What to do when climate change feels unstoppable | Clover Hogan

Exactly when and where did life on Earth begin? Scientists have long thought that it emerged three billion years ago in the ocean — until astrobiologist Tara Djokic and her team made an unexpected discovery in the western Australian desert. Learn how an ancient rock found near a hot volcanic pool is shifting our understanding of the origin-of-life puzzle.

Everyone has the right to a clean environment — but major disparities exist when it comes to who faces the consequences of pollution. Environmental justice leader Peggy Shepard points to the disproportionate impact that hazardous environmental conditions have on Black, brown and Indigenous communities and challenges us to build a truly equitable future that turns "sacrifice zones" — where community health is sacrificed for the sake of development — into "green zones" that redress the legacy of pollution and harmful policies.

Your closet is likely full of all kinds of materials — leather, cotton, nylon and polyester, to name a few — that contribute to fashion's sustainability crisis. Biomaterials investigator Dan Widmaier explains how we could look to nature for sustainable replacements for these much-used materials and introduces a leather alternative made from mushrooms that looks great and doesn't harm the environment. "We can make fashion sustainable, and we're going to do it with science," Widmaier says.

What if you could eat chicken nuggets without harming a chicken? It's possible through "cellular agriculture," says Isha Datar. In a talk about cutting-edge science, she explains how this new means of food production makes it possible to eat meat without the negative consequences of industrial farming — and how it could fundamentally change our food systems for the better. "It's our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a second chance at agriculture," she says.

From the return of nomadic living to a climate-disrupted world, author and global strategist Parag Khanna has some predictions for humanity. Get a fascinating glimpse at the future as he tackles an urgent question: Where on Earth will eight billion humans live in the uncertain times ahead?

(This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member.)

The single most important thing for avoiding a climate disaster is cutting carbon pollution from the current 51 billion tons per year to zero, says philanthropist and technologist Bill Gates. Introducing the concept of the "green premium" — the higher price of zero-emission products like electric cars, artificial meat or sustainable aviation fuel — Gates identifies the breakthroughs and investments we need to reduce the cost of clean tech, decarbonize the economy and create a pathway to a clean and prosperous future for all.

Today's youth have inherited a big, unprecedented climate problem to solve — and the eco-anxiety to go with it. Gen-Zer and activist Clover Hogan knows the struggle firsthand, but she also understands the path to climate action starts with the one thing you can control: your mindset. She explains why challenging the stories that keep you feeling powerless can help you take the first step to protecting the planet for generations to come.

This is an episode from a show we think you might like: The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast.

Holiday shopping season is upon us, but instead of having a wasteful, plastic-heavy Christmas, why not have a green one? Hosts Candice and Caleigh have tips for how to celebrate sustainable holidays, from your wrapping paper to the menu at your holiday dinner.

The third season of Sold Out examines the intersection of the climate and housing crises. Hosted by Erin Baldassari, the series tells the stories of families and communities throughout California, as they grapple with the ways that climate is challenging the very idea of home. Sold Out shines a light on the solutions that can help us all face the future, highlighting the people who are actively working to protect their communities. This series questions assumptions that dictate how and where people live, while examining the barriers – whether political, financial or social – that hold us back from embracing or realizing change. 

Listen to Sold Out wherever you listen to podcasts. 

TED Climate will be back soon -- in the meantime here is an episode of another podcast we thought you'd enjoy.

This is the first episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In this season, we ask the trillion dollar question: Will this crisis speed or slow down the energy transition in Europe? And what does that mean for the rest of the world?

Unpacking the history behind Europe’s dependence on Russian energy

Putin’s assault on Ukraine triggered an energy crisis that sent Europe’s economies into a tailspin and put the European energy transition to the test. But how did the European Union, a leader in climate action, become so dependent on Russian oil and gas to begin with?

This season, we look at the energy systems of Germany and Poland. Both have very different energy systems, but both became dependent on Russian energy for heating homes, firing power plants, and fueling businesses.

In this episode, we look at the immediate impact of the Ukraine invasion on that dependency and the historical influences behind it– from Germany’s pursuit of natural gas to Poland’s centuries-long relationship with coal.

Then we ask whether Europe’s initial response to the crisis– leaning more heavily on fossil fuels– will accelerate or slow down Europe’s push toward green energy.

If you like The Big Switch, you can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Oliver is an award-winning author, is studying Communications’ Journalism at University of Technology, Sydney and lives in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales Australia, an area ravaged by the horrendous 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires.

Shocked and traumatised by the destruction he witnessed during the fires, and deeply concerned about the impact on wildlife, Oliver threw himself into writing an adventure novel to raise funds for environmental projects.

The result is FireWorks and the Fireworks Fund.

FireWorks is an adventure story about a koala named Iluka who explains how he and his friends survived the 2019-20 bushfires. All proceeds from the sale of FireWorks go to the Fireworks Fund to support environmental charities.

In this episode Oliver shares why he created FireWorks, what it’s like being a young adult in 2021 (spoiler alert – it doesn’t sound like much fun being overeducated and socially distanced!) and what advice he has for other young adults who are wanting to do something bigger to help the environment.

In this week’s podcast, Richard speaks to Professor Yoshiyuki Nagata, Vice Director of the Sacred Heart Institute for Sustainable Futures (SHISF) in Tokyo. During the conversation, Yoshi shares his reflections on the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development - including its successes and some of the barriers to change. He also talks about the shift from Education for Sustainable Development to Learning for Sustainable Lifestyles and what this means for the future of education.

In our second podcast, Richard Dunne talks to Forest School Association Director and trainer Sarah Lawfull about the importance of bringing nature into children's learning. Sarah shares her own experiences as a child growing up in rural Devon, being able to explore the wilderness beyond her home, and explains how this shaped her as an early years teacher and later Forest School leader.

"Forest School is about learning how we are, learning to look after ourselves, learning to look after and care for other people, and learning to care for the planet" says Sarah. It is about encouraging children to "understand the ecology and ecosystem we are in, whether out in a woodland or in our school's grounds".

In this episode, Richard Dunne speaks to Tessa Willy, the Co-Programme Lead of the Primary PGCE at UCLs Institute of Education, about the benefits of creative learning environments, re-energising teachers and what the 'new normal' might look like in relation to education as children return to the classroom. "Teaching is the ultimate responsibility we can have as adults, and we must be prepared to give our all to children" says Tessa.