Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations

Full details on wickedproblems.earth! Professor Federica Genovese of Oxford, Professor Lorenzo Crippa of Strathclyde, and veteran journalist Dave Vetter join host Richard Delevan to discuss Magnifica Humanitas, the papal encyclical being published Monday 25th May 2026. In an unprecedented step, Pope Leo will personally launch the encyclical, joined by theologians, ethicists, and Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah. Genovese and Crippa discuss their research paper, Papal Dividends, which looked at past encyclicals including Laudato Si: Care for our Common Home released by Pope Francis in 2015 and how they affected the market value of companies in sectors mentioned by the encyclical. The Vatican has worked on AI ethics issues for years, but this will be a defining moment of Leo's year-old papacy, tying in concerns about the place of humans in the economy and society, the climate impacts of data centres, the use of AI in warfare including current conflicts in Ukraine, Russia, Lebanon, Gaza, and Iran. At a time when the backlash against AI is building, Eric Schmidt and others booed at commencement addresses when mentioning AI, and Peter Thiel going to Rome to accuse anyone trying to slow AI down as 'the antichrist', how will Magnifica Humanitas be received?00:00 AI as Defining Issue00:38 Pope Leo’s AI Encyclical02:21 Can Encyclicals Move Markets06:04 Media Backlash and Polarization11:06 Measuring the Market Impact13:46 AI Bubble and Investor Stakes16:11 How Leo XIV Might Land20:28 Legitimacy and Public Trust28:00 Thiel Rome and AI Warfare34:12 What to Watch Next WeekRead Genovese and Crippa's research, Papal Dividends: https://lorenzo-crippa.github.io/files/papal_dividends.pdf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former British diplomat Arthur Snell is about to publish a book that explains how climate is rapidly changing the geographic assumptions on which geopolitics is built. Buy it now — Elemental: The New Geography of Climate Change and How We Survive It. But first, check out this Wickedproblems.earth conversation with Arthur Snell about his new book, the first comprehensive account of the geopolitics of climate change.In this conversation:00:00 Arctic Ice Wake Up00:45 War Crowds Out Climate02:32 Chokepoints Aren’t Fixed04:08 Meet Arthur Snell04:22 Why Climate Is Geopolitics08:05 Alps Collapse Story11:01 Skiing Lobbies And Emissions12:40 Geopolitics Map Gets Redrawn14:59 Arctic Shipping Routes Open18:37 Trump Greenland And Minerals22:46 Panama Canal China Leverage24:20 Panama Canal Leverage25:56 Who Shapes Strategy28:24 Migration as Hard Reality34:55 Greenland Plans Accelerate39:27 Russia China North Shift42:28 Wine and Adaptation44:36 Book Plug and Farewell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For ad-free listening, articles, and newsletter go to wickedproblems.earth and sign up.On Wicked Problems, host Richard Delevan interviews Svitlana Romko, founder of Razom We Stand, at the Laudato Si “Raising Hope” conference about linking Ukraine’s war to global fossil fuel dependence. Romko says We Stand formed in early 2022 to coordinate a coalition of 900 organizations from 60 countries urging bans on Russian fossil fuels and investment, and rebuilding Ukraine with renewables to cut financial flows fueling wars. She argues “all gas is bad,” criticizes replacing Russian gas with US LNG, and urges Europe to accelerate renewables for peace, energy security, climate, and human rights. She describes vast destruction, displacement, population decline to about 20 million, and energy capacity collapsing from 54 GW to 9 GW, while 17–18 GW is needed for winter. She highlights faith-led divestment successes, distributed renewables powering communities, and Ukraine’s renewable potential of 653 GW as a basis for rebuilding and hope.00:00 Ukraine in Ruins00:21 I ntro00:21 Confrontation and Repression00:59 Intro01:40 Podcast Intro and Guest03:20 Meet Svitlana at Conference03:50 We Stand Mission05:42 No Such Thing as Clean Gas07:58 Faith Groups and Divestment10:46 Populism and Fossil Money15:50 Ukraine Power Grid Under Attack22:13 Panel Clip Fossil Fuels and Dictators34:40 Hope Resilience and Closing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Wicked Problems,” hosted by Richard Delevan, returns after a long hiatus and links escalating repression - newly including climate activists - with a high-stakes by-election in Greater Manchester. It opens with concerns about confrontational protest being met with violence and political repression, alongside Nigel Farage's Reform proposing a “UK deportation command,” expanding detention with “no chance of bail,” and “detention will mean deportation.” Devin cites New York Times reporting that the FBI has begun targeting climate activists, including people who have not protested in years, and frames this as part of a broader effort to quash dissent.Professor Dana R. Fisher of American University discusses what she describes as a “perfect storm” in the US: federal occupations of cities (highlighting Minneapolis), the murder of two American citizens while they were bearing witness to ICE actions, the president getting rid of the endangerment finding underlying US climate policy, and FBI investigations focusing on the "radical fringe" of the climate movement. Fisher argues these groups are “low hanging fruit” because their confrontational tactics (e.g., throwing paint, smearing food, blocking traffic, bird-dogging elected officials) are widely unpopular, making it easier for authorities to target them first as part of a broader slide toward autocracy that also threatens media freedoms. She says repression and violence against peaceful activists historically mobilize larger protests, even as it can lead to persecution, jail, and martyrdom. She also describes survey results from a Women’s March–coordinated “Free America walkout” showing over 75% support for a movement becoming more confrontational and 65% willingness to personally engage in confrontational activism; she notes the participants were largely white, female, older, and highly educated.Prof. Fisher's Apocalyptic Optimist podcast.Britain has already jailed nonviolent climate protestors and restricted defenses in court, with ongoing debates about protest trials and labeling Palestine Action a terror group. The Gorton and Denton by-election seems to be between Reform, seeking to import Trump’s climate and migration agenda, and the surging Green Party, treating climate, inequality, and migration as realities to face without losing humanity. The show notes a single constituency poll with Green candidate Hannah Spencer ahead of Reform’s Matt Goodwin, with Labour (which has held the seat for a century) behind; as Labour is consumed by Epstein-linked arrests and scandal involving Peter Mandelson and former Prince Andrew.In an interview recorded late in 2025, Harriet Lamb, CEO of the Green Party of England and Wales, describes rapid growth following Zach Polanski’s leadership, with membership doubling to over 150,000. Lamb connects her background in international development and environmental and social justice to party politics, argues the UK has shifted into a multi-party system creating both dangers and opportunities, and emphasizes a “people and planet” platform focused on the cost-of-living crisis, inequality, wealth taxes, and strong public support for climate action. She discusses candidate development through a “Greens to Parliament” program aimed at building a diverse slate for 2029, and says coalition politics must protect Green principles and public trust, citing German coalition negotiations and the Scottish Greens’ Bute House agreement as examples.00:00 Confrontation and Repression01:35 Wicked Problems Returns04:11 FBI Targets Climate Activists07:42 Low Hanging Fruit and Autocracy19:18 UK By-Election and Green Surge29:32 Hope Surge and Outreach31:28 Broad Coalition and Core Values36:28 Vetting New Recruits38:39 Road to Parliament and Coalitions45:24 Milestones and Closing Reflections Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discussing the Irish contingent at the Raising Hope conference and the future of faith and climate action -Bishop Martin Hayes of Kilmore; former Irish environment minister and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan; and campaigner Jane Mellett, church manager at Irish Catholic overseas development agency Trocaire. More information at climatepilgrim.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.