Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Oceans absorb one third of the CO2 we are pumping into the atmosphere, as well as 90% of the heat. What would happen if that were to stop?
The oceans define every aspect of our planet's physical systems, its ecosystems, human history and human culture. They also define the planet's future. Oceans represent an almost unexplored frontier in the fight against climate change, whether as a host for offshore wind farms, an enhanced carbon sink, a source for critical minerals or a route for high-voltage DC cables. But could there be unintended consequences?
This week on Cleaning Up, Michael Liebreich welcomes Dr Helen Czerski, whose expertise is 25,000 miles wide and seven miles deep, to discuss the crucial role the oceans play in regulating our climate and keeping the planet habitable. Helen is a physicist and oceanographer, and associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London. She is the author of two books: 'A Storm in a Teacup' and 'The Blue Machine', about the physics of the oceans.
Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live
Links and more:
• Helen's website: helenczerski.net
• Helen's book, Blue Machine: penguin.co.uk/books/441190/blue-machine-by-czerski-helen/9781804991961
• Episode 107 of Cleaning Up: youtube.com/watch?v=K61ZXd_F6Qo
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
02:30 - Why Helen Studied Oceans?
10:05 - Why Should We Care About Oceans?
16:18 - The Importance of Mixing and Currents
21:23 - Salinity & Structure
25:00 - Messengers, Passengers, Voyagers
27:30 - Penguins & Climate
32:05 - Krill, Whales & Nutrient Cycling
36:25 - Heat
41:04 - AMOC Collapse?
47:00 - Ocean Acidification
51:47 - Whale Earwax & Noise
55:00 - Offshore Windfarms
58:42 - High Voltage Cables
01:00:00 - Ocean-Floor Mining
01:05:00 - Carbon Removal
01:09:30 - Helen's Big Ask
01:14:44 - Outro
Oceans absorb one third of the CO2 we are pumping into the atmosphere, as well as 90% of the heat. What would happen if that were to stop?
The oceans define every aspect of our planet's physical systems, its ecosystems, human history and human culture. They also define the planet's future. Oceans represent an almost unexplored frontier in the fight against climate change, whether as a host for offshore wind farms, an enhanced carbon sink, a source for critical minerals or a route for high-voltage DC cables. But could there be unintended consequences?
This week on Cleaning Up, Michael Liebreich welcomes Dr Helen Czerski, whose expertise is 25,000 miles wide and seven miles deep, to discuss the crucial role the oceans play in regulating our climate and keeping the planet habitable. Helen is a physicist and oceanographer, and associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London. She is the author of two books: 'A Storm in a Teacup' and 'The Blue Machine', about the physics of the oceans.
Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live
Links and more:
• Helen's website: helenczerski.net
• Helen's book, Blue Machine: penguin.co.uk/books/441190/blue-machine-by-czerski-helen/9781804991961
• Episode 107 of Cleaning Up: youtube.com/watch?v=K61ZXd_F6Qo
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
02:30 - Why Helen Studied Oceans?
10:05 - Why Should We Care About Oceans?
16:18 - The Importance of Mixing and Currents
21:23 - Salinity & Structure
25:00 - Messengers, Passengers, Voyagers
27:30 - Penguins & Climate
32:05 - Krill, Whales & Nutrient Cycling
36:25 - Heat
41:04 - AMOC Collapse?
47:00 - Ocean Acidification
51:47 - Whale Earwax & Noise
55:00 - Offshore Windfarms
58:42 - High Voltage Cables
01:00:00 - Ocean-Floor Mining
01:05:00 - Carbon Removal
01:09:30 - Helen's Big Ask
01:14:44 - Outro
