Living Planet

From heatwaves and wildfires in North America to catastrophic flooding in Germany and China, the world over, climate scientists' predictions are being horribly realized. We hear from Californians on the frontline of drought, a disaster expert helps us understand climate risk, and a young Ugandan activist's mission to wake her countrypeople up to the climate crisis unfolding in their backyards.

When we think of the things that are most vital to our lives, what comes to mind? Water? Food? Air? This week on Living Planet we have stories exploring our most basic human needs. We venture to unique water systems under threat high in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. And slightly further North, we hear how cookstoves are changing the game in Guatemala.

On Living Planet, we often talk about all the greenhouse gas emissions people put into the atmosphere. But this week, we’re looking at ways to suck carbon dioxide back out of the air, in what’s known as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). We visit the seas and the trees to see how this is being done, and we hear how carbon capture technology can help slow, or even reverse, climate change.

This week, we've got plastics on the brain — especially pervasive, single-use plastics — as a ban of these items comes into force in Europe. But will it make a big difference in grocery stores, and more importantly, in the environment? We also hear from an activist in Malawi who helped bring in that country's plastic ban. And with all these bans, are we really on our way to a plastic-free future?

Oil is big business. It's an industry that employs an estimated 6 million people from Russia to Saudi Arabia to the US. But oil is a leading contributor to climate change and can lead to leaks and spills that pollute waterways and ecosystems. As the world gets more serious about shifting away from fossil fuels, the future for oil looks tenuous.

We hear how the once decimated rocky reefs off the coast of Scotland have been replenished, travel to East Africa where farmers are cashing in on the Global North's avocado obsession without destroying the environment, and a professional frog nerd takes us through the bizarre and bountiful world of frog sounds.

We examine how thinking outside the box can lead to changes big and small. 2020 Goldman Environmental Prize winner Chibeze Ezekiel tells us how he led a successful grassroots campaign against Ghana's first coal-fired power plant. We find out how we can make sense of science through art. Female farmers discover the power of ancient seeds on Ibiza. And we delve into Germany's car-conundrum.

From shocks to industrial agriculture in the face of a dramatically changing climate in the US' Midwest, to a big bank funding rubber plantations in the Congo Basin, and lastly, the growth of the global denim market, we hear about some of the environmental costs of farming, finance and fashion, as well as attempts to reduce the industrial footprint — and whether those can be trusted.

Today on the show we ask some deep environmental questions: What rights does nature have? Should people be considered separate from the natural world? What IS wilderness? And: wild hungry animals on the search for food in Tel Aviv.

When communities face challenges they often find their own, homemade fixes. Community-run gardens around the world can be life-changing operations, and the bees that help pollinate them need our help. Meanwhile landscape restoration teams in South Africa are saving the ancient veld and recycling imported clothing has been a creative opportunity for one designer in Kenya.

On this week's show, Spain grapples with the environmental impact of the renewable energy boom. Young entrepreneurs in Kenya discover how a tiny critter can make a big impact on food waste. And Mexico takes the lead in kicking the herbicide glyphosate to the curb for the sake of its native bees.

Across the world, people are having to rethink the way they grow food in the face of the impacts of climate change and industrial agriculture. We hear from seed guardians in Ecuador trying to save vital seed varieties from disappearing, and from farmers in East Africa battling deadly invisible toxins in their crops. Plus: An organic farming group's ambitious plan to green the desert in Egypt.

We dissect US President Joe Biden's pledge to cut his country's greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. Protesters in Serbia sound off on big polluters, while a city in the UK takes the initiative to clean up its dirty air. And we discuss how international travel to picturesque destinations really impacts the environment in the Global South.

In this episode of Living Planet, we hear about some of the different ways ordinary people relate to environmental issues in different parts of the world. Climate activists talk about using TikTok to reach Generation Z. And 35 years after the Chernobyl disaster, we'll hear how people in Russia and China view the future of nuclear energy.

This week on Living Planet, stories of how local movers and shakers deal with global problems. Glaciologists in Oregon tell us what they've learned about the climate from frozen caves, while a community in Lyon, France protests meatless school lunches. We also debate the ethics of traveling by cruise or by plane. And women from the Niger Delta share their fight for justice over oil pollution.

From species extinction to waste, land degradation to climate change and pollution, from Kenya to Australia, India, and France, this two-part special explores some of the most urgent environmental problems facing the planet — and how they might be solved. In part two, we hear about deforestation in Kashmir, puzzling water scarcity in Kenya and attempts to reduce severe air pollution in Delhi.

From species extinction to waste, land degradation to climate change and pollution, from Kenya to Australia, India, and France, this two-part special explores some of the most urgent environmental problems facing the planet — and how they might be solved. In part one, we hear about the struggle to save a native Tasmanian species from extinction, plus: French solutions to a sickening waste pile.

In the Global North, clean water is taken for granted — but in some places it means the difference between life and death. "Water wars" are taking place as people fight failing systems, and combat climate change, to access enough clean water for all. From Chile to South Africa, India to the Caribbean, we hear about those water conflicts that are flowing beneath the surface.

Trees are often seen as something to be chopped down for economic gain or cleared to make way for development. But without them, scientists warn, humanity loses an important lifeline. These carbon sinks can be thought of as giant air conditioners that cool the planet — a powerful tool in mitigating climate change. From Costa Rica to Brazil, Rome to Madrid, we hear about the state of our trees.

We depend on farming — and farmers — to grow the food we need to survive. Agriculture can be environmentally damaging — yet there are alternatives. From adjusting our avocado consumption, to a sustainable (and underrated) crop of the future: beans. And finally, restoring rivers to boost harvests in India.

As more countries seek to phase in renewable energies, coal retains a firm grip in many parts of the world. In India, the picturesque state of Goa is set to become the country's new coal hub. China's plans to cut back on carbon emissions don't line up with its dependence on coal. And in London, activists can't agree on the best path to net-zero emissions.

This week on the show, we're taking a look at our cities. From our food systems to transportation and urban planning to our waste streams, we dive into the ways in which urban life can be environmentally-friendly. We also get to hear from some little critters who are taking unwelcome refuge in cities.

As our planet faces unprecedented environmental crises, it's becoming clear that piecemeal solutions can't fix the problem. We hear about transformational change, and how we might get there. UNDP chief Achim Steiner speaks to whether it's possible to decouple progress from environmental damage, and we look at "degrowth" as an alternative. Plus, the trees of Philadelphia.

Whether you consider yourself a birder or find the avian kind tend rather to ruffle your feathers, there's no denying birds are a critical part of the natural world. But in too many cases, birds are under threat. We visit the moors of Scotland, where eagles get illegally killed; and Kenya, where vultures and the African crane are in decline. Plus: Storks in Spain addicted to junk food.

Is it possible to fly with a clear environmental conscience? And, if not, what is being done to make this a reality? We follow one couple's journey to find out where carbon offsetting donations from flights actually end up. We also get into the nitty-gritty of a new United Nations emissions deal for flying that has been criticized as being too weak to make a difference.