From the Aztecs to the Zoroastrians, humans have always prayed for rain. We’ve tried dances, ritual sacrifices and even blowing up the sky to boost rainfall. This might sound crazy but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Climate change is making people desperate again, in some regions droughts are becoming more frequent and pervasive whereas in others floods threaten livelihoods and cities. We have already affected our weather cycle but can we control it? Many governments have turned to cloud seeding programmes to try to manipulate rain to fall where they desire it to. But does it actually work, and what are the potential ramifications? We speak to experts about how people are trying to create rain, whether we’re on the brink of a geopolitical nightmare.
Presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell spoke to: Cynthia Barnett, Environmental Journalist and author of ‘Rain: a Natural and Cultural History’ Dr Katja Friedrich, Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder Dr Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor at the Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. The team this week: Reporter: Valdya Baraputri, Bilingual Reporter BBC Indonesia, reporting in Jakarta Researcher: Imogen Serwotka Producer: Lizzy McNeill Series Producer: Jordan Dunbar Production Coordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross & Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Sound Wizard: Tom Brignell
Is lab-grown meat better for the planet?
Your questions answered: Climate change for kids, solar power, music for plants
What does China's green tech revolution mean for the world?
Can we build better cities for mental health and the climate?
Can we save money and save the planet?
What is caused (and not caused) by climate change?
Bonus Ep: the climate activists who sued their government (and won)
Can we save the world's coral?
Can fertilisers go green?
Why are electric scooters, mopeds and rickshaws booming?
How is climate change affecting animal migration?
How does extreme heat affect pregnant women?
Your questions answered: Reversing climate change, eating avocados, electric vehicles and more
What's it like living a "sustainable" life?
What's it like being a 'Chief Heat Officer'?
Could solar farms in space power Earth?
Do we need a 'Category 6' for hurricanes?
Why is nuclear power back in fashion?
Are wetlands our secret weapon for fighting climate change?
Why is climate change fuelling tension in the Arctic?
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