Radical with Amol Rajan

• A War on Climate Change: Are Environmental Activists Losing The Fight? (Chris Packham)

  What does it mean to confront climate change? Amol speaks to broadcaster and campaigner Chris Packham who says conservationists like him have not done enough to protect nature. After the COP climate summit in Brazil ended without new targets to reduce the use of fossil fuels, he wants the UK government to lead a global emergency action plan as it did in World War Two and during the 2008 financial crisis to address what he calls climate and nature breakdown. The Springwatch and Winterwatch presenter also highlights the importance of biodiversity, how carbon emissions affect our health, and the practical steps individuals can take to make a difference. But ultimately he says we need a policy shift, which makes polluters pay. Chris also speaks candidly about his neurodiversity, his compulsion to speak truth to power and the personal price he pays for his campaigning. (00:06:27) The scale of the climate crisis (00:09:22) What he wants the UK government to do (00:12:23) Why climate change has fallen down the political agenda (00:14:52) Short term vs long term decisions (00:20:26) Are net zero policies working? (00:33:55) Environmentalism as a form of misanthropy (00:40:14) Radical solutions (00:44:02) What Chris does to help the environment (00:45:40) Why he thinks he and other conservationists have failed(00:48:01) What individuals can do (00:57:38) The price he’s paid for his campaigning (00:59:55) Neurodiversity (01:02:38) Amol’s reflections GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: [email protected] Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Johnny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

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• How Good Is Vertical Farming? (Your Radical Questions with James Rebanks)

  Farmer and author James Rebanks is our first guest to answer your questions. He tackles everything from what consumers can do to support British farmers to whether sheep farming should go the way of coal mining, and how to reduce obesity in the UK.He also discusses his experiences at school, going to Oxford University in his mid-twenties and how his education has shaped him.Send us your questions for Jamie Oliver:* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: [email protected] Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

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• Beyond Ultra-Processed Foods: Can Farmers Fix Our Health and the Planet? (James Rebanks)

  Is it possible to produce enough healthy food to feed the nation whilst also restoring nature? The farmer and best-selling author James Rebanks thinks it is but says there needs to be a radical change to government policy and our entire food system. He explains why he thinks farming subsidies are flawed, the unintended consequences of cheap food, and the delicate balance between food security and environmental stewardship. And from the hills of Cumbria to a remote island in Norway, he also reflects on the lessons he learnt about masculinity whilst writing his latest book, ‘The Place of Tides’. A government spokesperson said: “Farmers are stewards for our nation's land and for our food security. Farming also plays a central role in our mission to kickstart economic growth. “We understand that when farmers run profitable businesses, it’s good for the whole economy. “That is why we are backing them through new technology, streamlined regulation and our nature-friendly farming schemes are helping farmers produce food for the nation.” (00:05:34) James explains his rise to farming fame (00:08:49) Why British farming is in crisis (00:16:42) Food production vs nature recovery (00:24:35) Our cheap food system (00:32:27) Supermarkets and food security (00:36:29) Restoring the balance between supermarkets and farmers (00:39:00) How can consumers help British farmers? (00:42:15) What do we do to build a better system? (00:46:00) Farming and politics (00:49:30) What it's like to be a British farmer and James’ family history (00:52:43) From the farm to Oxford University (00:57:37) How a visit to a remote island in Norway led to ‘The Place of Tides’ (01:05:17) Amol’s reflections GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: [email protected] Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

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• Digital Dominance: How to Limit the Power of Big Tech (Sir Nick Clegg)

  How should we balance innovation, power and accountability in the digital age? This week, Amol speaks to Sir Nick Clegg — former UK deputy prime minister and former president of global affairs at Meta — about the power and responsibility of big tech companies. Sir Nick argues that breaking them up won’t solve the problem of their digital dominance, calling instead for greater regulation and user control. He discusses how technology shapes young people’s lives, warning against moral panic whilst calling for stronger age-appropriate safeguards and phone-free schools. And with rare candour, Sir Nick offers an insider’s perspective on how Silicon Valley really works — and why governments, not tech CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg, must ultimately set the rules. He also talks about politics and philosophy, arguing that true liberalism — rooted in reason, openness, and the belief in evidence over emotion — remains vital in an increasingly polarised world. (00:03:20) Concerns about the impact of AI (00:07:00) The power paradox and network effects (00:06:11) Children and smartphones (00:22:17) Social media and political polarisation (00:34:00) What’s Mark Zuckerberg really like? (00:37:56) Why tech bosses are not moral leaders (00:41:36) Why he left Meta (00:44:10) The future of technology and power (00:49:26) The race for AI ‘supremacy’ between the US and China (00:52:00) Preparing for this new digital world (00:53:11) Why has politics changed so much since he was deputy prime minister? (00:57:55) Is liberalism weak? (01:01:20) What’s next for Sir Nick Clegg? (01:05:16) Amol’s reflections GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: [email protected] Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Jonny Hall and Ben Andrews. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

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• Irrational Humans: How Our Behaviour Shapes the Economy (Professor Richard Thaler)

  How do human choices, biases, and behaviours shape our economy? This week Amol speaks to Nobel Prize winning behavioural economist Professor Richard Thaler about his theories that dive into the patterns behind our decision-making and reveal why humans aren’t always as rational as we like to think. From overconfidence and the lure of winning at any cost, to the hidden costs of risk-taking and the psychology of incentives, his research shows why individuals and markets sometimes make surprising — or even seemingly irrational — choices. By unpacking the experiments described in his book The Winner’s Curse we get an insight into his work and he applies these behavioural insights to the issues facing the UK today. They discuss how to get young people off welfare and into work, government debt and why Richard believes the winter fuel allowance needs a rethink. (00:04:10) Why he thinks traditional economic theory is flawed (00:07:44) The pros and cons of behavioural economics (00:17:40) The story behind The Winner’s Curse (00:19:00) The Endowment Effect (00:21:16) The Ultimatum Game (00:23:28) Confirmation Bias and Overconfidence (00:25:54) Mental Accounting (00:29:42) Young people, welfare and work (00:33:35) Tackling government debt (00:38:32) The housing crisis (00:40:06) The rise of AI and dangers of social media (00:43:00) How he found out that he’d won the Nobel Prize for Economics (00:45:26) Richard Thaler’s legacy (00:47:43) Amol’s reflections (00:51:20) Listener Messages GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: [email protected] Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

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