In this episode of Ask the Geographer podcast, Dr. Angus McNelly, a lecturer in international development at King's College London, discusses the intricate relationship between fossil fuels and the development of countries, particularly in China and Latin America.

He explains how the post-World War II era marked a significant shift in global politics and economics, leading to the rise of fossil fuels as a cornerstone of development. Angus highlights the geopolitical transformations that occurred during this time, including the formation of OPEC and the emergence of new nations that sought to control their natural resources for economic growth.

Angus also discusses how developing countries and emerging economies can path the way to reducing fossil fuel dependency for a more sustainable future.

Dr David Anderson joins us to talk about wetlands; how they can provide a nature-based solution to climate change and their importance to an abundance of different species which use them. He reflects on their current status and methods which are being adopted to restore them.

In this podcast we hear from members of the Climate Adapted Pathways in Education (CAPE) and how it is working to improve today’s education for tomorrow’s climate. This podcast aimed at teachers and educators talks about their vision to equip teachers and school leaders with the knowledge and skills to help all children and young people take climate action and protect the environment.

Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez OBE, Head of the School of Mathematical, Physical & Computational Sciences at the University of Reading. He has played a key role in shaping the National Climate Education Action Plan (NCEAP), which brings together more than 80 organisations working on transformative climate education. As chair of the NCEAP Group, he helps ensure that these organisations’ efforts support the Department for Education’s wider Sustainability and Climate Change strategy.

In this podcast, we talk to Andrew about his role in climate education, the actions people can take as well as conversations around green careers.

In this podcast we welcome back Dr Kate Leeming who embarked on a 5-month, 9000km bicycle expedition following the Syr Darya River from its source in Kyrgyzstan to the Aral Sea and from there along the Amu Darya to discover its true source into the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan.

This amazing feat was conducted by a small team where the use of a bike meant that Kate could make connections with people that are not easily done when in a car.

Kate talks about her experiences out in the field, the impacts climate change is having on the region as well as how people are working to try and mitigate these challenges.

Dr Andrew Lee has been a geographer and geography educator for more than 25 years. He holds a doctorate in Geography from the University of Oxford, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a Chartered Geographer. He is an Associate Fellow and Honorary Lecturer at the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education at University College London.

Mark Maslin is a leading scientist with expertise in climate change and the major challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. He has published over 230 papers in journals, is a Professor of Earth System Science at UCL and the Lead for Climate, Health and Security at the United Nations University. In this podcast, Mark talks about the ways in which we can make a difference to changing the impacts of climate change.

David Burnip ('aka' The Wandering Turnip) explores different aspects of places and life in the UK, documenting his findings on YouTube. In this podcast he shares insights from his vast and fascinating wandering to many different places - including discussions about the decline of the High Street, regeneration, sense of place and coastal erosion.

Environmental degradation of our land, water and air is not just an ecological but an economic issue which in turn has an impact on development.

The World Bank has recently released a report into the connection between the economy and the environment. The report titled ‘Reboot Development - The Economics of a Livable Planet’ explores the issues around a declining environment, its connection to the economy as well as how futures could be managed to improve both areas for everyone.

This episode of Ask the Geographer speaks to Richard Damania - the Chief Economist of the Sustainable Development Practice Group for the World Bank who explores these issues as well as how geographers can use the findings from the report.

Join Professor James Evans – Associate Dean for Research at the University of Manchester and a former Head of the Department of Geography and Director of the Manchester Urban Institute, whose specialism focuses on the development of smarter and more sustainable cities.