After the best sources and books to read on climate and environment, it was time to list the best podcasts!
To be interested in the environment and climate is to be interested in absolutely every subject: natural science, energy, politics, philosophy, psychology, sociology, economics, climate justice, history of technology… The bad news is, you will never be able to master all subjects during your lifetime. But the good one is that, with the podcasts below, you’ll never be bored!
Of course, the categorization of links is subjective and may be subject to change (this mania for putting people in boxes is quite detestable). Exceptionally, this article may be updated and completed over time with various feedback.
Thanks again to the people who suggested new podcasts on Instagram, dozens of hours of pleasure for my ears, and hundreds of thoughts. If, after reading, you feel that one is missing, please let me know!
Environment and climate podcasts
All following podcasts focus on climate change and its induced consequences.
- Le climat en questions: for about 20 minutes, CélineRamstein discusses with the climatologist Gilles Ramstein and the scientific journalist Sylvestre Huet and answers all your questions about the climate of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The quality is there, and the guests are always excellent!
- GreenLetterClub: From the captain of industry to the NGO boss to the oil specialist, each episode of approximately one hour explores each topic in depth. The diversity of the guests is a real plus!
- Octet vert: A podcast hosted by Tristan Nitot, focusing on digital and its impact. And yes, technology is also about taking a critical look at its advantages… and disadvantages!
- Dernières Limites: A 13-episode podcast in which journalist Audrey Boehly interviews experts and scientists on the issue of global limits, 50 years after the publication of the Meadows report, which already warned of the impossibility of unlimited economic growth in a limited world.
- La Terre au carré : the unmissable France Inter program hosted by Mathieu Vidard. Nature, climate, pollution, ideas, commitments, solutions: all the news from the planet to imagine the world of today and tomorrow.
- Time To Shift: produced by the volunteers of the Shift Project, this podcast is in line with the work of the think-tank directed by Matthieu Auzanneau and chaired by Jean-Marc Jancovici. The objective is to promote the debate and actions for a post-carbon economy.
- Y’a le feu au lac: a Ouest-France podcast, hosted by Lucas Scaltritti. Each episode deals with a specific subject… very useful for demystifying popular beliefs!
Stories and travels
Les baladeurs: created by Les Others, this is a very special podcast: I managed to travel while lying in a hammock! A must-listen.
General podcasts, but never forgetting the environment…
Whether it’s geopolitics, gender, or cybersecurity… the following podcasts all tackle a different angle but never forget the environmental issues. They’ve all been in my favourites for a while:
- Présages: podcast created by Alexia Soyeux that I have been listening to for over 2 years. It talks about ecology, but also feminism, security, radical ecology… All necessary topics to live in a sustainable society. It was through Présagesthat I discovered Alessandro Pignocchi, Fatima Ouassak and Lamya Essemlali.
- Sismique: podcast created by Julien Devaureix, where he interviews experts, thinkers, and actors of a world in the movement to understand what tomorrow is preparing for us… Julien has the particularity to receive quality guests, but also Laurent Alexandre, whom he managed to deal with
1H32 long while staying calm! - Thinkerview: certaines interventions de spécialistes environnement et climat valent le détour.
Podcasts in English
It is impossible to ignore English-language podcasts. For those fluent in English, the following podcasts are well worth a listen!
- Drilled: a podcast by Amy Westervelt, which I absolutely recommend. You will learn how oil companies manipulate the media and create doubt about human-induced global warming.
- The climate question: BCC’s climate podcast, also very good. A look back at why we are having such a hard time saving our own planet, and how we might change that.
- How to save a planet: a podcast by Alex Blumberg and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Very good topics, difficult questions that are sometimes difficult to answer. The scientific approach is very interesting to put things in perspective.
- Green Wave: short 15-minute long episodes on a wide range of topics, from feminism to democracy, to migrants, all approached through the prism of climate.
Unclassifiable podcasts
The following podcasts are not necessarily about ecology, but I enjoyed listening to them, you won’t regret it!
- Le cœur sur la table: a podcast by Victoire Tuaillon, which is right on target again! Something to reinvent our relationships…
- Kiffe ta race: every other Tuesday, Rokhaya Diallo and Grace Ly welcome a guest to explore racial issues in a conversational and experiential way.
- LSD: An excellent series by Perrine Kervran on France Culture, with a wide range of subjects but approached in a precise and documented way.
- Philosophy is sexy: Marie Robert’s podcast about philosophy, and it feels good!
- Bon Pote: So what, one can’t do its own self-promotion anymore? Hostilities to resume in November 2021!
No sustainable (and desirable) society without deconstruction
Many of you have recommended the following podcasts, and rightly so: they are all very interesting. Some are already well known, others deserve a much wider audience (especially more men!)
- Les couilles sur la table: the podcast created by Victoire Tuaillon, including the episode ‘le patriarcat contre la planète‘
- Rends l’argent : it is not François Fillon who hosts this podcast but Titiou Lecoq: very interesting!
- Mansplaining: many people think that you can’t be a man and a feminist at the same time. Thomas Messias tries to prove this adage wrong with short podcasts and a wide variety of topics. Food for thoughts 😉
- Un podcast à soi: the Arte podcast hosted by Charlotte Bienaimé, which mixes intimacy and expertise, testimonies and reflections, to address issues of gender, feminism, and equality between women and men.
Inspiring stories podcasts
Changing your life to change the world? This is what the following podcasts offer:
- Ozé: a podcast of Jean-Philippe Decka, who interviews people who have left their jobs to make the world a little better
- Soif de sens: Pierre Chevelle’s podcast, which invites social entrepreneurs, committed creators, and activists to talk about how they rebelled against injustice, but also about their questioning, their triggers, and their personal obstacles.
- Vlan: with more than 200 episodes, Gregory Pouy’s podcast is a reference. Rather generalist, the subject of climate is now systematically addressed, which is good news! Perfect to better understand our society through the connection. The connection to oneself, to others, and to nature.
With all these podcasts, you have a few dozen hours of listening pleasure ahead of you. If you think there is a must-have podcast missing from this list, don’t hesitate to tell me in the comments!
