Climate grief is a real and growing psychological phenomenon. Around the world, people are grappling with the emotional weight of the climate crisis, from anxiety about the future to mourning the loss of places, species, and a sense of stability.

So how do we live a meaningful life and stay resilient in the face of such an overwhelming, collective challenge? How do we hold on to hope and contribute to change when others in our communities, our politics and our families seem indifferent or even hostile to climate action?

More broadly, what’s stopping us from acting faster, and at scale? Why does society struggle to respond, even when the science is clear? What role do social norms, economic systems, political incentives, and psychology itself play in shaping our collective actions?

Hosted by Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and science communicator Iain Strachan, this episode explores not just individual emotions, but the deep systemic barriers, including economic short-termism, political inertia, and institutional design, that hold us back from meaningful climate progress.

Our guest for this episode is Professor Ben Newell, a Professor of Behavioural Science in the School of Psychology at UNSW Sydney, and Director of the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response (ICRR).

Ben’s work brings together behavioural science, climate science, economics, and governance to understand how people and institutions make decisions, and how they can do better in the face of climate risk.

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s economy, lifestyle, and ecosystems are powered by the weather, but climate change is reshaping this vital resource. In this episode, we dive into the science behind rainfall, sunshine, and wind as natural assets that fuel agriculture, energy, tourism, and daily life.

Climate scientist Associate Professor Ailie Gallant joins your co-hosts Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan to unpack how drought, shifting rainfall patterns, and solar variability are transforming Australia’s weather resources, and what it means for our future resilience.

Whether you’re curious about climate models, renewable energy, or the hidden value of everyday weather, this episode will change how you think about weather.

To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s fossil fuel industry has long argued that its projects are “too small to matter” when it comes to global climate change. But new research led by 21st Century Weather proves otherwise.

Using a robust scientific method adopted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), our researchers have quantified how much additional global warming will be caused by emissions from the Scarborough gas project, a major new gas development approved off the coast of Western Australia. The study shows that no fossil fuel project is too small to make a measurable difference to the planet’s climate.

This episode of Totally Cooked: The Climate & Weather Podcast breaks down what the numbers really mean. Hosts Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan speak with contributing authors Andrew King and Georgy Falster about the study’s findings: 876 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions, 0.00039 °C of additional global warming, and real-world consequences for people and ecosystems. We explore how heatwaves, coral bleaching, and mortality risks increase, and why this work fundamentally shifts how fossil fuel projects should be assessed in Australia and around the world.

With governments setting ambitious net zero targets, the Scarborough case shows how new gas projects undermine climate goals. This groundbreaking research gives policymakers, regulators, and communities the tools to hold companies accountable for the warming their projects cause. Tune in to understand the science, the stakes, and the path forward for climate action in Australia.

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

To find out more, go to: https://21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we explore what happens if (or when) the Arctic becomes ice-free during the northern summer - from global weather disruptions to sea level changes, ecosystem collapse, and the geopolitical scramble it’s triggering.

Our special guest, Dr Zoé Koenig from University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, joins us to unpack the science, share her frontline experience in polar research, and explain that what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic.

Pack your survival suit and a rifle, but let’s try not to shoot the bear.

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when Hollywood takes on climate science? In this movie special of Totally Cooked, hosts Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan revisit the 2004 blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow - a film that gave us wolves on a cargo ship, helicopters freezing mid-air, and catastrophic climate change unfolding in just a few days.

Scene by scene, they unpack the film’s most iconic (and most absurd) moments, separating science from spectacle. Can global warming really trigger a new Ice Age? Could a superstorm freeze people solid in seconds? And why are the animals at the zoo losing it? With plenty of laughs, sharp commentary, and real climate facts, this is the Totally Cooked take on a disaster-movie classic.

Whether you adore the film or still feel mildly traumatised by it, this episode explores how climate change has been portrayed on the big screen, and what that says about the challenge we face in real life. It’s nostalgic, nerdy, and Totally Cooked.To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons - whatever the name, these major storms are being reshaped by climate change. Warmer oceans and shifting atmospheric patterns are fuelling storms that are stronger, wetter, and potentially more destructive than ever before.

In this episode of Totally Cooked, hosts Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan are joined by cyclone expert Professor Liz Ritchie-Tyo of Monash University and 21st Century Weather to explore the science behind these powerful systems. They unpack how cyclones form, why forecasting is so complex, and whether climate change is altering their frequency, intensity, or both.

The conversation also looks at the human side of the story - how vulnerable communities can prepare, and how planning and communication can reduce the risks of future storms. With the right knowledge and action, there’s hope for weathering the next cyclone season in a rapidly changing climate.

To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 2 of this special Totally Cooked episode, the next generation of climate and weather scientists share more of their stories, and spring a few surprises. We open with one of Wil’s unforgettable tales from growing up in Peru.

From there, the conversation explores the pathways that brought Wil, Rachael, and Bethan into climate research. Rachael recounts a journey through meteorology, NASA internships, and early-career challenges before landing in Australia to pursue more climate science. Along the way, the team unpacks the realities of imposter syndrome, the importance of mentors, and the persistence and good fortune required to break into elite scientific research.

Finally, the discussion turns to the future, both for climate and weather science as a field, and for the young scientists themselves. How can research better serve communities, adapt to climate change, and stay optimistic in the face of denial and delay? Our guests share their hopes for more interdisciplinary, collaborative, and inclusive science in the decades ahead.

And we close with one more dramatic tale from Wil’s eventful time in the crib.

To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s climate and weather researchers have grown up with the escalating climate crisis as a defining feature of their lives. Their education unfolded against culture wars about science, energy, and climate policy, with many inspired by voices like Greta Thunberg and movements such as the School Strike for Climate. This episode explores how those experiences are shaping the next generation of scientists.

Hosts Prof. Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan sit down with three emerging researchers: Bethan White, Rachael Isphording, and Wil Laura. Together they talk about the motivations that drew them into climate science, from childhood experiences of hurricanes in Alabama to growing up in the Peruvian Andes. They share how their backgrounds, curiosity, and resilience are helping them carve out research careers in a rapidly changing world.

The conversation dives into the challenges and joys of early research life, from pushing climate models to their limits to investigating “compound events” like heatwaves and wildfires, to benchmarking weather resources for renewable energy. Alongside science, the guests reflect on cultural influences, personal motivations, and the global networks that support their work.

To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.