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Plastics Treaty Delayed
Crafting a UN plastic pollution treaty hasn’t been easy, with countries butting heads on key issues including curbs on plastic production, changes of the chemistry of plastics and the role of waste management. And the recent session in Korea that was supposed to finalize the treaty resulted in only a very rough draft.
$250 Billion Yearly Economic Costs from Plastics
Hormone-disrupting chemicals in plastics take a yearly economic and health toll in the hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. alone, according to a 2024 study. Pediatrician Leonardo Trasande discusses the research and explains why PFAS, phthalates, BPA and flame retardants in plastics are so harmful to human health.
Climate Action at the World Court
The world’s biggest climate case is underway at the International Court of Justice at the Hague in the Netherlands. Over 100 countries and intergovernmental organizations are arguing before a 15-judge panel, which could decide to issue an advisory opinion to clarify nations’ obligations to limit global warming emissions.
Giraffes in Trouble
Facing habitat loss, poaching and climate disruption, giraffes have declined more than 40 percent in the last thirty years. The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed listing three giraffe subspecies as endangered and two others as threatened. We talk about the threats to giraffes and how their proposed addition to the Endangered Species List could aid recovery.
UN Climate Summit Falters
The UN climate treaty summit known as COP29 teetered on the edge of collapse as less developed nations implored the rich countries of the global north to provide financial relief to help them cope with rising climate costs. Alden Meyer of E3G was at the COP and explains the frustrations with the process and the compromise delegates eventually reached.
Seal Island
The rocky coast of Maine is an ecological hotspot but to see a lot of its wildlife, you’ll have to venture out to sea. And that’s where Living on Earth’s Explorer in Residence, Mark Seth Lender found himself not long ago.
Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer's Guide to the Universe
Astronomer Philip Plait wondered what it would be like to walk on Mars, fall into a black hole, or fly through a nebula, so he wrote a book, Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer’s Guide to the Universe. He reveals the strange colors of a sunset on Mars, what it’s like on a planet orbiting binary stars, the unique challenges of landing on an asteroid, and more.
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Celebrating 30 years of Living on Earth!
Host Steve Curwood in the Living on Earth studio
Why Exxon is Pro-Paris
Major fossil fuel corporations including ExxonMobil are clearly stating they would prefer the U.S. remain in the Paris Climate Agreement, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to take the country back out. We discuss oil majors’ long-term plans for an energy transition.
Plastics Treaty Delayed
Crafting a UN plastic pollution treaty hasn’t been easy, with countries butting heads on key issues including curbs on plastic production, changes of the chemistry of plastics and the role of waste management. And the recent session in Korea that was supposed to finalize the treaty resulted in only a very rough draft.
Giraffes in Trouble
Facing habitat loss, poaching and climate disruption, giraffes have declined more than 40 percent in the last thirty years. The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed listing three giraffe subspecies as endangered and two others as threatened. We talk about the threats to giraffes and how their proposed addition to the Endangered Species List could aid recovery.
This Week’s Show
December 6, 2024
listen / download
Climate Action at the World Court
listen / download
The world’s biggest climate case is underway at the International Court of Justice at the Hague in the Netherlands. Over 100 countries and intergovernmental organizations are arguing before a 15-judge panel, which could decide to issue an advisory opinion to clarify nations’ obligations to limit global warming emissions.
Why Exxon is Pro-Paris
listen / download
Major fossil fuel corporations including ExxonMobil are clearly stating they would prefer the U.S. remain in the Paris Climate Agreement, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to take the country back out. We discuss oil majors’ long-term plans for an energy transition.
Plastics Treaty Delayed
listen / download
Crafting a UN plastic pollution treaty hasn’t been easy, with countries butting heads on key issues including curbs on plastic production, changes of the chemistry of plastics and the role of waste management. And the recent session in Korea that was supposed to finalize the treaty resulted in only a very rough draft.
$250 Billion Yearly Economic Costs from Plastics
listen / download
Hormone-disrupting chemicals in plastics take a yearly economic and health toll in the hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. alone, according to a 2024 study. Pediatrician Leonardo Trasande discusses the research and explains why PFAS, phthalates, BPA and flame retardants in plastics are so harmful to human health.
Giraffes in Trouble
listen / download
Facing habitat loss, poaching and climate disruption, giraffes have declined more than 40 percent in the last thirty years. The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed listing three giraffe subspecies as endangered and two others as threatened. We talk about the threats to giraffes and how their proposed addition to the Endangered Species List could aid recovery.
Special Features
Field Note: "Seal Island"
Living on Earth’s Explorer in Residence, Mark Seth Lender reflects on the military history of Seal Island in the Main Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
Field Note: Eagle!
Rise early in the morning and head out to a nearby national wildlife refuge, and you’ve got a good shot of being rewarded with the sights and sounds of all kinds of birds. And on this birdwatching trip, you might be watched back.
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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