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Artwork for Planet: Critical

Planet: Critical

Rachel Donald
Climate Change
Climate Crisis
Nuclear Energy
Capitalism
Political Power
Environmental Activism
Democracy
Art
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Neoliberalism
Environmental Justice
Oligarchy
Atlas Network
Extraction
Environmental Movement
Political Stability
Loss and Damage Fund
Colonialism
Social Tipping Points
Climate Justice

Planet: Critical is the podcast for a world in crisis. We face severe climate, energy, economic and political breakdown. Journalist Rachel Donald interviews those confronting the crisis, revealing what's really going on—and what needs to be done. Visit planetcritical.com

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes255Founded5 years ago
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Society & Culture

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Artwork for Planet: Critical

Latest Episodes

You may have noticed that billionaires have come out in force over the past year to discredit Universal Basic Income. But here's an idea they hate even more: Universal Basic Services.

I'm joined by Andrew Percy whose research at the Institute for Gl... more

What is climate coloniality? What is climate apartheid? How does our exploitation of the more-than-human world feed into the oppression of people? And what are the real pathways towards decolonising?

Interdisciplinary scholar and editor of Confronti... more

We're kicking off the year with a very special interview about how present-day literature is reflecting the crisis we're collectively experiencing—and why some of the novels published today fail to grasp both the intensity and complexity of our world... more

Welcome to 2026, and this special episode of Planet: Critical where I discuss hope, collapse, effective action and what may yet be in store for us all.

Here are the questions I chose this year:

• What would be your trigger for a more drastic exit f... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Andrew Percy
Co-chair of the Social Prosperity Network at the Institute for Global Prosperity, researching Universal Basic Services.
Institute for Global Prosperity
Episode: Liberating Social Contributions | Andrew Percy
Farhana Sultana
Professor at Syracuse University, expert on water governance and climate justice
Syracuse University
Episode: From Coloniality to Decolonisation | Farhana Sultana
Heather Milligan
A vice chancellor and independent research fellow at Loughborough University, researching climate fiction and eco-gothic.
Loughborough University
Episode: How Fiction Makes Sense of the Crisis | Heather Milligan
Tânia Sousa
An academic at the University of Lisbon studying energy efficiency and its relationship with economies.
University of Lisbon
Episode: Exergy Economics | Tânia Sousa
Samuel Miller McDonald
Geographer and author of 'PROGRESS, A History of Humankind's Worst Idea'
Episode: The Myth of Progress | Samuel Miller McDonald
Chris Smaje
Former academic turned small-scale farmer who writes about the intersection of politics, environmentalism, and reclaiming the land through agrarianism.
Episode: Hyper Local Futures | Chris Smaje
Jules Falquet
A philosopher at Université Paris 8, researching materialist feminism.
Université Paris 8
Episode: Categories of Control | Jules Falquet
Fernando Racimo
Associate professor at the University of Copenhagen studying evolutionary genetics.
University of Copenhagen
Episode: The Future of Rebellion | Fernando Racimo
Thea Riofrancos
Associate professor of political science and author of 'Extraction, the Frontiers of Green Capitalism'
Providence College
Episode: Extractive Frontiers | Thea Riofrancos

Host

Rachel Donald
Host known for her incisive interviewing style and commitment to deeper explorations of societal issues, particularly focusing on climate change and its intersection with health, politics, and economy.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 463 ratings
  • New favorite podcast

    I’m new to the pod, but I’ve been very impressed with the quality and content of the interviews so far. Delighted by the extensive and diverse back catalogue I’ll get to work thru!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SophTofe
    United States5 months ago
  • How critical is it?

    Is it super critical or just a little critical or what?

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    IFYTIT
    United States6 months ago
  • Somehow this podcast makes me extremely anxious and comforts me at the same time. If you are even remotely interested in the climate crisis (why wouldn't you be, it is killing us), you need to give this a listen.

    Podchaser
    5
    ashmita.dutta
    6 months ago
  • My favourite REAL podcast

    Rebecca discusses the things that matter. Thank you for investigating and sharing such important work. As an environmental studies and geography undergrad from New Zealand, I am super inspired and empowered by you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hannah_McRae
    New Zealand7 months ago
  • Green Pill 💊 podcast

    The best resource to take the green pill and see the reality of the urgency of our moment.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Manolunga
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many reviews highlight the importance of the topics covered, deeming them essential for anyone concerned about contemporary global challenges.
The podcast faces criticism for being ideologically driven by some who feel the discussions lack practical solutions and dash hope.
Listeners praise the insightful analysis and quality of interviews, appreciating the depth of exploration into complex issues.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Exergy Economics | Tânia Sousa
Q: What impact would a transition to renewable energy have on energy degradation?
Transitioning to renewables is expected to improve overall energy efficiency, particularly through electrification of various functions in society.
Exergy Economics | Tânia Sousa
Q: How do we calculate the exergy for renewables?
Quantifying renewables involves analyzing both the electricity produced and the resources used to generate that electricity, which varies across different energy sources.
Exergy Economics | Tânia Sousa
Q: How does efficiency work in terms of energy transformation?
Efficiency implies energy conservation, where energy is transformed (like when a heat pump extracts heat from the environment), providing more usable energy than what is input as electricity.
Exergy Economics | Tânia Sousa
Q: What is exergy?
Exergy is a measure of the quality of energy, indicating the capacity to perform work, where different forms of energy have different qualities based on their utility.
The Myth of Progress | Samuel Miller McDonald
Q: How did you come to tackle the myth of progress?
Samuel discusses how he first wrote about this in an article for Current Affairs, which led him to explore the link between development and the myth of progress.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Planet: Critical

What is Planet: Critical about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content explores pressing global crises including climate change, environmental degradation, and social justice issues. With a focus on interviews with experts from diverse fields such as academia, environmentalism, and health, discussions often center around systemic failures and the urgent need for societal transformation. Notably, the show challenges conventional narratives surrounding progress and advocates for grassroots movements and localized solutions to foster resilience amid adversity. It provides a platform for listeners interested in understanding multifaceted crises while offering insights into actionable pathways for change.

Where can I find podcast stats for Planet: Critical?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Planet: Critical. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Planet: Critical and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Planet: Critical get?

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What are the audience demographics for Planet: Critical?

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How many subscribers and views does Planet: Critical have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Planet: Critical has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Planet: Critical?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Planet: Critical:

1. The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens
2. Accidental Gods
3. Emergence Magazine Podcast
4. Team Human
5. Upstream

How many episodes of Planet: Critical are there?

Planet: Critical launched 5 years ago and published 255 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Planet: Critical?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Planet: Critical?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Planet: Critical from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Planet: Critical?

Recent guests on Planet: Critical include:

1. Andrew Percy
2. Farhana Sultana
3. Heather Milligan
4. Tânia Sousa
5. Samuel Miller McDonald
6. Chris Smaje
7. Jules Falquet
8. Fernando Racimo

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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