Climate Connections

Colour is what makes your clothes pop. But, those dyes that are used to colour your clothes are actually really bad for the environment because most are made from fossil fuel chemicals. On this episode of Climate Connections, we feature Christopher Hunter, Chief Operating Officer, Colorifix - a UK-based company that’s harnessing the colour-changing ability of bacteria in nature to make those dyes. The company is also a finalist of The Earthshot Prize 2023, which was held in Singapore. Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors Special thanks to The Earthshot Prize

From bottles and bags, to less obvious sources like teabags and clothes - plastic pollution is any plastic that ends up in the environment.  With the global call to fight climate change growing louder, innovators are hard at work to develop solutions that can make plastic disappear.  On this episode of Climate Connections: The Earthshot Prize 2022 winner, Rodrigo García González, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Notpla takes us behind-the-scenes of his company's seaweed-based invention that naturally decomposes in weeks, compared to 700 years for plastic. Associate Professor Soo Han Sen from the NTU School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology shares how his team developed a method to upcycle plastics into liquids that can store hydrogen. Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Ryan Huang Music/photo credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors Special thanks to The Earthshot Prize

How challenging is it to take a shot at saving the planet? It sure ain’t easy, but innovators around the world are attempting to do so, each in their very own ways.  On this episode of Climate Connections, Sarah Cragg, Head of Asia Pacific for The Earthshot Prize, which is the brainchild of Britain’s Prince William - shares more insights on what the climate-focused charity is up to, ahead of Prince William's trip to Singapore next week, for this year’s award ceremony, where five environment warriors will be awarded £1 million, for their efforts at developing solutions to repair the planet before irreversible damage occurs. Produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Presented by: Ryan Huang & Emaad Akhtar Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize

Over the past half century, Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, has undergone rapid population growth, resulting in the loss of millions of trees due to urban development in the city. On this episode of Climate Connections, Manja Kargbo, Co-Architect of Freetown The TreeTown initiative and finalist of The Earthshot Prize 2023 shares how the city is on course to meet its ambitious target of planting one million trees by 2024, and how her team is reimagining nature sustainability for cities beyond Freetown. Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors Special thanks to The Earthshot Prize

It’s World Food Day today! Did you know that what we eat and how the food is produced are closely linked to sustaining ageing populations and their well-being?  On this episode of Climate Connections, it’s a deep dive with Francois Scheffler, Regional Vice-President of Health, Nutrition and Care for Asia Pacific at dsm-firmenich, to find out what innovative solutions can be tapped on to push communities a step closer towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in the areas of sustainable consumption and production, as well as good health and well-being.  Presented by: Emaad Akhtar Produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Modern kitchens in urbanised cities usually boast a host of advanced cooking tools that not just cut down cooking time, but also absorb cooking fumes! But did you know, the simple act of cooking often turns deadly for low-income communities living in Africa?  On this episode of Climate Connections, Charlot Magayi, Founder & CEO of Mukuru Clean Stoves and Winner of Clean Our Air, Earthshot Prize 2022 shares her personal journey to change that situation for her community and beyond. Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize & Mukuru Stoves

What are the real challenges behind finding an equitable solution to balance out our needs and those whose livelihoods depend on the fossil fuel industry, versus the longer term goal of protecting Mother Earth? On this episode of Climate Connections, we dive into whether the complete phase-out of fossil fuels is a realistic dream with Dr Swati Sharma, Lecturer at NTU’s School of Social Sciences. Produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Ryan Huang & Emaad Akhtar Photo credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Japan’s plan to gradually release more than a million tonnes of treated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has deeply divided nations and scientists. But, a month after the first discharge, Japanese authorities say no detectable amount of tritium has been found in fish samples taken from waters near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. On this episode of Climate Connections - we take a deep dive with chemical oceanography expert, Associate Professor Patrick Martin from the NTU Asian School of the Environment - to find out what goes behind the risk assessments and a comparison of the levels of radioactivity in the discharged wastewater versus other sources. Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Ryan Huang Music/sound credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors Photo credits: THE ASAHI SHIMBUN VIA GETTY IMAGES

In this episode of Climate Connections - from a rainforest and wetlands built from scratch right in the heart of a school in Singapore, to a customised outdoor syllabus targeting underserved communities in Europe, we explore how science educators are bringing STEM learning out of the classroom.  A deep dive into all that with Commonwealth Secondary School’s Senior Teacher for Biology, Jacob Tan, Head of Department for Humanities & Head of Eco Stewardship Programme Committee, Sia Ling Ee, as well as Professor of Science Education, Lucy Avraamidou from the University of Groningen. Story produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Ryan Huang Special thanks to: Students of Commonwealth Secondary School & Assoc Prof Tan Aik Ling Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Coral reefs, often called the rainforests of the ocean, are key underwater ecosystems that support a rich variety of marine life. Despite their crucial role in sustaining life underwater, the existence of coral reefs are coming under increasing pressure due to climate change and human activities.  Marine scientists Dr Karenne Tun, Director, Coastal & Marine and Terrestrial Branches National Biodiversity Centre, NParks, and Associate Professor Huang Danwei, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, NUS - share their first-hand accounts of the current state of Singapore's reefs following major bleaching in 2016 and 2017, and how the city-state is embarking on an ambitious journey to plant and grow 100,000 corals. Story produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Lynlee Foo Music/photo credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors Photo credits: Yeo Kai Ting