The UNFCCC COP explained
Our 1st Guest!
Was It Climate Change? Unpacking Hurricane Melissa
Philipp Went to the Environmental Law Association Conference… Here’s What We Learned
Too Hot to Play? Sport in a Warming World
Same Planet, Different Climates
In this episode, the team takes on the UNFCCC COP. We break down what COP is and to make things clearer (and a bit more fun), we build an analogy that captures the entire COP process in everyday language; the negotiations, the tensions, the pledges, the politics, and the promises. We also explore who might host the next COP and what that could mean for global climate priorities. Who do you think should host the next COP?
In this episode, we welcome our very first guest, Almustaqim. He shares how he found his way into the ACDI master’s programme in 2025, what shaped his motivation, and the experiences that guided him toward this field. We talk about his current research, the questions driving his work, and the future he envisions both for himself and for climate action more broadly. It’s an honest, grounded conversation about passion and purpose
In this episode, Precious and Philipp dive into the story of Hurricane Melissa and ask a central question: was it truly a climate change impact, or just a storm amplified by natural variability? They break down the field of climate attribution; how scientists determine whether an extreme event is influenced by human-caused warming, what kinds of evidence matter, and why attribution studies have become essential for policy, adaptation, and even legal debates.
In this episode of the 4°C Podcast, Philipp takes us behind the scenes of the 2025 Annual and Student Conference of the Environmental Law Association (ELA) of South Africa. He breaks down what happened, the ideas that stood out, and the conversations shaping the future of environmental law in South Africa.
In this episode of the 4°C Podcast, Precious and Yonela unpack how a warming planet is changing the games we love. We take a closer look at recent events, like the Tokyo Championships, Formula 1, and rugby tournaments affected by heat, to ask: what happens when the climate becomes the biggest opponent? We also explore what adaptation could look like for different sports, from scheduling shifts and new venues to redesigning infrastructure. But what does that mean for the fans, the people in the stands, or those watching at conditions hotter than before? And how might these changes alter the essence and duration of the games themselves?
In this episode of the 4°C Podcast, we’re turning the spotlight on ourselves — and the places we call home. Join Precious, Philipp, and Yonela as we kick things off with a climate change quiz before diving into a heartfelt conversation about how climate change feels different across borders — from Germany’s acid rain to Zimbabwe’s cyclones and South Africa’s droughts. Through personal stories we explore how climate change isn’t just about graphs and policies; it’s about lived experience, memory, and resilience
Welcome to the very first episode of the 4°C Podcast, brought to you by the Climate Risk Lab within ACDI at the University of Cape Town! In this debut, hosts Precious, Philipp, and Yonela sit down to unpack who we are, what we study, and why we’ve named our show after one of the most urgent numbers in climate science. We dive into the big, messy, and fascinating world of climate change — from global warming levels and the Paris Agreement to the IPCC’s role in shaping climate policy, and even how climate intersects with heritage, law, and health. There’s a lot to talk about (and yes, we do jump around a bit. It’s Episode 1, after all!). Think of this as a whirlwind introduction to what’s coming: sharp conversations, grounded research, and honest discussions about the climate crisis from a new generation of climate thinkers at UCT. A question for you is: How would you define climate change in your understanding? So do leave a comment and let us know what you think and what you would like hear us to discuss in the podcast.