The Business of Climate Change

The world's top scientists have predicted that global temperatures will rise by up to six degrees over the next century, leading to more extreme weather conditions and a potential rise in global sea levels of up to half a metre.

Al Gore, who made the Oscar-winning climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth, calls it a planetary emergency for all of us. The situation has many campaigners and governments calling for swift and drastic action. But what is big business - a key source of the carbon emissons held to be the reason for global warming - planning to do about the problem?

This special debate from BBC World Service, chaired by NiK Gowing, considers the role of business in addressing the growing threat.

 Listen to part one

 Listen to part two

This programme was first broadcast in April 07

Public Pressure

Recent scientific evidence and economic analysis demands that decisive measures are taken in order to counter climate change.

In partnership with the World Economic Forum, the BBC World Debate will explore the sea change in public pressure for environmental sustainability, and why some leaders - and not others - are willing to take risks to implement radical climate change.

Who is forcing the urgency of the climate change debate: the politicians or the public, especially the younger generation?

Do governments have the skills and capacity to start doing what is needed?

 Listen to part one

 Listen to part two


The audio for this programme was first broadcast in January 2007.