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
After Fukushima, An Energy Tug-of-War in Japan
Two years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, renewable energy is surging in Japan. But economic pressures are also helping revive support for nuclear power, leading to an internal tug-of-war over Japan’s energy future.
Why Vultures are Important for Bulgaria
Vultures are associated with death but they’re a welcome presence in the Madzharovo region of Bulgaria. The big birds eat carcasses that spread disease, and they bring in tourist dollars as well.
Locusts: Agricultural Menace and Kosher Snack
For the Geo Quiz, we are looking for Israel’s southern desert that lies east of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and is battling swarms of locusts.
Spanish Scientists Work to Save Seagrass
In the waters off Spain’s Mediterranean coast, scientists and fishermen are working together to try to save sea grass, which is a key player in the local marine ecosystem.
Taking New Family Portraits in Japan After the Tsunami
Two years ago this month, the earthquake and tsunami devastated parts of northern Japan. Now a group of Tokyo-based photographers is volunteering to help make new family portraits for tsunami survivors in Japan.
How Green Was Pope Benedict?
Before retiring, Pope Benedict XVI was praised by some as “the first Green Pope,” for calling attention to climate change and environmental degradation. But just how ‘green’ was the retiring pontiff? And how will his ideas influence his successor and the behavior of Catholics around the world?
In Stressful Wake of Fukushima Disaster, Japan Now Dealing With ‘Atomic Divorce’
Two years after the Fukushima tsunami and nuclear disaster, life is still far from normal for survivors. Anxiety over radiation and discrimination is now causing mental health problems and a slew of social problems from divorce to suicide.
Melting Glaciers Bring Growing Threat of Catastrophic Floods
Rapidly melting glaciers are creating more and bigger glacial lakes around the world, bringing a growing threat of catastrophic floods for communities below. Daniel Grossman reports from Peru.
A Boost for Electrical Vehicles in Northern Europe
A Northern European country that’s known for technical innovation is actively promoting electric cars by launching a national network of quick chargers across the country, among the first of its kind.
200 Arrested in Raid on Latin American Wood Mafia
An Interpol operation has led to the arrest of nearly 200 people in one of the biggest raids on suspected illegal timber operations ever undertaken in Latin America.
Undersea Life Around ‘Black Smoker’ Vents
British researchers are hauling rare creatures and up video from some of the deepest underwater vents ever found, a mile below the surface of the Caribbean Sea.
Obama’s Promise on Climate Action: The State of the Union and the Power of Symbolism
When President Obama spoke about climate change in Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, activists and policy makers around the world were listening. Host Marco Werman speaks with one of them, physicist Bill Hare of Climate Analytics, in Berlin.
Breakthrough Antarctic Finding: Life in Subglacial Lake
In the culmination of a years-long effort, American scientists say they’ve found signs of life in isolated lakes deep beneath Antarctica.
Mexico’s Bat Man: Fighting to Protect Maligned Creatures
Rodrigo Medellin is Mexico’s premier bat biologist, and he’s out to save the animals he studies. Medellin is trying to convince his fellow countrymen that bats deserve protection. After all, he says, if Mexico had no bats, there would be no tequila. NOVA’s Ari Daniel Shapiro reports.
Green Energy Milestone: Industry Says Wind is Spain’s Top Electricity Source
For the first time ever, wind power was the top source of electricity in Spain over the last three months. So says the country’s wind power association.
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