Geographical

Official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Marco Magrini

Born in Florence, Italy, Marco claims to be a descendant of Giovanni Villani, a chronicler of medieval times. He has been writing on newspapers since the age of 20, mostly about science and technology, with a focus on energy and (un)sustainability. He has been covering the United Nations conferences on climate change since COP11 in Montreal, in 2006. His semi-serious book ’The Brain: A User's Manual' (published by Short Books) has been translated into ten languages and it is probably the most intelligent thing he has ever produced in life. Apart from authoring Geographical’s monthly ClimateWatch column, of course.

Aerial view of coal power plant high pipes with black smoke moving up polluting atmosphere at sunset

Will the COP28 pledge to ‘transition’ away from fossil fuels be enough?

Dec 14, 2023
Marco Magrini considers whether this really is the beginning of the end for carbon energy and we can keep to climate targets
Sultan Al Jaber

COP28 update: can a conflicted president deliver on fossil fuel reduction?

Dec 10, 2023
As the haggling in this year's COP gets to the final stages, Marco Magrini, wonders what it will deliver on fossil fuel reduction
Graphic of seasons in a row with summer the biggest

Climatewatch: changing seasons

Dec 6, 2023
Marco Magrini on implications of the changing length of the seasons as a warming world brings longer summers and shorter, hotter winters
COP28 preview: time to take stock

COP28 preview: time to take stock

Nov 28, 2023
Marco Magrini, Geographical's Climatewatch columnist, looks at the challenges for the COP28 in Dubai
COP28’s president, Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, is also CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company

Climatewatch: COP28 predictions and fears

Nov 8, 2023
Marco Magrini fears the only success of the forthcoming COP28 is going to be in obfuscation and diplomatic double talk
Statue of Adam Smith in Edinburgh

Climatewatch: Can the market get us to net zero?

Oct 2, 2023
Marco Magrini considers whether markets alone can get us to net zero
A map showing heatwaves across europe and north africa in summer 2023

2023 Europe heatwave showed off the charts climate anomalies

Sep 7, 2023
Marco Magrini warns that we shouldn’t assume that dramatic change can’t suddenly happen
Large ships are powered by polluting ‘bunker’ fuel

Should we use geoengineering to tinker with the planet?

Jul 11, 2023
Marco Magrini considers the problems of geoengineering and it's consequences
Extrapolations, with Eiza González and Edward Norton, looks to the future

Climatewatch: Dystopian fact not dystopian fiction

May 24, 2023
Marco Magrini ponders why we have an insatiable appetite for dystopian fiction but seem willing to ignore the reality of climate change. Will the lessons from Apple TV's Extrapolations be heeded?
The warnings on climate change are clear

The warnings on climate change are clear

Apr 24, 2023
Marco Magrini is mystified: why are the clear signs of climate change being ignored? 
Having it both ways – keeping fossil fuel subsidies and promising energy transition

Having it both ways – keeping fossil fuel subsidies and promising energy transition

Mar 27, 2023
Why do countries support clean energy on one hand and subsidise fossils fuels on the other, asks Marco Magrini
Debt for nature swaps: greenwashing or a radical solution?

Debt for nature swaps: greenwashing or a radical solution?

Mar 2, 2023
Marco Magrini looks at the resurgence in the practice of swapping debt for conservation projects: greenwashing or a radical solution?
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