Podcasts

In our penultimate episode of the series, Katy and Babita are joined by the comedian and environmental economist Dr Matt Winning. Matt performs live stand-up comedy about climate change as well as juggling his career as a climate researcher. We find out why he decided comedy was his way forward to take action in the climate crisis.

Matt is the author of a book called, Hot Mess: What On Earth Can We Do About Climate Change? Details of Matt’s book can be found here

In this episode Katy and Babita to Professor Sarah Bridle who traded in her high profile career as an astrophysicist to focus on food and what we eat.  She is now the Professor of Food, Climate and Society at the University of York. Sarah told us how the battle of food in the climate crisis is not about vegans versus farmers, but enabling better food choices to bring about change.

In this episode, Katy and Babita are joined by Alistair Griffiths, Director of Science at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Alistair chats to us about the power of gardening for our mental health and the planet, and how plants, nature and people can join forces to accelerate change in the battle against the climate crisis.

In this episode, Katy & Babita chat to Guy Singh-Watson, a farmer and the founder of Riverford – a farm collective that has developed into a national organic veg box scheme delivering to around 50,000 customers a week across the UK. He joins us to talk about food, the organic farming in the climate crisis, and his passion for truly sustainable agriculture.

This week, Babita and Katy meet poet and former climate activist Emma Must. Emma was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her efforts towards land protection, which included a period of detention in Holloway Prison as one of the ‘Twyford Seven’. She explains her decision to stop front-line campaigning and why she has turned to the power of the written word in the battle against the climate crisis.

In this episode, Babita and Katy meet CEO Dan Bates who set up his own energy company – Rebel Energy, to address inequality and the climate crisis. Dan spent over 15 years working at BP before deciding it was time to focus on clean energy. We find out what motivated him to go-it alone and whether big business can mean good business in the effort to battle the climate crisis.

In this episode Babita and Katy talk to Lucy Siegle, author and broadcaster who has spent much of her career helping us understand the perils of fast fashion and what ethical living looks like.  Lucy explains that we are not ‘consumers’ – we are citizens with agency.  She also shares her tips on living ethically by sharing resources and plugging back into our communities.

In our second series, Babita and Katy meet people taking action against the climate crisis in unique and brilliant ways. In this episode they meet Oli Cook, co-founder of EKKO bank. Oli is tackling the climate crisis in a way Babita and Katy would never had thought of … through debit cards.

In this episode Babita and Katy meet Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah, mum of Ella who died of acute respiratory failure on 15 February 2013, three weeks after her ninth birthday.  Ella made legal history as the first person in the UK to have air pollution recorded on their death certificate.  

Journalists Katy Glassborow and Babita Sharma met 25 years ago and remain firm friends, sharing each other’s highs and lows. They spent their careers investigating news stories, including climate change, but when they both became mums the climate headlines left them in a state of fear.  How do you parent in a climate emergency?

In this episode Babita and Katy are joined by environmentalist, author and journalist George Monbiot. They discuss the role that parents can play in preparing their kids for the fight against climate change. George talks about the unprecedented time we are facing and what he has learnt about his own emotional denial when coping with the climate challenges that lie ahead.

In this episode Babita and Katy are joined by Mitzi Jonelle Tan, a young climate activist from the Philippines. They discuss the urgency and eco trauma felt by young activists on the front lines of climate change. Mitzi explains how foundational her relationship with her mother is, and how the lessons she learnt about being kind, loving community and standing up to bullies has influenced her approach to activism.

In this episode Katy is joined by guest presenter Ben McCallan from Zero Carbon Guildford, a charity that focuses on driving community-led climate action. Katy and Ben chat to Miatta Fahnbulleh, Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation. Miatta has a wealth of experience generating ideas and policies to reshape the economy so that it works better for people and planet. Ben and Katy ask Miatta about her efforts to weave the climate crisis into conversations about politics, economics, transport and the cost of living crisis.

In this episode Mayor of Freetown Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr talks about the difference between climate activism in greenhouse gas emitting countries, and the urgency of dealing with the damage in countries that bear the consequences. Yvonne talks about juggling climate activism with politics and family life, and the tough choices she’s been faced with. And ultimately how her fight to get climate on the agenda in Sierra Leone and internationally remains a family decision.

In this episode climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti talks to Babita and Katy about bringing news of climate catastrophes from her home country of Kenya to global leaders, who often seem like they’re just not listening. Elizabeth describes the disconnect between what is happening on the front line of climate change, and the high-level conferences deciding what to do about it. She warns that real people and real stories are often squeezed out of high-level discussions, and about the verve and determination of young activists, who persist in bringing the truth from the worst effected communities.

In this episode journalist David Shukman talks to Katy and guest presenter Antonia Godber, from Parents for Future UK, about his experience of reporting on catastrophes from the front lines of climate change. He talks about how these experiences effected him as a father, and the lessons he learnt from interviewing children living through climate crises. He shares his perspective on how parents can manage fear and eco anxiety in themselves, and for their children.