Your podcast discovery platform
Curious minds select the most fascinating podcasts from around the world. Discover hand-piqd audio recommendations on your favorite topics.
piqer for: Climate and Environment Global finds Globalization and politics
I'm a freelance journalist, currently based in Madrid. I used to be a News Producer at CNBC in London before, but I thought a little bit more sun might do me good. Now I write for several news organizations, covering a range of topics, from Spanish politics and human rights for Deutsche Welle to climate change for La Marea.
After The IPCC Report, A Conversation About BECCS
Unless you've been under a rock the last couple of weeks, you must have heard about the historic report on 1.5ºC warming from the IPCC. The report is a last-minute warning for the international community, with a clear message: Act now or face the consequences of disastrous climate change.
Among the recommendations of the IPCC is the removal of atmospheric CO2. This can be achieved in many ways, from afforestation to direct removal, but when we talk about taking the gas out of thin air, what comes to mind most of the time is carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), or its bioenergy relative (BECCS).
Both CCS and BECCS are at the center of one of the most interesting debates right now in climate change. After reaching consensus on the anthropogenic nature of global warming, the question is "what do we do?" So, along with nuclear and a few other technologies, there is a serious discussion about whether we should go full-renewable right away or keep on burning fossil fuels (or biomass for BECCS) and capture the resulting CO2, burying it underground instead of pouring it out into the atmosphere.
This podcast gives an accurate view on the technology and puts it in perspective. It starts with a brief summary of the IPCC report. I feel this first part could have a bit more weight (the report, historic and unsettling as it is, sounds kind of boring in the anchor's voice), but given that we've been hearing about it non-stop lately, I can understand it's not exactly breaking news. Then he goes on to dissect CCS with an expert, who explains how it works and the economics behind it. I really enjoyed the sober and technical tone, which still is within reach for anyone.
The main message I kept from the whole interview is that CCS/BECCS is necessary as a bridge technology. We need it, as the interviewee says, to avoid going "cold turkey", as we won't be able to keep using fossil fuels for long.
Others, however, think that we should take that leap as soon as possible. What do you think?
