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Host: Joining the podcast today is Renata to talk about her summer internship in Brussels. Thanks for coming!
Renata: Pleasure to be here!
Host: Sure! First, tell us how you got to Brussels. You travelled from London, right?
Renata: Yes, I took the Eurostar. I chose the train after using the emissions calculator (https://travelandclimate.org/), which showed it would save about 44 kg of CO2 compared with flying and 94 kg compared with driving.
Host: A lot! What about accommodation? That’s also a big factor in emissions, right?
Renata: Absolutely. I thought about that too, and so when I was looking for an Airbnb, I asked hosts about the property’s carbon footprint. Surprisingly, only one could provide that information – I really think it should become a standard part of the booking process. Anyway, I am happy my place is close to the office, so I walk there instead of using public transport.
Host: Great! Any surprises in Brussels so far?
Renata: A couple! When I first ordered an iced latte here, I was surprised it came in a paper cup rather than a plastic one, but it’s a standard here. And another one – there are recycling containers at every corner! Having them so accessible really encourages people to recycle.
Host: Yeah, I read an article (https://recycl3r.com/how-recycling-helps-reduce-co2-emissions/) saying that, according to the European Environment Agency (https://www.eea.europa.eu/en), recycling materials such as plastics and metals can prevent the emission of up to 200 million tonnes of CO2 per year in Europe, an equivalent to taking about 43 million cars off the road! Also, Europe has been unusually hot in the last few weeks. How have people dealt with the high temperatures?
Renata: It has been incredibly hot. Some services closed and public transport was reduced. What stood out to me, though, was that nearly everyone I spoke with saw the heat as clear evidence of climate change and wanted an urgent action. That’s one reason I chose a climate-related topic for my internship.
Host: I was about to ask! Tell us more about your internship!
Renata: Happy to! In my reporting internship, I cover the European Union. I decided to focus on the EU climate strategy (https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2050-long-term-strategy_en), so I follow its public announcements on climate policy and research the progress the bloc has made and whether its approach bears fruit. I am then incorporating that in my story as the final project of the internship.
Host: Exciting! What angle are you taking on that story?
Renata: I am particularly interested in how this EU climate agenda aligns with the UN 17 Sustainability Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals). So far, I have found alignment with three SDGs: with SDG 7 on affordable, reliable and sustainable energy, with SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production, and with SDG 13 on urgent climate action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Host: Sounds amazing! Well, that’s about all we have time for. Thanks for joining us, Renata!
Renata: Thanks for having me on! Cheers!
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