313: Climate Apocalypse

In this episode of "The Rest is History," Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook interview Peter Frankopan, a Professor of Global History at Oxford University, about his new book, "The Earth Transformed," which explores how climate has influenced human history. The discussion begins with the "Curse of Akkad" as an early example of climate apocalypse and broadens to include the impact of volcanic eruptions, the Roman warm period, the Little Ice Age, and the consequences of industrialization and globalization. Frankopan emphasizes the importance of considering the natural world as a whole and the resilience of societies in the face of environmental challenges, while also addressing the current climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and the need for global cooperation and ethical consumption. Despite the bleakness of the subject, Frankopan maintains an optimistic outlook, highlighting human ingenuity and the potential for positive change.