logo
episode-header-image
Jul 19
57m 56s

162. Will We Solve the Climate Problem?

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode

Kate Marvel spends her days playing with climate models, which she says are “like a very expensive version of The Sims.” As a physicist she gets tired of being asked to weigh in on economics, geopolitics, and despair — but she still defends the right of scientists to have strong feelings about the planet.

 

  • SOURCES:

 

Up next
Aug 2
163. The Data Sleuth Taking on Shoddy Science
Uri Simonsohn is a behavioral science professor who wants to improve standards in his field — so he’s made a sideline of investigating fraudulent academic research. He tells Steve Levitt, who's spent plenty of time rooting out cheaters in other fields, how he does it. SOURCES:Uri ... Show More
56m 25s
Jul 26
Arne Duncan Says All Kids Deserve a Chance — and Criminals Deserve a Second One (Update)
Former U.S. Secretary of Education, 3x3 basketball champion, and leader of an anti-gun violence organization are all on Arne’s resume. He’s also Steve’s neighbor. The two talk about teachers caught cheating in Chicago public schools and Steve shares a story he’s never told Arne, ... Show More
46m 11s
Jul 5
161. How to Captivate an Audience
Twenty years ago, before the Freakonomics book tour, Bill McGowan taught Steve Levitt to speak in public. In his new book he tries to teach everyone else. SOURCES:Bill McGowan, founder and C.E.O. of Clarity Media Group. RESOURCES:Speak, Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audien ... Show More
48m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2020
Skimm Special: COVID-19 and Climate Change
Across the world, economies have essentially been on pause due to COVID-19. The unintended consequence? A significant decrease in air pollution and carbon emissions. We talked to climate experts about how the pandemic is highlighting the human impact on the planet. And what that ... Show More
18m 38s
Feb 2025
Have we surrendered to climate breakdown?
In 2015, a vigorous response to climate change seemed possible: even fossil fuel companies talked about transitioning to cleaner energy. But exploration and exploitation of oil and gas reserves have continued unabated, and in 2024, annual temperatures surpassed the 1.5ºC limit se ... Show More
50m 26s
Jul 2021
154- The economics of climate change, the coming resource wars and what we can do about it.
Economists are dangerous, so says this week's guest iconoclastic economist,Professor Steve Keen and this is particularly the case if we think about climate change. What can we do to avoid a climate catastrophe? Carbon credits could be the answer, but we have to act quickly. Plus, ... Show More
34m 12s
Oct 2024
America and… Climate change
How could Kamala Harris or Donald Trump shape the global response to the climate crisis? As one of the world’s largest producers of fossil fuels and carbon emissions, the US plays a pivotal role in addressing climate change. The environmental policies of the next president could ... Show More
26m 29s
Mar 2025
Why climate matters this election - and how to make sure you vote like it, with Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie
There is no bigger issue this election than climate change. And who we put into power today will make a crucial difference tomorrow.  That's the clear message from Amanda McKenzie, co-founder and CEO of the Climate Council - Australia's leading organisation for independent climat ... Show More
1h 5m
May 16
Could Freezing Arctic Sea Ice Combat Climate Change?
The year-round sea ice in the Arctic is melting and has shrunk by nearly 40 percent over the past four decades. Geoengineering companies such as Real Ice are betting big on refreezing it. That may sound ridiculous, impractical or risky—but proponents say we have to try. The U.K. ... Show More
25m 29s
Oct 2024
Climate leadership - knowledge is power
It’s an often cited statistic that if healthcare was a country, it would be the fifth largest carbon emitter. At The BMJ we want to change that, and move healthcare towards a more sustainable future.  In this week’s episode, we’ll hear about our annual climate edition from two of ... Show More
41m 8s
Feb 2025
‘Researching climate change feels like standing in the path of an approaching train’
Three researchers with personal experience of anxiety and depression triggered by studying the environmental destruction caused by a changing climate describe the steps they take to protect their mental health.Ruth Cerezo-Mota, a climate scientist based at the National Autonomous ... Show More
24m 43s
Feb 2025
Women in Climate: Gender gap
While climate change affects us all, it doesn’t affect us equally. Women, particularly those in marginalised communities, are disproportionately impacted by climate change through the exacerbation of existing inequalities. Across the world, women depend more on, yet have less acc ... Show More
33m 36s
Nov 2023
Christiana Figueres
Can we alter the course of climate change? One woman who can answer with authority is the internationally recognised leader on global climate change, Christiana Figueres. An absolutely remarkable woman, Ms Figueres was formerly the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framew ... Show More
40m 42s