In this episode, Prem and Arati discuss our warming oceans with Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist and winner of the prestigious National Science Award, in 2024. What are the implications of increasingly intense and frequent marine heat waves? Why should we care? Who bears accountability of historical emissions? What does the interconnectedness of oceans and climate mean for tackling this crisis? The conversation emphasizes the need for local adaptation strategies, comprehensive data collection, and the alarming challenges faced in climate science funding. Dr. Koll highlights the urgency of addressing these issues to mitigate the impacts of the rising temperature on ecosystems and human communities.

Show Notes:

6:19: The Delusion of Dykes by Arati Kumar-Rao: https://www.peepli.org/stories/delusion-of-dykes/

11:14: Dr Roxy Mathew Koll biography: https://www.climate.rocksea.org/people/roxy-mathew-koll/

Dr Koll on X: https://x.com/RockSea and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxy-koll/

20:05: India's updated Nationally Determined Contributions: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1847812

22:37: What is carbon capture? https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64723497

32:38: What is driving hydropower construction in Arunachal Pradesh?: https://dialogue.earth/en/energy/what-is-driving-hydropower-construction-in-arunachal-pradesh/

35:11: India's coal import rises 8% in FY24: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/indias-coal-import-rises-8-to-268-mt-in-fy24/articleshow/110049693.cms

37:08: What are marine heatwaves and why should we care?: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01806-9.pdf

37:08: A Down To Earth explainer on marine heatwaves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhjzQ0pmgnE

39:47: Rising sea surface temperatures driving loss of 14% corals since 2009: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/rising-sea-surface-temperatures-driving-loss-14-percent-corals-2009

40:58: Biology and ecology of coral mucus release: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022098111003510

43:07: What is the Pacific blob: https://www.nps.gov/articles/theblob.htm and impact on US fisheries: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/looking-back-blob-record-warming-drives-unprecedented-ocean-change

45:14: Discussion on the increasing occurrence of cyclones in the Arabian Sea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dX1-bftB-M

47:03: Trump administration further cuts NOAA funds: https://www.axios.com/2025/07/01/noaa-document-deep-trump-cuts and Trump cuts will have huge impact on global climate finance: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/trumps-usaid-cuts-will-have-huge-impact-on-global-climate-finance-data-shows

49:29: FAQs on El Nino and La Nina: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/el-nino-and-la-nina-frequently-asked-questions

54:55: El Nino may cause major drop in sardine catch: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/el-nino-may-cause-major-drop-in-sardine-catch-say-scientists/article26969279.ece and CMFRI report: https://eprints.cmfri.org.in/13767/

57:10: Dr Koll-led report on reduction of phytoplankton in the Indian Ocean: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287346786_A_reduction_in_marine_primary_productivity_driven_by_rapid_warming_over_the_tropical_Indian_Ocean

Please see the full show notes on YouTube:
https://www.yout

Contact us:
Email the Podcast
Arati Kumar-Rao on Instagram
Prem Panicker on X (Twitter)
Prem on Substack
From The Marginlands on Instagram

In this episode, Prem Panicker and Arati Kumar-Rao discuss significant updates regarding environmental incidents off the coast of Kerala. The conversation then turns to The State Of India's Environment through Figures, a study released by the Center for Science & Environment (CSE) on June 5, 2025. Prem & arati focus on increasing Air pollution, Forest Diversion, Shrinking Farmlands, and our warming world and its implications.

Contact us:

Arati Kumar-Rao on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aratikumarrao/

Prem Panicker on X (Twitter): https://x.com/prempanicker
Prem on Substack: https://prempanicker.substack.com/

Our email: marginlands@gmail.com

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FromTheMarginlands

In this Episode:
State of India's environment in figures: https://csestore.cse.org.in/default/state-of-india-s-environment-2025-in-figures-ebook.html

State of India's environment 2025 (Full report): https://csestore.cse.org.in/default/books/state-of-india-s-environment-2025.html

Contact us:
Email the Podcast
Arati Kumar-Rao on Instagram
Prem Panicker on X (Twitter)
Prem on Substack
From The Marginlands on Instagram

On May 23, 2025, the MSC Elsa 3, a 28-year-old container ship, left Vizhinjam Port for Kochi, carrying 640 containers—13 of them packed with hazardous cargo, including calcium carbide, a chemical that can ignite with a spark. Less than 24 hours later, 38 nautical miles off Kerala’s coast, it sent out a distress call after developing a 26-degree list to starboard and flooding in a cargo hold. By dawn on May 25, the ship had sunk 50 meters below the Arabian Sea, taking with it over 450 tonnes of fuel and a trail of debris that’s now choking Kerala’s shores. All 24 crew were saved. But for the fishing communities of Alappuzha, Kollam, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram, the real disaster is just beginning.

Sunday, June 8 was World Oceans Day -- a sombre occasion for Kerala's coastline and its beleaguered fishing community. Prem and Arati tease apart the issues in this ongoing, unfolding story in a bid to understand what is at stake for Kerala's coast, the fishers, the port and shipping, and the biodiversity. See show notes below for links to specific chapters, and further reading.

Contact us:

Arati Kumar-Rao on Instagram: / aratikumarr. .

Prem Panicker on X (Twitter): https://x.com/prempanicker and https://prempanicker.substack.com/

Our email: marginlands@gmail.com

Podcast Instagram: / fromthemarginlands

Sections:

5:06: What Kerala State Disaster Management Agency member secretary Stephen Kuriakose said

6.40: Interview with Sreekala S, chairperson, Kerala State Pollution Control Board
Kerala Pollution Control Board website: https://keralapcbonline.com/pcb/welcome

Contact us:
Email the Podcast
Arati Kumar-Rao on Instagram
Prem Panicker on X (Twitter)
Prem on Substack
From The Marginlands on Instagram