Welcome to the „The Climate Bridge Podcast” adelphi’s and Polis180’s new podcast series. This podcast, like the Transatlantic Climate Bridge initiative behind it, focuses on climate change and climate policy in Germany, the US, and Canada — a key goal is to improve climate cooperation between the three countries.

About this episode 

After taking an in–depth look at climate and environmental justice in the last episode, this episode of the Climate Bridge Podcast reflects on the successes and disappointments of COP27 in Sharm el–Sheikh.

Our hosts Tobias Bernstein – adelphi – and Ole Adolphsen – Polis180 – had the chance to interview three climate activists on their impressions from COP27: Molly Rahal, a policy analyst and the youth delegation co–lead of the British Columbia Council for International Cooperation (BICCC) Climate Branch, Cassidy Childs, a research associate at the Center for American Progress focussing on international climate policy, and Linus Steinmetz, a climate activist with Fridays for Future Germany.

Key topics they discussed were the loss and damage funding facility agreement as the first step towards more just climate finance as well as failed attempts to raise ambition on mitigation. All three activists shared some tips on youth activism:

• Recognizing that the barriers youth activists from the global north experienced are still much smaller than those for activists from the global south and indigenous communities, one should use one’s privileges to protest.
• Working closely with a team, whether sticking closely with the delegation or a constituency (e.g. YOUNGO), to get strength and mutual support.
• Have your embassy’s phone number memorized and assess the risks you are taking when you are demonstrating.

Molly recommended her organization’s podcast, Y Talk Climate. The conversation ended with an outlook to COP28.

Guest: Cassidy Childs, Molly Rahal and Linus Steinmetz

Hosts: Tobias Bernstein and Ole Adolphsen

Producers: Kira Schrödel, Tina Bayer, Tobias Bernstein, Mary Hellmich, Trisha Kershaw and Anile Tmava 

Mixing and post-production: Franz Classe

Music: Maximilian Below