4°C Podcast

In this episode, Tegan Gibaud joins us to tell us all about sustainability in the fashion industry: How does climate change relate to fashion, and is it as black-and-white as one would think? Learn with us how intertwined this space is, and get tips on how to be sustainably fashionable, or is it fashionably sustainable? Link to TeganxCottonOn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tegangibaud_cotton-on-f...

Welcome back to another episode! In this episode, our gracious hosts discuss two interconnected terms that may be new to most: Tipping Points and Planetary Boundaries. They do a deep dive on the two topics, further dissecting the planetary boundaries diagram. You can have a look at the diagram here: https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/output/infodesk/planetary-boundaries Please do leave a comment on wha...

In this episode, Phillip and Precious get personal about the power of community during extreme climate events, sharing the coping strategies that have carried them through, and asking whether you've found the same in your own circle.

Welcome or welcome back. In this episode, Mosibudi presents her case study on Cape Town's urban food systems, specifically, informal traders at Bellville Market and how climate change is reshaping the way they work. Her research uncovers a sector that is anything but straightforward, revealing a web of intersecting factors that challenge easy assumptions. Tune in to learn more!

Welcome back to another episode of the 4°C. In this one, we chat about the linkages of climate change to various aspects of "Health", including to fungal infection, respiratory diseases, neglected diseases, etc. We also discuss the differences that may exist in prevalent diseases in the Global South and Global North. We also touch on mental health. Have you ever thought there's a link between clim...

Is there a meaningful connection between heritage sites and climate change? In this episode, the hosts explore this question through a grounded discussion centred on the Matobo Hills World Heritage Site. They are joined by Charity and Tafadzwa, practitioners working directly within the site, alongside Fred Sato, a climate change and heritage researcher from the African Climate and Development Init...

In this episode, Precious and Philipp discuss common misconceptions around climate change and offer alternative explanations. They also talk about certain climate hazards affecting the world. Are they a cue for us to act now? Tune in.

We know it's almost April but Happy New Year! Precious and Philipp recap on the big climate news of 2025, and they chat about the recent blizzards in the US. If climate change causes warming, why are winters getting colder?

In this very short episode, we have our 4th degree in the studio, Puja. We catch up and mainly talk about what we are looking forward to in this season. Do enjoy. Like our conversations? Don't forget to give us a follow.

In this episode, Philipp and Precious unpack the outcomes of COP30, focusing on the final declaration and what it signals for global climate action. They walk through the key commitments, the debates that shaped the negotiations, and the gaps that still need to be addressed.

In this episode, the team takes on the UNFCCC COP. We break down what COP is and to make things clearer (and a bit more fun), we build an analogy that captures the entire COP process in everyday language; the negotiations, the tensions, the pledges, the politics, and the promises. We also explore who might host the next COP and what that could mean for global climate priorities. Who do you think s...

In this episode, we welcome our very first guest, Almustaqim. He shares how he found his way into the ACDI master’s programme in 2025, what shaped his motivation, and the experiences that guided him toward this field. We talk about his current research, the questions driving his work, and the future he envisions both for himself and for climate action more broadly. It’s an honest, grounded convers...

In this episode, Precious and Philipp dive into the story of Hurricane Melissa and ask a central question: was it truly a climate change impact, or just a storm amplified by natural variability? They break down the field of climate attribution ; how scientists determine whether an extreme event is influenced by human-caused warming, what kinds of evidence matter, and why attribution studies have b...

In this episode of the 4°C Podcast, Philipp takes us behind the scenes of the 2025 Annual and Student Conference of the Environmental Law Association (ELA) of South Africa. He breaks down what happened, the ideas that stood out, and the conversations shaping the future of environmental law in South Africa.

In this episode of the 4°C Podcast, Precious and Yonela unpack how a warming planet is changing the games we love. We take a closer look at recent events, like the Tokyo Championships, Formula 1, and rugby tournaments affected by heat, to ask: what happens when the climate becomes the biggest opponent? We also explore what adaptation could look like for different sports, from scheduling shifts and...

In this episode of the 4°C Podcast, we’re turning the spotlight on ourselves — and the places we call home. Join Precious, Philipp, and Yonela as we kick things off with a climate change quiz before diving into a heartfelt conversation about how climate change feels different across borders — from Germany’s acid rain to Zimbabwe’s cyclones and South Africa’s droughts. Through personal stories we e...

Welcome to the very first episode of the 4°C Podcast, brought to you by the Climate Risk Lab within ACDI at the University of Cape Town! In this debut, hosts Precious, Philipp, and Yonela sit down to unpack who we are, what we study, and why we’ve named our show after one of the most urgent numbers in climate science. We dive into the big, messy, and fascinating world of climate change — from glob...