Climate Risk Podcast

Hear from celebrated journalist David Shukman on why climate change is no longer a future risk, how extreme weather is exposing weaknesses in the systems we rely on, and why human stories are often the most powerful way to communicate climate risk.  

Climate risk is often discussed in terms of future scenarios, long-term projections, and abstract global targets. But for many people, the impacts are already here: in homes lost to wildfire, hospitals disrupted by extreme heat, transport systems buckling under rising temperatures, and supply chains exposed to droughts and other weather extremes. 

That shift from future risk to present reality raises difficult questions for governments, businesses, and risk professionals. Are institutions prepared for the climate we now live in? Who is responsible when critical systems fail? And how do we communicate these risks in a way that cuts through technical jargon and reaches people at a human level? 

That's why today's episode will explore: 

How extreme weather is already testing the systems we rely on; 



Why recent climate events, such as heatwaves and wildfires, reveal critical gaps in preparedness and accountability; 


And why human stories about the impacts of climate change might be the most powerful way to communicate the risks and galvanize action.   


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To find out more about the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate, follow this link: https://www.garp.org/scr 

For more information on climate risk, visit GARP's Global Sustainability and Climate Risk Resource Centre: https://www.garp.org/sustainability-climate 

If you have any questions, thoughts, or feedback regarding this podcast series, we would love to hear from you at: climateriskpodcast@garp.com 

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Today's Speaker

David Shukman is a celebrated journalist, author, and broadcaster who spent nearly four decades at the BBC, including nine years as its first Science Editor. During his career, he reported from around the world on major global issues, including conflict, science, environmental change, and climate risk. 

Since leaving the BBC in 2021, David has worked as an independent writer, speaker, and commentator on climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development. This work has culminated in the recent publication of his book, 'The Response: A Story of Fire and Flood in Britain's New World of Extremes'.

Matt Winning reflects on climate fatigue, corporate engagement, and what risk professionals can learn from the art of communicating difficult topics.  

Climate change is often communicated through data, models, targets and warnings. But as important as those tools are, they do not always reach people emotionally, or bring them into the conversation in a way that feels human.  

That raises an interesting question: can comedy help? Not by making light of the problem, but by making it more accessible, cutting through jargon, and creating space for people to engage with a subject that can otherwise feel overwhelming. 

That's why today's episode will explore: 

How comedy can act as a gateway for people who might not otherwise engage with climate change;  


Why better communication matters for firms trying to build climate awareness and engagement across their teams;  


And what risk professionals can learn from comedy about clarity, honesty and staying true to their convictions. 


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 To find out more about the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate, follow this link: https://www.garp.org/scr 

For more information on climate risk, visit GARP's Global Sustainability and Climate Risk Resource Centre: https://www.garp.org/sustainability-climate 

If you have any questions, thoughts, or feedback regarding this podcast series, we would love to hear from you at: climateriskpodcast@garp.com 


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Today's Speaker

Dr. Matt Winning is a stand-up comedian and Lecturer in Economics of Sustainability at the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources. Matt previously served as Head of Climate Research at Oxford Economics and has spent more than a decade researching climate policy, energy transitions, climate finance and sustainability.  

He is also one of the world's leading climate comedians.  He wrote the book Hot Mess: What on Earth Can We Do About Climate Change? and has performed many climate-focused comedy shows, including at COP28 and the Edinburgh Fringe, as well as appearing on many BBC radio and television programmes. Combining academic expertise with humour, Matt focuses on helping audiences engage with climate change in ways that are accessible, informative and entertaining.

Hear from Prof. Tom Gosling, Director of the Initiative in Sustainable Finance at the London School of Economics (LSE), as we examine the limits of investor-led climate action, the realities of stewardship and engagement, and why finance may need a more pragmatic approach to the transition. 

Over recent years, investors have been asked to play a central role in driving the net zero transition. Through targets, stewardship, portfolio commitments and engagement, the idea was that finance could help push the real economy towards decarbonization. 

But what if that framing overstates what investors can realistically achieve? If real-world incentives are still misaligned, and if policy remains the primary driver of economic change, then investor climate action may need to become more focused, more realistic, and more honest about its limits. 

That's why this episode will explore: 

Why the current model of investor climate action has run into difficulty, particularly around targets and portfolio emissions;  


What more effective stewardship might look like when it focuses on achievable, real-world impact rather than headline commitments;  


And why asset owners, asset managers and risk professionals may need to rethink their roles as climate risk becomes more politically contested and physically material. 


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To find out more about the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate, follow this link: https://www.garp.org/scr 

For more information on climate risk, visit GARP's Global Sustainability and Climate Risk Resource Centre: https://www.garp.org/sustainability-climate 

If you have any questions, thoughts, or feedback regarding this podcast series, we would love to hear from you at: climateriskpodcast@garp.com 


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Today's Speaker 

Professor Tom Gosling is Director of the Initiative in Sustainable Finance at the London School of Economics (LSE). He is also a member of the Financial Conduct Authority's Sustainable Finance Advisory Committee. 

With more than 20 years' experience as a board adviser, including as a senior Partner at PwC where he established and led the firm's executive pay practice, he brings deep expertise across corporate governance, responsible investing, investor stewardship and sustainable finance.

Hear from Kingsmill Bond, Senior Energy Strategist at Ember, as we explore why renewables and electrification are reshaping the global energy system faster than many realise.  

We talk a great deal on this podcast about the risks and the policy challenges of the climate transition. But if that transition is actually going to happen — and happen at the speed that the science demands — there is something that has to sit at its very centre. Not the frameworks, not the disclosure requirements, not the net zero targets. The actual physical transformation of how we generate and use energy. The growth of renewables. The electrification of the things we use every day: our cars, our heating, our industry. Without that, everything else is commentary. 

So where do things actually stand? How fast is the transition really moving? What does the data tell us that the mainstream forecasts might have overlooked? And in a world of geopolitical turbulence, rising energy security concerns, and significant political headwinds, what are the barriers still standing between where we are and where we need to get to? 

This episode attempts to answer those questions. We'll be covering: 

Why flows matter more than stocks — and what the data tells us about how fast the transition is really moving  


The geopolitical energy shocks of the 2020s, what makes them different from the 1970s, and why this time we actually have solutions  


And what all of this means practically for risk professionals trying to get ahead of the transition rather than simply react to it 


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To find out more about the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate, follow this link: https://www.garp.org/scr 

For more information on climate risk, visit GARP's Global Sustainability and Climate Risk Resource Centre: https://www.garp.org/sustainability-climate 

If you have any questions, thoughts, or feedback regarding this podcast series, we would love to hear from you at: climateriskpodcast@garp.com 


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Today's Speaker

Kingsmill Bond is Senior Energy Strategist at Ember, an open data think tank that has been tracking the growth of renewable energy and its impact on the global electricity system.   

Kingsmill spent years as a financial analyst and strategist at some of the world's leading investment banks before making the transition to energy. This has seen him working at Carbon Tracker and the Rocky Mountain Institute before his move to Ember.

Hear from Richard Flemmings, founder and CEO of Map Impact, as we explore why "dry perils" such as heat, drought and wildfire are emerging as critical climate risks for real estate and financial decision-making.

When climate risks are discussed, the focus often falls on what we might call "wet perils": things like flooding, storms, and coastal erosion. These risks are well studied, widely modelled, and increasingly embedded in financial decision-making. But another category of hazards is emerging: "dry perils" such as heat stress, drought, and wildfire, which are often less visible, hard to quantify, and in many cases still underestimated.

Understanding these risks requires looking closely at the landscape itself: how land is used, how heat is retained, and how nature can either amplify or mitigate climate hazards. And when you do that, some unexpected interactions between the built environment and a changing climate start to emerge.

That's why this episode explores:
Why dry perils have been underestimated, and why they are becoming increasingly important for financial risk management;

How real-world case studies reveal unanticipated consequences of climate risk and adaptation decisions;
And how nature-based solutions, from urban greening to landscape-scale interventions, can help build resilience across portfolios and communities.
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To find out more about the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate, follow this link: https://www.garp.org/scr
To see more of our resources on climate and nature risk, visit GARP's Risk Insights: https://www.garp.org/risk-insights
If you have any questions, thoughts, or feedback regarding this podcast series, we would love to hear from you at: climateriskpodcast@garp.com
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Today's Speaker
Richard Flemmings is founder and CEO of Map Impact, a climate and environmental risk analytics firm providing bottom-up analysis of dry-perils and biodiversity. With more than 20 years' experience applying satellite earth observation and geospatial technologies across government, engineering, and NGO clients, he specializes in translating environmental data into practical insights for housing, resilience building, and climate adaptation.