What On Earth

People are switching up plans to avoid fire, smoke and heat. And that includes festival organizers, powwow planners and camp directors. We get advice on navigating our changing summers.

A listener got in touch wondering what she can do to help the birds in her garden when wildfire smoke is choking her neighbourhood. We share advice from Birds Canada and check in with American researchers who are searching for answers about how fire and smoke affect our feathered friends.

As climate change transforms the sonic landscape around us, it also proposes new solutions. Listen in on the surprising sounds of a changing world. We talk to the executive director of the new Institute for Climate, Sound and Society at the MetaLab at Harvard University about how sound can shape how we talk about climate change.

Water is scarce – especially in Gaza because of war and climate change. We speak to the executive director of the Arava Institute of Environmental Studies about how climate solutions can help build peace in a climate hotspot like the Middle East. And, the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea delivered a historic opinion this week about climate impacts on small island states. We hear an upd...

Could letting young people vote be a climate game changer? We hear from Vancouver teens on whether or not they think they’re ready to vote and whether climate would shape their choice at the ballot box. Then, a Canadian senator and a 17-year-old student share why they’re fighting for a proposed bill making its way through parliament.

In Alaska and Barcelona, money from visitors is paying for heat pumps. What do we owe to the places we go on vacation? We hear how travellers can contribute to climate solutions. And, we answer a listener’s question about whether our beloved maple syrup will disappear in a warming world.

As wildfires rage across the country, we hear how to harness the power of community in the face of danger. And, we share listeners’ response to our interview with two long-time wildland firefighters in Alberta about what they say is a crisis in the ranks.

Soon, a little-known international tribunal will release a precedent setting decision that could force developed nations to do more to protect small island states from the ravages of climate change. A Canadian lawyer represented those tiny countries at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. He shares what’s at stake, along with another member of the legal team - Naima Te Maile Fefita o...

Wildfire fighters say working conditions threaten the safety of crew and the public in that province. As climate change leads to more intense forest fires, the people on the front lines say they’re losing team members to other employers and something needs to change.

An Indigenous-owned company in Ontario is making sure evacuations are culturally appropriate, including supporting people to seek refuge on their traplines instead of hotels. Then we ask Canada’s Indigenous Services Minister how Ottawa can make climate emergencies less traumatic for Indigenous communities, and why members of the Peguis First Nation remain displaced two years after a major flood.

Come underground to glimpse new technology providing low carbon heating and cooling to downtown Toronto buildings. CBC climate reporter Emily Chung is our guide – to see this first of its kind project in Canada. Proponents say it's key to cutting emissions from buildings around the country.

Climate change may be last on your mind when you're dealing with discrimination, insecure housing and other barriers. But marginalized communities are hit harder than most by the impacts of climate change. Our columnist Chúk Odenigbo and activist Shelly-Ann Skinner walk us through how to meet Black, queer folks where they're at in order to include them in climate justice work. Then, we hear from a...

Yep, we’re naming names! We meet a researcher who combed through millions of pieces of plastic trash and traced half of the branded items back to just 56 companies. We hear the case for why manufacturers should be responsible for their plastic products and how addressing this can help lower CO2 emissions to tackle the climate crisis. And – we dish the dirt on cleaning your plates, cutlery and more...

Their eco-anxiety is real, and they're helping each other with it even as adults play it down. We hear from two high schoolers in New Brunswick who are finding ways to cope — and even educating the willing grownups in their lives. And our mental health columnist Abhay Singh Sachal is worried about gaps he sees in modern psychology education. If tomorrow's therapists aren't climate aware, they risk...

In 1970, 20 million people showed up to fight for the environment on the first Earth Day. But more than five decades later – is it time for this much tamer global event to return to its radical roots? Organizer Denis Hayes recounts how – amidst other counterculture movements at the time – he transformed Earth Day from a campus teach-in to a national protest. As he approaches 80, Denis offers his b...

The climate is changing. So are we. Twice a week we take you across Canada and around the world, in search of climate solutions. We love to hear from our listeners and regularly feature them on the show. Have a question? Email Earth@cbc.ca

Scientists are editing the DNA of canola, and more, to survive with less rain. Can this help farmers adapt to climate change? And – if you’re stressed about the climate cost of the clothes and linens that have reached the end of their life, we have the scoop on what to do with those old jeans and torn bed sheets.

Join us on a hunt to discover the lost waterways hidden below the streets of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, and find out how bringing creeks and rivers back to the surface can help our cities adapt to a changing world.

This episode from June 2023 just won the Mindset Award for reporting on the mental health of young people. Driven by fear of climate change, Emily Kelsall got involved in extreme forms of activism including arrest and jail. The 25-year-old has also come through a mental health crisis that landed her in hospital. It's all brought her a new perspective on climate action. Then, we hear from two...

It’s like “CSI in the ocean,” only these scientists are racing against climate change off the coast of B.C. Next, a satirical spin on climate action with Canadian oil producers the brunt of the joke. Then, we head to Saskatchewan where drought is sparking debate over the waters in one lake.

Join us on a climate-solutions field trip! First, we head to the beach to find out how Indigenous knowledge and western science are working to keep clams cool in extreme heat. Next, we hear why your backyard – or patio – can be abuzz with biodiversity by simply making some simple swaps. (Spoiler alert: It’s time to weed out the dandelions.) Then, we head out to the coast of Vancouver Island and wa...

Better transit service could help lower Canada’s emissions. But can more people get on board with buses, trains and subways? Experts and advocates explain how to use policy changes and behaviour “nudges” to make it happen. And listeners share stories about great public transportation, from Singapore to Tampa Bay. Then, we hear why there’s “blood in the water” as Canada’s carbon tax approaches its...

Glaciers are retreating rapidly in Canada’s Rockies, bringing hazards to long-standing alpine routes. We visit Banff National Park to meet guides who are adapting to climate change in different ways. Then – we head to India, where for weeks farmers from the northern part of the country have been protesting in the streets, demanding changes that could help them fare better in a warming world. Next...

Spoiler alert: the Barbie movie is not about climate change. But it passes the "climate change reality check." We hear why Good Energy developed a climate test for films and find out which two other Oscar-nominated flicks are also winners in this category. Next, a former NASA scientist tells us why a satellite launched into space to detect global methane emissions is a huge deal for the climate. A...

What to do about a world that’s on fire all the time? Texas is facing the biggest wildfire in state history, Alberta has declared the start of wildfire season earlier than usual, and zombie fires are burning in B.C. John Vaillant has written about a future where "fire weather" is the only weather in a warming world; he says Canada needs to prepare. Then, we hear how Metis citizens and firefighters...