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Artwork for Planet: Critical

Planet: Critical

Rachel Donald
Climate Change
Climate Crisis
Capitalism
Fossil Fuels
Environmental Activism
Colonialism
Sustainability
Renewable Energy
Ecological Crisis
Nuclear Energy
Energy Transition
Neoliberalism
Environmental Justice
Climate Justice
Agriculture
Rights Of Nature
Violence
Community Resilience
Fossil Fuel Industry
Democracy

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes286Founded6 years ago
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Society & Culture

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Artwork for Planet: Critical

Latest Episodes

Starrlight Augustine is the director at the Institute of Ecotechnics, a research initiative developing technologies that exist in harmony with nature. She heads up their agroecology division, which is based at Synergia Ranch in New Mexico where she a... more

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

We’re in planetary overshoot. So why are governments coercing women into having children?

Nandita Bajaj is the Executive Director of Population Balance, an organisation offering education and solutions to address the intersectiona... more

The world is full of good ideas and solutions to the crisis. But good ideas cannot trump the laws of physics, and solutions will only be such if they are deployed in a manifestly different way than our current high-energy, high-material, high-consump... more

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

What happens when a small percentage of the population amass resources and power? Oligarchy. And polymath Sally Goerner says oligarchy is the final stage of most human civilizations—and a symptom of dysfunctional human systems.

S... more

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Recent Guests

Starrlight Augustine
Director at the Institute of Ecotechnics; heads agroecology division at Synergy Ranch
Institute of Ecotechnics; Synergy Ranch
Episode: The Dynamic Energy Budget Theory | Starrlight Augustine
Nandita Bajaj
Executive Director of Population Balance; co-host of the Overpopulation Podcast; educator at the Institute for Humane Education at Antioch University
Population Balance; Overpopulation Podcast; Antioch University
Episode: P:C ARCHIVES: Nandita Bajaj on How Pronatalism Feeds The Economy
Philippe Bihouix
Engineer and author; advocate of low tech and systemic sobriety
Author, The Age of Low Tech
Episode: Low Tech Lives | Philippe Bihouix
Sally Goerner
Research director of the Planetary Health Lab at Edinburgh University; polymath and psychologist/intellectual
Edinburgh University, Planetary Health Lab
Episode: P:C ARCHIVES: Sally Goerner on Citizens vs Oligarchies
Mark Lee Hunter
Investigative journalist; founding member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network; author of Story-Based Inquiry
Independent journalist; educator and author
Episode: Journalism in Crisis | Mark Lee Hunter
Reverend Billy
Co-founder of the Church of Stop Shopping, secular preacher
Church of Stop Shopping
Episode: P:C ARCHIVES: Reverend Billy on How To Stop The Sixth Extinction
Melanie Challenger
Author of Alive! The Hidden Intelligence of the Living World
Author
Episode: Being Alive | Melanie Challenger
James Dyke
Lecturer in global systems at the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
Episode: P:C ARCHIVES: James Dyke on Net Zero Won't Save Us
James Bullen
Founder of The Land-Based Living Collective
The Land-Based Living Collective
Episode: The Land-Based Living Collective | James Bullen

Host

Rachel Donald
Host of the podcast; engages guests in rigorous, critical conversations about climate, governance, and societal change

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 489 ratings
  • ruth davidson is the best

    rebecca daniel is a prime example of what journalism should be and should have always been. also from new zealand, i agree with hannah's review from 2025.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    davey boy nz
    New Zealand5 months ago
  • Something must have gone wrong with the update mechanism (RSS feed?). The last episode that is visible in Podcast Addict or Podino is the one announcing the webpage update. All following episodes are visible in Spotify but not in the other apps. Not good.

    Podcast Addict
    1
    Dimi
    7 months ago
  • Guest request

    Please have Elina Xenophontos on the show, she is an excellent geopolitical analyst based in Cyprus!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    O0bah
    United States8 months ago
  • 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 Statesa year ago
  • How critical is it?

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

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    IFYTIT
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Some listeners feel the critiques are strong and not always optimistic, but deeply informative.
Thoughtful, challenging conversations that connect climate with governance and society.
High-quality, diverse range of guests and topics; probing interviewer.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

P:C ARCHIVES: Nandita Bajaj on How Pronatalism Feeds The Economy
Q: What policies or approaches could help balance population, consumption, and ecological limits without coercion?
Autonomy-enhancing policies—comprehensive sexuality education, accessible reproductive healthcare, and empowerment through education and equality—combined with reducing consumption, can lower fertility choices while improving human rights and ecological outcomes.
P:C ARCHIVES: Nandita Bajaj on How Pronatalism Feeds The Economy
Q: What is pronatalism, and how does it relate to women's autonomy and rights?
Pronatalism is a pervasive bias elevating the perceived obligation to reproduce, often restricting women's reproductive autonomy; dismantling it requires rights-based policies, education, and challenging cultural narratives.
The Dynamic Energy Budget Theory | Starrlight Augustine
Q: Could you walk me through an example of how you have made a decision on the farm using Dynamic Energy Budget Theory?
The guest describes using the Soil Food Web School techniques to observe soil biota under a microscope and link the predator-prey dynamics to plant nutrition, demonstrating how waste from one part of the system feeds another and informs management decisions.
The Dynamic Energy Budget Theory | Starrlight Augustine
Q: And before we get to the practical application of how this works for agroecology, I think we need to start at our most basic level, which is what is Dynamic Energy Budget Theory?
DEB is a set of underlying principles, a framework for understanding how living organisms eat, grow, reproduce, and develop, and how energy and mass balance within and between organisms and their environment.
Low Tech Lives | Philippe Bihouix
Q: Why is renewable energy not able to replace fossil fuels at the same pace and scale as current usage?
Because replacing the entire energy system would require not only more installations, but a full transformation of storage, transmission, and end-use infrastructure, plus a reconsideration of demand and the underlying economic and industrial models; the pace and scale of such a shift are constrained by material bottlenecks and the need to reconfigure multiple sectors, not just increase solar/wind capacity.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Planet: Critical

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

A hard-hitting interview series focused on climate, governance, and systemic risk, featuring guests who critique mainstream narratives and explore transformative solutions. Episodes typically examine how political economy, ecological crises, and social inequities intersect, with in-depth discussions on energy systems, policy reform, activism, and cultural change. A standout trait is the host's willingness to challenge established frames, spotlight underrepresented perspectives, and push for practical pathways toward democratic, resilient futures.

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Which podcasts are similar to Planet: Critical?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Planet: Critical:

1. The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens
2. Breaking Down: Collapse
3. Accidental Gods - The Thrutopian Podcast
4. Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff
5. Novara Media

How many episodes of Planet: Critical are there?

Planet: Critical launched 6 years ago and published 286 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.

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What guests have appeared on Planet: Critical?

Recent guests on Planet: Critical include:

1. Starrlight Augustine
2. Nandita Bajaj
3. Philippe Bihouix
4. Sally Goerner
5. Mark Lee Hunter
6. Reverend Billy
7. Melanie Challenger
8. James Dyke

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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