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.

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?
Beware the return of El Niño

Beware the return of El Niño

Jan 26, 2023
Marco Magrini considers the impact the forthcoming El Niño is going to have on the world’s climate
New Year, new renewable energy resolutions

New Year, new renewable energy resolutions

Jan 2, 2023
Marco Magrini starts the New Year with some positive thinking on changing climate
A microscoping close up of a group of plankton

Loss of biodiversity and climate change go hand in hand

Dec 1, 2022
Marco Magrini argues action on climate change and dealing with the loss of biodiversity are inextricably intertwined
COP27 wrap-up: A very small step towards climate justice

COP27 wrap-up: A very small step towards climate justice

Nov 21, 2022
The UN climate summit in Egypt delivered the long-awaited loss and damage fund, yet failed to address the core of the climate emergency
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