http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,12302,00.html?maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss 50 stories, 5 continents, 1 theme: showcasing passionate people and innovative projects from around the world aimed at combating climate change. en 2012 DW-WORLD.DE, Deutsche Welle Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:36:20 GMT Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:36:20 GMT http://www.dw.de/image/0,,5178858_10,00.jpg http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,12302,00.html?maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss no clean DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle podcasts@dw-world.de 50 stories, 5 continents, 1 theme: showcasing passionate people and innovative projects from around the world aimed at combating climate change. 50 stories, 5 continents, 1 theme: showcasing passionate people and innovative projects from around the world aimed at combating climate change. 30 http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=199&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=199&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss For years, green waste such as shrubs, cuttings and plant remains from parks, fields and football stadiums have ended up on massive trash heaps in South Africa’s biggest cities. But a local company has found an innovative way to deal with the problem. It converts the piles of garbage into microbiological compost. That’s good news for landowners, who can use the cheaper and more sustainable compost as fertilizer on their fields. And most importantly, composting carries significant benefits for the climate. Decaying trash releases massive amounts of methane gas into the atmosphere, a pollutant that is 20 times more harmful for our environment than carbon dioxide. A film by Mabel Gundlach DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:54 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=198&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=198&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss For years, green waste such as shrubs, cuttings and plant remains from parks, fields and football stadiums have ended up on massive trash heaps in South Africa’s biggest cities. But a local company has found an innovative way to deal with the problem. It converts the piles of garbage into microbiological compost. That’s good news for landowners, who can use the cheaper and more sustainable compost as fertilizer on their fields. And most importantly, composting carries significant benefits for the climate. Decaying trash releases massive amounts of methane gas into the atmosphere, a pollutant that is 20 times more harmful for our environment than carbon dioxide. A film by Mabel Gundlach DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:30 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=197&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=197&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The cow is the most important farm animal in parts of Africa. But climate change is threatening the existence of the animal. Recurring droughts and extreme heat are making cows unable to produce essential milk. In Kenya, a group of farmers has found an alternative in camel milk. Unlike cows, camels can withstand long periods of extreme drought and still produce milk, all year round. Some 200 women have already made the switch from cow to camel milk, which is believed to be healthier. The move has improved living conditions for many, especially because they are able to sell milk from their camels at a competitive price. A report by Holger Trzeczak. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:08 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=196&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=196&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss In Sri Lanka, hydropower could be the key to ensuring a clean and stable energy supply in the future. Water weaves throughout the small island, emptying out into the ocean. There is little room to build more dams, so instead, officials plan to construct small hydropower plants to stem the growing demand for energy. Sri Lankans themselves know very well how valuable their water is: the country is home to the world’s oldest irrigation system. That’s helped farmers adapt to the effects of climate change. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:40 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=195&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=195&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss In Sri Lanka, hydropower could be the key to ensuring a clean and stable energy supply in the future. Water weaves throughout the small island, emptying out into the ocean. There is little room to build more dams, so instead, officials plan to construct small hydropower plants to stem the growing demand for energy. Sri Lankans themselves know very well how valuable their water is: the country is home to the world’s oldest irrigation system. That’s helped farmers adapt to the effects of climate change. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:46 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=194&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=194&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The cow is the most important farm animal in parts of Africa. But climate change is threatening the existence of the animal. Recurring droughts and extreme heat are making cows unable to produce essential milk. In Kenya, a group of farmers has found an alternative in camel milk. Unlike cows, camels can withstand long periods of extreme drought and still produce milk all year round. Some 200 women have already made the switch from cow to camel milk, which is believed to be healthier. The move has improved living conditions for many, especially because they are able to sell milk from their camels at a competitive price. A film by Holger Trzeczak DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:49 Tue, 7 Feb 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=193&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=193&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss El Salvador is well-known for its majestic, powerful volcanoes. The hot, steaming lava that bubbles just under the earth’s surface serves the country well. Water is pumped 1,200 meters into the hot earth to power steam water turbines in geothermal power plants. Through this process, El Salvador generates about a fourth of its electricity – no CO2 emissions involved. Now, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GiZ) is helping the country develop its geothermal potential even further. Engineers are demonstrating how geothermal energy can be used on a micro level, like in small businesses. A report by Manuel Oezcerkes. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:50 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=192&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=192&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss El Salvador is well-known for its majestic, powerful volcanoes. The hot, steaming lava that bubbles just under the earth’s surface serves the country well. Water is pumped 1,200 meters into the hot earth to power steam water turbines in geothermal power plants. Through this process, El Salvador generates about a fourth of its electricity – no CO2 emissions involved. Now, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GiZ) is helping the country develop its geothermal potential even further. Engineers are demonstrating how geothermal energy can be used on a micro level, like in small businesses. A report by Manuel Oezcerkes DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:45 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=191&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=191&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss On the island of Mindoro in the Philippines, many villages go dark at night. There is no electrical grid, and generators are too expensive. Solar lamps present an affordable and sensible alternative, but they aren’t cheap. That’s why bankers and fishers are turning to the Filipino bank CARD, which finances the lamps with microcredit loans. The lamps operate on the same electrical grid as the village shops do, and shop owners are now making a profit. They have even started attending seminars on how to invest money and improve their businesses. The lamps have been so popular that CARD is starting to develop additional eco-friendly products to offer to the villagers – like solar-powered stoves. A film by Birgit Maaß DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:19 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=190&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=190&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss On the island of Mindoro in the Philippines, many villages go dark at night. There is no electrical grid, and generators are too expensive. Solar lamps present an affordable and sensible alternative, but they aren’t cheap. That’s why bankers and fishers are turning to the Filipino bank CARD, which finances the lamps with microcredit loans. The lamps operate on the same electrical grid as the village shops do, and shop owners are now making a profit. They have even started attending seminars on how to invest money and improve their businesses. The lamps have been so popular that CARD is starting to develop additional eco-friendly products to offer to the villagers – like solar-powered stoves. A film by Birgit Maaß DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:31 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=189&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=189&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Climate change has made rainfall in Nicaragua increasingly erratic and the long periods of drought have been spelling trouble for farmers. They're forced to depend on diesel water pumps to get ground water in order to irrigate their fields and provide water for their livestock. But diesel isn't just expensive, it also pollutes the environment. The solution to the ruinous cycle is solar-powered water pumps developed by local institutions. Though the environmentally-friendly pumps aren't exactly cheap, several farmers have been opting for them because the investment pays off in the long run. And they're much cleaner than their diesel-run counterparts. A film by Juri Rescheto DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:18 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=188&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=188&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Rainfall is increasingly erratic in Nicaragua, and the long periods of drought are spelling trouble for famers. They're forced to depend on expensive water pumps in order to irrigate their fields and provide water for their livestock. The solution for Nicaragua's dry land comes from the sun. A German teacher in Nicaragua worked together with the local population to create solar-powered water pumps. At first, they were gifted to some farmers, but now landowners have to pay for the pumps themselves. Still, it's a worthy investment: in the long-term, solar-powered irrigation systems end up being much cheaper than the alternative. The project is expected to be profitable in just two years and save on diesel fuel costs as well. And the biggest bonus for the farmers? They can plant crops all year round. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:55 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=187&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=187&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss GLOBAL Ideas seeks to break down complex issues regarding climate change. That’s why we've begun a series of information films to answer some basic questions. In this episode we deal with the question – “How much are forests worth? Is it possible to save a forest by placing a value on each tree? And what does REDD+ mean in this context?” We look forward to your discussion on the topic. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:01 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=186&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=186&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Nam Phui national protected area in Laos near the border with Thailand plays an important role in maintaining the world's climate balance. But the local population often earn their living through poaching and illegal deforestation. The United Nations REDD+ project aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation is being implemented by the government in Laos. It's supported by local organizations and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and aims to provide alternate sources of income for local communities. That includes training people to protect the forests and switch to breeding new varieties of plants or producing organic wood coal. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:14 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=185&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=185&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Nam Phui national protected area in Laos near the border with Thailand plays an important role in maintaining the world's climate balance. But the local population often earn their living through poaching and illegal deforestation. The United Nations REDD+ project aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation is being implemented by the government in Laos. It's supported by local organizations and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and aims to provide alternate sources of income for local communities. That includes training people to protect the forests and switch to breeding new varieties of plants or producing organic wood coal. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:11 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=183&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=183&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Global Ideas is on to find the basic answers to climate issues. In our series of information films, we explain these complicated issues in a very simple and clear way. The first episode raises the question: Does global warming really exists? - The background is the increasingly colder winters in Europe in recent years. A film by Wiebke Feuersenger and Anna Wills. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:45 Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=179&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=179&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Rwanda's verdant Virunga forests are home to rare mountain gorillas. Their habitat however is critically endangered. New projects seek to protect the primates and improve life for local communities. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:10 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=176&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=176&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss It hardly ever rains in the Peruvian capital of Lima, which is surrounded by desert. With less than one centimeter of rainfall per year, the city's population of nine million depends on glacier water from the Andes. But now the glaciers are melting at the same time as Lima‘s population is growing. It's expected to reach 12 million by the year 2050. Drinking water is in increasingly short supply. The Lima Water project (LiWa) sets out to tackle the looming water crisis. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:29 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=173&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=173&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Environmental protection is a largely neglected issue in South Africa and there is little public understanding of what individuals can do to help. Few houses are insulated and people tend to rely on air conditioning in summer and electric heaters in winter. As part of the United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Durban in December, a train will be traveling across the country to raise awareness of environmental issues. It's an interesting project given that South Africa is one of Africa's strongest economies and other African nations often follow its example. The train will reach Durban on the eve of the conference and remain there throughout its duration. Once it's over, the train will set off once again. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:02 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=172&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=172&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss In the city of Sochi in Russia, preparations are well underway for the Winter Olympics in 2014. But with several new venues and extensions to the existing infrastructure under construction, conservationists are concerned about the effect of the event on the environment. They're especially worried about what will happen to the Western Caucasus, a UNESCO World Heritage site which will be directly affected by the games. The region is home to a great diversity of ecosystems, including important plants and wildlife. The Sochi Organizing Committee (SOOC) has pledged to use an environmentally-friendly approach and green standards to minimize the damage. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:00 Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=168&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=168&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Kasigau Corridor located between Kenya’s Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks functions as a critical wildlife corridor between the two parks. Ten years ago, the Tsavo was devastated by poaching and drought. The conservation agency Wildlife Works set about restoring it to health, planting trees and teaching the local population the importance of sustainability. Today, the park is once again home to a thriving elephant population. Wildlife Works also raises awareness of climate change. It’s estimated that the Tsavo’s revitalized forests will store one million tons of carbon dioxide per year over the next 30 years. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:56 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=167&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=167&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Kasigau Corridor located between Kenya’s Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks functions as a critical wildlife corridor between the two parks. Ten years ago, the Tsavo was devastated by poaching and drought. The conservation agency Wildlife Works set about restoring it to health, planting trees and teaching the local population the importance of sustainability. Today, the park is once again home to a thriving elephant population. Wildlife Works also raises awareness of climate change. It’s estimated that the Tsavo’s revitalized forests will store one million tons of carbon dioxide per year over the next 30 years. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:38 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=166&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=166&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Guatemala's third-largest national park "Sierra del Lacandon," located in the country's north, could lose over half its rainforest cover in 25 years. Illegal tree-cutting, unauthorized settlements, cattle breeding and corn cultivation are to blame. But a project by the German tropical forest foundation "OroVerde" is trying to protect the forest with the help of local partners. The organization is trying to spur farmers in the region to protect the rainforest by offering them a small compensation and guaranteeing them land use rights in the national park. The farmers are encouraged to reforest destroyed areas with local plant varieties. The measures are supported by international climate protection initiatives and the European Union. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:28 Tue, 8 Nov 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=165&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=165&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Turkey’s economy is growing fast. The need for energy is also on the rise, and officials are worried the supply won’t meet the demand. That’s why the country is investing in wind power. Turkey's wind farms produced 1.3 gigawatts of energy at the end of 2010 alone. Now, an NGO called myclimate is helping the country make gains in clean energy. The organization purchases the emissions reduction certificates from wind farm owners, offsetting harmful greenhouse gases. The myclimate projects are certified 'Gold Standard': that means the projects have an international stamp of approval. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:20 Tue, 1 Nov 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=163&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=163&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Energy generated from hydropower has been Bosnia’s biggest export for decades. During the Bosnian war, many important power plants and energy grids were destroyed, and restoring them has cost millions of euros. Germany’s government-owned development bank KfW is financing repairs at two major hydropower plants, and more are on the way. Clean energy is on the rise in Bosnia, and investment in renewable energy sources is growing. The country’s first ever wind turbine park is now in the planning. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:19 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=162&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=162&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss It may be a small, sleepy farming community in southern Germany, but Wildpoldsried is setting an important example for the rest of Germany and the world. The tiny municipality in the Alps is only home to 2500 people, but it produces three times as much energy as it consumes – and 100% of that energy comes from renewable sources. Wildpoldsried has been known as an eco-friendly haven since 1998. Residents there have invested in the region's green projects, and they've benefited from its reputation, too. Even global corporations like Siemens have discovered Wildpoldsried. The company is using the region to test smart grids, the intelligent grid system that's the key to efficiently distributing clean energy. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 04:35 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=161&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=161&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss China is becoming ever wealthier – especially the country’s middle class. And as prosperity grows, so does the number of cars on the streets. But that trend has led to increasingly congested roads and air pollution. Now, a group of Chinese companies are working together with the German Society for International Cooperation (GiZ) to protect the environment. Together, they believe electro-mobility could be the key to clearing the air and reducing traffic. The technology and infrastructure are lacking, but they’re still driving forward with research and experimentation. They're trying out electric taxis and public transit in more than 20 test cities across China. Electric bicycles and scooters are already on the road. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:41 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=160&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=160&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Have you ever wondered what happens to all that used cooking fat in restaurants and kitchens? In Austria, it’s used to produce clean energy. The oil is purified and transformed into eco-friendly fuel. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 04:51 Tue, 4 Oct 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=159&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=159&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Jeremy Rifkin is the president of the Foundation on Economic Trends, he has written seventeen books on the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society, and the environment. GLOBAL IDEAS talked to him about ways to stop global warming, his new economic visions and the way we maybe need to change our way of life. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:24 Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=158&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=158&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Danish island of Samsö has been carbon-neutral for years, generating more renewable energy than its residents need. The farmers here have invested in wind turbines. They burn locally-grown straw in central plants to provide heat. Despite that, the island isn't a 100-percent ecological. The cars and tractors here are still powered by diesel and fuel. That's now set to change. The brains behind a novel project, Sören Hermansen, is planning to make Samsö truly carbon-free. He's pushing for all vehicles to be propelled by electric engines. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:46 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=157&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=157&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The countdown is on – in less than a year, London is to host the Olympic Games. The organizers have promised to make it the "greenest games" yet. They plan to cut the carbon footprint by 100,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions in the procurement of materials and venue construction among other things. But how exactly will that work? Can a gigantic infrastructure project such as the Olympics actually be built in a truly sustainable manner? Will London become a green model for future Olympic Games or is the whole thing simply deceptive as some critics claim? Find out more next week on GLOBAL IDEAS. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 04:51 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=156&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=156&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Three wheels, an axis and a two-stroke engine – that’s the classic motorized rickshaw seen on the roads of India, Thailand and other countries in Asia and Africa. Now the flimsy vehicle is set to make a splash in the European motor market – in a new electric version. The E-rick has already been plying the roads of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Den Haag – without the usual rattling and pollution associated with its conventional counterpart abroad. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:13 Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=155&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=155&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Waves and tides contain enough energy to meet the electricity needs of all of mankind. Two thirds of the earth’s surface is covered by water and scientists around the world are experimenting with small plants that generate electricity from the tides. There are currently some 150 initiatives that focus on harvesting energy from tidal currents. One of the most promising projects is carried out by British company Marine Current Turbines in a bay in Northern Ireland. The tidal-power facility is one of the most powerful in the world. The technology works like a wind turbine but instead of wind, the turbines are driven by the flow of tidal currents. It offers an advantage over wind because currents are predictable. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 04:44 Tue, 6 Sep 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=154&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=154&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Extreme drought and famine in East Africa have affected over 12 million people who are now in need of humanitarian aid. The reasons for the catastrophe are not new. A growing population, soil erosion and climate change have led to agricultural land being used more intensively under increasingly dry conditions. The result is that harvests are failing and becoming increasingly unpredictable. But how will people in the threatened region be able to feed themselves in future without being dependant on food aid in the long run? Initiatives by local governments and international aid groups have pushed for sustainable agriculture as a crucial tool to fight the region’s problems. The aim is to reduce soil erosion and make irrigation more efficient. There are already some success stories – for instance, food security has improved in some highland regions thanks to such initiatives. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:49 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=153&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=153&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss For his shoot on location at Monte Rosa Hut in the Swiss Alps our reporter Sascha Quaiser took a short cut and ascended to the mountain shelter via helicopter. Here are a couple of scenes from his approach to the shelter, showing glaciers and stunning panoramic views of the mountainscape including the Matterhorn - one of the highest peaks in the Alps. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:28 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=152&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=152&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Global warming has already made an impact on tourism in the Swiss Alps. Several hiking trails have had to be diverted because existing paths have simply been eroded. That’s because melting glacial ice has led to the formation of new lakes in the Alps. Now, Swiss authorities are promoting eco-tourism to counter the destruction. One of the projects, unveiled two years ago, involved designing an eco-friendly hiking shelter. The structure generates its own energy without the need for oil or coal. It boasts solar modules, sophisticated ventilation and lighting and low-carbon water treatment. Batteries help to store surplus energy. GLOBAL IDEAS’ reporters took a look at the model shelter high up in the Alps. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:58 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=151&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=151&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Europe’s largest indie and electronic music festival emits as much carbon dioxide over one single weekend as a small town. That’s now set to change. The organizers of the "Melt! Festival" want visitors to party sustainably. Solar panels at the festival’s grounds are to generate a part of the over 70,000 kilowatts needed for the E-guitars, amplifiers or lights over the weekend. And 700 of the visitors will travel to the festival by train. The festival, in cooperation with the "Green Music Initiative” is hoping to be a environmentally-friendly trailblazer for other festivals. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:33 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=148&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=148&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Vietnam's thirst for energy is growing, and being quenched with power stations powered by fossil fuels. Renewables have yet to be tapped, even though the country's geographical situation makes wind energy and hydropower viable alternatives. Private investors often face administrative hurdles. The GIZ German Society for International Cooperation is helping Vietnam iron out the difficulties and advising the government on ways to promote green energy. It?s also providing logistical and technical aid in training skilled Vietnamese workers and setting up wind parks. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:47 Wed, 3 Aug 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=147&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=147&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss New data show that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest is on the rise again. What is the Brazilian government doing to halt destruction? And how will the country stick to its goal of cutting carbon emissions by third within ten years? GLOBAL IDEAS talked to Brazil's environment minister. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:21 Tue, 2 Aug 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=146&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=146&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss In the Indian state of Sikkim, some 80 percent of farmers get their water from springs rather thanrivers. But a lack of rainfall and deforestation mean water has become a scarce commodity there. A joint project between the government and WWF India is trying to do something about it: Farmers are being taught how to secure the water in their wells. They dig pits that allow for more rainwater to seep into the ground. New trees and feed-grass keep the water in the earth, tanks collect the spring water. These measures are supported by international climate protection initiatives. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:53 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=145&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=145&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Today we had the opportunity to talk to C. B. Bhattacharya, E.ON Chair Professor in Corporate Responsibility, at the ESMT European School of Management and Technology. He is responsible for the ESMT Sustainable Business Roundtable (SBRT). The forum took place in Berlin today. The ideas behind the SBRT is to establish a partnership between business and academia. C. B. Bhattacharya is talking about the progress of green industries, the phenomenon of greenwashing and the important role of social media in the process. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:53 Wed, 6 Jul 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=144&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=144&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Robin Chase is the founder & CEO of Buzzcar, an peer to peer carsharing company. She is also founder and former CEO of Zipcar, the largest carsharing company in the world. She serves on advisory committees for the US Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Transportation. Her statement for GLOBAL IDEAS is about the future of car sharing. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:08 Wed, 6 Jul 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=143&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=143&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Jack Short is the Secretary General of the International Transport Forum. He is also the Director of the Joint OECD/ITF Transport Research Centre. In his statement for GLOBAL IDEAS he explains how ways of transport could change until 2050. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:48 Wed, 6 Jul 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=142&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=142&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Serbia's energy infrastructure is in desperate need of an overhaul. Though demand for energy is soaring, much of it is inefficiently delivered to the country's residents. The German government-owned KfW bank has now offered loans worth more than 50 million euros ($71 million) to Serbian companies who have promised to switch to renewable energies. They are subject to monitoring to ensure that the money is actually invested in green energy. To qualify for the eco loans, the companies have to cut either 20 percent of their carbon emissions or 20 percent of their energy consumption. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:55 Tue, 5 Jul 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=141&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=141&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Life in Bangladesh is determined by the two largest rivers in South Asia, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. To local populations, these two waterways are both lifelines and threats. During the rainy season, they often flood large parts of the country - and climate change is exacerbating extreme weather. As part of a pilot project to tackle the problem, a village in northern Bangladesh has been made flood-proof. Moreover, a program that uses simple but effective methods ensures that local incomes are guaranteed even during the rainy season. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:29 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=137&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=137&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Gita Wirjawan heads up the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board. He talked to GLOBAL IDEAS about the impact of climate change on his country and how Indonesia deals with the challenge. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:47 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=136&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=136&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Gita Wirjawan heads up the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board. He talked to GLOBAL IDEAS about the impact of climate change on his country and how Indonesia deals with the challenge. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:41 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=133&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=133&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss For generations, Russia’s nomadic Nenets have been hunting and herding reindeer in western Siberia. But the region is severely affected by climate change. According to estimates, the temperature in this icy corner of the world is set to rise by 3-4 degrees by 2050. Experts believe that climate change is adversely affecting the health of the Nenets, who suffer infections more frequently than they used to. A local project is investigating the effects of climate change on this indigenous group and developing ways that the international community can help the Nenets cope with the consequences of global warming. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:53 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=132&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=132&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Cape Verde Islands get plenty of sunshine and strong winds all year long. The island nation in the Atlantic Ocean already draws a fourth of its energy needs from wind and solar energy. But the island’s government aims to double that amount by 2020 and scale back the use of polluting fossil fuels. It’s the first country in western Africa to pass a law on renewable energies. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:41 Tue, 7 Jun 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=131&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=131&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The region of West Lunga in western Zambia is home to the vast Miombo dry woodlands. So far, the forest has remained largely free of human intervention. To ensure that it remains intact and continues to serve as a valuable carbon sink, the forest has been designated a conservation area. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:09 Tue, 31 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=130&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=130&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Many industrial firms in the Indian subcontinent are housed in large industrial parks where clean energy and efficient use of resources have so far not been a high priority. Now, however, a number of eco-industrial parks are coming up in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Companies are embracing more energy-efficient practices, lowering their impact on the environment and in the process, reducing costs. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:01 Tue, 31 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=128&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=128&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Solar power is still rarely used in Brazil, despite ideal weather conditions as well as rising gas and electricity costs. But that?s set to change. In Rio de Janeiro, a new residential complex is to be outfitted with solar-thermal water heating systems, thus avoiding the use of fossil fuels for heating water. City authorities have earmarked large parts of the new housing for poor families from neighboring favelas. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:05 Tue, 24 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=127&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=127&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss In the past, Chile?s winegrowers wasted vast amounts of energy. But now six vineyards are pioneering energy-efficiency in the country and have joined forces with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to develop wine-growing practices that cut energy consumption. Solar and geothermal energy is gaining popularity in the Tarapaca region south-west of Santiago, and experts predict that fossil fuels will soon be consigned to history. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:51 Tue, 17 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=126&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=126&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Sea turtles around the world are at risk from commercial fishing and the growing pollution of oceans. Each year, thousands of the marine creatures die as a result. Those that do survive and find suitable nesting places are often targeted by poachers. There is a huge demand for sea turtle eggs which are believed to have aphrodisiac qualities. The eggs fetch lucrative prices in a flourishing illegal market. In Costa Rica, one project made up of United Nations volunteers and other foreign counterparts, is trying to protect the endangered sea turtles. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:00 Tue, 10 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=125&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=125&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Costa Rica has a wealth of stunning landscapes – from dry woods, rainforests to mangrove belts on the coastline. The tiny Latin American country is home to five percent of the world’s best-known animal, insect and plant species. But the rich biodiversity is increasingly under threat. Shrinking forest cover is one of the biggest problems. Until a few decades ago, some 70 percent of the country was covered by forest; today that figure has dwindled to 40 percent. Environmentalists are now waging a battle against deforestation and illegal logging to try and improve the quality of life for Costa Rica’s population. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:01 Tue, 10 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=124&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=124&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Welectricity is one of the top 10 ideas that hat been put forward in the General Electric ECOmagination global contest. It is a web based, social networking application which will be used to promote energy efficiency in the Caribbean. It allows users to contribute information on their energy consumption habits, which can then be compared against their peers. Meanwhile people from more than 80 countries are part of welectricity. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 04:24 Tue, 3 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=123&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=123&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Komi Republic in Russia is home to a wealth of biological diversity including some of the world’s last boreal forests. They play a significant role in combating climate change since they store large quantities of carbon dioxide. In 1995, they were made a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site and now 15 percent of the forests are designated protected areas. But illegal deforestation and forests fires continue to pose a threat. Now, improved protection efforts backed up with international aid are making a difference. They’re also helping to raise public awareness of the forests’ global importance. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:35 Tue, 3 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=122&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=122&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Recent years have seen West Africa plagued by extended dry seasons that spell financial ruin for many small farmers. In Ghana, standard insurance against poor harvests tends to be expensive and impractical. A lack of reliable weather data makes it difficult to prove insurance damages. Ghana?s government aims to change that. It?s now cooperating with the national insurance association to provide insurance plans based on standardized data provided by authorized, automated weather stations. a film by Juri Rescheto DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:04 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=121&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=121&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Caribbean islands are still almost entirely dependent on oil for their electricity needs. Renewable energy plays a negligible role in the region’s energy supply despite the fact that geographical and climate conditions are ideal. Theoretically, the islands could meet all their electricity needs with geothermal energy and hydropower - and slowly but surely, that switch is happening. Report by Elke Opielka. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:20 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=120&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=120&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Uganda is one of the most fertile countries in Africa. So why are harvests getting worse every year? Partly, because dry seasons are lasting longer. For years, Ugandans have been feeling the effects of extreme dry weather but have continued ruthlessly exploiting the country's natural resources. The Climate Champion initiative introduced by the "British Council" aims to raise awareness of climate issues and encourage individuals to contribute to its protection. We meet some of them: a singer, an imam and a bishop – all respected public figures in Uganda and role models to the nation. A film by Manuel Oezcerkes DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:44 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=118&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=118&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Not only is Egypt witnessing political change - it's also improving its environmental track record. The Zafarana Wind Park is the largest of its kind in Africa and one of the most productive wind parks in the world - not least because conditions on the west coast of the Red Sea are ideal all year round. Moreover, the university of Cairo offers a course on renewable energy, so the country has no shortage of technical know-how. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:12 Tue, 5 Apr 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=116&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=116&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss In Turkey, household rubbish is usually deposited in large trash dumps and left to decay for years. But the rotting of organic waste, in particular, releases methane which is hugely damaging to the environment. In the city of Adana, a hi-tech facility now stores the methane gas and uses it to produce eco-friendly electricity. The project has already paid off – the local government now firmly supports the plant which brings revenue and helps protect the environment. The citizens of Adana too are impressed that their electricity comes from things such as a discarded banana peel. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:23 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=115&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=115&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Taiwan is known as a hi-tech country. But the country still relies largely on polluting coal-fired power plants for generating electricity. But things are slowly changing – in the country's southwest, a hydropower plant has just been connected to the grid. It supplies 13,000 households with clean, environmentally-friendly energy thanks to global carbon emissions trading. It assures operators of the plant further revenues if they sell CO2 certificates in a system similar to carbon offsetting. Airlines, in particular, use these schemes and use the hydropower plant to offset their emissions. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:58 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=114&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=114&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Africa boasts an abundance of natural resources that can be used to produce alternative low-carbon energies. It’s estimated that the continent’s entire electricity needs can be met with hydro-electric power. But for now, fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas remain the most significant sources of energy production. Things aren’t very different in the southwest African country of Namibia either. The country has been slow to develop renewable energies. But a host of small initiatives have sprung up in Namibia in recent years. They aim to wean the country off polluting fossil-bases fuels and move it towards a more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly future. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:15 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=113&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=113&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Melting ice caps, catastrophic hurricanes, floods and drought plunging entire regions into a water crisis. These are the drastic images often associated with climate change. But what's actually being done on the ground to halt global warming? What kind of projects are helping to reduce emissions, inform people and spur them to change their lifestyles? In more than 50 fascinating features, DW-TV, Germany's international broadcaster, showcases people and projects whose innovative ideas are helping combat global warming - from Thailand to Honduras, Jordan, India and Laos. A multinational team of authors, researchers, TV and online reporters is working on a multi-media presentation of the projects. The result is GLOBAL IDEAS. The online platform offers video content as well as background information on the topics. The featured climate projects are "Best Practice" models - ideas that help make a difference and inspire others to do likewise. The focus is on developing and newly industrialized countries. The projects are supported by the German environment ministry as part of the International Climate Initiative. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:49 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=112&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=112&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Over 90 percent of Malawi's rural population cook over an open fire. But traditional wood burning stoves consume vast amounts of firewood and expose the cooks to dangerous levels of smoke. New ovens developed in Malawi based on a Kenyan design are a clean alternative: Consuming half as much wood and causing considerably less smoke, they are both environmental and economical. A women's project in Malawi ensures that as many people as possible get to benefit, by taking charge of manufacture and marketing, and even teaching local women how they work." DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:15 Tue, 8 Mar 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=111&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=111&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss For more than 3 billion people around the world - 50 percent of the global population - rice is a staple of the daily diet. But not only are rice harvests highly vulnerable to climate change, rice farming is a huge source of methane emissions. Scientists at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines are striving to ensure that rice production is sustainable and stable, has minimal negative environmental impact, and can cope with climate change. The future for populations in many parts of the world relies on the success of their research. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:57 Tue, 1 Mar 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=110&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=110&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Peru is among the countries hardest hit by climate change. The population is grappling with the fall-out from natural disasters, water shortages and agricultural degradation. But experts believe that there is substantial potential for drawing electricity from hydropower in the South American country – which already depends on hydropower stations for 60 percent of its electricity. The percentage could be even higher, were the more remote parts of the country not off-grid. One solution could be micro-hydropower plants – and one development aid organization is helping locals install them in the Peruvian outback. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:13 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=109&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=109&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Most houses in Ukraine tend to waste huge amounts of energy, with windows that don’t shut properly and radiators that can’t be regulated. But one residential complex currently under construction in Kiev shows how much energy can be saved with efficient insulation and solar panels. Experts from the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) are advising the construction companies and contractors involved. Once the building is completed, running costs, energy consumption and greenhouse house emissions will be closely monitored for a year – and the results compared to the energy data of a conventional residential complex. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:10 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=108&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=108&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The scenic Indonesian island of Bali has a serious trash problem: It lacks any organized waste disposal system. Vast landfills are not only an increasing blot on the once pristine landscape – they also emit environmentally damaging methane. In the village of Temesi, people are taking matters into their own hands and have set up a recycling plant to tackle the mounds of trash. Every day sees over 100 people turn 60 tons of waste into compost, which they then sell to finance the facility. The pioneering pilot project is a role model for others in the region. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:06 Tue, 8 Feb 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=107&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=107&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Meet Leela Raina from India and Andrea Arzaba from Mexico. The two young climate activists attended the COP16 climate conference in Cancun, Mexico, in December. Their job at the conference: to track the offical negotiators of their countries. Andrea and Leela talked to GLOBAL IDEAS about their concerns and their ideas to curb climate change. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:09 Tue, 1 Feb 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=106&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=106&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Medellin, the second-largest city in Colombia, poses a unique challenge to urban planners. Many residential neighborhoods line the steep slopes of the Aburrá Valley, and have been inaccessible for years. Now, local authorities have come up with an innovative and environmentally-friendly solution: a cable car system operating between the city center and the high-altitude suburbs. The Medellin Metrocable both protects the environment and tackles poverty – residents of the marginalized districts are thereby better integrated into the city and the opportunities it affords. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:36 Tue, 1 Feb 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=105&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=105&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss GLOBAL IDEAS met the United Nations Volunteers of Cambodia celebrating the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Vonteers (IYV+10). The event took place at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:20 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=104&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=104&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Vietnam's thirst for energy is growing, and being quenched with power stations powered by fossil fuels. Renewables have yet to be tapped, even though the country's geographical situation makes wind energy and hydropower viable alternatives. Private investors often face administrative hurdles. The GIZ German Society for International Cooperation is helping Vietnam iron out the difficulties and advising the government on ways to promote green energy. It’s also providing logistical and technical aid in training skilled Vietnamese workers and setting up wind parks. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:47 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=103&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=103&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Small farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa are witnessing both drought and flooding increasingly often, and their harvests are suffering. In Ethiopia, some 80 percent of the population is affected. A German-Israeli project shares know-how and provides technical support aimed at teaching Ethiopian farmers how to farm their land sustainably. With engineers training staff from the farming ministry as well as farmers, the cooperation has already given rise to a number of irrigation plants in four locations. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:26 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=102&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=102&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Four out of five Cambodians lack access to the national electricity grid which doesn't extend into remote parts of the country. The capital Phnom Penh is the only city in the country with a reliable electricity supply. Out in the countryside, the population depends for power on environmentally damaging diesel generators. But things are starting to change: the SME Renewables company develops units that convert biomass into energy, enabling rural businesses to use affordable and greener energy. Cambodian solar company Kamworks is also helping the country switch to cleaner energy. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:12 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=101&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=101&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Sushma Joshi is a Nepali writer and filmmaker based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Her book "End of the World" was long-listed for the Frank O' Connor International Short Story Award in 2009. Joshi contributes a Sunday column The Global and the Local to Nepal's leading English daily newspaper The Kathmandu Post. Her film "The Escape" (2006), a short about a teacher targeted by rebels, was accepted to the Berlinale Talent Campus. GLOBAL IDEAS (www.ideasforacoolerworld.org) met Joshi in Nepal. GLOBAL IDEAS is part of DW-TV, Germanys International Broadcaster. For more information please visit our website or our facebook-page @ www.facebook.com/globalideas DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:40 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=100&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=100&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Dr. Anil Khurana is a director of the PRTM Management Consultants, situated in Dubai. GLOBAL IDEAS (www.ideasforacoolerworld.org) did an interview with Anil @ the Clean Energy Expo in Singapore. GLOBAL IDEAS is part of DW-TV, Germanys International Broadcaster. For more information please visit our website or our facebook-page @ www.facebook.com/globalideas DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:51 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=99&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=99&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Doug Smith is the founder and Managing Director of Village Green Global, a company that provides other companies with environmental solutions. GLOBAL IDEAS (www.ideasforacoolerworld.org) did an interview with Doug @ the Clean Energy Expo in Singapore. GLOBAL IDEAS is part of DW-TV, Germanys International Broadcaster. For more information please visit our website or our facebook-page @ www.facebook.com/globalideas DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:41 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=98&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=98&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Eva Oberender is the regional director for southeast asia & pacific @ reeep, the renewable energy & energy efficiency partnership. GLOBAL IDEAS (www.ideasforacoolerworld.org) did an interview with Eva @ the Clean Energy Expo in Singapore. GLOBAL IDEAS is part of DW-TV, Germanys International Broadcaster. For more information please visit our website or our facebook-page @ www.facebook.com/globalideas DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 05:41 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=97&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=97&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Samuel Tumiwa is a Principal Planning and Coordination Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He's working at the Regional and Sustainable Development Department in Manila. GLOBAL IDEAS (www.ideasforacoolerworld.org) did an interview with Samuel @ the Clean Energy Expo in Singapore. GLOBAL IDEAS is part of DW-TV, Germanys International Broadcaster. For more information please visit our website or our facebook-page @ www.facebook.com/globalideas DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:11 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=96&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=96&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss In the favelas of Brazil, old fridges are being traded in for new ones. At a state-of-the-art recycling facility, the old appliances are disposed of without harmful gases being released into the atmosphere. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:11 Tue, 4 Jan 2011 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=94&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=94&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss International cooperations play a key role in the spread of climate protection awareness. Germany's Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, for example, awards scholarships to young people from emerging and developing nations. They spend time in Germany working with organizations or studying at universities, gaining expertise on how to improve climate protection in their home countries. GLOBAL IDEAS met up with one of these scholarship holders: Kristy Pena Munoz, an environmental engineer from Mexico. She’s an expert on biogas extracted from sewage sludge. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:34 Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=92&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=92&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The island of Kho Khao in Thailand was devastated by the 2004 tsunami. Recent years have seen developers rebuild hotels, but unlike in many of Thailand's most popular holiday hotspots, the new resorts have made climate protection a cornerstone of their concept – with the ultimate goal of reducing the island's carbon emissions by 20 percent. They've set the ball rolling: other resorts in the region and even further afield are now also switching to a more environmental brand of tourism. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:47 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=90&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=90&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Ethan Zindler is Head of Policy Analysis at Bloomberg New Energy Finance and is charged with managing and expanding BNEF’s coverage of key policy developments around the globe impacting renewables, biofuels, and energy efficiency. GLOBAL IDEAS (www.ideasforacoolerworld.org) did an interview with Ethan @ the Clean Energy Expo in Singapore. GLOBAL IDEAS is part of DW-TV, Germanys International Broadcaster. For more information please visit our website or our facebook-page @ www.facebook.com/globalideas DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 03:14 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=89&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=89&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Dr. Bartosz Wojszczyk is the Global Smart Grid Technical Solutions Leader at GE Energy. GLOBAL IDEAS (www.ideasforacoolerworld.org) did an interview with Bartosz Wojszczyk at the Clean Energy Expo Asia in Singapore. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 04:08 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=88&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=88&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Wetlands play a key role in helping preserve biodiversity, and are also valuable in carbon storage. But farmers in Turkey often convert wetlands into farmland, endangering a range of natural habitats. A pilot project run by the German GTZ organization for international cooperation and sustainable development has compiled a study on the current state of wetlands in Turkey, and its findings are sobering. The government is now campaigning to raise public awareness of the environmental significance of wetlands, and hopefully, its efforts will ensure that they are at least partly preserved. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:21 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=86&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=86&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Renewable energy is a topic that has yet to top the political agenda in Croatia, with only a handful of local projects addressing climate change-related issues. The International Climate Protection Initiative is now intervening to get Croatia's counties cooperating to boost green practices. But in developed nations, adopting measures to tackle climate change tend to require high investment. Once they're up and running, however, they not only improve quality of life, but also provide a boost to local economies. Croatia is starting to wake up to the benefits of environmental awareness. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:54 Tue, 7 Dec 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=85&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=85&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Increasingly, arable land in Morocco is disappearing under the desert. Year by year, desertification poses a growing problem for farmers - and in Morocco, 50 percen tof the population lives from agriculture. Farmers are hoping to tackle the problem with modest projects that have a major effect: by planting argan trees, for example, they can help prevent soil erosion. Cultivating cactus plants also helps, because they can withstand desert conditions. They also produce cactus-seed oil and jam, which boost the farmers' incomes. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:02 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=83&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=83&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Healthy rainforests are key to the planet's survival. But how exactly do these unique ecosystems work? What are the principles of carbon sequestration? How does biodiversity contribute to the flourishing of the forest? Conservation International has commissioned a research team to investigate these questions and many more. They're studying flora and fauna and conducting 'rapid assessments' in the rainforests of Surinam. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:20 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=82&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=82&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Mahafaly Plateau in the southwestern region of Madagascar is one of the driest corners of the country, and also has one of its highest poverty rates, due to chronic drought and lack of economic opportunities. The World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF, has a water-resources management plan that aims to alleviate poverty through sustainable development in the region. It does this by improving the management and production potential of transformed land areas that are used for agriculture and pasture, through sustainable use of the region's existing water resources. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:43 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=81&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=81&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Bio coal is helping transform agriculture in India. In the south of the country, farmers are learning to produce bio coal out of agricultural waste. Bio coal meets all renewable fuel and CO2-reduction regulations and is carbon neutral - because this organic waste would have otherwise been burned or decomposed in a landfill which releases CO2 back into the atmosphere. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:57 Tue, 9 Nov 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=80&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=80&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, and also home to most of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. But deforestation and erosion have increasingly threatened this unique habitat. A concept drawn up by German agronomists that balances human and environmental priorities has begun to see results. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:35 Tue, 2 Nov 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=79&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=79&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss A climate protection project under the aegis of the World Wildlife Fund is treading new ground in the Nepalese lowlands. In order to protect local ecosystems, 7,500 small biogas plants are being constructed and installed for farmers and their families, reducing the demand for non-sustainable firewood and diminishing carbon emissions as a consequence of deforestation. One plant can deliver sufficient cooking energy for a family with at least two cows or buffaloes. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:48 Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=78&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=78&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Hamburg has scooped up the title "European green capital" for 2011. The northern German port city convinced the jury by presenting itself not as a green oasis but rather as a thriving industrial metropolis which has risen to the challenge of adapting to climate change. Hamburg has ambitious targets ? it plans to expand its network of bicycle paths, push an inner city train system and promote electric cars. The city aims to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2020. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 04:59 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=77&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=77&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Almost a third of the world’s coral reefs are considered destroyed. Marine pollution, overfishing and climate change are increasingly threatening the fragile ecosystems. The so-called “Coral Triangle,” a marine belt rich in corals which includes Papua New Guinea, is also hard hit. Millions of people could lose their livelihoods since fish stocks are also declining along with the corals. A new program aims to help the affected countries save their precious coral reefs DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:09 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=76&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=76&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Gambia has been hard hit by climate change, and one of the effects of global warming has been a drop in the country's groundwater levels. The government is pinning its hopes on environmentally-friendly solar-powered pumps, ditching polluting diesel generators that have been used so far to pump the water to the surface. 100 solar pumps are already in use, helping fill public tanks that provide the population with clean water. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:39 Tue, 5 Oct 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=75&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=75&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Many countries home to lush rainforests sell off timber to make way for industry, agriculture and mining of natural resources, with the ultimate goal of boosting the country's economic development. But Guyana is choosing to take a different path. It's hoping to jumpstart its economy by conserving its rainforests and getting the international community to pay for the carbon storage that its living forests provide. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:51 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=74&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=74&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Many villages in the remote northern highlands of Peru are not connected to the electricity grid. Alternative energy sources are proving a big help. The aid organization "Soluciones Practicas" has installed micro wind turbines in many villages in the Cajamarca region that provide several thousand people with a daily electricity supply. It's helping boost their educational chances, improve communication and facilitate the setting up of businesses. The NGO is hoping to expand in South America. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:23 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=69&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=69&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Supplying energy to Peru’s remote north is costly and complicated. Even so, a number of villages now boast alternative energy sources thanks to aid group “Soluciones Practicas,” which has installed a range of local micro wind turbines, small water-power and solar plants to supply over 6,,000 people. Modest as they are, these new sources of energy have a big effect, facilitating the locals’ access to education and information, and even enabling them to found their own businesses. The group is now hoping to expand the scheme to other parts of South America. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:23 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=68&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=68&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Bamboo is a renewable building material. Capable of growing as much as 35 meters a year, it lends itself well to reforestation. Moreover, it absorbs four times more carbon dioxide and produces 30-40 percent more oxygen than comparable trees. The German-Colombian organization "School for Life" is making the most of bamboo's potential, combining environmental action and social work to build schools, homes and community centers. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:58 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=67&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=67&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The refrigerators that supermarkets use to keep products fresh pose a major threat to the global environment, primarily because of ozone-destroying refrigerant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Now, a South African supermarket chain is switching to environmentally-friendly refrigerant agents. They save energy, and they're cheaper too. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:54 Tue, 7 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=66&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=66&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? Global Ideas asked Nobel Prize winners at the Nobel Laureate Meeting at Lindau. For example Peter Agre, Nobel Prize for chemistry, 2003, from USA. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:59 Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=65&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=65&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? Global Ideas asked Nobel Prize winners at the Nobel Laureate Meeting at Lindau. For example Johann Deisenhofer, Nobel Prize for chemistry, 1988, from Germany. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:59 Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=64&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=64&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? Global Ideas asked Nobel Prize winners at the Nobel Laureate Meeting at Lindau. For example Peter Grünberg, Nobel Prize for physics, 2007, from Germany. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:44 Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=63&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=63&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? Global Ideas asked Nobel Prize winners at the Nobel Laureate Meeting at Lindau. For example Sir Harold W. Kroto, Nobel Prize for chemistry, 1996, from Great Britain. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:59 Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=62&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=62&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? Global Ideas asked Nobel Prize winners at the Nobel Laureate Meeting at Lindau. For example Robert B. Laughlin, Nobel Prize for physics, 1998, from USA. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:59 Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=61&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=61&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? Global Ideas asked Nobel Prize winners at the Nobel Laureate Meeting at Lindau. For example Yuan Lee, Nobel Prize for chemistry, 1986, from Taiwan. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:59 Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=60&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=60&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? Global Ideas asked Nobel Prize winners at the Nobel Laureate Meeting at Lindau. For example Ryoji Noyori, Nobel Prize for chemnistry, 2001, from Japan. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:59 Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=59&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=59&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Awareness and understanding of energy efficiency needs to be improved in Kyrgyzstan, especially in the country's impoverished mountainous regions. Bitterly cold winters and poor insulation in homes mean the inhabitants waste energy. Local craftsmen can now learn in seminar about how to build more energy-efficient ovens; insulate homes and save money. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:53 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=57&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=57&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? These are some of the questions Global Ideas reporters asked people around the world. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:31 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=56&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=56&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? These are some of the questions Global Ideas reporters asked people around the world. People like Olga Tschabrowskaja from Minsk in Belarus. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:04 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=55&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=55&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? These are some of the questions Global Ideas reporters asked people around the world. People like Sonia Cauana from Chiquián in Peru. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:57 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=53&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=53&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? These are some of the questions Global Ideas reporters asked people around the world. People like Edgar de la Cruz from San Carlos City in the Philippines. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 00:53 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=52&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=52&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? These are some of the questions Global Ideas reporters asked people around the world. People like William Greyson Andrea from Kilakala in Tanzania. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:04 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=51&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=51&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss What are the telltale signs of climate change, who's responsible for it and how can it be tackled? These are some of the questions Global Ideas reporters asked people around the world. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 01:18 Tue, 3 Aug 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=50&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=50&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The forest on the Huon Peninsula is Papua New Guinea?s first national conservation area. More than 70 percent of the country is covered in tropical rainforest, which is home to between five and seven percent of all of the world?s species, including around 20,000 species of plant, more than 700 species of bird and more than 230 species of mammal. In exchange for managing their forests in a sustainable manner, locals receive medical care and education. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:24 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=49&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=49&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The draining of marshlands and bogs releases harmful carbon dioxide that has been stored in the ground for centuries. The problem is particularly acute in Belarus. Now attempts are underway to revitalize some of the marshes to cut carbon emissions. It's hoped the project can be a model for all of Europe. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:42 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=47&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=47&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Island nations have been disproportionately hit by climate change. Rising sea levels increasingly threaten to submerge entire islands and climate change has led to severe tropical storms, floods and polluted ground water. The problems are especially acute in the group of islands that make up the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. The government is trying to cope with the situation. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:09 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=46&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=46&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Mongolia's energy needs are mounting and the Central Asian country faces a major electricity shortage by 2012. So far, the government has relied on coal and diesel but clean sources of energy are becoming increasingly popular, with rural Mongolia leading the way. With the help of Germany's GTZ aid group, more and more nomads are using solar energy and have access to small hydropower plants. It's become a model for the entire country. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:48 Tue, 6 Jul 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=44&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=44&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The residents of the high mountains in northwestern Argentina lead a tough and frugal life. Their villages lie at an altitude of up to 4,200 meters, where the solar radiation is intense in the thin air and it gets bitterly cold at night, even in summer. The people have cut down large swathes of the vegetation to heat their homes and the region is no under threat of becoming a desert. It's hoped that simple solar systems can halt the development. An increasing number of villages are being outfitted with solar systems - in schools, but also in homes for cooking. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:34 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=43&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=43&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss India produces millions of tons of waste each year in agriculture and forestry. But this biomass contains much more than just rubbish. That's something groups in northern India have realized too. They're now producing briquettes from the biomass and selling them to local brick kilns. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:35 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=42&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=42&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Amazonian rainforest, known as the "world's lung," is hurtling towards destruction. Soya farms, infrastructure projects and new settlements are encroaching on the forest. Almost half of Brazil's greenhouse gases can be traced back to deforestation. That's why there are plans to designate large parts of the rain forest as specially protected zones. The initiative comes from the residents themselves. Find out what they’ve achieved in the protected "Verde para Sempre" region next week on GLOBAL IDEAS. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:16 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=40&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=40&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss More than a million people live in Khayelitsha, a township near Cape Town in South Africa. Most live in huts made of tin and wood. Many are bitterly poor, have no access to warm water and use wood for heating. This is where the climate protection project "Kuyasa" was set up to train locals to become so-called "Gold Standard" experts. The Gold Standard, which is subject to strict regulations, is a quality benchmark for lowering carbon emissions and promoting sustainable development. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:23 Tue, 8 Jun 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=39&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=39&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss With 13 major rivers, plenty of sun in the north of the country and more than 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) of breezy Pacific coast, the South American nation of Chile has plenty of renewable energy potential. But so far that potential remains untapped. Now the demand for energy in the country is changing all that. Four wind farms have already been built and another dozen are in the planning stages. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:06 Tue, 1 Jun 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=38&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=38&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Swaziland, a small kingdom in southern Africa, is one of the poorest regions in the world. Most residents depend on farming and cattle grazing for their livelihood. Only a few own cars. They aren't responsible for climate change but Swaziland has been hard hit by the consequences – rising temperatures and drought. Appliances that keep food and medicines cool are hugely important. One of the few factories in the country now produces refrigerators and freezers in an environmentally-friendly way. The gadgets are also powered by solar energy. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:01 Tue, 25 May 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=37&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=37&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Water supply is one of the biggest development challenges in Jordan. A large share of the water reserves are in the Jordan Valley, located below sea level. The water has to be piped from there to the consumers - often to cities at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level. The pumps used for the purpose are often decrepit and energy-intensive. Jordan's water authority is thus one of the largest electricity consumers in the country. Now, new pumps are to be used to sharply reduce electricity consumption. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:21 Tue, 18 May 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=36&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=36&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Caucasus is home to all kinds of landscapes - glaciers, forests, deserts, steppes. More than 7,000 species live between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. But the region's wild heritage is increasingly under threat. Georgia's forests are desperately in need of reforestation. It's being carried out by environmental group WWF with the help of entire school classes. The idea is that the children won't just be doing something for the environment, but also learning something valuable. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:11 Tue, 11 May 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=35&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=35&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Bangladesh suffers from frequent power cuts, plunging the country into darkness for hours at a time. Rural regions in particular are badly affected; some aren't even connected to the electricity grid. The country's energy needs are largely met by burning coal and wood. Brick kilns are one of the biggest sources of harmful carbon emissions. But now a rethink is underway. Bangladesh is using modern technology to cut down on coal consumption and lower emissions. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:06 Tue, 4 May 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=34&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=34&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Almost every day, Mexico City is shrouded in smog. To combat that problem the city has developed what it calls the "Plan Verde." This "Green Plan" is expected to reduce the CO2 by hundreds of thousands of tons each year. The mega-metropolis will invest around a billion dollars each year in modern, high-speed buses, bus lanes, pedestrian zones and a bicycle-lending system. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:01 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=33&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=33&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss It's the small island-nations in the Pacific Ocean that suffer most from climate change: On the Marshall Islands, on Palau and other Micronesian islands, people are faced with steadily rising sea levels. Coasts are eroding and drinking water is becoming scarce. But the world is barely aware of the problem. In this "island paradise," a fight against time has begun. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:17 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=32&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=32&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Vietnam's coastal mangrove forests are suffering from climate change. What's more, intensive rice production and enormous shrimp farms are also damaging coastal protection. Better management of mangrove forests could help. In the southern Mekong Delta, experts from German development agency GTZ are creating protected coastal zones. They are replanting mangrove forests, together with the local population. And they are teaching the locals about how to fight climate change as well. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:10 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=31&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=31&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Tanzania's forests need protection. Each year wooded areas in the eastern African nation shrink by 400,000 hectares due to deforestation and wildfires. The country isn't just losing an important carbon sink, its flora and fauna are drastically reduced as well. Now Tanzanians are being taught how to protect their forests and their climate through classes and special projects. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:02 Tue, 6 Apr 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=30&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=30&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Within Europe, Spain is one of the leading nations when it comes to the use of renewable energy. One of the government's goals is for the El Hierro, one of the Canary Islands, to soon become 100 percent reliant on clean energy from wind and hydro power. If it were to reach that goal, El Hierro would be the first island in the world to meet its energy needs without burning any fossil fuels. Find out more next week. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:41 Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=29&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=29&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Traditionally, people in the rural regions of Peru cook over an open fire at home. It's not only bad for the climate, it's also bad for the population's health. New types of wood-burning cookers can reduce the amount of wood consumed by up to 80 percent. That prevents deforestation, and saves thousands of tons of CO2 emissions in Peru alone. Find out more next week. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:12 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=28&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=28&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed sat down with GLOBAL IDEAS to talk about climate change, rising waters and the potential eradication of his island home. They aren't simply going to sit idly by and do nothing, he says. Within ten years, the Maldives hopes to be the first country in the world that is completely carbon neutral. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 02:36 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=27&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=27&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Valley View University in the Ghanian capital Accra has committed itself to sustainability. Power is generated from rooftop solar panels, rain water is collected and processed, and kitchen waste is converted to energy at the on-campus biogas plant. It's not just the campus that has gone green: the first degree program in ecological studies is about to get underway. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:23 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=26&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=26&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Until now, hydro power has been Kenya's largest energy source, but climate change is making this process increasingly difficult. Prolonged droughts result in dried-up rivers and half-empty reservoirs. Climate-damaging diesel generators are being used to keep up energy supplies, but a much cleaner alternative is available: geothermal energy. Now, Africa's first private geothermal power plant is meant to set an example for the entire region. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:54 Tue, 9 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=25&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=25&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Bikin Valley is the last real wilderness left in far eastern Russia, and is home to many threatened species. In addition, the primeval forest there is an important carbon sink, which aids in climate protection. But it's threatened by deforestation so the WWF and the region's indigenous population, who want to put a stop to the destruction, have come up with an interesting solution. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:46 Tue, 2 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=20&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=20&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The Brazilian sugar cane industry is booming. This is mostly due to the demand for ethanol which is used as biofuel. But a large part of the sugar cane waste is simply burned, resulting in increased carbon emissions and air pollution. Now a new project using German-Brazilian technology, will in future turn the waste into plastic. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:05 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=19&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=19&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss In the Honduran city of La Esperanza, an old dam has been refitted to produce green energy. Designed with climate protection in mind from the start, the facility was the first project worldwide that was allowed to sell carbon emission certificates after the 1997 Kyoto treaty. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:12 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=18&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=18&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Hundreds of children attend the schools of the Muni Seva Ashram in the Western Indian state of Gujarat everyday. Their school meals used to be prepared over wood fires. Now a new project harnesses the power of the sun for the school canteen. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:37 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=17&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=17&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss Indonesia's rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate. In southern Sumatra environmentalists are trying to save 24,000 hectares of peatland forests. These are particularly important because their soil stores vast amounts of carbon dioxide. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:53 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=16&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=16&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The people on the Philippine island of Negros are taking action against climate change. But for them it's not only about measures to save the climate. Adapting to the impact of climate change is just as important. For example through the reforestation of mangroves. Acting as "living dams" mangroves can help protect coastlines against the effects of rising sea levels. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:15 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=15&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=15&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss For the people in southern Senegal, batteries and diesel generators are a primary source of electricity. But now an increasing number of villages are switching to solar power, aided by German technology. In these villages solar panels are used to power charging stations for lamps, cell phones - and even a hospital. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 06:45 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=14&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=14&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The stinking lagoons behind the small palm oil mill near Krabi pose a major threat to the climate. They release methane, a highly toxic greenhouse gas which contaminates the ground water in the area and pollutes the air. That's because the lagoons contain rotting waste from the palm fruit from which only the oil is extracted. But a few kilometers away, the Chumpon Palm Oil Industry (CPI) has hit on a new way to deal with the fruit pulp. Here, in addition to extracting palm oil, the fruit waste is used to produce biogas and generate electricity. The biogas plant can generate up to 10 megawatts of electricity as well as treat and clean its own sewage. Thailand already has six of the climate-friendly plants. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:08 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=13&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss http://vdt.dw-world.de/index.php?v=globalideas_en&w=590&d=1&fw=1&id=13&maca=en-podcast_global-ideas_en-5210-xml-mrss The inhabitants of Heroes der Tecamac in Mexico City are taking action to protect the climate. To heat their water they don't use natural gas, instead they turn to solar energy. 60,000 houses are located in this blue-collar settlement. A good 1000 of them are already outfitted to trap the sun's energy and that number is set to grow. DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 07:10 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT