S2E9: What’s hot in 2025: Green Pulse’s top themes to watch

The Straits Times Podcasts

We take the pulse of the planet for 2025 with our key themes on climate, nature and nuclear.

Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

New year, new format, where we spice things up with a deeper look at the challenges and opportunities in the environmental sector, controversies and differing points of view.

In this episode, hosts Audrey Tan and David Fogarty dive into three key themes for 2025: Climate, nature and nuclear.

They examine key questions, including: After the hottest years on record in 2023 and 2024, what will 2025 bring? Will the worsening extreme weather jolt governments into action? Or will it be another year of missed opportunities?

Will the resurgent interest in nuclear really take off? Or will the realities of high costs and long construction timelines cool interest?

Is this the year for nature conservation – on land and the oceans – to finally get a big boost in funding? Or are we leaving things too late given the ceaseless destruction of forests, overfishing and the pollution of air, rivers and seas?

Audrey is more hopeful, David is more cautious. But both agree: We really have to talk much more about climate change and nature despite all the other gloomy news out there. It really is a matter of survival.

So take a listen as we tell it like it is – the good, the hopeful and not so good.

Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

0:05 Should we continue with Green Pulse in 2025. If so, why?

1:52 David's thoughts on nuclear?

7:45 Why will nature protection be a big topic for SE Asia in 2025?

13:19 New wave of hope for the oceans: Rising interest in blue finance plus major UN oceans conference in June.

16:37 The forecast is hot and getting hotter – and yet the world seems unable to really cope with the climate crisis. Is it all doom and gloom?

21:06 Power to the people: More climate finance could finally bring to life the Asean power grid.

Follow Audrey Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/848W

Read her articles: https://str.sg/JLM2

Follow David Fogarty on X: https://str.sg/JLM6

Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu

Hosts: Audrey Tan ([e-mail]) & David Fogarty ([e-mail])

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag

Feedback to: [e-mail]

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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فصول

1. What’s hot in 2025: Green Pulse’s top themes to watch (00:00:00)

2. Should Green Pulse continue in 2025? (00:00:05)

3. David’s thoughts on nuclear energy (00:01:52)

4. Why nature protection matters for SEA in 2025 (00:07:45)

5. Hope for oceans: Blue finance & UN conference (00:13:19)

6. Is the world failing on climate change? (00:16:37)

7. Finance to power Asean grid (00:21:06)