Climate Watch

China has made major progress in its "Zhuiri" or "Sun Chasing" project, moving a step closer toward building a space solar power station. Why do we need to harvest solar power in space? What's the biggest challenge in turning that vision into reality? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Zhang Fan, Associate Professor of Astronomy at Beijing Normal University.

Europe is experiencing an unprecedented early summer heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius on many parts of the continent. What is driving this extreme heat, and is this the new normal for Europe's summers? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Bob Ward, the policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

The Yangtze River, China's longest waterway, once faced a severe biodiversity crisis after decades of overfishing. But five years into an unprecedented 10-year fishing ban, scientists are seeing surprising signs of ecological recovery. Can one of the world's longest rivers truly heal? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Chen Yushun, co-author of a new Science study on the Yangtze's recovery....

Meteorologists have confirmed that an El Nino has formed in the tropical Pacific, and forecasts suggest it could intensify in the coming months. What is El Nino? Could a "super" El Nino be on the way? How might it shape global weather patterns, and what could it mean for China? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Wang Chunzai, a researcher at South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, and Direc...

China's Green Code: Rewriting the Rules of Growth is a four-part special series exploring how China is reshaping the way it produces energy, builds industries, grows food and lives day to day. In this episode, we travel to Shenzhen, a city known for its low-carbon ambitions, to see how sustainable living is becoming part of everyday life. Following a local resident’s journey across the city, we ex...

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway, with a record 48 teams competing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. As the tournament grows bigger, so does its climate footprint. Will this year's tournament be the most polluting in FIFA history? Where do the emissions come from? And does the game's continued expansion go against its climate goals? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Tim Walte...

“China’s Green Code: Rewriting the Rules of Growth” is a four-part special series exploring China’s drive toward greener development across energy, industry, agriculture, and everyday life. In this episode, we travel to Anqiu in eastern China—one of the country’s leading vegetable-producing regions, to see how farming is being reimagined. We visit farms where agricultural waste becomes a valuable...

A deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has captured headlines over the past few weeks. Beyond the immediate public health crisis, scientists are looking at the climate factors that may be driving the spread of this rodent-borne disease into new areas. Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Dr. Kirk Douglas, Director of the Center for Biosecurity Studies at The University...

“China’s Green Code: Rewriting the Rules of Growth” is a four-part special series exploring China’s drive toward greener development across energy, industry, agriculture, and everyday life. In this episode, we head to Chongqing, one of China's industrial heartlands, to see how it's reinventing itself for a lower-carbon future. We'll visit a cement plant replacing coal with waste-derived fuel (2'50...

Scientists are increasingly worried about the potential collapse of a key Atlantic ocean current. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, AMOC, helps regulate global climate by transporting vast amounts of heat across the oceans and shaping weather patterns worldwide. Is AMOC approaching a tipping point? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Paul Beckwith, a climate system scientist ba...

“China’s Green Code: Rewriting the Rules of Growth” is a four-part special series exploring China’s drive toward greener development across energy, industry, agriculture, and everyday life. In this episode, we travel to Changzhou, where the transition to cleaner energy is reshaping the way power is produced, stored, and managed. We explore both the promise and the challenges of renewable energy (1...

China is building a new generation of greener data centers in Xizang Autonomous Region. Using the region's cold climate and clean energy resources, these projects aim to reduce the carbon cost of powering AI. Can high-altitude computing reshape the climate footprint of the digital age? We talk to Zha Daojiong, Professor of International Political Economy at the School of International Studies at P...

The emperor penguin has been moved from "Near Threatened" to "Endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Scientists warn that the early break-up and loss of sea ice could halve their population by the 2080s. Climate change is also threatening Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals. What exactly is happening at the bottom of the world? Why are species that...

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. When burned as fuel, it produces water instead of carbon dioxide, making it a potentially low-carbon energy option. Interest in hydrogen is growing as countries explore its role in decarbonizing heavy industry, transport, and energy storage. Can hydrogen help power a green future? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Ji Guozhao, Associate...

China and the EU are accelerating their clean energy transitions. Does this moment bring them closer, or drive them further into competition? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Arvea Marieni, senior advisor to the World Green Design Organization and European Climate Pact Ambassador, and Zhang Jian, vice dean of the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua Universit...

April 22 marks Earth Day. Ten years ago on this day, leaders from around the world gathered at the UN Headquarters in New York for the signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement. A decade on, where does the global fight against climate change stand today? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Michael Grubb, Professor of Energy and Climate Change at University College London.

China is on track to become the world's largest generator of nuclear energy, with 112 reactor units either in operation, under construction, or approved. It has signed on to an international pledge to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050. How is China growing from a nuclear newcomer to the world's largest generators of nuclear power? How is nuclear technology evolving? And what's driving...

Europe has set a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, compared to 1990 levels. The goal is now legally binding, after the European Council formally adopted the amended European Climate Law last month. How achievable is it? What does it mean for Europe and beyond? How might it reshape global industries and trade? Zhao Ying speaks with Dr. Niklas Höhne, co-founder of the NewClimate...

The World Meteorological Organization warns that Earth's energy imbalance has reached a record high. Rising temperatures are just the tip of the iceberg. Most of the excess heat is hidden in the oceans, with far-reaching impacts on our climate. Zhao Ying speaks with Bod Ward, the policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, to explore...

As China targets a 17% cut in carbon intensity by 2030, how much difference can consumer choices make? Earlier this year, the government launched a nationwide action plan to promote green consumption. How is it working in practice? How much is it shaping people's lifestyles? And can greener demand push companies to change the way they produce? Zhao Ying speaks with Zhou Mi, a senior research fello...

As World Water Day approaches, this special episode explores how a small mountain village in southwest China is adapting to water scarcity in a changing climate.

China will accelerate the development of zero-carbon industrial parks and factories. This year's government work report has highlighted the strategy, as part of the country's broader push to promote green and low-carbon development. What exactly is a zero-carbon industrial park? How do you build one? And what opportunities do they create for businesses? Zhao Ying speaks with Qu Qiang, a fellow of...

China's top legislature is deliberating on the draft of the country's first-ever Ecological and Environmental Code. If adopted, it would become only the second law in China formally designated as a "Code," after the Civil Code. How significant is this move? And what could it mean for businesses, investors, local governments, and ordinary citizens? Zhao Ying speaks with Ma Jun, Founder of the Insti...

China has seen a massive, rapid cleanup of its skies over the past decade. Yet some recent reports suggest that these pollution reductions may have unintentionally accelerated global warming. What does the science actually say? Can we really blame clean air for a warming world, or are news headlines oversimplifying a much more complex climate story? Zhao Ying speaks with Arvea Marieni, European Cl...

Do you start your day with a cup of coffee? The world's 10 billion kilograms of annual coffee waste usually rots in landfills, spewing greenhouse gases. But now, scientists are turning it into biochar to replace up to 15% of sand in concrete, boosting strength by 30% and cutting carbon footprints by up to 26%. Zhao Ying speaks with Dr. Zhang Jingxuan from the School of Engineering at RMIT, who lea...