Fossil vs Future

• WHAT ABOUT DEMOCRACY? Empowering citizens or letting us down?

  Democracy literally means “rule by the people” – a system designed to safeguard our collective voice through the creation of laws and institutions. But today, many democratic systems are struggling to respond adequately respond to the wicked problems the world faces, including climate change. Young people, in particular, are losing faith. In this episode, James and Daisy speak about democracy. Why does it matter? Do democratic systems empower us tackle climate change – or slow us down? How might we strengthen democracy?  SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Economist Intelligence Unit (2024) – Only 45% of the world’s population lives in a democracy, 39% under authoritarian rule, and 15% in “hybrid regimes” that combine electoral democracy with authoritarian tendencies.Centre for the Future of Democracy – Globally, millennials are most dissatisfied with democracy, and more so than previous generations at the same stage of life. Furthermore,  young people are most positive about democracy under populist leaders of both left and right. Climate Citizens – A project run out of Lancaster University that wants to transform climate policy from something that happens to people, to something that happens with people.Climate Assembly UK – Over 100+ people from all walks of life and of all shades of opinion met over six weekends in Spring 2020 to discuss how the UK should meet its net zero target by 2050. They heard balanced evidence on the choices the UK faces, discussed them, and made recommendations about what the UK should do.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:National Geographic – The word “democracy” comes from two Greek words that mean people (demos) and rule (kratos). The first known democracy was in Athens.The Economist (2021) – The Swiss have the most pervasive system of referendums of any country in the world. Referendums are a form of “direct democracy”, in which citizens vote directly on policy questions rather than allowing elected delegates to decide (“representative democracy”). The Guardian (2025) – A majority from Europe’s Gen Z – 57% – prefer democracy to any other form of government. Rates of support varied, however, reaching just 48% in Poland and only about 51-52% in Spain and France, with Germany highest at 71%.Ipsos (2024) – Just 37% of 18-to-24 year olds voted at last July’s general election, down from 47% in 2019.GOV.UK – “Modernisation of UK democracy will see 16- and 17-year-olds able to vote in next general election.”CNN (2025) – Leaders of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran gather in Beijing for huge military parade in challenge to the West.UK Parliament – First-past-the-post is a type of electoral system. In the UK it is the system used for the election of MPs to the House of Commons and for some local government elections.UK Parliament – Proportional representation is an electoral system in which the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each party, e.g., if a party gained 40% of the total votes, a perfectly proportional system would allow them to gain 40% of the seats.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

  --------  

  39:13

  --------

  39:13
• WHAT ABOUT OUR HEALTH? A crisis to fear or a reason to act?

  The climate crisis is also a health crisis. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are driving more heat-related deaths, spreading vector-borne diseases, and damaging mental health – impacts that fall hardest on the most vulnerable communities. Framing climate change through the lens of health makes it personal – and the solutions preventative. Clean energy doesn’t just cut carbon; it saves lives by cleaning the air we breathe. Greener cities reduce emissions, protect us from heatwaves, and support our wellbeing. In this episode, James and Daisy explore the urgent connections between climate change and health. How is our health already being affected? How can health risks drive climate action? And what solutions offer the greatest benefits for both people and planet?  SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Outrage + Optimism (2025) – A fantastic podcast episode from Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson exploring why health must be central to climate communication. They are joined by Julia Gillard, Chair of the Wellcome Trust.  Force of Nature – Founded by former Fossil vs Future guest, Clover Hogan, this non-profit provides mental health resources and research on the rise of eco-anxiety.OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Our World in Data (2024) – “Almost no one has “heat” or “cold” written on their death certificate, but sub-optimal temperatures lead to a large number of premature deaths.”EAT-Lancet Commission (2019) – Proposes a global planetary health diet that is healthy for both people and planet. NY Times (2025) – The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) will stop funding research on the health effects of climate change.NY Times (2025) – With 59% of its revenue coming from federal and external sponsors, Harvard’s School of Public Health faces what has been called an “existential crisis.”Smart Surfaces Coalition – Promotes the adoption of green, porous, and reflective surfaces to enable cities to decrease urban heat, save money, reduce flooding risk, and strengthen urban liveability, resilience, and equity.City of Barcelona – Offers a publicly available map of climate shelters across the city. Wellcome – Showcases climate solutions with health co-benefits, such as protecting forests in Indonesia by meeting community needs. CNN (2023) – Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, once called air conditioning “the greatest invention of the 20th century” and credited it for helping to transform the island. Verv – An AI-based smart home product that allows remote control of HVAC units, switching to standby, setting temperature points, and programming set points.NHS & UNHSA (2025) – Partnered with the UK Met Office to integrate climate science and modelling into health impact assessments and launch an impact-based Weather-Health Alerting System.SOME FACTS: WHO (2023): 37% of heat-related deaths can be linked to human-induced climate change, and heat-related deaths among people over 65 have risen by 70% in just the last two decades.Imperial (2020): Changing temperature and rainfall across Africa could increase yellow fever deaths by up to 25% by 2050.UNEP (2023): Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to public health globally and accounts for more than 8 million premature deaths every year.The Lancet (2021): A survey of 10,000 young people (aged 16-25 years) in 10 countries found that 59% were “very or extremely worried” about climate change, and 84% were at least moderately worried. LSE (2024): The UK experienced five heatwave periods during summer 2022 with record-breaking temperatures of over 40°C in England.NHS: During summer 2022’s record breaking temperatures, England experienced an estimated 2,803 excess deaths.World Bank (2024): A changing climate could lead to excess health costs in low- and middle-income countries of at least US$21 trillion by 2050, equivalent to approximately 1.3% of their projected GDP.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

  --------  

  38:59

  --------

  38:59
• WHAT ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STATES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE? A moral duty or legal obligation?

  The International Court of Justice (ICJ) – the world’s highest court – has issued its long-awaited advisory opinion on the obligations of States in respect of climate change. The Court confirmed that States have a legal duty to protect the environment from greenhouse gas emissions, for both present and future generations. In this episode, Daisy asks James, an international environmental law expert, what this ruling really means – and why it matters. What exactly is an advisory opinion? How might it shape decision making? What happens next? SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: ICJ (2025) – The Court’s Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change, requested by the UN General Assembly in 2023. It was asked to advise on two questions: (1) What are the obligations of States under international law to ensure the protection of the climate system and other parts of the environment from anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases for States and for present and future generations? (2) What are the legal consequences for States under these obligations when they cause harm to the environment?Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) – A youth-led organisation that initiated the push for an ICJ advisory opinion on climate change.  OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Carbon Brief (2025) – Provides an overview of what the world court’s landmark opinion means for climate change. Financial Times (2025) – Philippe Sands calls the ruling a “coming of age” moment for writing environmental protection into the international legal order.Outrage + Optimism (2025) – In this podcast episode, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson react to the advisory opinion and hear from two lawyers who helped make it happen. ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons (1996) – Paragraph 29 recognised a state’s obligation to respect the global environment.Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) – An intergovernmental organization representing small island nations on climate issues.Stop Ecocide International – Leading the movement to make ecocide a crime.The Guardian (2025) – A fact check of Trump’s claims about “windmills” (wind turbines). Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

  --------  

  42:13

  --------

  42:13
• WHAT ABOUT SPORT? Driving emissions or driving action?

  Sport inspires, builds communities, promotes healthy lifestyles, and brings joy to millions around the world. But while sport is a powerful force for good, it is both a contributor to – and a victim of – climate change. In this episode, James and Daisy explore the intersection of sport and climate change. How does sport contribute to climate change? In what ways is climate change already affecting sport? How can sport drive meaningful climate action?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Forest Green Rovers – Officially recognised in 2017 as the world’s first vegan football club and widely considered the greenest football club globally.  World Economic Forum (2024) – An overview of how climate change is affecting sports, including how the Paris 2024 Olympics balanced athlete performance with safety. OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:Forbes (2025) – Examines how the Women’s Euro 2025 is balancing growth, sustainability and climate risk. Switzerland has secured second-class travel for all ticketholders on match days and added 400 extra trains to ensure reliability.Cricket for Climate – Founded by Australian cricket captain, Pat Cummins, to use cricket as a platform to fight climate change. The Next Test – A hub for climate concerned cricket players, clubs, and fans. Sport England (2025) – Chairman Chris Boardman has called for a ‘mindset shift’ on climate change and announced a new multi-million-pound fund to create the ‘world’s greenest sports industry’. Arsenal (2018) – Installed a large-scale battery storage system capable of powering the Emirates Stadium for an entire match. Formula E – An all-electric, single-seater motorsport series. Healthy Waters Alliance – A joint initiative between World Rowing and WWF to protect freshwater ecosystems.  SOME FACTS: “Sportswashing” – The practice of an organization, a government, etc. supporting sport or organizing sports events as a way to improve its reputation.European Climate Pact (2024) – The 2016 Rio Olympics released 3.6 million tons of CO2, while the 2018 Russia World Cup released 2.16 million tons – equivalent to the emissions of 465,000+ cars on the road for a year. BBC (2025) – Next year's World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico is set to be "the most climate-damaging" in the tournament's history, driven by air travel and a significant increase in the number of matches. European Climate Pact (2024) – Half of the former Winter Olympic host cities could be unable to sponsor winter games by 2050, due to a lack of snow and ice.BBC (2023) – The Alps in northwest Switzerland experienced temperatures of 20.9C over Christmas and New Year.New Scientist (2024) – By 2100, one in eight ski resorts worldwide could have no snow.Green Football – 100,000 tonnes of sportswear ends up in UK landfills annually – enough for 2,500 pieces per person in a packed Wembley stadium. The Guardian (2025) – Tennis fans faced the hottest start to Wimbledon on record this year as temperatures soared to 32C.US Open (2018) – The US Tennis Association implemented an ‘extreme heat policy’ to allow players periodic breaks during high temperatures.ScienceNews (2023) – Climate change has caused more than 500 home runs since 2010. World Athletics (2022) – 75% of athletes have experienced a direct negative impact from climate change on their health and performance.Rapid Transition Alliance (2020) – One in three British Open golf courses will be damaged by rising sea levels.Politico (2016) – Trump tried to build a sea wall to protect one of his golf courses from “global warming and its effects.”Olympics (2024) – The Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 achieved a 54.6% reduction in carbon emissions compared to previous editions. Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for m...

  --------  

  38:38

  --------

  38:38
• WHAT ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS? Cause for panic or time for intergenerational action? | Ft. John Elkington

  Demography is the study of human populations, while demographics refer to the characteristics of a population like age, gender, ethnicity, income, education, health. These traits both influence – and are influenced by – the climate crisis. In this episode, James and Daisy speak with John Elkington, a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable capitalism. Together they explore the role demographics play in shaping our climate future. What role do older generations play in shaping – or resisting – climate action? Will immigration become the main driver of population growth? How should demographic shifts inform climate solutions?SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: Rewilding Markets – John Elkington’s blog on how we can design - and redesign - markets to meet tomorrow's needs.Hannah Ritchie (2025) – A data-led blog showing that while the generational divide in belief and concern about climate change is small, the differences are slightly greater when it comes to views on how to address it.Project Drawdown – Family planning and education could reduce carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by nearly 70 gigatons by 2050.Our World in Data – In 1800, the global population was 1 billion. It’s now over 8 billion. The UN projects that the global population will peak in 2086 at just over 10.4 billion people.OTHER ADVOCATESAND RESOURCES:Green Swans (2020) – John Elkington’s twentieth book, a manifesto for system change designed to serve people, planet, and prosperity.IPAT Equation – I = P × A × T – Developed by Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren in 1972 to describe how impact (I) or environmental change is a function of population size (P), affluence (A), and technology (T).The Conduit (2025) – By 2050, Spain will have 8 million fewer working-age people, so it is issuing work permits to 900,000 undocumented migrants. The Bank of Spain estimated that immigration contributed a fifth of the near 3% GDP growth between 2022 and 2024.BBC (2019) – France spends more public money on families than any other OECD country. Its benefits include a ‘birth grant’ of around €950, followed by monthly child benefit and diverse family allowances, income tax reductions and state-subsidised day-care.BBC (2024) – A 2021 survey of 10,000 people aged 16 to 25 found that more than 40% of respondents in Australia, Brazil, India and the Philippines said climate change made them hesitant about having children. In France, Portugal, the UK and the US the figure was between 30% and 40%. In Nigeria it was 23%.Ingka Young Leaders Forum – A global youth advisory council where Ingka Group's senior decision-makers and the Young Leaders Forum members co-create actionable and transformational strategies together. Ingka Group is the largest IKEA franchisee. edie (2021) – At COP26, the Body Shop explored how a youth council could ensure that younger generations had their voices and issues heard by decision makers.SOME FACTS: United Nations (2017) – The population of Nigeria is projected to surpass that of the United States by about 2050, at which point it would become the third largest country in the world.UN ECA (2024) – Globally, more than 1 in 4 people will be African in 2050, from 1 in 11 in 1960.European Commission (2023) – By 2060, Europeans over the age of 65 could account for 39% of the region’s total emissions.Thank you for listening! Please follow us on social media to join the conversation: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokYou can also now watch us on YouTube.Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3Producer: Podshop StudiosHuge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

  --------  

  44:51

  --------

  44:51

Meer Wetenschap podcasts

Trending Wetenschap -podcasts

Over Fossil vs Future