Zombie Ice is not included in the mainstream models, and when added to other sources such as glaciers and even the Sleeping Giant, Antarctica, then sea level rises will far exceed current forecasts.

You can find out more on Jason’s dedicated Faster Than Forecast Youtube Channel that I have linked to in the text.

Next week I will be reporting from COP27 in Egypt. It is widely assumed that the conference can deliver nothing in the way of meaningful change in global emissions. Many are shunning the conference and it is easy to see why.

It is worth stating that for billions of people in the Global South, the COP is the only forum they have to make a case for climate justice and seek help as they try to adapt to the catastrophic impacts they are facing today because of our continued sustained burning of coal, oil, and gas.

On the flip side, many global south communities are pushing forward with adaptation strategies and becoming as resilient as possible. As climate chaos spreads, we will need their expertise in order to respond to climate extremes that are now arriving in the Global North.

Thanks for listening.

Nov 14, 202212:50
Dr Nathalie Hilmi - “We Need to Protect, Restore and Regenerate the Ocean Ecosystem”

Dr Nathalie Hilmi - “We Need to Protect, Restore and Regenerate the Ocean Ecosystem”

In this ClimateGenn episode, I am speaking with Dr Nathalie Hilmi at the Centre Scientifique in Monaco about the need to invest in research, restoration and regeneration of the world's oceans.

[ Support my channel at https://genn.cc and directly on http://patreon.com/genncc ]

By protecting and restoring ocean ecosystems we can start to create resilience in an area we know is in decline but yet we know so little about.

We have much of the technology and we have the intelligence but we still lack the political will and the investment to protect the world's fast-declining marine ecosystems that our lives are codependent up on.

In the next pre-COP episode I am also speaking with Professor Jason Box to highlight his new work around the Zombie ice on Greenlands ice sheet that is already committed to rising global sea levels this century and is not included in any of the climate models that we depend on for policymaking.

I’ll be catching up with both Nathalie and Jason among many others during week 2 at COP27 in Sharm El-Shiek. This is being dubbed the African COP to draw attention to the world's most vulnerable societies in the global south.

We are striving too for a global loss and damage fund that even you and I may be in need of, in the rapidly advancing onset of extreme climate impacts.

Thanks for listening. You can support my work via Patreon and on Genn.cc. Please do subscribe and leave feedback on any of the channels where you listen or watch this content.

Nov 04, 202217:13
Action And Activism - Is it time to mobilise the moderate masses?

Action And Activism - Is it time to mobilise the moderate masses?

Recent activism in the UK has made worldwide headlines. By bringing cultural treasures into the discussion, it raises new anxieties, and questions about what is at stake.

The visual impact of the soup hitting the van Gogh painting was viscerally shocking to many, including me. On reflection, it reminded me of when the painter Francis Bacon was asked what he would save in a burning house if the choice was between a Rembrandt self-portrait and a cat. Without hesitation Bacon said the cat, emphasising the value of life over art.

With that in mind, the Living Planet Report, shows that animal populations have declined by 70% since 1970. This is mass extinction territory and it is the world that these protestors are trying to draw the wider public attention to.

Regardless of what we think of their action, the post-war boomer generation and my own that have succeeded it, have partaken in this destruction both of the complex web of life on Earth and also the dreams and aspirations of the next and every successive generation.

In this ClimateGenn episode, recorded a few weeks ago with, author, philosopher, and former XR spokesperson, Professor Rupert Read, and his colleague 'Systems and culture change strategist’ Paddy Loughman, we discuss the urgent need for a mobilisation of the moderate masses in what they define as a Moderate Flank.

Social tipping points occur when enough when the force of change can no longer be held back. But what does a Moderate Flank actually look like?

Oct 16, 202242:01
Bill McGuire's Hot House Earth [Book] - Reflections on our current trajectory

Bill McGuire's Hot House Earth [Book] - Reflections on our current trajectory

In this ClimateGenn episode, I speak with climate scientist & author Professor Bill McGuire about his recent book titled Hot House Earth. Bill discusses the necessity to discuss worse-case climate outcomes at a time when emissions are still rising and political leaders are looking the other way.

[Visit https://genn.cc for more content & https://patreon.com/genncc ]

We discuss the absence of global leadership in the fight to hold temperature rise to within the boundaries that humanity has thrived for the last 11 thousand years. The rate of change means that the next 100 years, let alone the next ten thousand, really require global leadership and collective action from everyone on Earth who has the ability and agency to act.

In the next episode, I speak with former XR spokesman, author, and philosopher, Professor Rupert Read, and Systems and culture change strategist, Paddy Loughman, who have been working towards establishing a new inclusive cross-societal paradigm of action to tackle climate breakdown, that they call the Moderate Flank.

Thanks for listening to ClimateGenn, you can subscribe on all major podcast channels and Youtube to stay up to date and you can also support this channel via Patreon.

Oct 08, 202222:11
Ep. 08: Creating a Sustainable Wine Region - João Barroso

Ep. 08: Creating a Sustainable Wine Region - João Barroso

In this final Sustainability in Alentejo episode, I speak with João Barroso, manager of the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP).  

[Visit https://genn.cc for more info or support this channel on https://patreon.com/genncc

We discuss how the programme evolved from a need to respond to worsening climatic conditions, into a solid certification programme to help communicate the measured results of producers who take sustainability seriously.  João also discusses how the programme consciously developed a knowledge-sharing network to accelerate the uptake of best practices.  

Some of these best practices include the use of regenerative farming which, in a drought-prone region like Alentejo, is showing very positive results. The difference here, as João says, is between trying to survive in a desert, or, thriving in a garden of Eden. Either way, viticulture at higher temperatures has to mean working with nature, as Professor Kimberly Nicholas has said earlier in the series.  

The last point, as Dr Gregory Jones mentioned earlier, is about finding ways to expand these best practices beyond the regional level to the national and international levels.  This is where the wine producers and journalists and communicators interface to tell those stories. It seems to me that it is up to all of us to try and decode what is behind the certification labels.  We do this best by telling the stories of contemporary viticulture that respects nature, promotes stewardship of the land, and ultimately inspires trust in consumers that the wine industry is on a sustainable pathway.

Oct 04, 202231:22
Dr Shaun Fitzgerald OBE - Can Kelp Forests Capture a billion tonnes of carbon?

Dr Shaun Fitzgerald OBE - Can Kelp Forests Capture a billion tonnes of carbon?

In this ClimateGenn Episode, Dr Shaun Fitzgerald OBE, Director of the Centre for Climate Repair in Cambridge, discusses new research to build resilient and scaleable kelp growing platforms, asking the key question of whether kelp forests can capture and store a billion tonnes of carbon?

[Visit https://genn.cc or support my work on patreon for more access: https://patreon.com/genncc

As the Centre for Climate Repair forges ahead with its 3 R’s strategy of reducing emissions, removing carbon from the atmosphere and repairing essential climate systems such as the Arctic, Shaun has high hopes for large scale ocean sequestration but does not stop short of stating the need for urgent research into engineering methods for reflecting sunlight away from the Earth.

These are controversial proposals for many people and yet the climate problem keeps getting worse, with many governments only making tiny incremental commitments that maintain the status quo of a fossil fuel driven economy and society.

The truth is, as Professor Kevin Anderson has stated, that if we rely on the current ambition our political leaders, we really “are going to hell in a handcart”.

I am interested to hear feedback from listeners and gauge your thoughts on these kinds of proposals.

Sep 23, 202218:53
Ep. 07: Regenerative, Resilient, Balanced - Luis Patrão at Herdade de Coelheiros

Ep. 07: Regenerative, Resilient, Balanced - Luis Patrão at Herdade de Coelheiros

In this episode, I am speaking with Luis Patrão, director of enology and viticulture at Coelheiros, a stunning 800 hectare, historic estate, north of Evora, in the centre of Alentejo.

[Support this channel on https://patreon.com/genncc and find more info at https://genn.cc ]

When I visited the estate, Luis gave me a guided tour to demonstrate how the 600+ hectare cork oak forest, 50 hectares of vines, and the 40 hectare walnut orchard are being transformed into a regenerated resilient, and balanced ecosystem that is simply glorious.

It wasn’t always like this. The estate had more of a focus on hunting, running all the way back to 1467. It was only at the end of the last century, that Coelheiros started to be transformed into what is now a buzz of biodiversity.

Luis explains how their biggest challenge has been small birds and bugs, that eat everything from the plants themselves to the fruit they produce.

Wetland restoration and ending centuries of hunting have seen the return of birds of prey such as eagles and falcons. These in return have driven away the small birds that eat the fruit, and the introduction of bats is proving effective at balancing the bug population.

Luis also talks about the increased use of grapes more suited to the climate. Alicant Bouschet is again a favourite for this purpose, where the berries have proven to be more resilient to heatwaves, as well as having a later ripening period.

A feature of this conversation is that Luis talks about the positive impact this process of ‘working with nature’ has had on the wine quality, which he describes as being “ more pure and with greater richness on the palate”.

This kind of readiness for the new cycles of hotter and intense climatic conditions mean that Coelheiros is one of the leaders in Alentejo in starting out on the pilgrimage towards a truly sustainable viticulture.

Sep 21, 202215:20
The AMOC – Is a shut down faster than models forecast? Dr Levke Caeser.

The AMOC – Is a shut down faster than models forecast? Dr Levke Caeser.

In this ClimateGenn episode, I am speaking to Dr Levke Caesar about the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, about what would happen if this vital piece of the climate system either slowed dramatically or even shut down altogether.

[Visit https://genn.cc for more information on ClimateGenn and support this channel via https://patreon.com/genncc ]

To date the models have been poor anticipators of the speed of localised climate changes. Levke gives an insightful and sincere perspective on the importance of the AMOC as a critical piece of the climate system jigsaw.

In the next episode, we stay in the oceans and speak with Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, Director of the Centre for Climate Repair in Cambridge, about the collaborative effort they are involved with to develop kelp seaweed for both carbon sequestration and the benefit of marine ecosystems and more.

Subscribers via Patreon can also access another episode with Professor Bill McGuire discussing his new book Hothouse Earth and, very shortly, a new interview from my visit to the Monaco Scientific Centre to interview Dr Nathalie Hilmi about the centre's work in ocean research and conservation with corals and whales among other marine ecosystems on the agenda.

Please also check out the Sustainability in Alentejo wine series that I have been posting. The latest episode features an interview with Professor Kimberly Nicholas at the University of Lund about regenerative practices that underscore the critical importance of learning to work with nature rather than against nature.

Thanks for listening to ClimateGenn. Please do like, follow, share, or subscribe if you can. Also, please do leave feedback on episodes.

Animation sources - NASA:

Sep 17, 202228:08
EP. 06: Prof. Kimberly Nicholas, “Working with Nature” – Sustainability In Alentejo Series

EP. 06: Prof. Kimberly Nicholas, “Working with Nature” – Sustainability In Alentejo Series

In this interview with climate and wine scientist, Professor Kimberly Nicholas, we discuss the urgency of the climate crisis and the need to scale up mitigation and adaptation in the wine industry and beyond to avoid catastrophic impacts of climate heating.

[Visit: https://genn.cc/alentejo for more information on this wine and Climate change series. Support my work via Patreon.]

Kimberly is originally from Sonoma in California’s wine country and is currently based in Sweden at the University of Lund. She has also recently published a book titled ‘Under The Sky We Make’ highlighting the agency available to all of us to contribute toward a better world. Kimberly also produces a monthly advice column called We Can Fix It sharing thoughts and engaging in broader discussion on this complex subject.

With the lens focussed primarily on wine, we look at the benefits of using a wider range of grape varieties, as well as the growing trend towards regenerative agriculture, to restore soil carbon and build resilience.

To give some context to why there is an emphasis on words like urgency, catastrophe, and resilience, is because the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC), a scientist-led division of the United Nations, have in 2022 stated that we need to reduce our emissions in developed nations by 10-12% per year, in order to have a 50% chance of holding warming from rising above 1.5ºC global mean average.

Reducing emissions this fast is a colossal task and is why so many people now agree we are in a climate emergency. Action must start now across our society if we are going to stand a chance of succeeding in sustaining a liveable climate.

The world of wine may only be a tiny percentage of global agriculture but it is also a very sensitive crop and widely regarded as a cultural and luxury product. It is also greatly exposed to the risks of a changing climate and is widely seen as a leader in taking the actions required to transition towards true sustainability.

Sep 12, 202219:53
Ep 5: Alentejo Wine Series Herdade do Esporão, João Roquette - Leaders in Sustainability

Ep 5: Alentejo Wine Series Herdade do Esporão, João Roquette - Leaders in Sustainability

In this episode of Sustainability in Alentejo Wine Series, I am speaking with João Roquette, CEO and Chairman of the Esporão group about the company’s transformation to organic and resilient production.

Esporão is one of the most famous brand names in Portuguese wine and especially in Alentejo. João has played a leading role driving the company’s move towards organic viticulture.

During my visit I saw huge amounts of effort going into researching indigenous varieties for adaptability to the new climate conditions which are extreme today but will rapidly become normal tomorrow.

The extent of this work has made Esporão a phenomenal success. The company owns 623ha of organic vineyards – the biggest ownership in Portugal, representing about 18% of total organic production in the country.

Here João talks us through how the company reoriented itself as a pioneer towards sustainability goals before the WASP programme was established.

He also says, the Alentejo region as a whole should be proudly waving the flag as leaders in Portugal in taking bold environmental action.

Aug 28, 202217:06
… the situation is a little bit frightening! Kelly Wanser, Silver Lining Institute: climate modelling, interventions, and unlocking global south talent “quickly”

… the situation is a little bit frightening! Kelly Wanser, Silver Lining Institute: climate modelling, interventions, and unlocking global south talent “quickly”

In this ClimateGenn episode I speak to Silver Lining Institute Executive Director, Kelly Wanser about the urgent need to invest billions of dollars into expanding our global coverage of climate modelling capacity.

[Support this channel on https://patreon.com/genncc]

The worsening risks we face mean climate interventions to cool the planet are back in discussion in the corridors of power. We discuss the hold ups and the necessity for research that could give all of us a clear idea as to whether such schemes should be deployed or not.

We also discuss how engaging the talents of global south scientists beyond the current superficial level could be a game changer in advancing our ability to respond, and to intervene, in order to counter the catastrophic impacts of warming we are seeing accelerating all around us.

Quotes:

“We are in the far end of what looks like a really bad place for climate change.”

“The media is telling us the math doesn’t add up and the situation is getting a little bit frightening.”

On climate interventions: “Looking at the system where it is and the dangers to people… and the dangers to natural systems, ecology and biodiversity, we are now seeing there is more openness in those communities who were extremely opposed to this than they were in the past… and that’s new!”

“Ultimately, in the United States, and we’ll make this call to the rest of the world, we think there needs to be a step function, a real multi-billion dollar increase in investing against our observations and out model improvements. Separate from climate intervention, just to do the problems, we are not investing enough.”

“We quickly need money and this technical access for researchers in the global south if we want to say that their participation is meaningful… I’ll speak bluntly, I think their participation is more superficial than it should be because they don’t have the capacity to actually do the science.”

Excerpts from interview with Kelly Wanser, Exec Director of SilverLining Institute.

Aug 25, 202238:30
Ep 04 - Helena Ferreira | Adega De Borba, where Sustainability equals survival

Ep 04 - Helena Ferreira | Adega De Borba, where Sustainability equals survival

During my trip across Alentejo, it was a pleasure to visit the cooperative Adega de Borba. Winemaking in and around Borba has a long pedigree and is even mentioned in ‘Murray’s handbook to Travels in Portugal’, published in 1864, with reference to ‘A considerable quantity of wine is produced at Borba..’

View more at https://genn.cc/alentejo

And so it is to this day with Borba producing around 10 million bottles per year.

The co-op is also renowned for its quality with their very popular Adega de Borba Reserva being a top seller with its iconic label printed on cork.

During my visit I was given a tour of the winery and the cellars by Helena Ferreira, the director in charge of production and quality control. Helena has been implementing an impressive suite of sustainability protocols right across the organisation.

These include training the 300 growers, covering over 2200 hectares of vineyards, to improving energy, water, and waste management. All of this work is to ensure that the one thousand families who rely on Adega de Borba for their living, have confidence that they will be producing wine there in the years and decades yet to come.

This is episode 4 of 8 in a special series on sustainability in Alentejo in Southern Portugal - one of the most vulnerable wine regions in the world.



Aug 06, 202215:04