Funeral rites are steeped in culture, tradition and faith, with most of the world opting for cremation or burial. However, with new research now revealing the carbon impact of established funeral choices, more people are questioning their cost to the climate. 

With alternatives such as ‘water cremation’ and ‘eco-burials’ becoming available, will people start to consider another way?

Presenter Jordan Dunbar hears about initiatives in India to modify traditional funeral pyres, calculates the climate cost of the most common choices, and hears from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter, Rev. Mpho Tutu van Furth, about her surprise at her father’s final act on earth.

Producer: Osman Iqbal
Researcher: Octavia Woodward
Series Producer: Simon Watts
Editor: China Collins
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell
Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

Can we have a climate-friendly death?

A global programme that reflects the variety of takes on climate change, how best to understand it and the world’s attempts to avert it, temper it or adapt to it.
It is not about questioning whether climate change is happening, it’s about finding the best ways to respond to it.
This is sharp-edged, analytical inquiry. Hard scrutiny, touched with a sense of adventure and discovery, and where we can find it, hope.
It includes stories from across the world on why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.

Science

China is scouring the globe for the raw materials of the future. How will we be affected? Graihagh Jackson investigates.

What does China's green tech revolution mean for the world?

Today, more than half the world’s population live in cities – and as our numbers swell, so will our cities, especially those around the Pacific Rim, where it’s predicted our largest megacities of 10 million plus will be situated. And herein lies an opportunity: 60% of the buildings needed for 2050 are not yet built.   Could we shape our cities into places that are good for the climate and also good for our mental health? Can we design buildings and infrastructure that make green decisions easier and also help us deal with stress or depression? Jordan Dunbar hears about examples in the Netherlands and Egypt. Are there win-win options out there that can help the world deal with two of its biggest challenges?
 
Contributors:
Houssam Elokda -Urban Planner, with Happy Cities, Vancouver 
Sally Nabil - BBC Arabic Egypt Correspondent, Cairo 
Anna Holligan - BBC Correspondent, The Hague, Netherlands  Production Team: Graihagh Jackson, Octavia Woodward, Brenda Brown, Simon Watts
Sound Design: Tom Brignell email theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Can we build better cities for mental health and the climate?

Experts say we need to be 40 per cent more energy efficient to meet our climate goals. Is that doable? And might it save us money too? It's a solution that's been called the main route to net zero: energy efficiency - or using less energy to get the same or better results. But there’s an issue – it's got an image problem as many people think it’s boring. And it is hard to get excited about the idea of better lightbulbs! But energy efficiency could save us money on our bills too - especially in a warming world, where many countries will need air conditioning just to function. So does this crucial area in the fight against climate change need a rebrand. And could it even become sexy?  Presenter Jordan Dunbar talks to:
Dr Rose Mutiso - Research Director Energy for Growth Hub 
Prima Madan – Director, Cooling & Energy Efficiency, International Natural Resources Defence Council, India  
Kofi Agyarko – Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Ghana Energy Commission 
Thomas Naadi – BBC Correspondent Ghana Production Team: Ben Cooper, Octavia Woodward, Brenda Brown, Simon Watts
Sound Design: Tom Brignell email: theclimatequestion@bbc.com NOTE: The speech made by President Jimmy Carter mentioned in the programme, was made in 1977 not 1974, as stated.

Can we save money and save the planet?

In this episode, Graihagh Jackson explores the new field of climate attribution science with leading climatologist Dr Friederike Otto. Dr Otto's team of experts can now rapidly assess to what extent extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts or floods have - or have not - been caused by man-made climate change. Graihagh finds out how this information is becoming crucial for disaster planning and response. She is also joined by BBC World Service disinformation reporter Jacqui Wakefield to discuss how Dr Otto's data can help fight a growing tendency by politicians and journalists to overstate the role of climate change. Presenters: Graihagh Jackson and Jacqui Wakefield
Producer: Osman Iqbal
Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound design: Tom Brignell
Editor: Simon Watts

What is caused (and not caused) by climate change?

In this extra episode, Graihagh Jackson hears from our friends on BBC podcast The Global Story about a case that could change the history of climate activism. For nearly a decade, a group of elderly women argued that Switzerland’s weak climate policies violated their human rights. Their victory – the first of its kind in the European Court of Human Rights – sets a precedent 46 countries must now follow. The BBC's climate reporter, Georgina Rannard, has been covering the case for years. She shares the women’s personal stories with presenter James Reynolds, while climate lawyer Sophie Marjanac explains what it could mean for those seeking climate justice everywhere. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. They want your ideas, stories and experiences to help them understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email: theglobalstory@bbc.com or message/leave a voice note via WhatsApp: +44 330 123 9480. And remember you can also email your climate-related questions and comments to Graihagh and The Climate Question team at theclimatequestion@bbc.com. Production team for The Global Story:  Laurie Kalus, Alix Pickles, Neal Razzell, Mike Regaard, Sergi Forcada Freixas, Sam Bonham.

Can we have a climate-friendly death?

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