PODCAST

Climate Conversations

Robert McLean

A continuous conversation about climate change - news, views and interviews.

society & culture philosophy

All Episodes

00:53:53

Climate News: Hometown newspaper goes digital,...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/07/15

My hometown newspaper, The Shepparton News, has undergone a remarkable change - it's now almost entirely a digital publication, switching from five print editions each week to just two. However, it will still be available to subscribers seven days a week via its digital editions.The change brings many benefits, particularly for those who follow this podcast, as all those stories the newspaper publishes about climate-related issues will be available in text-to-audio style and so can be included

en-au

00:38:51

YouTube: Sheldon Whitehouse gives his 300th climate...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/07/12

The U.S. Senator, Sheldon Whitehouse (pictured), has stood before the Senate 300 times, urging his fellow Senators to "wake up" to the perils of climate change.The representative for Rhode Island can be seen on YouTube spelling out the facts and the realities of climate change, and how the fossil fuel industry has played its cards to capture government processes and, at the same time, confuse and deceive the public - "Senator Whitehouse Delivers 300th Time to Wake Up

en-au

00:50:36

Climate News: Public transport can ease our road...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/07/11

The Conversation is a wonderful place to learn more about the climate crisis."The dangers of romanticising Britain’s 1976 heatwave":"Climate change has doubled the world’s heatwaves: how Africa is affected";"Too hot to sleep? Nights are warming faster than days as Earth heats up";"Why homeowners are suddenly rushing to install rooftop solar";"As the Texas Floodwaters Rose, One Indispensable Voice Was Silent";"Tons of Invisible Plastic Pieces

en-au

01:09:32

Climate News: Texas flash floods kill more than 100,...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/07/09

Stories about this month's flash floods in central Texas have dominated the news, and a panel assembled by Climate Central has discussed the impact of climate change and a link to a recording can be found at: "Understanding the climate connection with the devastating Texas floods";"Texas Hill Country Is Underwater, and America’s Emergency Lifeline Is Fraying";"Texas floods kill at least 104, including 27 from Camp Mystic, as search for missing continues";"Texas

en-au

00:23:46

Interview: Five things our councils can do to keep...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/07/03

Auckland University's Dr Timothy Welch has applied his urban design skills to help local councils better understand what they need to do to keep their towns and cities cooler in a warming world.Dr Welch recently wrote about this on The Conversation in the story: "NZ cities are getting hotter: 5 things councils can do now to keep us cooler when summer comes".His story begins: "Stand on any car park on a sunny day in February and the heat will radiate through your shoes. At 30°C air

en-au

00:18:28

Climate News: Climate scientist Professor Michael...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/07/01

Climate scientist Professor Michael Mann is critical of podcaster Joe Rogan, whom he says was one hundred and eight per cent wrong in his interpretation of a story - listen to that on Truthout - "Europe Sees Dangerous Heat Wave as North America Sets 3,000 Temperature Records";"Spain records highs of 46C and France under alert as Europe swelters in heatwave";"Trump’s True Colors, Revealed";"A Special ‘Climate’ Visa? People in Tuvalu Are Applying

en-au

00:21:50

Interview: Climate change demands a World War...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/28

David Spratt (pictured) points to Australia's commitments to other crises to illustrate his arguments on how and why we should respond to the unfolding emergency of climate change.He wrote about that in an article published recently in The Canberra Times, available now on his website, "Climate Code Red".The article asks the question: "How bad can climate damage get?" And then answers that "Worse than you imagine".David, working with the late Phillip Sutton,

en-au

00:50:24

Climate News: The secrets of climate deniers...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/24

Melbourne Age reporter, Caitlin Fitzsimmons, takes us into the deniers' playbook to help us understand the motives: "How to get the best bang for your climate buck";"Woodside’s North West Shelf gas extension is being challenged in the courts. Could it be stopped?";"How bad can climate damage get? Worse than you imagine";"Global warming is changing cloud patterns. That means more global warming";"A Heat Wave Leaves Britons Looking for Ways to Stay

en-au

00:23:21

Climate News: Donald Trump's Iranian attacks bring...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/23

Donald Trump's order to have the U.S. military attack uranium enrichment sites in Iran refreshes our understanding of the "tyranny of the immediate".From The New York Times, we hear about "Pentagon Details Multipronged Attack on Iranian Nuclear Sites".The military is not included in the 2019 Paris emissions targets due to pressure and agitation from the U.S., and this bombing raid clearly illustrates the reasons for that, as the emissions would have been equal to those of a

en-au

00:45:29

Climate News: From darkness to the spotlight -...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/22

Climate change regularly falls victim to the tyranny of the immediate, meaning it is pushed out of major media outlets by news perceived as more urgent or immediate.Beyond that, for some years, articles covering climate issues were rarely seen in national media and, in a few instances, almost prohibited.That is changing as it is now a topic frequently covered, as illustrated in recent episodes of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television show, "Landline".Data scientist,

en-au

01:01:35

Press briefing: Covering Climate Now helps us...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/21

Covering Climate Now takes us into the world's war zones to help us understand how the tyranny of the immediate distracts us from the hard realities of climate change.The group, an organisation set up by journalists, for journalists, most recent "press briefing' was entitled: "War and Climate Change".The group says: "War and climate change are intertwined in ways that journalists need to understand. Violent conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, and elsewhere are not only causing

en-au

00:03:27

Frightening: Guardian story alerts readers to reality...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/19

Guardian reporters, Josh Nicholas and Nick Evershed, alert readers to the frightening impact of a Western Australia gas project: "Revealed: the astonishing greenhouse gas emissions that will result from the North West Shelf project"

en-au

00:26:23

Interview: Geoff Rose tells the wonderful story of...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/18

Geoff Rose (pictured), a Professor in Transport Engineering, Monash Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, discusses the trials, challenges and opportunities of E-bikes and E-scooters in his article on The Conversation: "E-bikes and e-scooters are popular – but dangerous. A transport expert explains how to make them safer".Geoff delves into history to tell us of an early interview about e-bikes in which a woman in Portland, Oregon, in the U.S., told him how an e-bike had

en-au

00:54:31

Environmental Film Festival: 'We can't forget about...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/16

Dr Philip Lawn (pictured at COP 23, where he dared mention population and was almost thrown out of the room) was the preeminent speaker at the June 14 Swanpool Environmental Film Festival.Dr Lawn's address followed the screening of the movie "Climate Extreme: At the abyss?"The small country at Swanpool (about 20 km south of Euroa) was booked out for the annual festival.

en-au

00:37:47

Climate News: Bicycle Network CEO, Alison McCormack,...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/11

Bicycle Network CEO, Alison McCormack (pictured) pedals to work, finding both fitness and peace of mind. Her story was in the Melbourne Age: "Why cycling to work is better for your brain than walking"."Activists like Greta Thunberg care more about fame than facts";"Israel says Greta Thunberg has been deported after seizure of Gaza-bound ship";"This group is the most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses by far";"Parts of Australia are suffering another

en-au

00:37:07

Climate News: Booming population and capitalism...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/09

Writing in "Now, the People! Revolution in the Twenty-First Century", Jean-Luc Mélenchon argued that Earth's ecosystem wasn't coping with the combination of a booming population and capitalism."As disasters loom, emergency managers say they aren’t counting on FEMA";"The White House Gutted Science Funding. Now It Wants to ‘Correct’ Research.";"‘There are no rules on the high seas’: Australia to play a key role on ocean protections";"Inside Climate

en-au

00:19:56

Climate News: Justifying a flight to Queensland; 'Wet...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/08

Some rain has fallen in parts of Victoria, and among those celebrating were these kids (pictured).However, one Victoria farmer says: "‘I won’t get excited until my hair is wet’: This weekend is make or break for farmers";Podcast: "Mining in the deep blue";"In one awful decision, Albanese has revealed his do-nothing plan";"A carbon tax and some key policy challenges";"UNESCO expresses ‘utmost concern’ at the state of the Great Barrier Reef";"The

en-au

01:05:11

Climate News: Climate fuelled precipitation, rain...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/06/02

Greens MP Sue Higginson (pictured) talks about rain-bombs, rivers falling from the sky during a discussion on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National program, "Country Breakfast"."Australia’s renewable energy shift to be powered by gas";"‘I lost everything’: Swiss residents in shock after glacier debris buries village";"A prince, traditional owners and a ‘carbon bomb’: Inside Woodside’s extension plans";"The range of EVs is surging,

en-au

00:24:32

Interview: 'We're all living in a climate changed...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/05/31

Dr Kristina Dahl (pictured) is the vice president for science at Climate Central, leading the group's scientific activities, helping design analyses that enable people throughout the world to connect their lived experiences to climate change.During the interview, Dr Dahl said: "We are all living in a 'climate-changed' world.Climate Central is an independent group of scientists and communicators who research and report the facts about our changing climate and how it affects people’s lives.It says:

en-au

00:25:59

Climate News: Many unhappy about Labor Party's...

Climate Conversations ·

2025/05/29

Decisions by Australia's Labor Government through its newly minted Environment Minister, Murray Watt, have sent shudders through many, and the airwaves of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation were alive with comments and observations: "Australia's largest gas project granted extension";"Gas is no longer a dirty word for Labor. Should it be?";"The Woodside boss’s attacks on my generation are blatant scapegoating – and we see straight through them

en-au

233 results

Climate Conversations

All Episodes

Similar Podcasts

The Daily Horoscope

The Daily Horoscope

The Michael Decon Program

Michael Decon

Kalimera Koveos

Andrea Koveos

The Documentary Podcast

BBC World Service

Smarter leben

DER SPIEGEL