<description>&lt;p&gt;We know the planet is getting hotter because of human-induced climate change. But just how hot could it get?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this show, Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar chat to Nasa scientist, Kate Marvel, about the world of climate modelling. Kate has spent decades trying to work out what will happen to the Earth as emissions of carbon dioxide increase. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Although the basic facts of climate change are settled, climate modellers are trying to understand how photosynthesis by plants will change in a warmer world. And they’re also puzzling over the crucial role played by clouds! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Recently, Kate has written Human Nature, a book about how climate change affects our emotions - from grief and anger to hope and love. She says the wide range of feelings prompted by global warming are compatible with getting the science right.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Production Team: Nik Sindle, Diane Richardson, Brenda Brown
Sound engineer: Phil Bull and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you have a question for the team, email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Image: Wildfires in California. Credit: Reuters)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Climate change is happening. So just how high could temperatures go?

We know the planet is getting hotter because of human-induced climate change. But just how hot could it get?In this show, Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar chat to Nasa scientist, Kate Marvel, about the world of climate modelling. Kate has spent decades trying to work out what will happen to the Earth as emissions of carbon dioxide increase. Although the basic facts of climate change are settled, climate modellers are trying to understand how photosynthesis by plants will change in a warmer world. And they’re also puzzling over the crucial role played by clouds! Recently, Kate has written Human Nature, a book about how climate change affects our emotions - from grief and anger to hope and love. She says the wide range of feelings prompted by global warming are compatible with getting the science right.Presenter: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Production Team: Nik Sindle, Diane Richardson, Brenda Brown
Sound engineer: Phil Bull and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question for the team, email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721(Image: Wildfires in California. Credit: Reuters)

How hot could the planet get?

<description>&lt;p&gt;How farmers and scientists in eastern India are using ancient rice seeds to fight the growing impact of flooding, soil salinity and drought.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The BBC’s William Kremer tells Graihagh Jackson about his visit to the Sundarbans in West Bengal, where cyclones and rising sea levels have devastated crops. William meets the rice growers drawing on the skills of their forefathers to feed their families. Graihagh also gets a global overview from Dr Rafal Gutaker, rice expert at Kew Gardens, London. This programme was first broadcast in 2025.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reporter in India: William Kremer
Production Team: Diane Richardson, Graihagh Jackson, Octavia Woodward
Sound Mix: Neil Churchill and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you have a question for the team, email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721
Image credit: Reuters&lt;/p&gt;</description>

We're in India to see if rice farmers have found a solution to a big climate problem

How farmers and scientists in eastern India are using ancient rice seeds to fight the growing impact of flooding, soil salinity and drought.The BBC’s William Kremer tells Graihagh Jackson about his visit to the Sundarbans in West Bengal, where cyclones and rising sea levels have devastated crops. William meets the rice growers drawing on the skills of their forefathers to feed their families. Graihagh also gets a global overview from Dr Rafal Gutaker, rice expert at Kew Gardens, London. This programme was first broadcast in 2025.Reporter in India: William Kremer
Production Team: Diane Richardson, Graihagh Jackson, Octavia Woodward
Sound Mix: Neil Churchill and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question for the team, email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721
Image credit: Reuters

Could ancient rice seeds help fight climate change?

<description>&lt;p&gt;Across the world, cars are getting taller, wider and heavier. Sports Utility Vehicles, or SUVs, now dominate global car sales, and the trend has continued into the electric age with many new EVs larger than ever.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode of The Climate Question, Jordan Dunbar examines why bigger cars have become so popular with drivers and so profitable for manufacturers. From comfort and safety to status and aspiration, SUVs are reshaping roads across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Size matters. Heavier vehicles use more energy, require bigger batteries, and create challenges for cities, from congestion and parking to road damage and safety. Jordan speaks to Theo Leggett, the BBC’s International Business Correspondent, and Anjani Trivedi, Global Business Correspondent at The Economist, about car-spreading, emissions, electrification, and whether governments and consumers could reverse the trend.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guests:
Theo Leggett, BBC International Business Correspondent
Anjani Trivedi, Global Business Correspondent, The Economist&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Jordan Dunbar
Production team: Ben Andrews, Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, Gareth Jones, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle
Editor: Simon Watts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Image: CJ Gunther / EPA-EFE / REX / Shutterstock&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Got a question or a comment? You can email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Ever larger cars are creating new challenges for emissions and the environment.

Across the world, cars are getting taller, wider and heavier. Sports Utility Vehicles, or SUVs, now dominate global car sales, and the trend has continued into the electric age with many new EVs larger than ever.In this episode of The Climate Question, Jordan Dunbar examines why bigger cars have become so popular with drivers and so profitable for manufacturers. From comfort and safety to status and aspiration, SUVs are reshaping roads across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.Size matters. Heavier vehicles use more energy, require bigger batteries, and create challenges for cities, from congestion and parking to road damage and safety. Jordan speaks to Theo Leggett, the BBC’s International Business Correspondent, and Anjani Trivedi, Global Business Correspondent at The Economist, about car-spreading, emissions, electrification, and whether governments and consumers could reverse the trend.Guests:
Theo Leggett, BBC International Business Correspondent
Anjani Trivedi, Global Business Correspondent, The EconomistPresenter: Jordan Dunbar
Production team: Ben Andrews, Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, Gareth Jones, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle
Editor: Simon WattsImage: CJ Gunther / EPA-EFE / REX / ShutterstockGot a question or a comment? You can email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Are SUVs becoming a climate problem?

<description>&lt;p&gt;People often ask whether there are any quick fixes to the climate crisis — easy wins that could cut emissions without waiting decades. This week, The Climate Question does something a little different.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar stage an imaginary cabinet meeting, with three “ministers” competing to deliver the biggest climate impact in just five years. Climate scientist and YouTuber Adam Levy pitches methane cuts in food and farming. Radhika Khosla, an urban climatologist and adviser to national governments, argues building smarter and reducing air conditioning are the fastest levers. And Jordan steps into the role of Transport Minister to make the case for buses, bikes and less traffic.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Together, they explore whether these quick fixes are enough — and why, if they’re so effective, they aren’t already happening.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guests:
Radhika Khosla – Associate Professor, University of Oxford
Adam Levy – Climate Scientist and creator of ClimateAdam&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Production Team: Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, Dafydd Evans, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle
Editor: Simon Watts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Image: Reuters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Got a question or a comment? You can email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>

From burping cows to cool buildings, experts pitch low-cost ideas to cut emissions fast.

People often ask whether there are any quick fixes to the climate crisis — easy wins that could cut emissions without waiting decades. This week, The Climate Question does something a little different.Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar stage an imaginary cabinet meeting, with three “ministers” competing to deliver the biggest climate impact in just five years. Climate scientist and YouTuber Adam Levy pitches methane cuts in food and farming. Radhika Khosla, an urban climatologist and adviser to national governments, argues building smarter and reducing air conditioning are the fastest levers. And Jordan steps into the role of Transport Minister to make the case for buses, bikes and less traffic.Together, they explore whether these quick fixes are enough — and why, if they’re so effective, they aren’t already happening.Guests:
Radhika Khosla – Associate Professor, University of Oxford
Adam Levy – Climate Scientist and creator of ClimateAdamHosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Production Team: Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, Dafydd Evans, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle
Editor: Simon WattsImage: ReutersGot a question or a comment? You can email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Are there any quick fixes to the climate crisis?

<description>&lt;p&gt;Whales are among the largest animals to have ever lived – and scientists are discovering they also play a big role in the climate system. From the food they eat to where their waste and bodies end up, whales help move carbon from the atmosphere to the deep ocean, where it can be locked away for centuries.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This week, Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar explore what whales can tell us about climate change – and how warming seas may be affecting them in return. They speak to Victoria Gill, BBC Science Correspondent, about new research analysing Antarctic seabed samples to trace how whale populations influence long-term carbon storage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They also hear from Helen Czerski, physicist, oceanographer and author of Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World, about one of the most surprising scientific records of all: whale earwax – and how it reveals stress levels in the changing oceans.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guests:
Victoria Gill, BBC Science Correspondent
Helen Czerski, Professor of the Environment and Society, University College London&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Production Team: Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, James Piper, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle
Editor: Simon Watts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Got a question or a comment? You can email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>

From deep ocean to inner ear, scientists are uncovering how whales record our climate.

Whales are among the largest animals to have ever lived – and scientists are discovering they also play a big role in the climate system. From the food they eat to where their waste and bodies end up, whales help move carbon from the atmosphere to the deep ocean, where it can be locked away for centuries.This week, Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar explore what whales can tell us about climate change – and how warming seas may be affecting them in return. They speak to Victoria Gill, BBC Science Correspondent, about new research analysing Antarctic seabed samples to trace how whale populations influence long-term carbon storage.They also hear from Helen Czerski, physicist, oceanographer and author of Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World, about one of the most surprising scientific records of all: whale earwax – and how it reveals stress levels in the changing oceans.Guests:
Victoria Gill, BBC Science Correspondent
Helen Czerski, Professor of the Environment and Society, University College LondonHosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Production Team: Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, James Piper, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle
Editor: Simon WattsGot a question or a comment? You can email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

What can whales tell us about climate change?

Why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.

The Climate Question

Details

Recent Episodes