In this episode, we sat down with Finja Ullrich and Aleksej Obradovic to examine the climate leadership of King Mohammed VI of Morocco. Under his reign, Morocco has launched some of the most ambitious environmental policies on the African continent, including the Green Morocco Plan, a national strategy for renewable energy, and the country’s first adaptation plan. We discuss how Morocco’s environmental challenges, from drought and desertification to rising sea levels, have shaped a climate agenda rooted in national survival, economic modernization, and global leadership.

This episode is the sixth and last of our series as part of the IExRAIA Summer Research Program of 2025. RAIA has invited twelve IE University students to join our think tank and spend 9 weeks researching a figure from around the world to try to answer a simple question: Are they a climate leader?

Don’t forget to read Finja and Aleksej’s article (https://raiagroup.org/mohammed-36-billion-climate-plan-resilience-morocco) and report (https://raiagroup.org/ie-university-x-raia-research-program-2025).

In this episode, we sat down with Luiza da Costa Carvalho Melo and Sara Tobar Herrera to explore the career of Anthony Nyong, one of Africa’s most prominent climate advocates and a key figure in shaping the continent’s response to climate change. From his role as a lead author in the IPCC’s landmark 2007 report to his leadership at the African Development Bank and the African Carbon Markets Initiative, Nyong has consistently pushed for a climate agenda grounded in justice, development, and African agency. We discuss how his work confronts challenges like energy poverty, extreme weather events, and underrepresentation in global climate finance.

This episode is the fifth in a series of six as part of the IExRAIA Summer Research Program of 2025. RAIA has invited twelve IE University students to join our think tank and spend 9 weeks researching a figure from around the world to try to answer a simple question: Are they a climate leader?

Don’t forget to read Luiza and Sara’s article (https://raiagroup.org/anthony-nyong-vision-africa-climate-finance-revolutio) and report (https://raiagroup.org/ie-university-x-raia-research-program-2025).

In this episode, we sat down with Lilli-Sage Bayes to talk about the conflict in the DRC and the escalating tensions between President Félix Tshisekedi and Sultani Makenga, leader of the M23 rebel group. We explore how renewed violence in the eastern provinces is reshaping the country’s political and military landscape.

Don’t forget to read Lilli's article here: https://raiagroup.org/hostilities-tshisekedi-makenga-battle-for-drc

In this episode, we sat down with Pilar Gonzalez and Gaspard Brabant to explore the climate leadership of Grace Fu, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment. From championing the Singapore Green Plan 2030 to implementing carbon taxes and food resilience strategies, Fu has positioned herself at the center of one of the world’s most ambitious urban sustainability agendas. We discuss how her technocratic, data-driven approach, shaped by a career in both the private and public sectors, reflects Singapore’s broader climate priorities and whether it’s enough to safeguard the city-state’s future in the face of rising seas and global disruption.

This episode is the fourth in a series of six as part of the IExRAIA Summer Research Program of 2025. RAIA has invited twelve IE University students to join our think tank and spend 9 weeks researching a figure from around the world to try to answer a simple question: Are they a climate leader?

Don’t forget to read Pilar and Gaspard’s article (https://raiagroup.org/infrastructure-constructs-grace-fu-climate-leadership) and report (https://raiagroup.org/ie-university-x-raia-research-program-2025).

In this episode, we sat down with Giulio Guiducci and Jayveer Gautam to delve into the legacy of Sir David Attenborough, one of the world’s most influential environmental communicators. Through decades of groundbreaking documentaries, global campaigns like Our Planet and A Life on Our Planet, and initiatives such as The People’s Seat and Save Our Wild Isles, Attenborough has reshaped how millions perceive the natural world and the urgency of climate action. We discuss how his storytelling bridges science and emotion, and whether his role as a public figure can be seen as a form of climate leadership in its own right.

This episode is the third in a series of six as part of the IExRAIA Summer Research Program of 2025. RAIA has invited twelve IE University students to join our think tank and spend 9 weeks researching a figure from around the world to try to answer a simple question: Are they a climate leader?

Don’t forget to read Giulio and Jayveer’s article (https://raiagroup.org/david-attenborough-people-seat-fail-to-produce-change) and report (https://raiagroup.org/ie-university-x-raia-research-program-2025).

In this episode, we sat down with Alice Girotto and Bryan Thorne to explore the urban climate leadership of Anne Hidalgo, the long-serving Mayor of Paris. Known for her bold policies to reshape the French capital, from low-emission zones and car-free initiatives to green urban planning and energy-efficient housing, Hidalgo has positioned herself as a global voice for sustainable cities. We discuss how her leadership during COP21 and her ambitious Bioclimatic Urban Plan have transformed Paris into a laboratory for climate governance, and what her approach tells us about the power and limits of city-level action.

This episode is the second in a series of six as part of the IExRAIA Summer Research Program of 2025. RAIA has invited twelve IE University students to join our think tank and spend 9 weeks researching a figure from around the world to try to answer a simple question: Are they a climate leader?

Don’t forget to read Alice and Bryan’s article (https://raiagroup.org/hidalgo-mild-aligning-climate-action-social-justice) and report (https://raiagroup.org/ie-university-x-raia-research-program-2025).

In this episode, we sat down with Josip Biondic and Manuela Altes Alcaraz to unpack the climate legacy of Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s new president and former Mayor of Mexico City. With a background in physics and a PhD in energy engineering, Sheinbaum has brought scientific rigor and political ambition to some of Mexico’s most pressing environmental challenges. From transforming public transportation in the capital to shaping the country’s water and energy strategies, we explore how her policies balance climate action with economic and political realities, and whether she can truly lead Mexico into a greener future.

This episode is the first in a series of six as part of the IExRAIA Summer Research Program of 2025. RAIA has invited twelve IE University students to join our think tank and spend 9 weeks researching a figure from around the world to try to answer a simple question: Are they a climate leader?

Don't forget to read Josip and Manuela's article (https://raiagroup.org/sheinbaum-hot-public-transport-reforms-set-a-high-bar) and report (https://raiagroup.org/ie-university-x-raia-research-program-2025).

In this episode, we sat down with Sofia Ena to unpack the leadership of General Abdourahmane Tchiani one year after his coup in Niger. We explore how the junta’s pivot away from Western alliances — and withdrawal from ECOWAS — has deepened insecurity, fueled economic turmoil, and reshaped the region’s geopolitical landscape. From the rise in jihadist attacks and Niger’s growing ties with Russia, to the emergence of new regional players like Morocco, we examine the consequences of Tchiani’s decisions and what they mean for Niger, the Sahel, and power dynamics in West Africa.

Don't forget to read Sofia's article here: https://raiagroup.org/tchianis-cold-strategy-escalating-crisis

In this episode, we sat down with Ángel Rodríguez Moreno to explore how shifting international dynamics have frozen UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s landmark deal to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Originally framed as a bold step in reshaping British foreign policy and addressing colonial injustices, the agreement now faces major obstacles after Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency and the election of Navin Ramgoolam in Mauritius. We discuss how concerns over Diego Garcia’s strategic military role, legal tensions over sovereignty, and the humanitarian crisis surrounding stranded asylum seekers have all complicated the situation, leaving Starmer’s credibility and global ambitions hanging in the balance.

Don't forget to read Ángel's article here: https://raiagroup.org/cold-relations-trump-starmers-chagos

In this episode, we’re joined by Elisa De Angelis to unpack the political crisis facing French President Emmanuel Macron after the 2024 snap elections. Intended to stabilize France’s political landscape, the vote instead deepened divisions, collapsed coalitions, and triggered widespread unrest. We explore how Macron’s leadership is being tested — from controversial immigration reforms to the use of Article 49.3 — and what it all means for France’s democratic future and role in the EU.

Don’t forget to read Elisa’s article here: https://raiagroup.org/macron-cold-navigating-france-political-crisis