UCL Generation One: The Climate Podcast

In this episode, we are unpacking how effective COP30 really was, did the promises match the expectations and  where did world leaders deliver or fall short . COP 30 was held in Belém, the gateway to the Amazon. From extreme heat and climate-driven floods and fires to the political symbolism of choosing the Amazon over Rio, the setting shaped everything. 
The expectations were high this year. Brazil promised a ‘forest-first COP,’ with more youth engagement, significant inclusion of indigenous communities and major moves on finance and fossil fuels. Our host Simon Chin Yee, from UCL’s School of Public Policy and one of our guest Elena, Climate Reality Project Central and Eastern Europe, both of whom attended COP30 shares their biggest takeaways from Belem.
Our other guest, Susannah Fisher, is a leading researcher and author whose new book on climate adaptation, Sink or Swim, was published in August (Sink Or Swim - Link to Susannah's latest book). In this episode, she explains why adaptation is a crucial part of the COP agenda and why it can’t be overlooked.
The episode also features the recent National Emergency Briefing on climate, and its important call to action to sign their petition to ask the government and all public service broadcasters to hold an urgent televised briefing so that everyone understands the profound risks this crisis poses to themselves and their families.
https://www.nebriefing.org/open-letter-keir
 
Credits:
Date of episode recording: 28th Nov 2026
Duration: 39:38
Language of episode: English 
Presenter: Professor Mark Maslin and Dr Simon Chin-Yee
Producer: Adam Batstone
Guests:
Susannah Fisher – Author and Principal Research Fellow at Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction, UCL.
(Sink Or Swim - by Susannah's Fisher)
Elena-Alexandra Miron – Central and Eastern Europe Regional Organiser, Climate Reality Project.

This episode brings you the highlights from a special event from UCL marking 10 years since the Paris Agreement.  Hear how it continues to influence policy, markets, and public debate — and what lies ahead as the world confronts climate change in an era of geopolitical turbulence.  

Host Professor Mark Maslin (UCL Earth System Science) joins forces with Professor Lisa Vanhala (UCL Political Science) from the live event co‑hosted with the French Embassy in London, UCL’s European Institute, UCL Faculty of Laws and UCL's Grand Challenge for the Climate Crisis.  

The event brought together diplomats, policymakers, and academics to reflect on the legacy, challenges, and future of the Paris Agreement and their hopes for COP30 in Brazil.  

From the optimism of 2015 to the realities of climate governance in 2025, we bring you highlights and a sense of hope from the panel who explore whether multilateralism can survive political fragmentation, how markets are reshaping the clean energy transition, and how solidarity across nations is so challenging.  Essential listening for anyone interested in climate governance, international cooperation, and the future of multilateralism.

Panel chaired by Professor Eloise Scotford (Dean of UCL Faculty of Laws), featuring:
•            Dan Bradley (UK Mission to the EU) 
•            Adam Berman (Energy UK) 
•            Professor Jean Jouzel (CEA, Academy of Science) 
•            Dr Pedro Schilling de Carvalho (UCL) 
•            Professor Lisa Vanhala (UCL) 
Date of episode recording: 12th November 2025 
Duration: 00:46:52 
Language of episode: English  
Host: Professor Mark Maslin and Professor Lisa Vanhala

In this episode of Generation One, we’re exploring the importance of start-ups and the role of entrepreneurs in stepping up with ground breaking solutions to solve the climate crisis and what policy makers and organisations like UCL are doing to enable this.

Our hosts Professor Mark Maslin and Dr Simon Chin-Yee are joined by three inspiring guests who share their experiences and insights on how entrepreneurship is driving a greener future, building climate-focused businesses, overcoming start-up challenges, and the crucial role investors and incubators play in scaling climate impact:
Alexandra Ranft, Senior Project Manager from UN Global Compact Network UK.  The UN Global Compact’s aim is to mobilise a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create the world we want.
William Moore co-founder and CEO of Consus Energy and UCL alum (Geography 2025).  Consus Energy was selected to join UCL’s Hatchery incubator programme, which provides co-working space and business support to UCL startups.
Simon Chaudhuri was a Strategic Advisor for the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Obama Administration and founded CIV:LAB, a nonprofit developing and funding place-based innovation programs across the US.   Simon is also a Founding Fellow at the UCL Centre for Sustainable Business.  

Credits: 

Date of episode recording: 29th Oct 2025 and 5th of November 2025
Duration: 37:10
Language of episode: English 
 Presenter: Professor Mark Maslin and Dr Simon Chin-Yee 
 
Organisations:
 
UN Global Compact Network UK, https://www.unglobalcompact.org.uk
Consus Energy https://www.consusenergy.com
UCL Hatchery https://www.ucl.ac.uk/enterprise/students Alongside your studies at UCL, did you know you can access UCL’s specialist free extra-curricular entrepreneurship programme? 
CIV:LAB https://civ-lab.org
UCL School of Management https://www.mgmt.ucl.ac.uk/

In this episode, we explore a subject that’s deeply important to us as educators: the role of climate in the classroom. How are schools and universities placing climate change at the heart of learning—not just in science lessons, but across the whole school experience?

We look beyond the curriculum to discover how educators are fostering sustainable living and embedding green practices into everyday school life. From encouraging active travel and connecting students with the natural world, to making conscious, eco-friendly choices part of the school culture, we’ll share inspiring examples of how teaching can shape a greener future.

We’re thrilled to welcome three inspiring champions of climate education:
🌱 Jenny Wilson – A passionate advocate from the Green Schools Revolution, Jenny is actively involved in the Teach the Teacher initiative. She collaborates with schools in underserved communities, empowering students to create their own Climate Action Plans and become agents of change.
🌍 Will Wale – A student at LSE and the outgoing Youth Focal Point for Sustainability and Climate Change at the Department for Education, Will brings a wealth of experience. He’s worked closely with young people, educators, civil servants, and ministers to advance climate and sustainability education across the UK.
🏫 Professor Nicola Walshe – Pro-Director of Education at UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, Nicola is also the co-founder and Executive Director of the UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education. Her work focuses on transforming how climate education is delivered in schools nationwide.

Date of episode recording: 4th August 2025
Duration: 00:42:16
Language of episode: English 
Presenter: Professor Mark Maslin and Dr Simon Chin-Yee 
Guests:  
Jenny Wilson, Green Schools Revolution https://www.greenschoolsrevolution.uk/
Will Wale, LSE student and Youth Focal Point for Sustainability and Climate Change at the DOE
Nicola Walsh, Professor and Pro Director of Education UCL IOE and CoFounder and Executive Director of UCL’s Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-centres/ucl-centre-climate-change-and-sustainability-education
 
Producers: 
Adam Batstone
Caitlin Mullin

As the importance of climate justice grows, UCL Generation One asks the questions: can we address the past for a fairer future? And are historic injustices to blame for today’s climate inequalities? 

In this episode, Mark and Simon discuss the landmark ruling from the International Court of Justice, which declares nations are legally obligated to protect the environment from greenhouse gas emissions. This gives the countries most affected by climate change – many of which are former colonies – the legal right to hold major polluters accountable.

Lawyer and climate activist Farhana Yamin provides context on the ICJ’s decision, explaining the link between climate change and colonialism, and how activism combined with legal action can tackle systematic inequalities.

We then hear from Raffaella Fryer-Moreira (UCL Department of Anthropology), who works with indigenous communities in Brazil. Raffaella reveals how traditional academic practices often enforce historic dynamics, and explores how research projects might include rather than marginalise indigenous knowledge.
Date of episode recording: 23 July 2025
Duration: 00:38:38
Language of episode: English
Presenters: Professor Mark Maslin and Dr Simon Chin-Yee
Guests:
Raffaella Fryer-Moreira (UCL Department of Anthropology)
Farhana Yamin (Climate Justice – Just Transition Donor Collaborative)

Producers: 
Adam Batstone
Caitlin Mullin