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.

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.

Greenhouse Gas Numbers Are Up

A new report from the International Energy Agency says the latest emissions numbers put the world on a dangerous track toward significant climate change.

Zero emissions race

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You need a pretty big battery to drive an electric car for hundreds of miles a day. That’s what participants in the ‘Zero Emissions Race’ did. The race began last August and ended today in a Swiss city that we want you to name… Download MP3

The next climate change challenge

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Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with The World’s Environment Editor Peter Thomson about what was accomplished at the latest UN environment conference, in Cancun last week. Download MP3

• Environment coverage on The World

The upside to climate change

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Experts often warn of the financial costs of climate change. But some countries could stand to benefit from the warming of the planet. Melting ice caps in the Arctic could lead to new transportation routes. And that could be lucrative for a country like Norway. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks to Norway’s foreign minister, Jonas Gahr Støre. Download MP3

Compromise at climate summit

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Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with the BBC’s Richard Black about the unexpected air of compromise at this year’s United Nations Climate Change Summit in Cancun, Mexico. Download MP3
Richard Black’s Earthwatch Blog

Iceberg breaks off in Greenland

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A massive iceberg broke off Greenland this week. It’s the largest break in Greenland in 50 years, setting off alarm bells among climate watchers. Anchor Jeb Sharp speaks with Dr. Robert Bindschadler, one of NASA’s leading climate scientists, about the break. Download MP3

• Satellite images of glacier before and after
• BBC coverage
• Environment coverage on The World

Many Muscovites are getting out of town

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Global climate change is partly to blame for the abnormally hot and dry weather in Moscow, cloaked in a haze of smoke from wildfires, say researchers. The fires continue to burn in central and western Russia and the smoke and pollution has become unbearable for many in Moscow, and as Jessica Golloher reports, many are gettin’ out of town. (Flickr image: RiMarkin) Download MP3

• Video: BBC coverage
• Slideshow: See pictures posted by BBC users
• Extreme weather in Asia and Europe
• Russia battles devastating fires

Lizard extinction and oil in the deep ocean

In the science podcast we’re looking at a new study suggesting the world’s lizards are increasingly threatened by climate change. And a scientist on board a research vessel tells us what he’s seeing around the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

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• Science Magazine: erosion of lizard diversity
• World Science

Lizards in peril

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In recent decades, scientists have documented serious threats to frog species across the globe. Frogs and other amphibians have vanished from many areas. The exact cause is in question. It might be an infectious disease, or pollution, or habitat destruction. A study published by the journal Science suggests the world’s lizards are also in peril. And what’s threatening lizards is climate change. The World’s science correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee has the story. Download MP3

• Science Magazine homepage
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UN chief establishes climate panel review

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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed an independent panel to review the operations of the IPCC, the UN’s climate science panel. The organization won the Nobel Peace Prize for its work, but critics have identified a number of small errors in its reports. The World’s Katy Clark reports. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Environment stories on The World
• IPCC

Raising Bangladesh

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Some of the countries most at risk from climate change are low-lying nations. And chief among them is the South Asian country of Bangladesh. Rising seas threaten to inundate this already disaster-prone land. But Bangladesh is experimenting with new ways to protect itself. One possible solution uses floods to prevent floods. Reporter Daniel Grossman has our story. Download MP3 (Photo: Dan Grossman)

• Illustrated transcript

Climate change meeting

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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for urgent action on climate change, saying negotiations on reducing emissions were proceeding too slowly. He said failure to reach agreement at December’s climate talks in Copenhagen would be “morally inexcusable”. Alex Gallafent reports. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Summit on Climate Change

Dealing with CO2 emissions

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Human beings emit over 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year. It’s a global problem, connected with sea level rise and changing global temperatures. There have been many calls for reductions in CO2 emissions, but others look to technology to sequester or trap CO2 below the earth’s surface. Ashley Ahearn reports how some of the most promising research in this field is happening in Iceland. Download MP3

• CO2 fixation in basaltic rock in Iceland
• Fighting Global Warming by Turning CO2 into Stone
• BBC animated guide to climate change