logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2022
18m 13s

Why companies could soon pay for climate...

Financial Times
About this episode

A few years ago a Peruvian farmer filed a lawsuit against a German utility company thousands of miles away. The reason? A glacier is melting near his hometown. If it melts enough, it could cause a flood that may catastrophically damage his city. He says that over years the company's pollution has contributed to climate change, and because of this, it should help pay for protections against the potential flood. 


In this week’s episode, we’ll tell the story of a David vs. Goliath battle. How one man is taking on one of the world’s biggest polluters in a landmark case that could one day force companies to pay for damage they’ve done to the environment. 


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

For further reading:

Who pays for climate change? The Peruvian suing a German utility

The Climate Game: Can you reach net zero by 2050?


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 


On Twitter, follow Camilla Hodgson (@CamillaHodgson)


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com



See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up next
Jul 9
A case of Schrödinger’s tariffs
It’s been exactly 90 days since US President Donald Trump paused most of his ‘reciprocal’ tariffs. With just a 10 per cent blanket tariff on all imports and a higher tariff on China, economists predicted the American economy would feel the heat pretty quickly. But the sky hasn’t ... Show More
19m 49s
Jul 2
How oil traders called the Middle East war
When Iran attacked a US airbase in Qatar – a response to strikes on its nuclear facilities – many feared a global war may be imminent. But there was one market that didn’t break a sweat: oil. It’s typically a commodity that surges at the first sight of conflict in the Middle East ... Show More
19m 14s
Jun 25
The end of the UK’s ‘bailout era’
The Royal Bank of Scotland was once the biggest bank in the world. Then, hubris got the best of it. During the financial crisis the UK government spent £46bn to bail out the bank. Seventeen years and a rebrand to NatWest Group later, the government just sold its last shares in it ... Show More
16m 46s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2022
Money Talks: Beyond seasonable doubt
Lawsuits aimed at green-house gas emissions are a growing trend, and better science is making them more precise. As ESG comes under attack, could these suits represent a different front in pressuring companies to act on climate change? On this week’s episode, hosts Alice Fulwood ... Show More
37m 50s
Sep 2022
Money Talks: Beyond seasonable doubt
Lawsuits aimed at green-house gas emissions are a growing trend, and better science is making them more precise. As ESG comes under attack, could these suits represent a different front in pressuring companies to act on climate change? On this week’s episode, hosts Alice Fulwood ... Show More
37m 50s
Aug 2021
Can climate damage be repaired?
Gideon Rachman talks to Professor Sir David King about the string of environmental disasters across the globe this summer. With the IPCC report this week confirming that climate change is accelerating, Sir King says that it is no longer enough to aim for net zero emissions, we mu ... Show More
24m 47s
Sep 2023
What’s the future for global climate action?
It’s been a devastating summer of climate events in Canada, and the world. Canada saw its worst wildfire season on record, and the country was abnormally dry. There were also dramatic floods: on July 21st, Halifax got three months worth of rain in 24 hours. That’s the backdrop fo ... Show More
25m 3s
Jul 2021
Putting a Price on Pollution
Extreme weather across Europe, North America and Asia is highlighting a harsh reality of science and history: The world as a whole is neither prepared to slow down climate change nor live with it.European officials are trying to change that. The European Commission, the E.U.’s ex ... Show More
25m 40s
Feb 2020
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' $10B climate pledge
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said this week he will donate $10 billion to fight climate change — working with others "both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting thedevastating impact of climate change." Today on Front Burner, we ask: What can $10 billion do for the e ... Show More
22m 35s
Feb 2023
Climate Change is Shaping Our Most Important Decisions in the Energy Transition
The energy industry influences climate change, and climate change also influences the energy industry. Understanding the consequences of a warming world is essential for making the right decisions as trillions of dollars are invested in energy production around the world. While w ... Show More
48m 15s
Dec 2022
Who Pays the Bill for Climate Change?
Last month at COP27, the U.N. climate change conference, a yearslong campaign ended in an agreement. The rich nations of the world — the ones primarily responsible for the emissions that have caused climate change — agreed to pay into a fund to help poorer nations that bear the b ... Show More
45m 40s
Aug 2021
Why This IPCC Climate Report Is Different
The world’s most scrutinized and peer-reviewed document is out: the IPCC report on climate change. Thousands of scientists have spent decades pouring over every measurement and research report known. The findings are clearer than ever: It is “virtually certain” that the increases ... Show More
1h 10m