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Listen to these 10 great podcasts about energy and climate

By: Madi Wong
July 18, 2019

Mary Robinson (left) and Maeve Higgins, hosts of Mothers of Invention podcast. 

Podcasts provide an accessible platform to inform and entertain people around the world about a variety of subjects — and energy and climate change is no different. From scientific explainers and interviews to comedy and storytelling, this weighty topic is being covered from a variety of angles and by a diverse range of voices. Below, we’ve selected 10 of the best to queue up for your morning commute.

CRUDE

Canadaland’s Arshy Mann looks at Canada’s relationship with oil through storytelling on the second season of the popular politics podcast Commons. CRUDE (external link, opens in new window)  goes inside Canada’s oil industry like never before, hooking listeners with an enlightening and addictive narrative. 

Direct Current

Direct Current (external link, opens in new window)  is presented by the U.S. Department of Energy and allows you to gain insight on how electricity is generated, transmitted and distributed. There is so much to uncover from episode to episode, with a variety of discussions and bitesize explainers that will make you wonder more about what is happening in the energy world around us.

Drilled

Hosted by journalist Amy Westervelt, Drilled (external link, opens in new window)  is a compelling investigative podcast that looks into the role that the fossil fuel industry has played in impacting the world’s climate and the history of climate change denial. Their latest and second season discusses how west coast crab fisheries were shut down by warmed waters stemming from oil industry activity. 

The Energy Gang

Though energy is an endlessly fascinating topic in our opinion, it is also endlessly complex. The Energy Gang (external link)  is a podcast that helps demystify and break down terms such as smart grids, renewables, carbon taxes, energy policy and battery technology. Each weekly episode features expert interviews and debate between its three hosts, helping listeners gain insight into energy issues around the world. 

The Flux Capacitor

With a handful of episodes under its belt so far, The Flux Capacitor (external link, opens in new window)  is an interesting and engaging new podcast from the Canadian Electricity Association featuring discussions revolving around the business of electricity in Canada. The podcast features interviews with business executives, politicians and thought leaders, providing valuable insight into those shaping Canada’s electricity sector now — and into the future. A recent episode featured Cara Clairman (external link, opens in new window) , the CEO of Plug’n Drive, an electric vehicle non-profit organization founded in our very own Clean Energy Zone

Into the Anthropocene

This podcast accompanied the recent Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) exhibition (external link, opens in new window) , Anthropocene, a word that refers to the current geological age, during which human activity has dramatically and permanently altered the climate and environment. Though the exhibition ended in January, you can still learn more about the Anthropocene in this fascinating podcast, as well as hear from the artists involved, including award-winning photographer and Ryerson alumnus Edward Burtynsky.

Mothers of Invention

Hosted by two extraordinary women, former president of Ireland Mary Robinson and writer and comedian Maeve Higgins, Mothers of Invention (external link, opens in new window)  is a podcast on feminist solutions to climate change. Each episode aims to introduce new and innovative ways to understand and address the climate crisis from a female perspective. One of their most recent episodes featured Indigenous climate activist Wahleah Johns, who explained the movement behind the Black Mesa Water Coalition (external link, opens in new window) , life on the Navajo Reserve and overall what it means for us to move away from our dependency on fossil fuels. 

Outrage and Optimism

Outrage and Optimism (external link, opens in new window) , hosted by former UN chief Christiana Figueres, discusses the effects of the climate crisis and features interviews with key figures looking to solve it. Figueres recently sat down with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who was the face of this year’s global School Strike for the Climate.

Podship Earth

Hosted by Jared Blumenfeld, former regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama, Podship Earth (external link, opens in new window)  tells stories about the environment and climate change. Each episode aims to offer listeners an inspiring way to learn about how they can make a positive difference to our planet.

Warm Regards

From energy politics and climate anxiety to extreme weather and geoengineering, Warm Regards (external link, opens in new window)  is a podcast that discusses a wide range of topics pertaining to climate change. The podcast is especially interesting due to the diverse opinions and knowledge that come from the backgrounds of its co-hosts: paleoecologist Jacquelyn Gill, journalist Andy Revkin, biologist Ramesh Laungani and climate scientist Sarah Myhre.

"From scientific explainers and interviews to comedy and storytelling, this weighty topic is being covered from a variety of angles and by a diverse range of voices."

 Madi Wong is a third-year journalism student at Ryerson University