Episodes

  • 1.5°C is slipping away. What now?

    1.5°C is slipping away. What now?
    Oct 9 2026
    The United Nations Environment Program says the world is set to exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius warming limit within the next few years, making some degree of overshoot unavoidable. What happens once we cross that threshold? Can global temperatures eventually be brought back down? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Professor Teng Fei, deputy director of the Institute of Energy, Environment, and Economy at Tsinghua University.
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    30 mins
  • How can everyday choices drive the green transition?

    How can everyday choices drive the green transition?
    Oct 14 2026
    China is promoting greener lifestyles with a consumer guide offering 50 practical recommendations covering food, transport, energy, and everyday goods. Can small changes add up to something bigger? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Huang Jingyi from the Center for Environmental Education and Communications at China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
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    27 mins
  • Young voices: Can agriculture become more resilient in a changing climate?

    Young voices: Can agriculture become more resilient in a changing climate?
    Sep 19 2026
    Agriculture is on the front line of climate change. From drought and extreme heat to changing rainfall patterns, farmers around the world are facing growing challenges. How can agriculture adapt and become more resilient? What can different countries learn from each other? Climate Watch's Tianlu speaks with four young people from China, the United States, Brazil and Spain with a shared interest in agriculture.
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    26 mins
  • What's behind the Sahel's water revival?

    What's behind the Sahel's water revival?
    Sep 24 2026
    For decades, the Sahel was synonymous with drought and desertification. But now, the region is seeing a surprising water revival. Since the 1990s, and especially over the past five years, rainfall has increased across much of the region. Rivers are flowing again. Water tables are rising. Lake Chad has also shown signs of recovery. What's driving this change? And could a wetter Sahel bring new risks as well as new opportunities? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Richard Taylor, professor of groundwater and climate resilience at the University of Toronto.
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    41 mins
  • How is China building a $1.2 trillion recycling industry?

    How is China building a $1.2 trillion recycling industry?
    Sep 30 2026
    China has unveiled a plan to advance the circular economy during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with a goal of growing its resource recycling industry to 8 trillion yuan, or roughly 1.2 trillion US dollars, by 2030. How will China turn that ambition into reality, and how could a more circular economy help the country meet its climate goals? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.
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    29 mins
  • Is climate change making the Himalayas more dangerous?

    Is climate change making the Himalayas more dangerous?
    Sep 4 2026
    A massive glacier collapse sent a gigantic wave of water, ice, rock, and debris roaring down the Himalayan valleys along the China-Nepal border. What caused the catastrophe? What role might climate change have played? Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Benjamin Horton, Dean of the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong and recipient of the 2026 Axford Medal.
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    36 mins
  • How accurately can we forecast a typhoon?

    How accurately can we forecast a typhoon?
    Aug 28 2026
    Asian countries are experiencing an exceptionally active typhoon season. Although we have become quite good at predicting a typhoon's general path, predicting its intensity remains difficult. A new study published in Communications Earth & Environment may have uncovered an important missing piece. Climate Watch host Zhao Ying speaks with Professor Qiao Fangli to unpack the team's key findings. Professor Qiao is a Member of Academia Europaea and a Professor at the First Institute of Oceanography under China's Ministry of Natural Resources.
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    25 mins