Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast18 Feb 2021

89. The Ministry for the Future with Kim Stanley Robinson

On Friday, The United States will officially be back in the Paris Climate Agreement!

*cue appropriate volume of fanfare*

And while in a week where Dallas, Texas is colder than Anchorage, Alaska - our co-host Paul Dickinson takes us on a short list of topics discussing the social cost of carbon recently updated by Joseph Stiglitz and Lord Nicholas Stern to match the severity of the climate crisis, as well as a listener question regarding the unregulated growth and steadily growing emissions of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

But all of this in context, with the US “still in” as it’s being promoted - We anxiously await the United States’ Nationally Determined Contribution which should be announced anytime between now and late April. Once that number comes through, the race to COP 26 will be at full speed where the very first 5 year check in of global accountability and ambition towards a net-zero 2050 and beyond will happen.

So with the world’s largest economy on track to boost the global coalition of nations dedicated to this collective goal, will we be able to achieve emission reductions fast enough to avoid catastrophe? This week our guest is legendary science fiction writer, Kim Stanley Robinson, whose prolific career includes the international bestselling Mars trilogy, and more recently Red Moon, New York 2140, Aurora, Shaman, Green Earth, and 2312. Stan joins us for an exclusive look into the themes of his latest book: The Ministry for the Future, which offers an unflinching look at what our future may hold even in 2025 if we do not address runaway climate change. Optimistically he says, “We are all living in a science fiction novel we are coauthoring together.”

So, what future will we write?

Sci-Fi Pop Music this week from French duo, Toukan Toukän!

—

Thank you to our guest this week, Kim Stanley Robinson.

Grab a copy of his latest book - ‘The Ministry For The Future’

Facebook | Twitter (Unofficial)

—

Our musical guest this week is Toukan Toukän!

Music video for ‘Konowoulen’

Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Website

—

Keep up with Christiana Figueres here:

Instagram | Twitter

—

Tom Rivett-Carnac:

Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

—

Paul Dickinson is on LinkedIn!

—

Follow @GlobalOptimism on social media and send us a message!

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Don't forget to hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss another episode of Outrage + Optimism!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(394)

15. Lobbying for "Clean" Coal with John Ashford

This week we confront the argument for clean coal head on in a conversation with famous DC lobbyist, John Ashford. John is the CEO and chairman of Hawthorn Group, an international public affairs and p...

1 Aug 201936min

14. Outrage + Optimism LIVE Q+A!

Last week we asked all of you to submit your burning questions on climate change, and this week we answer them LIVE and on the air! Questions came in from all around the world, and we tackle them head...

26 Juli 201953min

13. Seeking Fairness in an Unfair World with Angel Gurría

This week we ask, “In a fair world, who shares the responsibility of reducing carbon emissions?” Christiana goes for a run and comes back with an insightful metaphor to help us, Tom shares about his t...

18 Juli 201940min

12. Learning to Live with Grief and Joy with AURORA

This week we're taking a break from our normal policy discussions to figure out how to embrace both hope and despair in these difficult times. Christiana reveals her inner dialog of wrestling with how...

12 Juli 201948min

11. All about EU with Miguel Arias Cañete

This week we turn our attention to the EU where there has been an attempt to increase the target of all member states to net zero by 2050. We talk about what happened, why this wasn’t adopted, and wha...

4 Juli 201940min

10. Trumps' Roll Back of Science with Gina McCarthy

This week we explore the roll back of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan by the Trump EPA and the replacement with a new rule that will increase emissions and damage human health. We also explore the ...

28 Juni 201942min

9. Net Zero Legacy with Theresa May

This week we bring you a special episode featuring a conversation between Christiana Figueres and Prime Minister Theresa May. In her final weeks in office, Mrs May has introduced a target of net zero ...

19 Juni 201926min

8. Finding Refuge with David Miliband

Ahead of World Refugee Day on 20th June, we explore how climate change is magnifying the impacts of the refugee crisis around the world, and what the future solutions and challenges ahead of us might ...

11 Juni 201947min