Climate Conversations

From massive amounts of energy usage in hospitals, nursing homes and clinics to single use plastics for medical supplies, the medical industry's carbon footprint beats that of shipping or aviation. But how do you save lives and save the planet too? Jack Board and Liling Tan break it down.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 For a small country, Singapore wastes a staggering amount of food. And yet, there are people who struggle to eat three good meals a day. To tackle this, member of parliament Louis Ng spearheaded the Good Samaritan Food Donation Bill which was passed on Aug 7. He speaks to Liling Tan and Jack Board on why he embarked on this journey.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earth Overshoot Day happened on August 1st. This means we've used up the earth resources faster than we should. Jack Board and Liling Tan chat through what that means for us.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With temperatures breaking records in Singapore, what risks do migrant workers have? Aside from just drinking more water, what other innovative solutions can employers look at? Liling Tan asks Associate Professor Jason Lee who is also the Director of the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in NUS.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If elected, Kamala Harris will need to thread the needle between being strong on climate change and not upsetting hugely influential big oil and gas companies. Jack Board discusses her prospects with NYU climate and energy expert, Dr Carolyn Kissane.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Board takes a trip deep into the heart of communities on the climate front line in the Pacific, where culture, identity and nationhood are all at stake.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a year since supermarkets in Singapore have stopped giving out free plastic bags. Has that created a dent in our consumption of plastics? Jack Board and Liling Tan wrap their heads around the plastic conundrum.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As nations try and find solutions to sustain ever increasing energy needs, nuclear energy is being seriously considered by Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore. Can experts find a way to deal with the safety and cost issues? Jack Board and Liling Tan talk through the science and scary scenarios.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil and water never mix so when there's a spill, all kinds of environmental, financial and even emotional impact ensue. Jack Board and Liling Tan drill deep into the impact of spills and how innovative solutions can prevent them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The vertical farming revolution is a way to deal with climate impacts on traditional farming and food insecurity. But heavy energy and technology costs are getting in the way of scale and commercial success. Jack Board and Liling Tan lay out the facts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a country where urbanisation has uprooted native species that used to call our skies, lands and waterways home, some creatures have beaten the odds of extinction … at least for now. Liling Tan speaks to Yeo Suay Hwee and Tan Gim Cheong from the Nature Society about the species that are coming back, and the ones that are lost forever.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The debate between coffee and tea is as old as time. For centuries, fans around the world have quarrelled over their health benefits, caffeine content, and popularity. But this week, Jack Board and Liling Tan serve up a different kind of argument – on the carbon footprint each beverage leaves behind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Car-free cities, greener pockets and more sustainable homes for the underserved - these were some ideas for cities to transform for a climate challenged world. But have these promises come to fruition? Jack Board and Liling Tan do their due diligence on old promises. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is brought to you by Schneider Electric, a digital partner for sustainability and efficiency. Whether you buy a new phone or print a document at the office, every action has a carbon footprint. Jack Board and Liling Tan do the math and break down exactly what carbon accounting does. Our guest this week is Yoon Young Kim, Cluster President at Schneider Electric.  See omnystudio.com/lis...

The use of AI is changing industries in unimaginable ways, especially in the climate change and sustainability space. But is it friend or foe? Jack Board and Liling Tan talk all things tech in this episode of Climate Conversations.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food has an outsized impact on greenhouse gas emissions. In this episode of Climate Conversations, Jack Board and Liling Tan tuck into the world of alternative foods and whether they really are better for the environment.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Globally, coral reefs are being lost at alarming rates. Scientists estimate that half of them have already disappeared and 90 per cent could be gone by 2050 if temperatures continue to rise. Liling Tan and Jack Board explain why this doesn’t just affect our vacations.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Explaining climate change can be an exercise in frustration and futility when jargon gets in the way. Climate academics Prof Winston Chow and Assoc Prof Terry van Gevelt from Singapore Management University defend themselves against Liling Tan and Jack Board, who dials in from scorching Bangkok where the "feels-like” temperature hit 52 degrees Celsius.  This podcast episode is in partnership with...

Studied history or philosophy in school? Your knowledge can help to solve the biggest problems of climate change. Professor David Taylor from NUS and NTU’s Dr Janice Lee speak to Liling Tan and Jack Board checks in from the Pacific Islands on this week’s Climate Conversations.  This podcast episode is in partnership with the inaugural Ideas Festival. You can find out more at www.ideasfestival.edu....

In this first episode of a brand-new Climate Conversations, hosts Jack Board and Liling Tan tell you why the heatwave will create bigger problems in future than just wilting plants. Plus, quick climate news, a quiz and a sustainability word of the week.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Climate Conversations podcast heads outdoors in search of a beloved songbird – the straw-headed bulbul. Fewer than 1,700 of these birds remain in the wild worldwide, largely due to habitat loss and poaching. Julie Yoo meets the co-chairs of the Straw-headed Bulbul Working Group, Low Bing Wen from the National Parks Board and Alfred Chia from Nature Society Singapore, to find out more about the...

Each year, millions of people worldwide pledge to turn off or dim their lights for one hour as part of the Earth Hour event. But beyond the symbolic Switch Off moment, how effective are these global efforts? Vivek Kumar, CEO of WWF-Singapore sits down with Julie Yoo to talk about how big an impact the festival has on raising awareness for climate change. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

Climate change is already wreaking havoc on the weather and food supplies. But now dermatologists worldwide are blaming it for an uptick in skin issues such as cancer, dermatitis and premature skin ageing. Kesh Gunasinghe, head of R&D Asia Pacific at Kenvue, shares his tips on how to better protect the human body's largest organ.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Come 2026, passengers on planes departing from Singapore will have to pay more for their air tickets because carriers will be required to use sustainable aviation fuel. CNA’s Roland Lim was at the Singapore Airshow in February, where the sustainable aviation fuel mandate was the talk of the event. He shares more on how industry players are responding to the pressure to go green.  See omnystudio.co...

During his Budget 2024 speech, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced a S$5 billion Future Energy Fund as part of Singapore’s transition to clean energy. Geothermal and nuclear energy sources are currently being studied as part of the country’s power portfolio. GE Vernova’s Asia Decarbonization Leader Kazunari Fukui is our guest this week.   See omnystudio.com/listener...