A show about climate and climate tech: the intersection of technology and capital, people and politics, that will shape the future, and whether you'd want to live in it.
Host Richard Delevan is normally trapped in the UK, but with a global view - featuring guests from VC/PE, startups, scaleups, corporates, media, and beyond.
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A show about climate and climate tech: the intersection of technology and capital, people and politics, that will shape the future, and whether you'd want to live in it.
Host Richard Delevan is normally trapped in the UK, but with a global view - featuring guests from VC/PE, startups, scaleups, corporates, media, and beyond.
Subscribe at wickedproblems.earth for an ad-free version, our newsletter, and member-only goodies.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Full show notes, transcripts, and more at wickedproblems.earth
Welcome to Belém, where the world (with some notable exceptions) has gathered to talk about saving the Amazon as if it weren’t already on fire.
Cataloguing the chaos leading up to COP30 Ben Cooke of The Times. His team’s reporting makes clear why the mood isn’t exactly jubilant: the clean-power alliance with zero members, the rainforest pledges with little progress, and the renewed swagger of fossil petrostates.
Even potential bright spots, like the Tropical Forest Forever Facility announced last week, were somewhat dimmed by the spectacle of UK prime minister Keir Starmer reversing an earlier decision not to go to COP, only to make the trip to then announce his government wouldn’t be part of the hoped-for signature initiative out of this event.
We chat with Ben about all of that and more.
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Shipping is one of those things that’s just supposed to work. Post-Titanic, we created a set of rules that currently are looked after by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which successfully removed much of the drama from shipping — so successful that Britain’s “Shipping Forecast” is now soothing ASMR for bedtime listening.
But last month at the IMO in London, what should have been a procedural meeting on decarbonising shipping turned into something far messier. According to a Financial Times investigation, U.S. officials didn’t just lobby against a global carbon levy on shipping — they allegedly threatened, intimidated and black-mailed delegates from smaller nations.
Developing-country delegates said they were warned their ships would face higher U.S. port fees, their officials denied visas, and their trade punished if they didn’t abandon support for the Net Zero Framework the IMO had endorsed only six months earlier. “It was like dealing with the Mob,” one diplomat told the FT.
In the end, it worked. The deal — the world’s first carbon-pricing mechanism for global shipping — was postponed for a year. The IMO, normally the most technocratic of international bodies, was left “in a state of complete shock.”
For the uninitiated this may sound arcane. But shipping matters. Roughly 90 % of global trade moves by sea; the sector accounts for about 3 % of global CO₂ emissions — more than Germany — and until now has been largely outside the reach of meaningful climate regulation.
The Net Zero Framework was meant to change that. It had already been provisionally agreed by a majority of countries in April. But by October, something changed. Countries like China, India, Panama, Liberia — and even Greece and Cyprus, who broke with the EU line — suddenly voted to adjourn. news.wickedproblems.uk
And the shift didn’t come from nowhere: it came from pressure. From a U.S. administration that now treats climate policy as an existential threat to American interests.
🎧 Who we spoke to
🎵 Outro music: “Sailing By” (1963) layered with a long-wave “Shipping Forecast” transmission — that calm voice reading “Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire…”
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Overshoot, a new four-part documentary series from climate strategist and Wicked Problems alum Laurie Laybourn—goes further than nearly anyone has before. And he came back to unpack some of the key ideas in Overshoot and what he hopes people will do with it.
In Overshoot the story starts with the fact that we can no longer avoid the storm, we’ve enetered it. How to survive and steer through it—generation after generation—is the conversation we urgently need to have now.
Drawing on interviews with diplomats, scientists, and communities on the frontlines, Laybourn dismantles the win/lose logic that has dominated climate politics since Paris and asks what it means to live in an age of overlapping crises and hard adaptation choices.
Our conversation ranges from the myth of Easter Island to the politics of “carbon sucking,” from managed retreat in Wales to the legal aftershocks of 1.5°C’s failure. It’s a clear-eyed look at what comes next—and why, even at the moment of “net zero,” we’ll be living in the most dangerous period in human history.
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In this episode of Wicked Problems, host Richard Delevan welcomes Dave Jones and Kostantsa Rangelova from the energy think tank, EMBER. They've spent the past year spreading the good news about the impressive advancements in solar and battery technology, particularly focusing on global trends and potential game-changers in regions such as Africa and Mexico. Despite solar only contributing to 6.6% of Mexico’s electricity, EMBER simulations indicate it could rise to 90% with optimal efficiency. In some spots like Muscat, Las Vegas, or Mexico City, almost all their power, day and night, can now be generated from just solar + battery.
The discussion covers the rapid progress and cost reductions in battery technology, the promising shift towards 24/7 solar power, the surge of solar adoption in Africa, and the significant untapped potential in Mexico. The episode highlights the transformative impact of solar and battery technologies on global energy landscapes and emphasizes the urgent need for effective policies to accelerate this transition.
00:00 Introduction to Mexico's Solar Potential
00:00 Global Governance Breakdown
00:36 Welcome to Wicked Problems
00:39 Introducing the Guests: Dave Jones and Constanza Rva
01:05 The Rise of Solar and Battery Technology
01:33 24/7 Solar Power: A Game Changer
01:54 Advancements in Battery Technology
02:51 Economic Competitiveness of Solar and Battery
04:38 Challenges and Innovations in Battery Production
08:17 Global Adoption and Market Dynamics
15:20 Grid vs. Battery: The Trade-Offs
21:05 Solar and Battery in Different Climates
24:27 Implications for Policy and Future Outlook
26:09 Evolution of Battery Storage
27:29 Africa's Solar Boom
27:59 Chinese Solar Exports to Africa
28:52 Utility Scale Solar in Africa
37:50 Challenges and Opportunities in Mexico's Solar Sector
47:26 Global Solar Trends and Future Outlook
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Dr. Lorna Gold is the executive director of the Laudato Sì Movement, which was inspired by the late Pope Francis’ 2015 letter. That document, considered pretty radical for the leader of the Catholic Church to issue at the time, was credited by former Irish president Mary Robinson and others with influencing the Paris Agreement - and you can hear echoes of it as recently as the advisory opinion issued this summer by the International Court of Justice.
On its 10th anniversary, Francis’ successor Pope Leo will lead the Raising Hope Conference, 1-3 October in Rome - but also available via livestream - talking about the relevance of its ideas for the situation we’re in now. More than a “Catholic” thing, it will feature people as diverse as Brazil’s climate minister Marina Silva (in the runup to COP30), climate scientist Dr.
Katharine Hayhoe, Bill McKibben, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tuvalu climate minister Dr Maina Talia, Bianca Pitt of SHE Changes Climate, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty president Kumi Naidoo, and more. Somehow, Lorna was able to take a break from organising the event to speak to us.
Lorna earned a PhD in economic geography from Glasgow University and author of Climate Generation: Awakening to our Childrens’ Future.
It’s a great chat and we think you’ll enjoy it.
01:22 Introduction to Dr. Lorna Gold
02:21 Personal Tragedy and Resilience
05:29 Hope vs. Optimism
09:17 Relevance of Laudato Si'
13:01 International Court of Justice Ruling
15:21 Economic Systems and Climate Action
21:51 Pope Francis, Pope Leo and COP 30
22:31 Upcoming Conference and Call to Action
24:25 Personal Reflection on Climate Impact
27:56 Discussing Future Conversations
28:40 Mother's Role in Climate Action
29:39 Women of Faith for Climate Justice
31:37 The Raging Grannies and Activism
33:12 The Sharing Economy and Climate Generation
34:42 Sufficiency and Economic Inequality
41:17 The Role of Storytelling in Climate Education
44:34 Hope and Action in Climate Movements
47:31 Pope or Nope Quiz
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In this episode of 'Wicked Problems,' host Richard Delevan speaks with Dr. Hannah E. Morris, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and author of 'Apocalyptic Authoritarianism.' They discuss the use of apocalyptic language in politics, the resurgence of Cold War-era narratives, and how these tropes are being weaponized to block climate action and shore up existing power structures. The conversation delves into the intersections of media, politics, and climate crisis, featuring insights on the impact of journalism on these global issues.
00:00 Trump's Apocalyptic Obsession
01:19 Introduction to Wicked Problems
01:32 Guest Introduction: Dr. Hannah E. Morris
01:57 Weaponizing Apocalyptic Language
02:45 Defining Apocalyptic Authoritarianism
03:06 Trump's Influence and Climate Movement
05:13 Nostalgia and Climate Journalism
06:30 The Green New Deal and Media Narratives
11:47 Challenges in Climate Journalism
24:28 Covering Climate Now Initiative
30:02 Senator Eric Schmidt's Speech Analysis
32:59 Nationalism and American Identity
34:27 Fascist Ideologies and Historical Context
37:26 Media's Role in Shaping Nationalism
39:30 Climate Change and Political Narratives
47:26 Global Perspectives on Climate Journalism
51:37 Apocalyptic Imagery in Modern Politics
54:09 Influences and Future Directions
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Unraveling the Impact of Climate Change on Zurich: Analyzing 50 Years of Data | Wicked Problems
In this episode of Wicked Problems, host Richard Delevan explores a groundbreaking study from researchers at Oxford Smith School's Sustainable Law Program and beyond. Joined by Dr. Rupert Stuart-Smith, Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, they dive into the first-of-its-kind research examining climate change's impact on heat-related mortality in Zurich from 1969 to 2018. Discover how attribution science links global warming to nearly 1700 deaths in Zurich, the role of adaptation measures, and the growing importance of climate attribution in legal contexts. This sobering analysis offers a stark look at the real human costs of climate change and the urgent need for action.
00:00 Introduction: Zurich and Climate Change
00:31 Welcome to Wicked Problems
00:35 The Impact of Climate Change on Zurich
01:34 Introducing Dr. Rupert Stuart Smith
02:11 Study Findings: Heat-Related Mortality in Zurich
02:25 Methodology and Data Analysis
05:33 Surprising Results and Implications
14:16 Adaptation Measures and Their Effectiveness
16:31 Legal and Political Implications
18:22 The Role of Attribution Science in Courts
23:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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Understanding Climate Tipping Points With Stephen Smith | Wicked Problems Climate Tech Conversations
In this episode of Wicked Problems Climate Tech Conversations, host Richard Delevan dives into the pivotal and pressing subject of climate tipping points with guest Stephen Smith. They discuss the warnings from the recent Global Tipping Points Conference in Exeter, where nearly 200 scientists urged immediate action to prevent irreversible climate changes. The conversation explores both negative and positive climate tipping points, the challenges policymakers face in addressing them, and the importance of storytelling in climate advocacy. Stephen Smith also highlights the potential of renewable energy and the steps needed to accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy. Tune in for an insightful discussion on the critical actions required to address the climate crisis and the hopeful pathways forward.
00:00 Introduction and Opening Remarks
00:26 Urgent Climate Crisis Call
01:29 Understanding Tipping Points
03:44 Negative Tipping Points
04:18 Positive Tipping Points
05:12 Policy Makers and Tipping Points
06:02 Interruption and Resumption
07:03 Immediate Action Required
11:20 Real-World Example: Tuvalu
14:16 Challenges in Policy Making
17:21 Positive Social Tipping Points
18:54 Renewable Energy Revolution
22:12 Barriers to Change
27:54 Accelerating Positive Change
35:10 Hope and Final Thoughts
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Will Nigel Farage's Reform party succeed in demonising climate action? Or will adaptation change the conversation? Are the Tories cooked? And does Gaza create an opening big enough for Jeremy Corbyn's new party to cut into Labour support?
Richard Delevan talks to More in Common's Ed Hodgson about Shattered Britain, how Britain's "Tribes" will shape the future - and why you need to understand them if effective climate communicators are going to win.
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Climate Justice: ICJ's Historic Ruling and Its Global Impact
In this episode of Wicked Problems, host Richard Delavan is joined by Professor Elizabeth Holland from Brown University to discuss a historic advisory opinion handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ruling, initiated by Pacific Island students, declares climate science as a binding element under customary international law, obligating states to take stronger climate action. Elizabeth shares insights from her role as a science negotiator for Palau and the significance of the court's ruling for vulnerable nations and future generations. This episode also features voices from those who played pivotal roles in making this judgment a reality, emphasizing the binding nature of climate obligations and the need for continuous global cooperation.
00:00 Introduction: Climate Science as Law
00:16 The Court's Advisory Opinion
00:54 Human Impact and Cultural Struggles
01:14 End of Impunity and Legal Obligations
02:03 Interview with Professor Elizabeth Holland
02:43 Reactions to the ICJ Ruling
05:22 The Role of Small Island States
05:50 Challenges in Climate Negotiations
08:01 Legal Frameworks and Obligations
09:43 Implications for the United States
12:33 Personal Reflections and Contributions
14:34 Celebrating the Youth Movement
18:17 Art and Culture in Climate Advocacy
21:21 Generational Promises and Songs
26:38 Conclusion and Call to Action
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The Intersection of Climate Change and National Security with Rear Admiral Neil: A Deep Dive
In this episode of 'Wicked Problems,' host Richard Delevan speaks with Rear Admiral Neil, former Royal Navy officer and current Professor of Climate and Resource Security at UCL, about the growing recognition that climate change is a strategic challenge impacting national security. They discuss the expanded definition of national security to include climate adaptation, various international and interdisciplinary efforts to mitigate climate impact, and how the military is adapting its strategies. The conversation covers past and present policies, the importance of societal involvement, and the role of technological advancements. Rear Admiral Neil emphasizes the need for strategic, long-term solutions, cooperation across sectors, and raises concerns about the potential for a significant crisis to wake global leadership from complacency.
00:00 Introduction to Climate Change and Security
00:26 Guest Introduction: Rear Admiral Neil
00:57 National Security and Climate Change
02:06 Impact of Climate Change on Society
03:49 Military's Role and Adaptation
04:44 Evolving Conversations on Climate Policy
09:48 Technological Innovations in the Military
19:02 International Cooperation and Policy
24:49 Challenges and Future Prospects
31:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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In this episode, two parts:
Jenny Chase, a solar market analyst at BNF, about the dramatic rise of solar power in Pakistan. Despite scant government support, Pakistan has rapidly adopted solar energy, moving from importing a few gigawatts of solar modules in 2022 to becoming one of the largest markets. This development has led to economic and infrastructural challenges, such as grid reliability and pricing issues, and raises important questions about the future of energy systems globally.
The episode also features a conversation with Australia-based climate journalist Royce Kurmelovs, who writes for Drilled and Reneweconomy as well as many others, about a recent significant legal ruling in Australia where indigenous Torres Strait Islanders sued the government over climate change threats to their homeland. While the court recognized climate change as an existential threat, it ruled against the plaintiffs due to current legal limitations, highlighting the ongoing legal and moral challenges in climate responsibility.
00:00 Introduction to Pakistan's Solar Energy Surge
00:09 Global Perspectives and Future Trends
00:33 Australia's Energy Ambitions vs. Reality
02:24 Unreported Solar Installations in Pakistan
03:37 Economic Implications of Solar Adoption
04:49 Government Contracts and Energy Prices
16:07 Global Perspectives and Future Trends
19:39 Discussion on Pakistan's Progress
19:44 Jenny Chase's Upcoming Leave
20:41 Introduction to Climate Cases in Australia
21:42 Details of the Torres Strait Case
23:29 Impacts on Torres Strait Islands
25:14 Legal and Cultural Implications
28:37 Global Context and Comparisons
40:42 Australia's Climate Policy and Politics
Follow Jenny:
🌐 Follow Royce:
“Court agrees climate change is real, but throws out Torres Strait Islanders’ claim anyway” (RenewEconomy)
Also check out his most recent book: Slick: Australia’s Toxic Relationship with Big Oil
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Thick ice caps topping some dormant volcanoes may be acting like a champagne cork. Research released earlier this month suggests that by speeding up the melt of those ice caps through human-caused climate change, we’re removing the foil and the little wire cage on some trapped liquid that will taste a bit more acidic than champagne when it gets out as the cork tries to free itself.
Bob Berwyn has reported for a decade for Inside Climate News - the OG climate outlet that in 2015 broke the story of the biggest corporate scandal in history: a nine-part investigative series demonstrating how much #ExxonKnew about the effects that burning oil and other fossil fuels would have on the future climate, and then doing everything in its power to prevent anyone from stopping it.
Bob’s piece on the volcano research stopped me in my tracks. As he said in this conversation:
“the most profound thing about a study like this volcano study … is how profoundly we're changing fundamental parts of the global Earth system. I mean, we're sitting here talking about things like, ‘wow, could our activities actually cause more volcanoes?’ I mean, just the fact that we're asking this question is, ‘wow, what have we done?’ You know?”
In This Conversation
01:33 Scientific Insights on Volcanic Activity
05:20 Challenges in Climate Research
12:09 Global Climate Negotiations
20:12 Heatwaves and Public Health
23:54 Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
24:36 The Reality of Heat Waves and Their Deadly Impact
26:13 The Political Project Against Climate Science
27:07 Social Science and Climate Action
28:58 The Anti-Autocracy Handbook for Scientists
31:02 Free Speech and Authoritarianism
34:25 The Role of Legal Obligations in Climate Justice
37:05 Public Perception and Managed Retreat
40:37 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Stories
Keep Up With Bob
Bob is an essential follow on BlueSky, and his journalism for Inside Climate News does not quit. Here are links to just some of the stories we touched on:
Melting Ice Caps Could Bring Dormant Volcanoes to Life
Human-Caused Global Warming Spiked the Death Toll of Europe’s Early Summer Heatwave
New Handbook Aims to Protect Scientists From Autocratic Threats
Bonn Climate Talks Rife With Roadblocks and Dead Ends
If you think these conversations are worth listening to, share them with a friend or make an offering to the volcano gods to spare your town.
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In this Wicked Problems – Climate Tech Conversations, we’re joined by Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century, a landmark work on climate-driven migration. From the existential realities of climate displacement to the politics of denial and adaptation, it’s about what happens when we stop pretending everyone will stay where they are.
It Bad
Last week, a catastrophic flood hit Kerr County, Texas. 30 cm of rain—four months' worth—fell in hours. The Guadalupe River rose 8 metres in under an hour, swamping the area around Camp Mystic. Over 90 are dead, many of them young girls at the camp. Some are still missing.
Cue the blame game. Officials who refused to fund early warning systems claimed the event was unpredictable. Trump-era cuts had gutted the National Weather Service, yet some still pointed fingers at the agency. Others called it karmic justice or MAGA-targeted weather warfare. Conspiracy theorists went further, blaming imaginary geoengineering attacks. Marjorie Taylor-Greene tweeted: “We must end the dangerous and deadly practice of weather modification and geoengineering.”
Right-wing extremists, already attacking Doppler radar sites, turn tragedy into paranoia. In past hurricanes, conspiracy-fueled threats forced rescue crews to withdraw.Rapid attribution studies confirm what should be obvious: climate change makes these once-rare floods far more likely.
OK Doomer
In a now-notorious quote, Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki said “it’s too late.” Critics pounced, accusing him of defeatism. But, as we discuss with Gaia Vince, the real issue isn’t optimism vs pessimism—it’s whether we’re brave enough to face what’s actually happening.
After decades in media and PR, I can tell when people are dodging the truth—even for good reasons. In climate comms, there’s a lot of that. But we try something different here: saying what we think is true, even if it’s hard to hear.
On the Move
Gaia Vince has been writing about climate and migration for over a decade. In Nomad Century, she argues:
The book isn’t dystopian; it’s clear-eyed and pragmatic. It insists we have a choice: chaos, or planned adaptation.
In This Conversation
01:54 Climate Change’s Global Reach
04:24 The Reality of Climate Migration
09:24 Political Responses to Climate Change
10:44 Economic Implications and Adaptation
21:57 Innovative Solutions and Future Outlook
26:10 Australia and Tuvalu
27:06 UN, Sovereignty, and Vanishing Nations
29:00 Climate Refugees
30:05 Early Agreements
30:56 Adaptation and Relocation
34:21 Facing the Climate Reality
46:55 Can Global Governance Step Up?
Get the Book
Nomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval remains one of the most honest, practical guides to climate adaptation out there. Listen to the conversation—and get the book.
Tips, Bribes, and Abuse
Guest idea? Want to help us do more of this? Or just dying to tell us how crap we are? Reach out on Bluesky or email us at info@wickedproblems.uk—and maybe stand us a pint.
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Is the “Abundance” discourse - and you can fit most iterations of it in a spectrum from Aaron Bastani and Zohran Mamdani to Ezra Klein to Elon Musk - an inspiring vision of the future or a dangerous delusion? Is insisting on “limits” just realism or is it pathological pessimism? And where does climate tech fit into all that?
We think the answers to these questions are kind of important. So we were excited to talk it through onstage at Extreme Hangout during London Climate Action Week at Ladbroke Hall; with climate tech entrepreneur Yasmine Abdu, co-founder of Fridays for the Future Michael Spiekermann, and BP exec to sustainability strategist Charles Perry.
Enjoy!
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02:27 Michael Speakman's Journey from Activism to Policy
03:36 Yasin Abdu's Carbon Track Initiative
04:51 Discussion on Abundance vs. Limits
15:19 Charles Perry on the Stellar Vision
24:30 Debating the Future of Energy and Policy
28:18 Reconciling System Change and Longevity
28:44 Building an Ecosystem of Corporate Support
29:39 Avoiding Venture Capital for Mission-Driven Impact
30:58 Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Activism
32:18 The Power of Bottom-Up Movements
37:31 Identifying the Villain in Climate Narratives
50:29 Hope and the Global Sustainability Revolution
52:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Many thanks to our panel and our partners at Extreme Hangout for bringing us on to their stage!
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How am I gonna be an optimist about this? This conversation’s official exit music is from Bastille. But stick around for a twist.
Turns out it’s not just men who think about the Roman Empire.
Polymath raconteuse Solitaire Townsend - sustainability consultant, co-founder of Futerra, UN envoy, award-winning author of the non-fiction The Solutionists - wasn’t just thinking about Rome. She’s wondering, ‘what if I combine some Roman Empire stuff with climate fiction in an alt-history universe in a novel featuring a kick-arse heroine?’ And gets herself a two-book deal.
Pre-order Godstorm from our Bookshop.org site or wherever you get good books.
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As a cli-fi/alt-history nerd with shelves stuffed with riffs on Rome from Gibbon to Mary Beard with stops for Asimov’s Foundation series, I cannot tell you how pleased I am to be the first to introduce Solitaire Townsend as “novelist” on a podcast.
We talk about her turn to fiction, why now, why the alt-history genre, kick around ideas about alt-history from Philip K. Dick to Star Trek (with some Ursula le Guin because why not), and how she deploys the form to tell a cautionary tale about a world that could have been a lot worse off in its climate breakdown — where Rome never fell, because of the 2nd-century CE invention of the combustion engine.
As Solitaire says, if we started burning oil under Marcus Aurelius, climate change would have started much sooner. The warming and rising seas fuel extreme weather events called “God-storms”, caused - according to the Imperial version of Fox News - by lack of piety.
Most of that is in the background only creating the more personal, intimate world in which her characters struggle - including a gladatrix-turned-governess seeking to rescue her charge from nefarious clutches and kicking serious arse along the way.
In Conversation
00:28 First Podcast as a Novelist
00:56 Pitching 'Godstorm'
02:18 Background and Career of Solitaire Townsend
02:37 Solitaire, Sustainability Caesaris
04:01 Nonfiction Writing Journey
05:49 Role of Storytelling in Social Change
07:22 Transition to Fiction Writing
08:14 Discovering a Passion for Writing
10:24 Exploring Alternate History
14:05 Speculative Fiction and Personal Interests
17:26 Themes and Inspirations for 'God Storm'
20:14 Character Development and Empathy
22:14 Reflections on Ursula Le Guin and Sci-Fi
27:21 Conclusion and Book Pre-Order Information
Pre-order Godstorm from our Bookshop.org site.
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