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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
Carpooling the German Way
Carpooling has been popular in Germany for decades. One German-based web company is betting that it will catch on in the US, where your car is your domain.
Sea Turtle Poaching and High Demand in China
The Chinese have a taste for turtle, and that’s led to a rise in poaching endangered sea turtles off the coast of the Philippines. Some Philippines military leaders think the poachers may also be doing lead work for the Chinese military.
Climate-Crusading Maldives President Resigns
Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed has resigned after weeks of unrest. Host Marco Werman reports on the sudden resignation of a leader who had been a vociferous campaigner for action on climate change.
The Presidential Politics of Ignoring Climate Change
One issue has been nowhere on the radar during the Republican presidential primaries: addressing global climate change.
Soul-Searching Over Apple Exposé
The World’s environment editor Peter Thomson has been reading the news on Apple’s supply chain, and shares some thoughts on Apple, human rights, and us.
Apple, Human Rights, and Us
The concerns have been mounting for years, but suddenly, with last week’s blockbuster NY Times series on Apple’s supply chain, the question is on everyone’s lips: have the defining consumer products of our time been created at an intolerable human and environmental cost?
Massive Lead Poisoning in Nigeria
A gold mining boom driven by high global prices is contaminating local villages with toxic lead dust, leading to a crisis that Human Rights Watch says is the worst lead poisoning epidemic in modern history.
Elephants as Possible Solution to Stop Australia’s Wildfires
We are looking for a vast, but sparsely-populated territory of Australia. It borders the Timor Sea to the north and to the south it abuts South Australia.
Following Cremation, Recycling Surgical Implants
Advances in medical technology, combined with the fact that people are living longer, means that more and more of us pass away with some kind of surgical implant. Have you ever wondered what happens to those metal implants after die? A Dutch company has been recycling them, giving the bulk of the proceeds to charity.
Maldives Looking At ‘Carbon Neutrality’ by 2020
The government of the Maldives plans to make the Indian Ocean island nation “carbon neutral” by 2020. It’s an effort to set an example for other countries and help avert the possible inundation of much of the country in the face of rising sea levels.
Farms, Factories, and a Dangerous Nitrogen Overload
Nitrogen is abundant on earth and necessary for life, but scientists warn that humans are overloading the environment with harmful forms of the element.
Balance Tips to China’s Cities
China has passed a milestone, that more Chinese now live in cities than in rural areas. This sounds impressive from one angle, that just over 10% of Chinese lived in cities when the Communist Party came to power in 1949, and not quite 19% when economic reforms started in 1979. [...]
Despite Economic Gains, Peru’s Asparagus Boom Threatening Local Water Table
Peru’s booming cultivation of asparagus for export to the US and Europe is causing water stress in the region.
Slideshow: Gabon’s Eco-Tourism Efforts Stumble
A decade ago Gabon established more than a dozen new national parks. But the story of one big tourism investor shows the difficulty of actually getting the tourism dollars flowing.
Another Oil Pipeline Runs into Political Debate in Canada
There is a political battle in Canada over a proposed pipeline that would go west from Alberta through a remote wilderness area to an isolated stretch of coast in British Columbia.
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