The Climate Question

Corals protect humans and sustain 25% of all marine life. But reefs are under threat from climate change, and mass bleaching events mean that some scientists estimate they could disappear by 2100.
In this episode, Graihagh Jackson is joined by BBC CrowdScience presenter, Caroline Steel. We go to Puerto Rico to see how self-duplicating, carnivorous coral could be the solution. We also speak to the scientist who helped discover what was causing coral bleaching in the first place - back when climate change was commonly denied.
This programme was first broadcast in 2024.
Guests:
Dr Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Professor of Marine Studies at the University of Queensland in Brisbane
Dr Stacey Williams, Executive Director at the Institute for Socio Ecological Research
Picture: Prickly alcyonarian - Dendronephthya sp. Orange red colored soft coral. Credit: ultramarinfoto via Getty.
Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Caroline Steel
Producer: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Editor: Simon Watts
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell
Got a climate question you’d like answered? E-mail the team: [email protected]

In the global race for critical minerals - could the seabed provide solutions? Or should we leave these metal-rich environments undisturbed?
Governments and mining companies around the world are on the hunt for the critical minerals we need for the green tech transition. And there’s growing interest in an unlikely source – potato-shaped nodules that are found kilometres below the surface of our oceans.
These polymetallic nodules contain high levels of elements like cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper. Supporters of deep-sea mining say that harvesting them might be less damaging to the environment than mining on land. But many scientists support a moratorium; they say industrial activity on the seabed could damage the biodiversity of a fragile part of our planet.
The BBC’s Climate and Science Reporter Georgina Rannard has been following the deep-sea mining debate for five years. She chats to Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar.
Got a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]
Production team: Simon Watts, Graihagh Jackson, Diane Richardson, Melanie Stewart-Smith
Sound Engineers: Jonny Hall and Tom Brignell
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown
Editor: Simon Watts
Picture Credit: A Brittle Star, Michael Zeigler via Getty Images

Electric vehicle sales are soaring in Thailand and Vietnam. What’s behind the boom? And will it help the climate?
Thais and Vietnamese are switching to electric cars in huge numbers – attracted by government subsidies and a more exciting range of EVs.
Jobs in the car industry are also up in both countries as a new generation of manufacturers compete for domination of the emerging electric market.
But can the pace of growth last? Will the boom in electric cars reduce the chronic air pollution in cities like Bangkok? And will it help Thailand and Vietnam reduce their carbon emissions?
In this edition of The Climate Question, Host Jordan Dunbar chats to Ember’s Asian Energy Analyst, Lam Pham and Bloomberg’s Thailand Reporter, Patpicha Tanakasempipat.
Got a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]
Presenter: Jordan Dunbar
Producer: Nik Sindle
Sound engineer: Jack Graysmark and Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts

What’s the carbon footprint of streaming your favourite shows or doing an AI search? How vulnerable are river estuaries to climate change? Plus, are you a climate optimist or pessimist? Graihagh Jackson and her panel answer your questions.
The panel are Justin Rowlatt, BBC climate editor; Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg's Zero podcast; and Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC CrowdScience.
Got a question or comment for the next listeners' show? You can email us at [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at + 44 8000 321 721
Production team: Diane Richardson and Grace Braddock
Sound Engineers: Ben Andrews and Tom Brignell
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown
Editor: Simon Watts
Picture Credit: ljubaphoto via Getty Images

It’s one of the most commonly debated questions in the climate world: Is this weather we’re experiencing natural, or is it linked to man-made climate change?
In this episode of The Climate Question, Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar are joined by BBC Lead Weather Presenter, Matt Taylor. Matt’s forecasts are seen not just in the UK but around the world.
Matt chats to Graihagh and Jordan about the crucial difference between weather and climate, and the challenge of communicating this on air. They discuss why heavy snowfall will still be possible in a warmer world, as well as the likely increase in droughts, heatwaves and extreme weather.
Matt also talks about whether climate change will make his forecasts more or less accurate. And he tells Graihagh and Jordan about an encounter with BBC wildlife legend, David Attenborough!
Got a climate question or comment? Email us at [email protected]
Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar
Producers: Nik Sindle and Melanie Stewart-Smith
Sound Mix: Ricardo McCarthy and Tom Brignell
Editors: Simon Watts and Melanie Stewart-Smith