Can we successfully adapt to a changing climate before disaster strikes? David Shukman warns that ”this is happening with a speed and on a scale that no one is ready for.”  

David Shukman, former BBC Science Editor and author of The Responses, joins Nik Gowing for a direct, unvarnished conversation on Thinking the Unthinkable.  

David outlines how ”the phrase global warming… masks a violence, a kind of malevolence” as heatwaves, flash flooding, and wildfires push infrastructure to its breaking point. From redesigning cities with ”spongy” infrastructure to deploying satellite-backed early warning systems, the methods to protect lives exist, but execution is dangerously lagging.  

David emphasises that ”the starting point has to be honesty.” By moving past coyness and hesitation, leaders across government and industry can channel emergency resources into high-impact solutions to prevent systemic failure, maintain economic stability, and save lives.  

This is a critical, high-stakes discussion on climate adaptation, risk management, leadership, and why ”we need something very, very dramatic by way of a warning to actually galvanise action.” 

📄 Full transcript available on our website. 

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🌐 Learn more about Thinking the Unthinkable here: https://thinkunthink.org/