The Big Questions

Join Simon Messenger and David Carlin as they sit down with Mark Campanale, the Founder of Carbon Tracker, a leading think tank analyzing the financial implications of climate change. Do terms like "carbon budget," "carbon bubble," and "stranded assets" mean very little to you? Or even a bit, but you're not really sure what the global implications are? Then tune in to this podcast episode! Mark, S...

Today's Big Question: what's Big and Beautiful? A bill, apparently! Making its way through US legislative process is a bill called, without any irony, "One Big Beautiful Bill". It's largely a bill to repeal many of Biden's Inflation Reduction Act decisions, many of which are linked to "green" decisions, and offer new tax breaks (in short). What might this mean f...

Today's episode is a whistle-blow tour of what's been happening in the last few weeks in terms of elections in the world (well, at least the English-speaking world in terms of today's discussion). There's been a lot of understandable talk about sustainability being on life support in terms of politics and corporate action but a few recent elections show that maybe, after all, the s...

At 12.33pm on Monday 28 April, a large chunk of Spain and Portugal were plunged into chaos by a major blackout.  So what happened? Lots of actors and media jumped on a bandwagon to blame net-zero, renewables or the energy transition. Was that fair? What was does this mean in terms of future resilience of renewable-energy based grids? (Spain and Portugal are two of the world's leading nations f...

In this episode, Nick Robins, a veteran in climate change and sustainable finance, discusses with Simon Messenger and David Carlin the critical importance of a Just Transition for successful climate action. As Professor at the London School of Economics and pioneer in sustainable finance, he highlights how the concept emerged from the labour movement to ensure fairness for workers and communities...

Join Simon Messenger and David Carlin for the final episode of our series on food, where we tackle the big question: is the food system about to collapse? The vulnerabilities in our food system are not accidental—they result from policy choices that prioritized efficiency and profit over resilience and equity. Simon and David discuss how these choices have left us with a fragile system. They argue...

Today, we're joined by Antonio Vizcaya, a true sustainability expert who's making waves across LinkedIn and beyond and who's bridging the gap between theory and practice. Based in Mexico City, Antonio has a knack for simplifying complex sustainability concepts, and is passionate about making sustainability accessible to everyone, whether they're seasoned professionals or just start...

In this episode, we are diving into the fascinating world of food and its deep connection to culture. For many of us, food is more than just sustenance; it's an integral part of our identity, traditions, and heritage. But, in today's world, food has increasingly become a commodity, leading to a culture of abundance and, unfortunately, waste. We've come to expect that every ingredient s...

Is that juicy burger headed for extinction? Meat consumption has become one of sustainability's biggest flashpoints - and perhaps its ripest opportunity for disruption. While meat production consumes a staggering 83% of global farmland - equivalent to the entire Americas - it delivers just 18% of our calories. What will tomorrow's protein look like? Lab-grown meat has seen costs plummet fr...

Ever wondered how much oil and gas you're "eating" with every meal? You might be surprised to learn it's a lot more than you think! Our global food systems devour a staggering 15% of the world's fossil fuels. But it's not just the obvious culprits like tractors, transport, and packaging. The real shocker? Fertilizers! Join David Carlin and Simon Messenger as they uncover the surprising chemical pr...

Join David Carlin and Simon Messenger for a small series on the complex world of food, a topic that touches all of us multiple times a day. We often hear that beef is "bad" and free-range farming is "good," but what about the less obvious truths of the food industry? How much fossil fuel is fuelling your diet, and where does it really come from? Transportation, fertilizers, som...

In today's episode, David Carlin and Simon Messenger are diving deep into the circular economy, a critical shift from our current "make, take, and waste" linear model which is pushing our planet to its limits. The classic "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" mantra is more vital than ever, especially when considering that if everyone lived like the average American, we'd need five Earths to sustain our consum...

Humans have always migrated, sometimes by choice and sometimes by necessity. As the climate warms, our choices and reaction times will dwindle. Are we facing the movement of millions yearly, worldwide, or is this a regional issue? How should the global community adapt and prepare? And intriguingly, how many Australians might find themselves in France in the coming decades? Join our discussion on t...

Join Simon and David as they break down this week's key climate change developments you might have missed. In this episode, they explore elections in North America*, France's new national adaptation plan, the impact of the military sector on emissions, some of the recent withdrawals from international climate funds and, lastly, some (hopefully) promising news from one of the world's la...

Struggling to focus on your work because your phone keeps pinging with notifications? Are carbon credits the equivalent of Instagram updates when it comes to climate action? A pretty, shiny but dangerous distraction which stops us from focusing on what's needed? Or could they be the essential global safety net we desperately need while emissions continue to rise? Simon and David clash on this cont...

Gutted environmental protections. Dismantled clean energy initiatives. Crippled federal climate regulations. Science agencies hollowed from within. International climate commitments abandoned like unwanted pets ... the question is simple: is sustainability in the USA on life support? Or has it already flatlined? The answer is a little more complex. Join David and Simon in this short deep-dive into...

What is capital? If you immediately think "money," think again. Capital encompasses far more than financial assets – it's the essence of companies, communities, and lives. Concepts like human capital and natural capital are vital to our economy's operation, yet they're often overlooked. So, how do we account for these diverse forms of capital? How do we assess their value and ensure they play cent...

Join Simon and David as they break down this week's key climate change developments you might have missed. In this episode, they explore the positive outcomes of COP16 on biodiversity in Rome, examine the global progress on countries' decarbonization commitments, and discuss the remnants of Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. They'll also investigate how AI could be leveraged to address climate chang...

DEEP DIVE SPECIAL - What's happening in Europe? Join David-only today for a special deep dive on the huge (at least if you're a business!) changes put forward by the European Commission this week. What's changed? What's left? Why did they make these changes? And what does David think about it? A short, sweet and slightly technical episode for those who don't have the time to read through hundreds...

How many hamsters can survive in a cage? And, similarly, how many humans can survive on earth? Is the solution population control, or transforming our relationship with resources? With the richest 1% having a carbon footprint 1000x larger than the poorest, what happens if everyone adopts luxury lifestyles? Join Simon and David discuss the cultural shifts, ethical considerations, and economic chang...

Why do humans often prioritize individual gains over collective well-being? Is there a fundamental aspect of human psychology driving this behaviour, and what do economic models reveal about it? And, most importantly, in the context of climate change, is there anything we can do about it?! Join Simon and David to find out more about the Tragedy of the Commons , a critical issue impacting our daily...

Could fighting climate change really be as simple as writing a $10 billion check? What if sprinkling iron dust into our oceans could slash human emissions by up to 20%? Sounds too good to be true, right? Welcome to the fascinating and controversial world of geoengineering - where bold solutions meet serious concerns. Is it humanity's ace up the sleeve against climate change, or are we opening...

Welcome to the first episode of The Big Questions! In our first episode, we tackle a crucial issue: Can we keep global warming below 2°C? Emissions are at their highest levels ever since humans are around, and we need to cut them by 50% in the next 2,000 days—that's just five Christmases away! Join David and Simon as they discuss what's realistic and where the hope lies for our planet’s future.

Welcome to The Big Questions! Do you prefer video to audio? Then this is a brief intro to us and the podcast! Join us each week as we unpack the complexities of our time, explore potential solutions and explore the big questions! It's time to rethink the future.

Welcome to The Big Questions, your new weekly podcast about climate change and rethinking the future! Today, meet us (Simon and David!) as we set out (briefly!) why we're setting up the podcast and how we hope to help your understand policies, ideas, and technologies that will shape your future world. Enjoy :-)