The Climate Question

From Mongolia to Texas, record numbers of lithium-ion batteries are being added to the world's electricity grids - helping to provide more reliable power and speeding up the transition to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
China is installing over half of these new batteries, often in giant battery farms, followed by the United States and Europe. And with prices dropping fast, the trend is likely to continue and spread to more developing countries.
But is battery development moving fast enough to help us meet our climate goals? And what about alternatives to lithium-ion technology like using air, water or even sand? Could these types of batteries help us with other energy problems such as storing heat over the winter.
In this edition of The Climate Question, Hosts Graihagh Jackson talk to Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter at Bloomberg news and host of Bloomberg Green's Zero podcast.
Producers: Diane Richardson and Melanie Stewart-Smith
Sound Mix: Gareth Jones and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts

The United Nations says the world will pass its most important climate target within a few years. So can we bring the planet's temperature back down quickly? Or will the damage be irreversible?
In 2015, world leaders agreed in Paris to try to keep the global temperature below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
But the UN now says what scientists call "overshoot" is guaranteed, and it may have devastating consequences.
Experts are worried that the higher temperature may trigger "tipping points" in vital parts of our planet's climate system, including coral reefs, glaciers, rainforests and ocean currents.
Once past their tipping points, they could flip from helping to keep the Earth cool to making it even warmer.
In this show, The Climate Question hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar talk to Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Producers: Simon Watts, Melanie Stewart-Smith and Diane Richardson
Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and Phil Bull
Editor: Simon Watts

The Philippines and Pakistan are now the world's top solar panel importers. We find out why, and what other countries can learn from the boom!
Cheap solar panels, mainly imported from China, are transforming lives and slashing electricity bills across Asia.
In the last year, Filipinos have put up five times as many rooftop solar panels as the previous ten years combined. Installation companies are struggling to keep up with demand.
In Pakistan, where the boom started earlier, solar power has reached every sector of the economy from the textile industry to farming. Solar has helped Pakistanis weather the current energy crisis and reduced the country's reliance on imported fossil fuels.
The Climate Question Host Jordan Dunbar talks to Filipino climate journalist, Jhesset Enano, and Pakistani energy analyst, Zeeshan Ashfaq, from the Renewables First think tank in Islamabad.
Producers: Jordan Dunbar and Melanie Stewart Smith
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell and Dafydd Evans
Editor: Simon Watts

Huge construction projects are transforming China - think enormous dams, giant solar power farms and a vast high-speed rail network. Will Beijing's "engineering mindset" help it deal with climate change?
China's senior leadership is dominated by engineers, starting with President Xi, who trained as a chemical engineer in the 1970s. They have overseen megaprojects like the 50-kilometre bridge joining Hong Kong and Macau, and a plan to move water from southern China to the much drier north.
The engineering mania extends to energy, where the world's largest polluter has invested trillions of dollars in wind and nuclear power, as well as high voltage transmission lines spanning the country.
But China still uses a huge amount of coal power, and its mega projects have often damaged the local environment and led to the displacement of millions.
So what does Beijing's approach mean for climate change? And can China build its way out of the problem?
In this edition of The Climate Question Host Jordan Dunbar and BBC Presenter Celia Hatton talk to Dan Wang, the author of Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future. Dan is currently a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.
Producer: Jordan Dunbar and Melanie Stewart-Smith
Sound Mix: Johnny Hall and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts

As shown by the recent flash floods, Nepali mountain communities are on the front line of climate change. Can they adapt?
Host Jordan Dunbar talks to two Sherpas who have become climate researchers. They are glaciologist Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa, and Pasang Yangjee Sherpa, who researches how global warming affects indigenous groups in Nepal.
This programme was recorded in July 2026.
Got a question for The Climate Question? Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com
Producers: Diane Richardson and Melanie Stewart-Smith
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell and Dave O'Neill
Editor: Simon Watts