The Climate Question

Every year, the great migration sees hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, gazelles, zebras and antelopes migrate from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya, in search of water and juicy grass. But rising temperatures and unpredictable weather are changing this epic animal journey dramatically. It’s the same for great white sharks, which are being spotted in areas where they’d never normally live.Tanzanian safari guide Neema Amos takes us into the Serengeti to explain why the wildebeest migration is so important. And shark expert Trisha Atwood reveals how these changes affect not just the animals, but our fight against climate change itself.Presenter Sophie Eastaugh is joined by: Neema Amos, Safari Guide in Tanzania Trisha Atwood, Associate Professor of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University Joseph Ogutu, Senior Statistician at University of HohenheimEmail us at [email protected]: Sophie Eastaugh and Octavia Woodward Editors: Graihagh Jackson and Tom Bigwood Series Producer: Simon Watts Sound design and mixing: Tom Brignell Production Coordinator: Brenda BrownArchive from the Sir David Attenborough programme, ‘Wildebeest: The Super Herd’, BBC Two, 2008This programme was first broadcast in March 2024

From elections around the world to records in both temperatures and renewable energy, 2024 has been jam-packed with extreme weather and climate news. Graihagh Jackson, Jordan Dunbar and an expert panel reflect on the key climate stories of the year. Dr Rose Mutiso from the Energy for Growth Hub reveals a ‘silent solar revolution’ that has surged across rooftops in South Africa and beyond, helping the grid finally meet people’s electricity needs. We discuss the rise of electric vehicles – but also, deforestation. And the BBC’s Climate Reporter Esme Stallard explains why rising ocean temperatures are the red flag to which we should all be paying more attention. So, has 2024 been a good or bad year for the climate? Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721 Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter: Jordan Dunbar Guests: Dr Rose Mutiso, Research Director at the Energy for Growth Hub Esme Stallard, BBC Climate Reporter Producer: Sophie Eastaugh Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison Sound Mix: Tom Brignell and James Beard Editor: Simon Watts

As 2024 draws to a close, join Graihagh Jackson as she hosts The Climate Question’s inaugural Quiz of the Year. Two teams battle it out – with questions, games, and challenges looking back at the past year in climate change. Can you beat them?Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Competitors: Jordan Dunbar, Dr Rose Mutiso, Jacqui Wakefield, and Dr Akshat Rathi Producer: Ellie House Sound Mix: James Beard Editor: Simon Watts

Plastics are everywhere – for good reason – they're cheap, abundant and can go into a myriad of different products from food packaging to vital medical equipment. But plastic waste has a devastating effect on the environment and the manufacturing process is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The world is trying to agree on a treaty to reduce plastics pollution but a recent meeting in South Korea ended in failure. Graihagh Jackson talks to experts on the past and future of plastics, and she hears a report from Malaysia, where plastic waste dumps can be up to 15 metres high.Got a climate question you’d like answered? Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721Presenter: Graihagh Jackson Reporter in Malaysia: Leana Hosea Guests: Susan Frankel, author of "Plastic: A Toxic Love Story", and Dr Cressida Bowyer, Associate Professor in Arts and Sustainability at the University of Portsmouth. Producer: Octavia Woodward Production Support: Ellie House Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison Sound Mix: Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts