Planet A - Talks on Climate Change - Jane Goodall - on chimpanzees, humans and climate change

Jane Goodall - on chimpanzees, humans and climate change

09/03/20 • 29 min

In the fifth episode of the podcast Dan Jørgensen talks with Dr. Jane Goodall, the world’s leading primatologist, about the similarities between chimpanzees and humans as well as how climate change impact us all.

She describes how the changing climate disproportionally affects wildlife and the poorest people around the globe.

Dr. Goodall argues, that the world must overcome poverty, consumerism and population growth to prevent an environmental catastrophe. Particularly people in the developed world need to make more ethical choices; ensuring that they do not buy products that have harmed the environment, were made in inhumane working conditions or led to animal cruelty.

Dr. Goodall began her groundbreaking research on apes in Gombe, Tanzania, in 1960, which has transformed our understanding of chimpanzees, and redefined the relationship between humans and animals in ways that continue to emanate around the world.

However, Dr. Goodall is not only an eminent scientist, but has also excelled as a conservationist and activist over the last eight decades. Most notably, she founded the “Jane Goodall Institute”, an organization that creates sanctuaries for Apes. She has also established “Roots & Shoots” - a program that works in nearly 100 countries to raise awareness of environmental issues among schoolchildren.

Furthermore, Dr. Goodall has been the subject of more than 40 films and authored dozens of books for both adults and children.

She has received countless awards, prizes and honorary titles, including her appointment as “Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” by Queen Elizabeth II.

We apologize for the sporadic poor sound quality during the episode, which was caused by digital interference on the internet connection during the recording.

She describes how the changing climate disproportionally affects wildlife and the poorest people around the globe.

Furthermore, Dr. Goodall has been the subject of more than 40 films and authored dozens of books for both adults and children.

She has received countless awards, prizes and honorary titles, including her appointment as “Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” by Queen Elizabeth II.

We apologize for the sporadic poor sound quality during the episode, which was caused by digital interference on the internet connection during the recording.

Previous Episode

Katherine Richardson - on climate tipping points and what humanity can learn from nature

In the fourth episode of the podcast, Dan Jørgensen talks with Katherine Richardson, Professor in Biological Oceanography at the University of Copenhagen and one of the world’s leading experts on climate change.

Based on her research article “Climate tipping points - too risky to bet against”, they discuss the notion of climate tipping points - such as the loss of the Amazon rainforest and the West Antarctic ice sheet – and how they can cause irreversible damage to the global eco-system.

Richardson also explains about feedback loops, such as the “Albedo Effect” where if snow covering areas warm up and melts, more sunlight is absorbed, and the temperature tends to increase.

They conclude by discussing planetary boundaries and what humanity can learn from nature.

Katherine Richardson was born in the U.S. and educated at Harvard University, but have lived and worked in Denmark since the 1980’s.

Aside from her extraordinary academic work, Richardson has been a member of numerous esteemed advisory groups, including the Danish Council on Climate Change and the United Nations Expert Panel that prepared the 2019 Global Sustainable Development Report.

Next Episode

Christiana Figueres - on the past, present and future of the COP-negotiations

In the sixth episode of the podcast, Dan Jørgensen talks with Christiana Figueres, the former United Nations’ Climate Chief about the past, present and future of the international climate negotiations.

Figueres was appointed Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC in July 2010 and five years later she successfully rallied 195 nations around the Paris Agreement.

She recounts the change from COP15 in Copenhagen to COP21 in Paris, resulting from gradually changing the political mindset from one of confrontation to one of collaboration.

To Figueres, the outcome of the upcoming U.S. Presidential elections will decide the global geopolitical outlook for not only next year’s COP26 in Glasgow, but for many decades. Finally, Figueres shares her views on the transition to a low carbon economy, including on the need to re-train coal workers and bringing other countries on-board.

Even though it has been four years since she left the UN, Figueres remains one of the most important voices in the global environmental debate: In 2017, she co-founded “Global Optimism”, a group focused on social and environmental change. Furthermore she has authored the book “The Future We Choose” and co-hosts the weekly climate podcast “Outrage and Optimism”.

Prior to joining the UN, Figueres worked as a Costa Rican diplomat and served as Director of the Renewable Energy in the Americas (REIA) Initiative, and directed the non-profit Center for Sustainable Development of the Americas (CSDA).