Daunting challenges for UN climate conference

Daunting challenges for UN climate conference

Author: BBC World Service November 4, 2022 Duration: 48:55

Delegates are gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for the COP27 UN climate change conference beginning on Sunday 6 November. But a lot has changed in the 12 months since attendees of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow promised bold action to tackle global warming. Russia invaded Ukraine sparking global inflation and rising energy prices. Relations between the United States and China have continued to sour. And extreme weather events have caused thousands of deaths across the planet. Last week a UN report concluded there’s no longer any "credible pathway" to keeping the rise in global temperatures below the key threshold of 1.5C and that the world will warm by around 2.8C this century if current policies remain in place. So, what’s on the agenda at COP27? Can the conference come up with solutions to the growing number of challenges posed by climate change? And how can we judge whether the meeting will be a success or a failure?

Ritula Shah is joined by a panel of expert guests.

Mohamed Nasheed - Former President of the Maldives, now an ambassador for the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF).

Dr Jessica Omukuti - Research Fellow on net zero emissions, climate finance and climate justice at the University of Oxford.

Nick Robins - Professor in Practice for Sustainable Finance at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Also featuring ...

Dr Michael E. Mann - Professor of Earth & Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania and author of 'The New Climate War: the fight to take back our planet'.

Dr Michal Meidan - Director of the Gas Research Programme at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies think tank.

Producers: Paul Schuster and Ellen Otzen.


Each week, The Real Story from the BBC World Service moves beyond the headlines to examine a single, pressing issue shaping our world. Instead of rapid-fire updates, this podcast dedicates its time to deep, thoughtful conversation. You’ll hear directly from the people involved-policymakers, analysts, journalists, and those directly affected-as they unpack the complexities of a major event or trend. The discussions are rigorous and nuanced, focusing on the underlying forces, historical context, and potential consequences that simpler reports often miss. It’s a space for genuine debate where differing perspectives collide, providing a clearer picture of why a story matters. For anyone seeking to understand the deeper narratives behind the news, this podcast offers essential context and insight, transforming a familiar topic into a richer, more complete understanding. Tune in for a thorough analysis that challenges assumptions and connects the dots on global affairs.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Real Story
Podcast Episodes
Is Biden too old to run in 2024? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:05
The top brass of the Democrat party in the US have all rallied behind Joe Biden with their eyes on the 2024 presidential election. But they have a problem. Repeated polls suggest support for the incumbent president is st…
Ukraine’s offensive: Too slow to triumph? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:08
America's top general has warned that Ukraine’s counter offensive is running out of time. Speaking to the BBC, Mark Milley admitted the offensive had gone more slowly than expected. With just one month of fighting before…
Iran, a year on from the death of Mahsa Amini [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:02
The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by Iran's so-called ‘morality police’ - enforcers of Iran’s Islamic dress code - sparked widespread anti-government protests across the country. Thousands of mo…
Why is it still so hard for whistleblowers? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:06
Lucy Letby worked on a neonatal unit in England. Dr Stephen Brearey - the lead consultant on the unit - raised concerns in October 2015. Whilst no one knew she was killing some of the babies in her care, Dr Brearey hoped…
Ecuador's spiralling drug violence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:54
Ecuador has until recently been a relatively peaceful country. But in the course of a few years it has become a place dominated by violence and drug trafficking. After Colombia struck a peace deal in 2016, Ecuador’s role…
How should the world engage with the Taliban? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:51
Two years ago the Taliban swept into Kabul and took control of Afghanistan, almost exactly twenty years after they were ousted by the US-led invasion after 9/11. The West has since deployed sanctions to put pressure on t…
China, US and the fight for Taiwan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:03
China has released a new documentary about its army’s preparations to attack Taiwan - the film includes interviews with Chinese soldiers who swear they'll give up their lives if needed in a potential invasion of the isla…
The coup in Niger: Why does it matter? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:59
Soldiers in the West African country of Niger announced a coup on national TV last week, saying they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed all borders. The coup was widely condemned, inclu…
How close are we to ending Alzheimer's? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:39
A new drug, Donanemab, has been hailed as a turning point in the fight against Alzheimer's after a global trial confirms it slows cognitive decline.One trial was shown to have “significantly slowed” the progression of th…
Surviving extreme heat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:42
Heatwaves are growing in frequency and intensity around the world due to climate change. Extreme heat is now gripping three continents - Europe, the US and Asia - and there is more to come. Temperatures are breaking reco…