We report from the Countdown summit in Edinburgh where fresh ideas to fight climate change are taking centre stage ahead of the UN climate talks, starting in Glasgow later this month. Vivienne Nunis hears from the business leaders and scientists coming up with new ways to cut carbon emissions in some of the world’s dirtiest industries. Mahendra Singhi is the boss of Dalmia Cement, one of India's biggest cement manufacturers. He tells us how his company plans to become carbon neutral by 2040. In the accessories market, Modern Meadow co-founder Andras Forgacs and CEO Anna Bakst explain how their plant-based leather alternative could shake up fashion supply chains. And what if cows everywhere could be made to emit lower levels of methane when they burp? Biologist Ermias Kebreab says adding seaweed to their diet could be key. Producer: Sarah Treanor Image: A cow chewing cud. Credit: Getty

Millions of people in Afghanistan are living in extreme poverty as prices rise and salaries go unpaid. There are warnings that hunger will follow the devastating drought, just as the cold weather sets in. How will the world respond to calls for help? Business Weekly hears from development economist and former World Bank expert in Afghanistan Dr William Byrd. Plus, as the supply chain gets clogged across the world- we’ll ask how they can be made more resilient? We also hear from Berlin, where voters have said yes to a radical plan to help make housing more affordable. And as William Shatner blasts off into space, we ask if the 90-year-old actor can be called an influencer? Business Weekly is produced by Matthew Davies and presented by Lucy Burton.

As the world turns its attention to addressing climate change, Business Daily is in Edinburgh. We bring you an inside glimpse of the conversations setting the agenda ahead of the UN climate conference COP 26, which starts in Glasgow in just over two weeks. Here in the Scottish capital, the ideas company TED - famous for Ted Talks - is holding its own climate summit, Countdown. It puts CEOs, government ministers, philanthropists and activists all in the same room. Vivienne Nunis hears from Pacific Islander Selina Leem, who explains how her home country, the Marshall Islands, is already dealing with rising sea levels. Jim Snabbe, the chairman of the world's biggest shipping firm, tells us how Maersk plans to move to a new green fuel, while Denmark's energy minister explains his country's plans to vastly scale-up wind power production.

Producer: Sarah Treanor Image: Selina Leem. Credit: Skoll.org

How disruption in a single port, factory or freight centre can cause global chaos. Ed Butler speaks with Stavros Karamperidis, an expert in maritime economics at the University of Plymouth, and Kent Jones, professor of economics at Babson College in the US. Meanwhile, chief economist at Enodo Economics, Diana Choyleva, explains how China's energy crisis will impact exports and the price we pay for goods, and Professor Marc Busch from Georgetown University explains why he thinks governments should leave big businesses to solve supply issues themselves.

(Photo: a container ship is unloaded at a dock in the US. Credit: Reuters)

Why the government doesn't like video games, and what's next for China's gaming culture. Ed Butler speaks to Josh Ye, who covers gaming for the South China Morning Post, and Professor Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute. German professional League of Legends player Maurice 'Amazing' Stückenschneider describes China's current dominance in the world of eSports, and the damage that restricting playing hours could do, and Chinese games investor Charlie Moseley describes how the increasing pressure from authorities is affecting games developers in the country today.

(Photo: League of Legends players at a tournament in Shanghai, Credit: Riot Games Inc via Getty Images)

Why many women are delaying motherhood, how is technology helping, and what does the law say about all things fertility and the workplace. Zoe Kleinman speaks to lawyer Louisa Ghevaert, to Dame Cathy Warwick, chair of the British Pregnancy Advisory service, and others. (Picture credit: Getty Images)

There are an estimated ten million donkeys in sub Saharan Africa, many providing crucial roles supporting the livelihoods of low income families. We explore why these beasts of burden are so important to the economics of the region, and how demand from China for the skins of donkeys is worrying many across Africa. We visit a donkey sanctuary in Lamu, Kenya, and speak to one campaigner trying to stop the slaughter of donkeys for the export of their skins. We also hear how donkeys support economic freedom for women, from Emmanuel Sarr, regional director for the charity Brooke, based in Senegal. Image: A donkey. Credit: BBC

Presenter: Vivienne Nunis Producer: Sarah Treanor

On this episode of Business Weekly, with the site down and a whistle-blower’s testimonial, was this Facebook’s worst-ever week? We hear what went wrong with their internal internet and find out why Frances Haughan’s evidence to Congress was important. Plus, we discover how a tech company is helping dispatch ambulances in Kenya where there is no centralised system. And if music be the food of love - swipe on. We hear from the app designer hoping to match-make with music. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

Geraldine Robarts is a painter based in Kenya who has been exhibiting since 1958 and who still paints everyday, aged 82. Whether it’s a passion for what they do, the social connection, or the simple need to earn a living, a growing number of octogenarians remain in work. Over the coming weeks, Business Daily will hear from several workers putting in a shift, well into their ninth decade. As retirement ages around the world creep higher, we're asking what can these older professionals teach us about the nature of work? And when is the right age to down tools? Presenter: Vivienne Nunis Image: Geraldine Robarts. Credit: BBC

We go to Dandora, one of Africa’s largest rubbish tips. A court in Nairobi has ordered the dumpsite to come up with a concrete plan to close by February next year. But what will that mean for the community relying on the waste to survive? We hear about life at Dandora through the eyes of Liz Oteng’o, who grew up relying on airline meals dumped at the site. Vivienne Nunis hears how she and her husband Remco Pronk, are fighting to change the lives of those growing up there today. Image credit:Getty

Producers: Sarah Treanor, Lulu Luo

Google pledges to be carbon free by 2030. Ahead of next month's UN Climate Summit, the company has come out with new targets to become greener than ever. But what does that mean? Is Google supporting the energy transition away from fossil fuels or just fuelling ever greater consumption? Ed Butler speaks to the company's Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt, about how this is just the latest step in her company's aim to be a world leader in sustainability. Ian Bitterlin, a Consulting Engineer & Visiting Professor at the University of Leeds in the UK tries to quantify the amount of carbon pollution that could reasonably be attributed to data centers worldwide. And Sonya Bhonsle, the Global Head of Value Chains at CDP, the world's leading climate NGO that helps companies and cities disclose their environmental impact, tells Ed that Google scores very highly in their ratings and that the company is sending out good messages to others in the industry.

(Photo: Google's logo adorns their office in New York, Credit: Getty Images)

Are virtual online worlds the future of the internet? Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg thinks so. He is among the tech leaders who say we'll increasingly live, socialise, play and shop in the metaverse. Is he right, and what is the metaverse anyway? Ed Butler speaks to venture capitalist and metaverse big-thinker Matthew Ball, and to Manuel Bronstein from Roblox - the hugely successful gaming platform where gamers already live out virtual lives through their avatars. Janine Yorio tells us why her 'virtual real estate' company Republic Realm is buying up land and property in metaverse worlds, and why the metaverse will be the future of shopping.

(Photo: Roblox avatars, Credit: Roblox)