The landmark Paris Agreement of 2015 gave the world a shared target for halting climate change: that global warming should stop well short of 2 degrees Celsius. But how did that target come about, and what exactly does it mean? Prof. Maria Ivanova, a specialist in international environmental policy, shares with us the history and diplomacy behind those crucial 2 degrees.

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For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Lindsay Fendt, Science Reporter

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

The Earth naturally absorbs some of our climate pollution from burning fossil fuels. But how much, and how fast? Geophysicist Prof. Daniel Rothman joins the podcast to explain the nature and scale of the natural carbon cycle, and how our appetite for fossil fuels has pushed it out of balance.

For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit:

For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Andrew Moseman, Science Reporter

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

Today, companies are storing millions of tons of carbon dioxide underground every year to prevent this climate pollution from warming the planet. In the future it might be billions of tons. But is it dangerous to pump so much liquefied carbon below our feet? Geologist and carbon storage expert Prof. Bradford Hager joins the podcast to explain the risks and how to avoid them.

For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit:

For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Lindsay Fendt, Science Reporter

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol