The Climate Bridge Podcast

Welcome to The Climate Bridge Podcast, adelphi and Polis180’s new podcast series. This podcast, like the Transatlantic Climate Bridge initiative behind it, focuses on climate change and climate policy in Germany, the US, and Canada—a key goal is to improve climate cooperation between the three countries.

Episode 5

Youth Activists – The battle to be heard at COP27

After taking an in–depth look at climate and environmental justice in the last episode, this episode of the Climate Bridge Podcast reflects on the successes and disappointments of COP27 in Sharm el–Sheikh.

Our hosts Tobias Bernstein – adelphi – and Ole Adolphsen – Polis180 – had the chance to interview three climate activists on their impressions from COP27: Molly Rahal, a policy analyst and the youth delegation co–lead of the British Columbia Council for International Cooperation (BICCC) Climate Branch, Cassidy Childs, a research associate at the Center for American Progress focussing on international climate policy, and Linus Steinmetz, a climate activist with Fridays for Future Germany.

Key topics they discussed were the loss and damage funding facility agreement as the first step towards more just climate finance as well as failed attempts to raise ambition on mitigation. All three activists shared some tips on youth activism:

• Recognizing that the barriers youth activists from the global north experienced are still much smaller than those for activists from the global south and indigenous communities, one should use one’s privileges to protest.
• Working closely with a team, whether sticking closely with the delegation or a constituency (e.g. YOUNGO), to get strength and mutual support.
• Have your embassy’s phone number memorized and assess the risks you are taking when you are demonstrating.

Molly recommended her organization’s podcast, Y Talk Climate. The conversation ended with an outlook to COP28.

Guest: Cassidy Childs, Molly Rahal and Linus Steinmetz
Hosts: Tobias Bernstein and Ole Adolphsen
Producers: Kira Schrödel, Tina Bayer, Tobias Bernstein, Mary Hellmich, Trisha Kershaw and Anile Tmava 
Mixing and post-production: Franz Classe
Music: Maximilian Below

Episode 4

Dr. Robert Bullard and Nora Löhle – The Transatlantic Fight for Environmental and Climate Justice

The fourth episode of the Climate Bridge Podcast addresses environmental and climate justice. Hosts Mary Hellmich from adelphi and Kira Schrödel from Polis180 speak with Dr. Robert Bullard, Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy and Director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, nicknamed the “father of environmental justice”, as well as Nora Löhle, former Program Director for Energy and Environmental Policy at the Heinrich Böll Foundation's North America office in Washington DC and current Advisor for Germany's Foreign Office Department of Climate and Security. Mary and Kira discuss with their guests the importance of equal protection and equal enforcement of environmental laws and regulations for all as well as analyze key environmental and climate justice measures in the Inflation Reduction Act. Nora and Robert share their experiences working in the field in the US and Germany as well as address efforts to create environmental and climate justice at the international level.

Guests: Dr. Robert Bullard and Nora Löhle

Hosts: Mary Hellmich and Kira Schrödel

Producers: Kira Schrödel, Tina Bayer, Mary Hellmich, Katharina Lange, and Trisha Kershaw

Mixing and post-production: Franz Classe

Music: Maximilian Below

Episode 3:

Catherine Stewart – Canada’s inclusive approach to Climate Diplomacy

Recorded during the Transatlantic Climate Bridge’s conference in July 2022, the third episode of the Climate Bridge Podcast discusses Canada’s climate diplomacy and the climate and energy outcomes of the G7 meetings. In conversation with Assistant Deputy Minister Catherine Stewart of Environment and Climate Change Canada, our hosts Tobias Bernstein (adelphi) and Luisa Kern (Polis180) took an in-depth look at the interlinkage of climate change and foreign policy, but also at the role of women and indigenous people in climate diplomacy. Focusing on how the green transformation towards carbon-neutrality can also be a just transition that leaves no one behind, the trio took a closer look at multilateralism, Canada’s federal structure, and how to navigate environmental policies in today’s geopolitical landscape.

Guest: Catherine Stewart

Hosts: Tobias Bernstein and Luisa Kern

Producers: Kira Schrödel, Tina Bayer, Tobias Bernstein, Anna-Loreen Mondorf, and Trisha Kershaw

Mixing and post-production: Lars Feyen and Kira Schrödel

Music: Maximilian Below

Episode 2: 

After talking to Lisa Badum about German Climate Foreign Policy in our debut episode, the second episode of the Climate Bridge Podcast turns to the U.S. perspective on international climate policy. Hosts Mary Hellmich – adelphi - and Lars Feyen - Polis180 - speak with Sue Biniaz, John Kerry’s Deputy Special Envoy on Climate Change, about all things U.S. climate policy. The three discuss everything from how Biniaz’s team works both domestically and with international partners to implement initiatives such as the Global Methane Pledge (established at COP26 in Glasgow, the Pledge aims to reduce emissions of methane – a short-lived but immensely potent greenhouse gas – by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030), to the evolving nature of international climate policy in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Mary, Lars, and Sue share their “climate policy crushes,” and Lars teaches the English-speaking audience a German climate-related legal term.

Episode 1:

This first episode features an interview with Lisa Badum, a member of parliament for Germany’s Green party. Lisa speaks with hosts Noah Gordon, advisor at adelphi, and Sarah Zitterbarth, climate program leader at Polis180 on topics ranging from Germany’s G7 presidency, to windmill regulations in Bavaria and Texas, to the possibility of a climate club including Germany and North America. Sarah and Noah also discussed their “climate policy crushes”—their favorite policies from across the Atlantic—and explained what long German compound words have to do with climate litigation. 

Hosts: Noah Gordon, Sarah Zitterbarth

Producers: Mary Hellmich, Kira Schrödel, Tina Bayer, and Henrik Hansen

Mixing and post-production: Lukas Hochscheidt

Music: Maximilian Below