Fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, dread and powerlessness are some of the many emotions associated with what’s called climate anxiety.

A global survey of 10,000 young people aged between 16–25 years, found that 60% were very worried about climate change, and nearly half said that their anxiety negatively effects their daily life.

Psychologists say these are rational responses to our changing climate, experienced in many different ways around the world.

Graihagh Jackson asks how people can manage these difficult emotions and whether climate anxiety itself can be motivational.

Graihagh chats to:

Svetlana Chigozie Onye who leads the Eco-anxiety in Africa Project, which looks at the mental health impact of climate change and solutions across Africa.

Dr Daniella Watson, Chartered Health Psychologist and a Research Associate at the The Climate Cares Centre, Imperial College London.

Got a question you’d like us to answer? Send an email to: [email protected] or whatsapp us on +44 8000 321 721

Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Production Team: Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle, Maria Ogundele Sound Engineers: Jonny Hall and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts Image Credit: Dried up dam. Mike Hutchings, Reuters.

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 Watts

If you have a question for the team, email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721

(Image: Wildfires in California. Credit: Reuters)

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 Watts

If you have a question for the team, email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Image credit: Reuters

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 Economist

Presenter: Jordan Dunbar Production team: Ben Andrews, Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, Gareth Jones, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle Editor: Simon Watts

Image: CJ Gunther / EPA-EFE / REX / Shutterstock

Got a question or a comment? You can email us: [email protected]

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 ClimateAdam

Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar Production Team: Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, Dafydd Evans, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle Editor: Simon Watts

Image: Reuters

Got a question or a comment? You can email us: [email protected]

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 London

Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar Production Team: Grace Braddock, Tom Brignell, James Piper, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle Editor: Simon Watts

Got a question or a comment? You can email us: [email protected]

We answer YOUR climate questions – on everything from “green” careers to ice cores to the world’s electricity challenge!

In this edition of The Climate Question, Host Graihagh Jackson explores your climate-related headscratchers. Her panel chat about the new jobs that will open up as the world economy moves away from fossil fuels – and the skills that will be needed.

They also discuss the dangers of nitrous oxide – a planet-warming gas, but also crucial for the fertilisers that help feed us. And have you ever wondered how scientists actually date the ice cores they dig out of glaciers. Some of them are 100,000s of years old!

Plus: the controversial scientists who’ve won the Nobel Prize, and is there anywhere on Earth that’s untouched by humans?

Host: Graihagh Jackson Guests: BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, BBC CrowdScience Presenter Caroline Steel, and Akshat Rathi, Bloomberg Senior Climate Reporter and Host of the Bloomberg Green podcast.

Production Team: Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle, Graihagh Jackson, Grace Braddock Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

Got a question or a comment? You can email us: [email protected]

Storms, cyclones and flooding in South East Asia have killed close to 2000 people, devastating communities across Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Scientists warn climate change is reshaping weather patterns, increasing the risk of heavier rainfall and more destructive floods in the future.

With many densely populated cities sinking and built on flood-prone land, the region is particularly vulnerable. But experts say there are bold ideas and solutions that could help reduce the risks and save lives.

In this special collaboration between The Climate Question and the new BBC World Service podcast Asia Specific, Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar join host Mariko Oi to explore what made the floods so deadly — and what can be done in the future.

Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Editors: Bill Birtles and Simon Watts

Got a question or a comment? You can email us: [email protected]

What do you think of when you think about our oceans? Maybe you see a picture of our planet with a big patch of blue? Maybe you think about storms or dramatic ocean voyages? Maybe fish or coral reefs?

In this edition of The Climate Question, Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar explore how our oceans are even more important than you might imagine. They help put the brakes on climate change and regulate our weather - even in faraway deserts. They provide food, and even influence the rise of great civilisations, like Ancient Egypt.

Graihagh and Jordan are joined by oceanographer and physicist Helen Czerski, author of Blue Machine, How the Ocean Shapes Our World. Helen also chats about the challenges of trying to collect data at sea during huge storms.

Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar Production team: Simon Watts, Nik Sindle, Grace Braddock Sound engineer: Ben Andrews and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

Got a question or a comment? You can email us: [email protected]

Across the world vehicle manufacturers are racing to make zero emission cars in the move away from fossil-fuel powered vehicles. It’s a huge market which could reach 9 trillion dollars worldwide by 2030. One small country which is grabbing this opportunity is Hungary. Located in the heart of Europe but with a population of under 10 million, it’s becoming one of the top battery producers globally for electric cars.

This transition is bringing billions of euros of investment into the Hungarian economy and creating tens of thousands of jobs. One city in particular – Debrecen – the country’s second biggest, is becoming an epi-centre for battery production. The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar has been to Debrecen to find out who’s benefitting from the green gold rush. He speaks to local people and businesses about their hopes and fears as their city is transformed.

This programme was first broadcast in February 2025.

Presenter: Jordan Dunbar Producers in Hungary: Ellie House and Balint Bardi Producer in London: Caroline Bayley Sound Designer: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

If you have a question, email us at the [email protected] or leave a WhatsApp message at +44 8000 321 721

How can the world speed up its efforts to fight climate change?

It’s been a dramatic fortnight at the COP climate summit in the Amazonian city of Belem, with torrential rains and floods, protests and even a fire. A deal has finally been done but it’s divisive and has left many wondering whether we'll really avoid the worst effects of a warming world.

Join Jordan Dunbar and Graihagh Jackson as they take a deep dive into the results of the negotiations and find out what they mean.

The BBC’s Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt joins us from Brazil. Plus, our panel of experts discuss the future of climate action.

Guests: Adil Najam, Professor of International Relations and Environment at the Pardee School, USA David Victor, Professor of Innovation and Public Policy at the University of California, USA Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands

Production Team: Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle, Jordan Dunbar, Grace Braddock, Melanie Stewart-Smith, Steven Bailey Editor: Simon Watts

Got a question or a comment? Email us: [email protected]