China's green energy revolution

Lithium and copper are at the heart of the green energy transition, but what's the environmental cost of extraction? From the lithium mines of Salar de Atacama in Chile to the historic copper mines of Butte Montana, author James Crawford has visited the extraordinary landscapes and mining operations powering the renewable energy transition. Graihagh and Jordan chat to James Crawford about his new book Vanishing Earth, and the legacy of mining repair and restoration. Can we learn from the past to mine better in the future? If you have a Climate Question you’d like answered, email: [email protected] Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar Production team: Diane Richardson and Melanie Stewart-Smith Sound engineers: Ricardo McCarthy and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts Photo: Lithium ponds in Chile (courtesy James Crawford)

When a powerful El Niño strikes, it can devastate harvests, flood communities and kill thousands of people. Scientists have been warning for months that this one could become the strongest on record. The question is: are we ready? In this episode of The Climate Question, hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar find out how communities in Kenya and Peru are preparing for a potentially historic El Niño. They speak to BBC Nairobi Correspondent Thomas Mukhwana and Miguel Aristegui from the international development charity Practical Action about the challenges that lie ahead. Miguel's charity worked with the Peruvian government on an action plan it introduced after a localised El Niño event in 2017. From flood-prone neighbourhoods in Nairobi to Peru's newly installed meteorological radar network, we explore what happens when weather extremes collide with existing vulnerabilities. Can early warning systems, emergency planning and climate adaptation reduce the risks? Or will many communities remain exposed when the worst impacts arrive? If you have a Climate Question you’d like answered, email: [email protected] Producers: Diane Richardson, Jordan Dunbar and Melanie Stewart-Smith Sound engineer: Ben Andrews, Ricardo McCarthy and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

From Mongolia to Texas, record numbers of lithium-ion batteries are being added to the world's electricity grids - helping to provide more reliable power and speeding up the transition to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. China is installing over half of these new batteries, often in giant battery farms, followed by the United States and Europe. And with prices dropping fast, the trend is likely to continue and spread to more developing countries. But is battery development moving fast enough to help us meet our climate goals? And what about alternatives to lithium-ion technology like using air, water or even sand? Could these types of batteries help us with other energy problems such as storing heat over the winter. In this edition of The Climate Question, Hosts Graihagh Jackson talks to Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter at Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg Green's Zero podcast. Producers: Diane Richardson and Melanie Stewart-Smith Sound engineer Gareth Jones and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

The United Nations says the world will pass its most important climate target within a few years. So can we bring the planet's temperature back down quickly? Or will the damage be irreversible? In 2015, world leaders agreed in Paris to try to keep the global temperature below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst effects of climate change. But the UN now says what scientists call "overshoot" is guaranteed, and it may have devastating consequences. Experts are worried that the higher temperature may trigger "tipping points" in vital parts of our planet's climate system, including coral reefs, glaciers, rainforests and ocean currents. Once past their tipping points, they could flip from helping to keep the Earth cool to making it even warmer. In this show, The Climate Question hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar talk to Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Producers: Simon Watts, Melanie Stewart-Smith and Diane Richardson Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and Phil Bull Editor: Simon Watts

The Philippines and Pakistan are now the world's top solar panel importers. We find out why, and what other countries can learn from the boom! Cheap solar panels, mainly imported from China, are transforming lives and slashing electricity bills across Asia. In the last year, Filipinos have put up five times as many rooftop solar panels as the previous ten years combined. Installation companies are struggling to keep up with demand. In Pakistan, where the boom started earlier, solar power has reached every sector of the economy from the textile industry to farming. Solar has helped Pakistanis weather the current energy crisis and reduced the country's reliance on imported fossil fuels. The Climate Question Host Jordan Dunbar talks to Filipino climate journalist, Jhesset Enano, and Pakistani energy analyst, Zeeshan Ashfaq, from the Renewables First think tank in Islamabad. Producers: Jordan Dunbar and Melanie Stewart Smith Sound engineer: Tom Brignell and Dafydd Evans Editor: Simon Watts