Join hosts Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan of the Totally Cooked team as they explore Australia’s path to net zero emissions with Monash University expert Roger Dargaville. The discussion breaks down what “net zero” really means, revealing how current targets rely heavily on carbon accounting and natural sinks rather than deep cuts to fossil fuel use. While progress in renewable electricity—especially solar and wind—is promising, major challenges remain in transport, industry, and infrastructure.

The conversation dives into the realities of scaling renewable energy, including grid limitations, storage needs, and the complexities of transitioning away from fossil fuels. It also unpacks misconceptions around technologies like solar and wind, highlights the importance of energy system planning, and questions whether market-driven approaches are sufficient. Ultimately, the episode argues that while the technology to reach net zero exists, achieving it will require faster action, stronger policy direction, and significant societal change.

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

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Join hosts Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan as the Totally Cooked team for their very first live recording, as they take you up, up, and away into the stratosphere. To explore this mysterious and wonderful place far above the Earth's surface, the hosts are joined by guest experts Professor Julie Arblaster (Monash University) and Dr. Martin Jucker (University of New South Wales).

In this episode, the LIVE panel explores what really happens above the clouds, how the ozone layer and jet stream shape our planet’s climate, and why the stratosphere matters for weather, warming, and life below. So hold your breath as the Totally Cooked team this week take your learning higher than ever before, into the stratosphere.

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah and Iain are back for Totally Cooked Season 2!

This season our cooked hosts will be taking you behind the scenes of forecasting deadly bushfire weather. They will be asking the big questions like how is climate change impacting the world’s rich biodiversity? What is net zero and when are we going to reach it? And how is machine learning powering new climate and weather science?

For the answers to those questions and plenty more, join us for Season 2 of Totally Cooked!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.