The state of the world’s environment is one of the most important stories of the new century. Debates over the impact of climate change reverberate throughout the globe. So do disputes about what actions might be necessary, both to preserve the environment and to develop sources of energy for a growing global community.
The World’s environment coverage, led by environment editor Peter Thomson, examines the health of the planet and explores the impacts of human activity on everything from the earth’s ecosystems to the food we put on our plates.
Environment
A Controversial Wildlife Refuge on Tiger Island
A new and controversial wildlife sanctuary for the “conflict” Sumatran Tigers is the subject of a new BBC Natural World documentary “Tiger Island”.
Satellites Reveal Sudden Greenland Ice Melt
NASA researchers are expressing concern about something they’ve never seen before: the melting of ice across nearly the entire surface of Greenland earlier this month.
Clean Cookstoves Protect Women and the Environment
An estimated 3 billion people in the developing world cook and heat their homes by burning wood, charcoal, or dung. Their simple stoves cause trendous amounts of air pollution. Ari Daniel Shapiro reports from Uganda on the introduction of more efficient stoves that also help protect women from sexual violence.
Beijing Floods Unleash Criticism of Chinese Authorities
Beijing residents began drying out Monday after a weekend deluge that left dozens dead and tens of thousands more displaced. The government says it was the worst rainstorm in 60 years, but it may not have been a purely natural disaster.
“Sloth Map”: Inactivity Study Tracks Global Patterns & Risks
Researchers say physical inactivity is to blame for 1 out of 10 deaths around the globe, about the same as deaths caused by smoking. And a new study finds levels of physical activity roughly track patterns of development–people in higher income countries are the least active.
Report Says Most Lemurs Living on the Edge of Extinction
Experts now say that nine out of 10 species of lemur should be on the ‘red list’ of endangered species. Some species are down to less than two dozen animals.
A Year Without Palm Oil
Angry about widespread deforestation in Southeast Asia linked to palm plantations, a French Ph.D student in geochemistry vows to go a year without consuming any palm oil, and faces the challenges.
‘Wake Up Madagascar’: A Music Tour to Fight Deforestation
An group of musicians from Madagascar are set to tour America to alert people about the deforestation on their island.
Leatherback Turtles, Bulldozers and Human Nature
This week’s news about the disastrous deaths of thousands of young and still incubating leatherback turtles in Trinidad reads like something out of a dark comic novel, a gross parody of a cascade of bad decisions resulting in an epic disaster [...]
Closure of Lakes Laboratory Spurs Protest in Canada
Scientists in Canada staged a rally on Tuesday against the policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Protesters say the government is slashing environmental research and weakening environmental protections. Much of the anger stems from the planned closure of an ecological field station in Western Ontario. Reporter Ari Daniel Shapiro of our partner program NOVA has the story.
Government vs Greens in Canada
Host Lisa Mullins speaks with reporter Peter O’Neil of the Vancouver Sun about the growing frictions over environmental policy in Canada. The country’s new federal budget includes some big changes to environmental protections for things like fisheries, endangered species and national parks.
Australia Declares Largest Indigenous Protected Area
25 million acres Tanami Desert in Australia’s Northern Territory have been designated a protected area.
Thousands of Turtle Eggs Crushed in Trinidad
A government crew rolled over endangered leatherback turtle eggs with a bulldozer as they attempted to redirect a river that threatened the site.
Jerusalem’s New Tram Winds Through Streets and Geopolitics
Something shiny and new is winding its way through the streets of Jerusalem. It’s Israel’s first commuter light rail and it was designed to give Jerusalem’s public transportation a much needed upgrade. But it charges right through the city’s sensitive geopolitics – and it’s upsetting locals for all kinds of reasons.
Postcard from Borneo
The Malaysian state of Sabah is home to Danum Valley, one of the largest protected tropical rainforests left in Malaysia. Chris Hails is a conservationist with the WWF – World Wildlife Fund for Nature sent us a postcard.
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