Inconvenient Chats

Today's guest is Sakari Säynäjoki, a doctoral researcher in Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences at the University of Helsinki who studies the interdependence between modern societies and fossil fuels. Sakari’s research revolves around how fossil fuels enable not only our material realities, but in addition, shape our culture, values and thinking. The consequence: the green transition is a cultural challenge at least as much as it is a technological one. Does the general understanding and discourse of climate change overlook this?

In this week’s episode of Inconvenient Chats we are joined by Fred Baker, a sustainability strategy consultant here in Denmark. We delve into our personal relationships with flying and the guilt that often accompanies it. Both of us have made attempts to reduce our carbon footprints when it comes to air travel. However, the struggle remains, and we find ourselves questioning whether we should feel guilty about taking flights at all.

Inconvenient Chats is back after a break! We are continuing in a new format with guests, and in this first episode we discuss geopolitics and climate with Benjamin Gibson, the senior manager for geopolitics at the Danish wind energy developer Ørsted. Is geopolitics taking all attention away from climate action, and do businesses just need to deprioritise the climate agenda in order to keep themselves afloat in a geopolitically volatile world?

Last episode for now! Have you ever wondered how much our society is built on oil and gas besides electricity? Will we actually ever manage to transition away from it? Is it possible for all our consumption of plastic, polyester, nylon, helium, and so much more that one does not think of immediately? It feels like an impossible mountain to climb. But we're here for the conversation, with a little bit of hope and a little bit of fear.