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Willing to End Fossil Fuels
The first gathering of a new international “coalition of the willing” to transition away from fossil fuels recently took place in Colombia. It’s a separate event from the UN COP climate negotiations and was born in part out of frustration over fossil fuel friendly nations like the US, Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia stalling the COP process. Rodrigo Estrada, Senior Climate Advisor at Greenpeace International, was there and shares the takeaways and next steps.
Coastal Damage Cases Move to Federal Court
In 2025, a Louisiana jury awarded Plaquemines Parish $745 million to repair environmental damages and land loss caused by oil giant Chevron and its subsidiary Texaco over many decades. But in April the US Supreme Court ruled 8 to 0 that the claims belong in federal court. In his majority opinion Justice Clarence Thomas found that Chevron’s work producing aviation fuel for the United States military during World War II made them federal agents beyond the reach of state courts.
AJR Rock Star Recruits for Climate Action
The indie-pop band AJR is known for its high-energy anthems and along with growing their fan base of mostly young adults, AJR is growing the climate movement. At sold-out concerts, they offer fans ways to plug in to climate advocacy. AJR bassist Adam Met joins us to talk about engaging fans to sign petitions, join local groups and, most importantly, vote.
Major National Climate Victory in S. Korea
The recipient of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize for Asia is South Korean activist Borim Kim. She and her organization, Youth 4 Climate Action, sued the South Korean government on the grounds that it was putting future generations at risk. And in August of 2024, they won a historic decision at the South Korean Constitutional Court, making this case the first successful youth-driven climate litigation in Asia.
Glyphosate at the Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments for Monsanto v. Durnell, a case about whether states can require warning labels on pesticides if the EPA does not. This stems from thousands of lawsuits against Roundup maker Monsanto, alleging that farmers and landscapers who developed cancer weren’t warned of the risks. Though the World Health organization has classified glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup, as “probably carcinogenic”, the EPA has not found glyphosate can cause cancer.
How Oil Fuels Conflict
The US-Israel joint war against Iran has shaken global energy markets, closed the Strait of Hormuz and restricted the flow of oil and natural gas worldwide. It's the latest of conflicts over Iranian oil, though for the first time the growing emergence of fossil free energy sources is prompting visions of ending our decades of dependence on oil, with its pollution and inevitable wars.
"Snapping Turtle"
Now that it’s spring in the Northern Hemisphere, before long snapping turtles will be laying their eggs. Living on Earth’s Explorer in Residence, Mark Seth Lender shares this encounter with one old mother turtle.
Celebrating 30 years of Living on Earth!
Host Steve Curwood in the Living on Earth studio
Join the Living on Earth Book Club on October 13th!
Bestselling science journalist Ed Yong joins us to talk about his new book. Click here to learn more and register!
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Willing to End Fossil Fuels
The first gathering of a new international “coalition of the willing” to transition away from fossil fuels recently took place in Colombia. It’s a separate event from the UN COP climate negotiations and was born in part out of frustration over fossil fuel friendly nations like the US, Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia stalling the COP process. Rodrigo Estrada, Senior Climate Advisor at Greenpeace International, was there and shares the takeaways and next steps.
AJR Rock Star Recruits for Climate Action
The indie-pop band AJR is known for its high-energy anthems and along with growing their fan base of mostly young adults, AJR is growing the climate movement. At sold-out concerts, they offer fans ways to plug in to climate advocacy. AJR bassist Adam Met joins us to talk about engaging fans to sign petitions, join local groups and, most importantly, vote.
Major National Climate Victory in S. Korea
The recipient of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize for Asia is South Korean activist Borim Kim. She and her organization, Youth 4 Climate Action, sued the South Korean government on the grounds that it was putting future generations at risk. And in August of 2024, they won a historic decision at the South Korean Constitutional Court, making this case the first successful youth-driven climate litigation in Asia.
This Week’s Show
May 8, 2026
listen / download
Willing to End Fossil Fuels
listen / download
The first gathering of a new international “coalition of the willing” to transition away from fossil fuels recently took place in Colombia. It’s a separate event from the UN COP climate negotiations and was born in part out of frustration over fossil fuel friendly nations like the US, Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia stalling the COP process. Rodrigo Estrada, Senior Climate Advisor at Greenpeace International, was there and shares the takeaways and next steps.
Coastal Damage Cases Move to Federal Court
listen / download
In 2025, a Louisiana jury awarded Plaquemines Parish $745 million to repair environmental damages and land loss caused by oil giant Chevron and its subsidiary Texaco over many decades. But in April the US Supreme Court ruled 8 to 0 that the claims belong in federal court. In his majority opinion Justice Clarence Thomas found that Chevron’s work producing aviation fuel for the United States military during World War II made them federal agents beyond the reach of state courts.
AJR Rock Star Recruits for Climate Action
listen / download
The indie-pop band AJR is known for its high-energy anthems and along with growing their fan base of mostly young adults, AJR is growing the climate movement. At sold-out concerts, they offer fans ways to plug in to climate advocacy. AJR bassist Adam Met joins us to talk about engaging fans to sign petitions, join local groups and, most importantly, vote.
Nostalgic Mothering: "Saturnine" Poem
listen / download
Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of the collection of poems Night Owl, joined us in April for poetry month. And in this poem, called “Saturnine,” Aimee recalls a moment when her then-seven-year-old son announced his plan to move to Saturn, reminding her that one day, she’d have to let her little boy fly from the nest.
Major National Climate Victory in S. Korea
listen / download
The recipient of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize for Asia is South Korean activist Borim Kim. She and her organization, Youth 4 Climate Action, sued the South Korean government on the grounds that it was putting future generations at risk. And in August of 2024, they won a historic decision at the South Korean Constitutional Court, making this case the first successful youth-driven climate litigation in Asia.
Special Features
Field Note: "After the Storm"
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence, Mark Seth Lender, ruminates on the storm as it meets the shore.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
Field Note: "Countermeasures"
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence, Mark Seth Lender, shares observations about shorebirds in flight.
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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