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Environment

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This category contains 209 posts

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.

Blue fin tuna in trouble

By The World ⋅ March 12, 2010 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Europe has joined the United States in a call to suspend commercial fishing for Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna. Many experts say the Blue Fin is seriously over fished. But as The World’s Gerry Hadden reports, opponents have pledged to ignore any ban.

UN chief establishes climate panel review

By The World ⋅ March 11, 2010 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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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

Iron Curtain becomes green belt

By The World ⋅ March 11, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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Iron Curtain becomes green belt

Twenty years ago today the Iron Curtain began to unravel. It was on March 11, 1990 that Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to declare its independence. The Soviet grip on Eastern Europe had begun to loosen with the fall of the Berlin Wall a few months earlier. Now, 20 years later, the fortified east-west border is also just a memory. But not all vestiges of the Iron Curtain have vanished from the landscape. Ashley Ahearn reports, in some places the former no-man’s land is being preserved… as a green belt. Download MP3(Photo: Ashley Ahearn)

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Canadian lawmakers eat seal

By The World ⋅ March 11, 2010 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Canadian lawmakers sat down to eat seal meat as a show of support for Canada’s seal hunters in the face of a European ban on seal products. Anchor David Baron speaks with the Canadian senator who organized the lunch, Celine Hervieux-Payette of the Liberal Party.

Walking across the world’s deepest lake

By The World ⋅ March 5, 2010 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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We’re tracking two Canadian adventurers for our Geo Quiz today. They’re attempting to cross a frozen lake in Siberia. It’s not just any lake – it’s about 400 miles across and its the deepest lake in the world. It’s the planet’s largest reservoir of fresh water. Download MP3

Lead Recycling Exacts High Price for Health

By The World ⋅ March 4, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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In the West African nation of Senegal, an informal recycling industry has poisoned children and left a neighborhood severely polluted. Residents caused the contamination by pulling apart car batteries to extract the lead. The government is now cleaning up the site, but many of the children will never be the same. Jori Lewis reports. Download MP3 (Photo: Jori Lewis)

Haiti quake opportunity to restore rural ecology?

By The World ⋅ March 1, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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The January earthquake in Haiti was not as powerful as the one in Chile, but it was much deadlier. Haiti was more vulnerable than Chile, in part because of the environmental degradation in its rural areas. Now, development specialists say that a key to creating a resilient Haiti is to restore the country’s ecological infrastructure. The World’s Marina Giovannelli has our story. (photo: Melinda Miles) Download MP3

Audio slideshow: Reforesting Haiti
BBC coverage
On The World: How to fix Haiti’s economy

Darwin witnessed 1835 Chile quake

By The World ⋅ March 1, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Charles Darwin witnessed the devastation caused by a major earthquake in Chile. That was back in 1835. Anchor Marco Werman finds out more about Darwin’s observations of quake-hit Chile from Edward O. Wilson, the editor of a recent edition of four of Darwin’s greatest books.

Geo answer

By The World ⋅ February 26, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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The answers to today’s Geo Quiz are research stations in Antarctica: New Zealand’s Scott Base and the US McMurdo Station. The stations are now partly powered by the world’s southern-most wind farm. Anchor Marco Werman gets details from Ross Wind Farm project manager Scott Bennett.

Southernmost wind farm

By The World ⋅ February 26, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Today’s Geo Quiz is wind powered. We’re looking for the world’s southernmost wind farm today. It’s located on Crater Hill, on Antarctica’s Ross Island. The three wind turbines can generate up to one megawatt of electricity. That’s enough to help power two nearby scientific research stations. We want you to name those stations. One’s operated by the US, the other by New Zealand. It’s a remote setting, but there’s a great view.

Saving a river along the US-Mexico border

By The World ⋅ February 22, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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Arizona and the Mexican state of Sonora are divided by an international border. But they are also united by the Santa Cruz river. In recent years, the river has become dry and now government agencies and citizens groups on both sides are struggling to preserve this precious waterway. The World’s Lorne Matalon reports. Download MP3 (Photo: Lorne Matalon)

Top UN climate negotiator steps down

By The World ⋅ February 18, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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The top United Nations climate negotiator has resigned following his failure to secure a comprehensive treaty at the Copenhagen climate summit in December. The World’s environment editor Peter Thomson reports on the challenges ahead for climate negotiators.

Can genetically modified crops help feed the world?

By The World ⋅ February 12, 2010 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Can GM Crops Help Feed the World?

Last week India rejected what would have been the country’s first genetically modified food crop, a transgenic eggplant. What does this mean for the future of genetically modified crops in India and other parts of the world? And can such crops help feed the world’s hungry? Talk with biologist Lisa Weazel of Portland State University. She’s the author of Food Fray: Inside the Controversy of Genetically Modified Food, and our guest on the latest The World Science Forum. The discussion is live through February, 19th. Download MP3

Visit The World’s Science forum
BBC coverage

China’s dirty water problem

By The World ⋅ February 11, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Dr. Peter Gleick about China’s massive water pollution problems. The Chinese government reported this week that levels of common water pollutants were twice as high as they had previously thought.

Carbon footprint labels on British food

By The World ⋅ February 9, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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The World’s Laura Lynch reports that British consumers are finding two labels now on their food — one for nutritional facts, the other on the food’s carbon footprint.