News imageThe Climate Question, The Climate Question, Earthquakes and climate change

The Climate Question

The Climate Question

Earthquakes and climate change

12 April 2026

26 minutes

Available for over a year

Earthquakes are caused by a sudden release of stress along faults in the earth's crust, not by climate change, but some new studies suggest that melting glaciers and permafrost may influence when, where and how often seismic activity occurs.

In this episode, hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar chat to seismologist Dr. Verena Simon from the Swiss Seismology Service and Associate Professor of Geosciences at Colorado State University, Sean Gallen.

Got a question or comment? email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Production team: Diane Richardson, Grace Braddock

Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell and Philip Bull

Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown.

Editor: Simon Watts.

(Photo by Annabelle Chih/Getty Images)