The World in Question

Beneath the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean lies an unseen world: deep seabeds dotted with metal-rich nodules that some claim are vital for the green transition. As demand grows for minerals used in renewable technologies and batteries, governments and companies are increasingly turning their eyes toward the deep ocean.In this episode, King’s College London academics Dr Ben Tippet and Dr Rowan Gard unpack the promises, pitfalls and politics of deep-sea mining. Together, they explore whether harvesting minerals from the ocean floor offers a sustainable path forward, or whether it risks repeating historical patterns of extraction and inequality.As the world races toward net-zero goals, decisions made now will shape ocean health, community futures and global environmental justice for generations. This episode asks the question at the heart of the debate:Do we need deep-sea mining – or do we need to reimagine our relationship with the planet?Spheres of Knowledge on SubstackEnjoyed this episode? Get more accessible, thought‑provoking posts every weekday on Spheres of Knowledge. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

In this episode, host Esau Williams explores how the UK can prepare for a future shaped by rising temperatures, heavier rainfall, and rapidly shifting social and environmental pressures. From heatwaves and flooding to community resilience and communication strategies that genuinely resonate, this conversation examines what “future-proofing” really looks like - not as a distant political ambition, but as an everyday reality already unfolding across the country.Esau is joined by three experts who bring complementary perspectives: Dr Helen Adams, Dr Giovanna Gini (King’s College London), and Chris Pollard (Climate Outreach). Together, they unpack how climate change affects daily life, why some people face greater risks than others, and what meaningful, fair adaptation looks like in practice. **Share Your Thoughts** Take our short, anonymous listener survey. It only takes a minute. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxEqMCP5a1NEBI1HT0jxKWeZI-gWmzHA4xhuxjc7uDf8_Tuw/viewform?usp=publish-editorSpheres of Knowledge on SubstackEnjoyed this episode? Get more accessible, thought‑provoking posts every weekday on Spheres of Knowledge.https://kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

In this episode of The World We Got This, host Esau Williams explores how international development is being reshaped as governments cut budgets, multilateral institutions restructure, and aid becomes increasingly tied to national interest. Recorded in the wake of the International Development Committee’s inquiry into UK aid, the discussion brings together leading scholars to unpack what these shifts mean for the world’s most vulnerable communities.Joining the conversation are Professor Andy Sumner (King’s College London), Dr Eduardo Ortiz Juárez (UNDP and King’s), and Professor Naomi Hossain (SOAS), who offer a global perspective on shrinking aid budgets, the future of multilateralism, accountability, and the moral case for development cooperation. Together, they ask whether aid is ending, transforming, or simply being redefined - and who stands to lose if it is.Read more about this episode hereThanks for reading Spheres of Knowledge! Subscribe for free to receive new posts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

When you pick up a packet of food in the supermarket, you can see the calories, protein and fibre listed clearly. But there’s one ingredient you’ll never find on the label, even though it’s essential to producing almost everything we eat: water. And not just the water you can see in a juicy tomato or crisp lettuce, but the vast, hidden volumes used to grow crops, feed animals and process food.Globally, agriculture accounts for around 72 per cent of annual freshwater consumption. Every burger, avocado and cup of coffee carries an invisible price tag measured in litres of water. Yet most of us rarely think about it. Should we?In a special edition of our podcast, Ben Haines dives deep into these invisible waters...Read more about this episode hereThanks for reading Spheres of Knowledge! Subscribe for free to receive new posts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

In March 2021, Seoul woke up under a thick yellow haze - the worst dust storm in a decade. South Korea blamed China, who promptly blamed Mongolia. Fingers were pointed, narratives emerged, and what seemed like a weather event quickly became a diplomatic one.Since then, dust storms have continued to blight the region, and have emerged as a source of continual transborder tension.Joining Esau in this episode, Dr Thomas White, co-author of the article Foul Weather Friends? The Transnational Politics of Dust Storms Between China and Mongolia, and Prof Andreas Baas, a physical geographer with expertise in desertification and land degradation.Together, they unpack how dust storms stir up more than sand - touching on nationalism, environmental diplomacy, and the politics of green solutions - questions that resonate far beyond the Gobi Desert.You can read more about this topic here This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

A recent assessment found that the area of Earth's landmass that will be too hot for even healthy adults to keep a safe core body temperature will approximately triple - to an area almost the size of the US – if global warming reaches 2°C above the preindustrial average. We've already reached 1.5°C.This week Esau asks: what does 'too hot' actually mean? What will happen to the people who live in these areas? And what might be done to help combat the impacts?Joining him are Dr Tom Matthews, lead author of the study and Senior Lecturer in Environmental Geography, and Aditya Pillai, who is a doctoral researcher in King’s India Institute, a Visiting Fellow at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative, New Delhi, and author of a recent report investigating India’s readiness for the extreme heat of a much, much hotter world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

The proposed Grand Inga dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo would be the largest power station in the world - if its ever built. With twice the output of China's Three Gorges, the dam could potentially bring electricity to those 600 million in sub-Saharan Africa currently without.But after decades of delay, investors withdrawing, environmental concerns, and its ballooning $80bn price tag, does the dream still hold water?Joining Esau this time are Barnaby Dye, Lecturer in Development Policy and Practice; Mark Mulligan, Professor of Physical & Environmental Geography; and Clement Sefa-Nyarko, Lecturer in Security, Development and Leadership in Africa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

What is the new app DeepSeek? How does it differ from other LLM providers? And why has it caused such a significant impact on the US AI industry? In this episode, Esau is joined by Sean Starrs and Juan Grigera, from the Department of International Development, King's College London to discuss all things AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

As the 40th anniversary version of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' hits the charts, and with Ed Sheeran igniting a row over whether it and similar charity initiatives reinforce African poverty stereotypes, Esau and guests discuss the current state of the UK-African relationship. Plus, what the heck happened in Baku, as COP29 negotiations overran and left many feeling let down? Is the developing nations settlement too little too late? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com

Donald J Trump is set to make a historic comeback as the 47th US President after a decisive electoral victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. In this episode, host Esau Williams talks to Dr Sean Starrs, an expert in international development, and Dr Anastasia Piliavsky, a Ukrainian who studies Indian politics, on what to expect when Trump takes office in January 2025. They discuss the implications of a Trump presidency for India, Ukraine, China, the Middle East, and the rest of the world, and how Trump's MAGA base may influence his policies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com