Flooded: Is extreme weather shifting the climate front lines?

About this episode

The episode discusses the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, particularly flooding, and their socio-economic impacts, featuring an interview with Louis Ramirez from Flooded People UK.

We used to be shocked by this. Hundreds of thousands displaced, millions affected, whole communities washed out. But somewhere along the way, extreme weather events have become background noise. This week, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson explore what it means to live in a world where extreme rainfall, displacement and repeated flood damage are no longer rare shocks but part of a rapidly changing climate reality. Last year alone, Southern Africa, Pakistan, Brazil, South Sudan, and many other countries were devastated by catastrophic flooding. We reflect on the scale of the global crisis, the lives upended, and the huge economic losses that too often go uninsured. Then Paul speaks with Louis Ramirez, co-founder of Flooded People UK , about what happens when flooding stops being just a weather event and becomes a political force. They discuss the growing toll of flooding in the UK, from mental health impacts to rising insurance costs and falling property values, and ask what collective action looks like when communities are forced to confront climate damage on their own doorsteps. As the front lines of climate change move ever deeper into the Global North…

People in this episode

Hosts: Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Paul Dickinson

Guest: Louis Ramirez

Topics covered

• extreme weather
• climate change
• flooding
• displacement
• economic impact
• community action
• political response

Keywords

• extreme weather
• flooding
• climate crisis
• displacement
• insurance costs
• community response
• political action

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Flooded People UK

Places: Southern Africa, Pakistan, Brazil, South Sudan, UK

More episodes of Outrage + Optimism

• Blocker or Blueprint? India on the World Stage · September 10, 2026 · 41 min
• What’s India Building?: Tales from the Biggest Transition on Earth · September 3, 2026 · 33 min
• India: Life Inside Delhi's 'Airpocalypse' · August 27, 2026 · 39 min
• The Clock is Ticking: Forty Seconds to Explain the Climate Crisis · August 20, 2026 · 34 min
• Beyond Politics: Should we take the heat out of the climate crisis? · August 13, 2026 · 46 min
• Cheapest Energy in History. Still Heading for 3 Degrees? · August 6, 2026 · 57 min