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UN Climate Summit COP 28 Update
As the COP28 UN Climate Summit in Dubai enters its final hours delegates have yet to achieve consensus for the Global Stock take. That’s a report on progress toward the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aspires to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Most delegates say there is insufficient progress to meet those goals, and too little financing to help poor countries adapt to climate disruption.
A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World
Even if the world’s nations come together to keep temperatures from rising beyond 1.5 degrees, we face a troubling and uncertain future. David Gessner’s 2023 book A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World: Tales of Fire, Wind, and Water grapples with a complicated relationship with hope amid a warming world.
Environmental Racism in Birmingham
In North Birmingham, Alabama, racist zoning practices and industrial coke production have plagued Black communities for decades. Despite a growing focus on environmental justice from the federal government, it’s yet to be clear how new funds will help the communities in North Birmingham.
Bacon Bear
Smell is an ancient and powerful sense, and for our Explorer in Residence Mark Seth Lender, it evokes potent memories and an encounter with a hungry polar bear.
Deep-Freezing to Thwart Extinction
Scientists are turning to high tech solutions to preserve genetic diversity of endangered species, including biobanking with frozen cells and living tissues. A new project aims to biobank 24 endangered mammals to start, and we explore the science of using biobanked material to restore healthy populations of black-footed ferrets, Mexican wolves and more.
Unmasking Secret Fracking Chemicals
Many of the chemicals used in fracking for natural gas are hazardous to human health, but loopholes in disclosure laws mean that companies can keep them secret. So Pennsylvania’s Governor is moving to compel companies to disclose the chemicals they use in fracking operations.
China and US Restart Climate Diplomacy
The world is way off track from the Paris Agreement goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. A new joint statement on fighting the climate crisis from the world’s two biggest emitters, China and the United States, offers a glimmer of hope for global action on the eve of COP28.
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Celebrating 30 years of Living on Earth!
Host Steve Curwood in the Living on Earth studio
House Republicans Oppose Environmental Justice
The very first bill that Speaker Mike Johnson passed through the House would gut many energy and climate projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, even though Republican states are massively benefiting from this funding. The repeal would also block environmental justice efforts and deny a “just transition” for disadvantaged communities.
UN Climate Summit COP 28 Update
As the COP28 UN Climate Summit in Dubai enters its final hours delegates have yet to achieve consensus for the Global Stock take. That’s a report on progress toward the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aspires to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Most delegates say there is insufficient progress to meet those goals, and too little financing to help poor countries adapt to climate disruption.
Australia's Climate Visas for Tuvalu
The tiny island nation of Tuvalu faces inundation from rising seas, and a new treaty would allow a limited number of its citizens to study, work or live in Australia under a climate-related visa program with geopolitical implications.
This Week’s Show
December 8, 2023
listen / download
House Republicans Oppose Environmental Justice
listen / download
The very first bill that Speaker Mike Johnson passed through the House would gut many energy and climate projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, even though Republican states are massively benefiting from this funding. The repeal would also block environmental justice efforts and deny a “just transition” for disadvantaged communities.
Beyond the Headlines
listen / download
This week, we have an “underground” success story about the rediscovery of a rare species of golden mole with some help from a border collie. Also, a jetliner recently flew across the Atlantic powered by waste fats and sugars. And in history, a look back to the 1980 creation of Superfund to clean up toxic waste.
UN Climate Summit COP 28 Update
listen / download
As the COP28 UN Climate Summit in Dubai enters its final hours delegates have yet to achieve consensus for the Global Stock take. That’s a report on progress toward the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aspires to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Most delegates say there is insufficient progress to meet those goals, and too little financing to help poor countries adapt to climate disruption.
A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World
listen / download
Even if the world’s nations come together to keep temperatures from rising beyond 1.5 degrees, we face a troubling and uncertain future. David Gessner’s 2023 book A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World: Tales of Fire, Wind, and Water grapples with a complicated relationship with hope amid a warming world.
Australia's Climate Visas for Tuvalu
listen / download
The tiny island nation of Tuvalu faces inundation from rising seas, and a new treaty would allow a limited number of its citizens to study, work or live in Australia under a climate-related visa program with geopolitical implications.
Poetic Plea for The Marshall Islands
listen / download
The Marshall Islands’ thousands of residents are extremely vulnerable to climate change. A poet describes life on the island and the threat from rising seas and performs her piece “Tell Them.”
Special Features
Field Note: "Oh, Say Can You See?": Kingfisher on Long Island Sound
Living on Earth's Explorer in Residence Mark Seth Lender provides some context for his essay, "Oh, Say Can You See?" about a kingfisher on Long Island Sound.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
Field Note: Cliff Hanger
Explorer-in-Residence Mark Seth Lender expands on his essay about cormorants and explains how the remnants of war can create refuges for wildlife where no humans will venture.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
...Ultimately, if we are going prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, we are going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them...
-- President Barack Obama, November 6, 2015 on why he declined to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.
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