http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,3072,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Exploring the environmental issues facing the world today. this prize-winning weekly radio magazine brings you environmental news, background reports, interviews and features from our international network of correspondents. en 2010 DW-WORLD.DE, Deutsche Welle Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:54:05 GMT Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:54:05 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/image/0,,2266720_7,00.jpg http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,3072,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss no clean DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle podcasts@dw-world.de Exploring the environmental issues facing the world today. this prize-winning weekly radio magazine brings you environmental news, background reports, interviews and features from our international network of correspondents. Exploring the environmental issues facing the world today. this prize-winning weekly radio magazine brings you environmental news, background reports, interviews and features from our international network of correspondents. 30 http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5701956,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5701956,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss 'Growing Power' and the urban farming revolution; A peek inside the doomsday vault for seeds in the Arctic; and the D-I-Y workshop in Berlin for making bikes out of bamboo. You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual items. Will Allen, Growing Power and the urban farming revolutionUntil now, the US city of Milwaukee has been famous for beer, but Will Allen has planted the seeds of another legacy.Over the last five years, the Midwestern town has gained a reputation as the home of what many are calling a "good food revolution" - the push to provide locally grown vegetables in the city. This year, the man who began that revolution, Will Allen, was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by America's Time magazine. DW visited his farm, Growing Power. Report: Kateri JochumA peek inside the Arctic's Svalbard doomsday vault for seedsDeep under the permafrost of the island of Svalbard, just 1500 kilometres from the North Pole, lies an unusual treasure: Half a million seed samples from all over the world are stored for posterity in the Svalbard global seed vault.The idea is to protect them from danger. A sort of doomsday vault, where the current diversity of edible crops can be preserved for future generations in the event of a cataclysm – or just the loss of one particular species. The vault is only opened a few times a year. Roland von Bothmer, Professor of plant breeding and genetics at the Swedish University of Agriculture, is one of the few with a key to get in. He took Deutsche Welle on a trip inside. Report: Irene Quaile Berlin workshop gives D-I-Y classes in bamboo bikesIf you've ever been to Berlin, you've probably noticed that it's a great city for getting around on a bicycle, but that's not enough for some.Berlin's biking population has exploded in the last ten years, not least thanks to the flat terrain and the bike paths. But for some, conventional bicycles just aren't environmentally friendly enough and they've founded a D-I-Y workshop for making bikes out of bamboo. DW went along to see why – and how. Report: Leah McDonnell Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5701859,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5701859,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss 'Growing Power' and the urban farming revolution; A peek inside the doomsday vault for seeds in the Arctic; and the D-I-Y workshop in Berlin for making bikes out of bamboo. You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual items. Will Allen, Growing Power and the urban farming revolutionUntil now, the US city of Milwaukee has been famous for beer, but Will Allen has planted the seeds of another legacy.Over the last five years, the Midwestern town has gained a reputation as the home of what many are calling a "good food revolution" - the push to provide locally grown vegetables in the city. This year, the man who began that revolution, Will Allen, was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by America's Time magazine. DW visited his farm, Growing Power. Report: Kateri JochumA peek inside the Arctic's Svalbard doomsday vault for seedsDeep under the permafrost of the island of Svalbard, just 1500 kilometres from the North Pole, lies an unusual treasure: Half a million seed samples from all over the world are stored for posterity in the Svalbard global seed vault.The idea is to protect them from danger. A sort of doomsday vault, where the current diversity of edible crops can be preserved for future generations in the event of a cataclysm – or just the loss of one particular species. The vault is only opened a few times a year. Roland von Bothmer, Professor of plant breeding and genetics at the Swedish University of Agriculture, is one of the few with a key to get in. He took Deutsche Welle on a trip inside. Report: Irene Quaile Berlin workshop gives D-I-Y classes in bamboo bikesIf you've ever been to Berlin, you've probably noticed that it's a great city for getting around on a bicycle, but that's not enough for some.Berlin's biking population has exploded in the last ten years, not least thanks to the flat terrain and the bike paths. But for some, conventional bicycles just aren't environmentally friendly enough and they've founded a D-I-Y workshop for making bikes out of bamboo. DW went along to see why – and how. Report: Leah McDonnell Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5700793,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5700793,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Holiday-makers may be about to catch more than just sun on beaches in Italy; A new report says international efforts are having a dramatic effect on reducing illegal logging; A mighty wind blows through Texas; and can we catch fish without wreaking havoc on other species that are in the way? You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual items.Sewage threatens the safety of Italian beachesItaly's beaches have long been among the favorite destinations of Europeans taking a summer break. Next summer they may be in for more than a tan, though.A warm Mediterranean climate, great food, the legacy of Roman architecture and some of Europe's longest stretches of coastline for swimming, make Italy a perennial holiday hit. But Italy also has a problem with effluent, and it has the most beaches in Europe closed each year. Although Italy used to have some of the strictest regulations for bacterial pollution in sea water, this may be about to change in the next 12 months. Report: Stephanie Raison World makes progress on illegal loggingThe most thorough assessment to date of the state of illegal logging found that a decade of efforts to tackle the problem have had a dramatic effect.The report is called Illegal Logging and Related Trade and it was put out by the think tank Chatham House. It found that total production of illegal timber has fallen by a fifth since 2002, yet the battle isn't won just yet... Report: Trevor GrundyA mighty wind passes through the Texas energy sectorIf there's one commodity to be associated with Texas, it's probably oil. Yet the state renowned for doing everything 'big', has also been getting into renewables in a big way, if quietly so.Currently, wind power supplies around two percent of energy in the United States. In Texas, it already supplies over 10 percent, and the state is home to the world's largest wind park. Report: Christina Bergmann / Susan HoultonCan we catch fish without bycatch?Barry Baker is a specialist in the field of wildlife management. For the past 25 years, he has worked for Australia's Environment Department, where he's focused on developing recovery plans for threatened species.Barry Baker is all about trying to find better ways to manage human's interactions with wildlife, to reduce unnecessary levels of impact. He was recently in Bonn to give some scientific advice on the issue of bycatch in commercial fishing, and joined DW in the studio to talk about the problem. Interview: Barry Baker / Nathan Witkop Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5700711,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5700711,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Holiday-makers may be about to catch more than just sun on beaches in Italy; A new report says international efforts are having a dramatic effect on reducing illegal logging; A mighty wind blows through Texas; and can we catch fish without wreaking havoc on other species that are in the way? You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual items.Sewage threatens the safety of Italian beachesItaly's beaches have long been among the favorite destinations of Europeans taking a summer break. Next summer they may be in for more than a tan, though.A warm Mediterranean climate, great food, the legacy of Roman architecture and some of Europe's longest stretches of coastline for swimming, make Italy a perennial holiday hit. But Italy also has a problem with effluent, and it has the most beaches in Europe closed each year. Although Italy used to have some of the strictest regulations for bacterial pollution in sea water, this may be about to change in the next 12 months. Report: Stephanie Raison World makes progress on illegal loggingThe most thorough assessment to date of the state of illegal logging found that a decade of efforts to tackle the problem have had a dramatic effect.The report is called Illegal Logging and Related Trade and it was put out by the think tank Chatham House. It found that total production of illegal timber has fallen by a fifth since 2002, yet the battle isn't won just yet... Report: Trevor GrundyA mighty wind passes through the Texas energy sectorIf there's one commodity to be associated with Texas, it's probably oil. Yet the state renowned for doing everything 'big', has also been getting into renewables in a big way, if quietly so.Currently, wind power supplies around two percent of energy in the United States. In Texas, it already supplies over 10 percent, and the state is home to the world's largest wind park. Report: Christina Bergmann / Susan HoultonCan we catch fish without bycatch?Barry Baker is a specialist in the field of wildlife management. For the past 25 years, he has worked for Australia's Environment Department, where he's focused on developing recovery plans for threatened species.Barry Baker is all about trying to find better ways to manage human's interactions with wildlife, to reduce unnecessary levels of impact. He was recently in Bonn to give some scientific advice on the issue of bycatch in commercial fishing, and joined DW in the studio to talk about the problem. Interview: Barry Baker / Nathan Witkop Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5699697,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5699697,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss BP begins testing its latest attempt to halt the flow of oil in the Gulf of Mexico; A compromise proposal to allow more GM crops into the EU upsets both biotech backers and detractors; A community scheme in the UK finds a clever way to generate power close to home; and an ambassador for animals says we shouldn't miss the forest for the trees when it comes to preserving life.You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual items.BP tries latest attempt to seal its leaking oil wellThe oil giant BP began it's latest attempt to halt the flow of oil from its leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico this week.Tests are currently underway to establish how successful the operation has been. We spoke to DW's Washington correspondent for more. Interview: Christina Bergmann / Nathan WitkopThe EU attempts to end its internal stalemate on GMThe EU's executive has announced a compromise proposal on GM crop cultivation, aimed at ending the bitter stalemate over the controversial technology.Members of the bloc will be given the right to ban GM within their national borders if they want, in return they'll have to give up their objections at an EU level, so others who want the crops can have them. The idea hasn't been warmly welcomed, though. Report: Nina-Maria Potts Mini-hydro makes inroads in British power sectorA community in Britain has struck on a novel idea for self-reliance when it comes to energy.They've discovered that a legacy of the industrial revolution, is now perfectly suited for this century's energy revolution. Their power source is renewable, constant, relatively cheap - and local. It's called mini-hydro, and while it's no silver bullet, it is generating waves in the UK. Report: Lars Bevanger A conversation on poachers, gorillas and copper wiresIan Redmond is a tropical field-biologist. He's renowned for over 30 years of work with great apes, among other species. He calls himself a 'reluctant conservationist' – he'd rather study his subjects in peace, than document their continued decline.This year Ian Redmond was made a UN ambassador for migratory species, following a similar diplomatic posting for gorillas last year. He was recently in Bonn for a scientific advisory meeting on the state of migratory species, and joined me DW in the studio. Here we pick up the conversation as he described what it was like to come face to face with poachers… Interview: Ian Redmond Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5699615,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5699615,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss BP begins testing its latest attempt to halt the flow of oil in the Gulf of Mexico; A compromise proposal to allow more GM crops into the EU upsets both biotech backers and detractors; A community scheme in the UK finds a clever way to generate power close to home; and an ambassador for animals says we shouldn't miss the forest for the trees when it comes to preserving life.You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual items.BP tries latest attempt to seal its leaking oil wellThe oil giant BP began it's latest attempt to halt the flow of oil from its leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico this week.Tests are currently underway to establish how successful the operation has been. We spoke to DW's Washington correspondent for more. Interview: Christina Bergmann / Nathan WitkopThe EU attempts to end its internal stalemate on GMThe EU's executive has announced a compromise proposal on GM crop cultivation, aimed at ending the bitter stalemate over the controversial technology.Members of the bloc will be given the right to ban GM within their national borders if they want, in return they'll have to give up their objections at an EU level, so others who want the crops can have them. The idea hasn't been warmly welcomed, though. Report: Nina-Maria Potts Mini-hydro makes inroads in British power sectorA community in Britain has struck on a novel idea for self-reliance when it comes to energy.They've discovered that a legacy of the industrial revolution, is now perfectly suited for this century's energy revolution. Their power source is renewable, constant, relatively cheap - and local. It's called mini-hydro, and while it's no silver bullet, it is generating waves in the UK. Report: Lars Bevanger A conversation on poachers, gorillas and copper wiresIan Redmond is a tropical field-biologist. He's renowned for over 30 years of work with great apes, among other species. He calls himself a 'reluctant conservationist' – he'd rather study his subjects in peace, than document their continued decline.This year Ian Redmond was made a UN ambassador for migratory species, following a similar diplomatic posting for gorillas last year. He was recently in Bonn for a scientific advisory meeting on the state of migratory species, and joined me DW in the studio. Here we pick up the conversation as he described what it was like to come face to face with poachers… Interview: Ian Redmond Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5698138,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5698138,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss The growing bioplastics industry and the changing face of disposable packaging; the donkeys powering a rubbish revolution in Sicily; the latest on the oil spill clean-up operation in the Gulf of Mexico; and the eco film festival that practices what it preaches. A greener form of plasticWhile plastic used to be seen as the material of the future, these days we recognize that goods such as plastic bags can have a harmful impact on wildlife and the environment. Can a new generation of plastics restore their reputation?The term bioplastics can refer to two different types of polymer. One type can be digested by microbes. The second type is bio-based. Report: Robin PowellDonkeys as rubbish collectorsA small Sicilian town has started a rubbish revolution; when their refuse trucks came up for renewal, the local council decided to replace them with... donkeys!The town of Castelbuono has found that downgrading from truck to donkey makes economic sense and is better for the environment. Even the donkeys seem happy with the new arrangement - they're protected by the same union rules as any other worker! Report: Naomi FowlerThe latest on the oil clean-up in the Gulf of MexicoSuper-skimmers, tar balls and a newly created investigation commission; we've got the latest on the bid to stem the spill, clean up the mess and appropriate the blame.The race is on to stop the oil from reaching sensitive wildlife regions before migration season starts. Meanwhile, the Obama administration has set up a commission to look into the causes of the oil spill and make recommendations for the future. The commission is due to start hearings next week, but doubts are already being raised about its competence. Interview: Christina BergmannThe eco film festival practicing what it preachesThe Dutch Environmental Festival doesn’t just showcase green films; it showcases them in a green way. This year, 100 percent of the festival's profits are being reinvested into making next year's festival even more environmentally friendly than the last.The festival opened with ‘The Music Tree’, a film about the threat musical instruments are posing to a particular type of Brazilian tree. Report: Cintia Taylor Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 9 Jul 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5698057,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5698057,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss The growing bioplastics industry and the changing face of disposable packaging; the donkeys powering a rubbish revolution in Sicily; the latest on the oil spill clean-up operation in the Gulf of Mexico; and the eco film festival that practices what it preaches. A greener form of plasticWhile plastic used to be seen as the material of the future, these days we recognize that goods such as plastic bags can have a harmful impact on wildlife and the environment. Can a new generation of plastics restore their reputation?The term bioplastics can refer to two different types of polymer. One type can be digested by microbes. The second type is bio-based. Report: Robin PowellDonkeys as rubbish collectorsA small Sicilian town has started a rubbish revolution; when their refuse trucks came up for renewal, the local council decided to replace them with... donkeys!The town of Castelbuono has found that downgrading from truck to donkey makes economic sense and is better for the environment. Even the donkeys seem happy with the new arrangement - they're protected by the same union rules as any other worker! Report: Naomi FowlerThe latest on the oil clean-up in the Gulf of MexicoSuper-skimmers, tar balls and a newly created investigation commission; we've got the latest on the bid to stem the spill, clean up the mess and appropriate the blame.The race is on to stop the oil from reaching sensitive wildlife regions before migration season starts. Meanwhile, the Obama administration has set up a commission to look into the causes of the oil spill and make recommendations for the future. The commission is due to start hearings next week, but doubts are already being raised about its competence. Interview: Christina BergmannThe eco film festival practicing what it preachesThe Dutch Environmental Festival doesn’t just showcase green films; it showcases them in a green way. This year, 100 percent of the festival's profits are being reinvested into making next year's festival even more environmentally friendly than the last.The festival opened with ‘The Music Tree’, a film about the threat musical instruments are posing to a particular type of Brazilian tree. Report: Cintia Taylor Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 8 Jul 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5624779,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5624779,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Alien invaders catch the US on the back foot; Whales are granted a reprieve – for the next 12 months at least; Scientists enter an unusual alliance to monitor some disturbing trends in the Arctic; and an initiative to fix the health and environmental hazards plaguing many South African homes. You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports.US Great Lakes prepare for Asian carp invasionFor years, the United States has been struggling with a deadly invader. Last week authorities had some bad news to report.The Asian carp is a fish species alien to the US. It has a voracious appetite and a history of chocking off the food supply for other fish in its wake. It's been gradually making its way up the Mississippi towards the Great Lakes, and if it gets there, it could spell doom for the region's unique ecosystem – as well as it's multi-billion-dollar fishing industry. Last week, authorities made a chilling discovery: An Asian Carp was fished out of a waterway close to Lake Michigan – behind the last line of defense aimed at holding the intruders at bay. Report: Kateri Jochum Whales are granted a reprieve – for the time beingA heavily billed show-down between pro- and anti-whaling nations ended more in a fizzle than a bang last week. Conservationists claim a tactical victory.For now, the 25-year-old ban on commercial whaling remains in place after the defeat of a controversial compromise-proposal to overturn the moratorium in return for whaling nations making fewer kills. Niki Entrup was at the meeting and DW spoke to him after the International Whaling Commission conference to get his take on the outcome. Interview: Niki Entrup / Nathan WitkopScientists make unusual alliance to check disturbing Arctic trendsFor scientists to maintain their credibility, they have to be seen to be independent. That's why they're often wary of interest groups with agendas that could compromise their perceived objectivity. So a lot of people were surprised to hear about a joint venture between the respected Leibniz Institute for marine sciences at Kiel University and an environmental lobby group.The scientists announced they would be heading up to the Arctic with Greenpeace. Together they aimed to look into the effects of ocean acidification from rising levels of carbon dioxide. Deutsche Welle went along to find out why this time, scientists and NGOs were in the same boat. Report: Irene QuaileInitiative targets hazards of South African homesLow-cost housing has boomed since the end of apartheid, unfortunately many constructions are poorly desingned and leading to health and environmental problems.Millions of people around the world have been glued to TV sets these past couple of weeks following the soccer World Cup. For audiences in host-nation South Africa, the most common venue is their home. Low-cost housing has boomed since the end of apartheid – thanks to social housing programmes – unfortunately many constructions of have been of poor quality. They're causing health and environmental hazards, which are affecting the nation's poorest, hardest. A partnership program between Germans and South Africans aims to changes this. It's called Enerkey. Report: Richard Fuchs Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 2 Jul 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5624737,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5624737,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Alien invaders catch the US on the back foot; Whales are granted a reprieve – for the next 12 months at least; Scientists enter an unusual alliance to monitor some disturbing trends in the Arctic; and an initiative to fix the health and environmental hazards plaguing many South African homes. You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports.US Great Lakes prepare for Asian carp invasionFor years, the United States has been struggling with a deadly invader. Last week authorities had some bad news to report.The Asian carp is a fish species alien to the US. It has a voracious appetite and a history of chocking off the food supply for other fish in its wake. It's been gradually making its way up the Mississippi towards the Great Lakes, and if it gets there, it could spell doom for the region's unique ecosystem – as well as it's multi-billion-dollar fishing industry. Last week, authorities made a chilling discovery: An Asian Carp was fished out of a waterway close to Lake Michigan – behind the last line of defense aimed at holding the intruders at bay. Report: Kateri Jochum Whales are granted a reprieve – for the time beingA heavily billed show-down between pro- and anti-whaling nations ended more in a fizzle than a bang last week. Conservationists claim a tactical victory.For now, the 25-year-old ban on commercial whaling remains in place after the defeat of a controversial compromise-proposal to overturn the moratorium in return for whaling nations making fewer kills. Niki Entrup was at the meeting and DW spoke to him after the International Whaling Commission conference to get his take on the outcome. Interview: Niki Entrup / Nathan WitkopScientists make unusual alliance to check disturbing Arctic trendsFor scientists to maintain their credibility, they have to be seen to be independent. That's why they're often wary of interest groups with agendas that could compromise their perceived objectivity. So a lot of people were surprised to hear about a joint venture between the respected Leibniz Institute for marine sciences at Kiel University and an environmental lobby group.The scientists announced they would be heading up to the Arctic with Greenpeace. Together they aimed to look into the effects of ocean acidification from rising levels of carbon dioxide. Deutsche Welle went along to find out why this time, scientists and NGOs were in the same boat. Report: Irene QuaileInitiative targets hazards of South African homesLow-cost housing has boomed since the end of apartheid, unfortunately many constructions are poorly desingned and leading to health and environmental problems.Millions of people around the world have been glued to TV sets these past couple of weeks following the soccer World Cup. For audiences in host-nation South Africa, the most common venue is their home. Low-cost housing has boomed since the end of apartheid – thanks to social housing programmes – unfortunately many constructions of have been of poor quality. They're causing health and environmental hazards, which are affecting the nation's poorest, hardest. A partnership program between Germans and South Africans aims to changes this. It's called Enerkey. Report: Richard Fuchs Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 1 Jul 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5619038,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5619038,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss A balloonist, a psychotherapist and a business executive give their perspectives on climate change at this year's Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum. Swiss pioneer Bertrand Piccard wants to prove that he can fly around the world without fuel; Journalist-turned-therapist Mark Brayne says our species is in denial; and Desertec executive Rainer Arlinghoff thinks the future looks bright after all. You can listen to the show online or download Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual items.A balloonist reflects on humanity's need for weathermenBertrand Piccard – together with his travelling companion Brian Jones – holds the record for being the first person to circumnavigate the world non-stop in a hot air balloon. His next challenge is to fly around the world non-stop - without fuel.The ballooning record was set in 1999 and it nearly cost Bertrand his life. He says the experience led him to an epiphany that would lay the foundations for his next challenge. Bertrand used this anecdote of his ballooning experience to open Deutsche Welle's Global Media Forum Author: Bertrand Piccard A therapist's view of our reaction to climate changeMark Brayne is a former foreign news correspondent from the 70s and 80s, who retrained as a psychotherapist in the nineties. He's also the founder of the European branch of the DART center for Journalism and Trauma.Brayne is deeply concerned about the direction humanity is taking – as well as its collective capacity to react in time to a type of crisis it's never confronted before. With polls showing people's doubts about the science underpinning climate change growing, Deutsche Welle asked him if he thought humanity was in denial Interview: Mark Brayne / Nathan WitkopDesertec exec holds out hope for bright futureRainer Aringhoff – the chief operating officer of the Desertec initiative. It was founded last year by over a dozen firms and aims to revolutionise Europe's energy supply. The idea is simple: produce renewable energy close to where it makes sense, instead of close to customers. By the middle of the century, Desertec hopes to have enough solar and wind projects in North Africa, and an improved grid to access them, to supply Europe with 15 percent of its energy. DW put it to Rainer Aringhoff that the initiative is, if anything, rather un-ambitious. Interview: Rainer Aringhoff / Nathan Witkop Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:19 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5618955,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5618955,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss A balloonist, a psychotherapist and a business executive give their perspectives on climate change at this year's Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum. Swiss pioneer Bertrand Piccard wants to prove that he can fly around the world without fuel; Journalist-turned-therapist Mark Brayne says our species is in denial; and Desertec executive Rainer Arlinghoff thinks the future looks bright after all. You can listen to the show online or download Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual items.A balloonist reflects on humanity's need for weathermenBertrand Piccard – together with his travelling companion Brian Jones – holds the record for being the first person to circumnavigate the world non-stop in a hot air balloon. His next challenge is to fly around the world non-stop - without fuel.The ballooning record was set in 1999 and it nearly cost Bertrand his life. He says the experience led him to an epiphany that would lay the foundations for his next challenge. Bertrand used this anecdote of his ballooning experience to open Deutsche Welle's Global Media Forum Author: Bertrand Piccard A therapist's view of our reaction to climate changeMark Brayne is a former foreign news correspondent from the 70s and 80s, who retrained as a psychotherapist in the nineties. He's also the founder of the European branch of the DART center for Journalism and Trauma.Brayne is deeply concerned about the direction humanity is taking – as well as its collective capacity to react in time to a type of crisis it's never confronted before. With polls showing people's doubts about the science underpinning climate change growing, Deutsche Welle asked him if he thought humanity was in denial Interview: Mark Brayne / Nathan WitkopDesertec exec holds out hope for bright futureRainer Aringhoff – the chief operating officer of the Desertec initiative. It was founded last year by over a dozen firms and aims to revolutionise Europe's energy supply. The idea is simple: produce renewable energy close to where it makes sense, instead of close to customers. By the middle of the century, Desertec hopes to have enough solar and wind projects in North Africa, and an improved grid to access them, to supply Europe with 15 percent of its energy. DW put it to Rainer Aringhoff that the initiative is, if anything, rather un-ambitious. Interview: Rainer Aringhoff / Nathan Witkop Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:19 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5617930,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5617930,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss A sea-change from conferences this week: we talk to a conservationist about the upcoming International Whaling Commission meeting, which will consider lifting the ban on commercial whaling; we explore Japan's taste for whale meat; and we hear about the losing struggle of balancing tourism with sustainable fishing practices in the Bahamas.You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports. Eating whales: It's (not that) big in JapanAlthough most Japanese don't go for whale meat, they're uncomfortable with opposition to whaling.Japanese nationalist have long-argued that it is a traditional component of the country's culture which foreigners can't appreciate, and although the government claims the hunt is for scientific purposes, it's well known that the meat is meant for restaurants. Yet supply has been outstripping demand for some time. Report: Robin Powell IWC prepares for whaling showdownCould a political compromise see the 24-year-old ban on whaling overturned next week?Next week the International Whaling Commission will gather in Morocco for what is shaping up to be one of the biggest showdowns between whaling nations and their opponents in decades. On the agenda is a compromise proposal, which would overturn the ban on commercial whaling in return for a quota system that would lead to fewer whales being killed. Conservationists are dead against a compromise. Interview: Niki Entrup / Nathan Witkop The Bahamas tries to balance tourism with sustainable fishingIt's better in the Bahamas, especially if you're poaching from the sea.Imagine fishing laws without enforcement. It's a poacher's paradise. Well in the Bahamas, disappearing stocks are proof of the damage being done. The challenge facing the government of the Caribbean island-chain is to change that freebooting culture, and the appetite of the tourists that sustain it. Report: Cesil Fernandes Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5617847,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5617847,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss A sea-change from conferences this week: we talk to a conservationist about the upcoming International Whaling Commission meeting, which will consider lifting the ban on commercial whaling; we explore Japan's taste for whale meat; and we hear about the losing struggle of balancing tourism with sustainable fishing practices in the Bahamas.You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports. Eating whales: It's (not that) big in JapanAlthough most Japanese don't go for whale meat, they're uncomfortable with opposition to whaling.Japanese nationalist have long-argued that it is a traditional component of the country's culture which foreigners can't appreciate, and although the government claims the hunt is for scientific purposes, it's well known that the meat is meant for restaurants. Yet supply has been outstripping demand for some time. Report: Robin Powell IWC prepares for whaling showdownCould a political compromise see the 24-year-old ban on whaling overturned next week?Next week the International Whaling Commission will gather in Morocco for what is shaping up to be one of the biggest showdowns between whaling nations and their opponents in decades. On the agenda is a compromise proposal, which would overturn the ban on commercial whaling in return for a quota system that would lead to fewer whales being killed. Conservationists are dead against a compromise. Interview: Niki Entrup / Nathan Witkop The Bahamas tries to balance tourism with sustainable fishingIt's better in the Bahamas, especially if you're poaching from the sea.Imagine fishing laws without enforcement. It's a poacher's paradise. Well in the Bahamas, disappearing stocks are proof of the damage being done. The challenge facing the government of the Caribbean island-chain is to change that freebooting culture, and the appetite of the tourists that sustain it. Report: Cesil Fernandes Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5616800,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5616800,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Another special edition of Living Planet this week – we're focusing on the climate talks taking place in Bonn. We get an overview of the progress to date; a look at what the future holds in store for Bangladesh; and a conversation with an organization dedicated to ensuring climate action is wedded to what the science demands – even when it sounds 'unfeasible.' You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports.Snapshot of the talks' progressA 'legally binding international deal' to tackle climate change remains as elusive as ever, but at least parties are talking again, instead of trading accusations.Though delegates in Bonn aren't expected to come up with a deal this week, it is hoped that they will lay much of the ground work for an agreement at the next big summit in Mexico at the end of the year. To get a snapshot of where the process stands, DW spoke to Keya Chatterjee, acting director of climate change at the US branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Interview: Keya Chatterjee / Nathan WitkopThe view from BangladeshOne of the critical areas of climate negotiations is money. Developing countries are expected to require hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to help them adjust to a hotter world. Wealthy nations have recognized this in principle, and the European Union has pledged over seven billion euros over the next few years to get the ball rolling.For poor countries, money on teh table is a crucial gesture of good faith. They didn't create the climate crisis, but they stand to lose the most as it unfolds. Bangladesh is a prime example. The South Asian country is desperately poor and has a very small carbon footprint. But a mixture of geography and poverty makes it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels and increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Report: Sophie Tarr Too little, too late?Ainun Nishat is vice chancellor of BRAC University in Bangladesh and a member of the country's delegation at the climate talks currently underway in Bonn.DW spoke to Nishat about the Bangladeshi efforts to adapt to climate change and his concerns over the slow progress in raising funds. Interview: Ainun Nishat / Nathan WitkopShooting for less than two degrees350.org is credited with having organised the world's most widespread day of political action last year, when it motivated millions of people around the planet to take to the streets to protest climate inaction.350.org sprang up two years ago as a grass roots movement aimed at making sure climate action is just as ambitious as the science demands. The group was founded by the eminent US environmentalist Bill McKibben. DW spoke to the group's US coordinator May Boeve about what's in a name. Interview: May Boeve / Nathan Witkop Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5616717,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5616717,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Another special edition of Living Planet this week – we're focusing on the climate talks taking place in Bonn. We get an overview of the progress to date; a look at what the future holds in store for Bangladesh; and a conversation with an organization dedicated to ensuring climate action is wedded to what the science demands – even when it sounds 'unfeasible.' You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports.Snapshot of the talks' progressA 'legally binding international deal' to tackle climate change remains as elusive as ever, but at least parties are talking again, instead of trading accusations.Though delegates in Bonn aren't expected to come up with a deal this week, it is hoped that they will lay much of the ground work for an agreement at the next big summit in Mexico at the end of the year. To get a snapshot of where the process stands, DW spoke to Keya Chatterjee, acting director of climate change at the US branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Interview: Keya Chatterjee / Nathan WitkopThe view from BangladeshOne of the critical areas of climate negotiations is money. Developing countries are expected to require hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to help them adjust to a hotter world. Wealthy nations have recognized this in principle, and the European Union has pledged over seven billion euros over the next few years to get the ball rolling.For poor countries, money on teh table is a crucial gesture of good faith. They didn't create the climate crisis, but they stand to lose the most as it unfolds. Bangladesh is a prime example. The South Asian country is desperately poor and has a very small carbon footprint. But a mixture of geography and poverty makes it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels and increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Report: Sophie Tarr Too little, too late?Ainun Nishat is vice chancellor of BRAC University in Bangladesh and a member of the country's delegation at the climate talks currently underway in Bonn.DW spoke to Nishat about the Bangladeshi efforts to adapt to climate change and his concerns over the slow progress in raising funds. Interview: Ainun Nishat / Nathan WitkopShooting for below two degrees350.org is credited with having organised the world's most widespread day of political action last year, when it motivated millions of people around the planet to take to the streets to protest climate inaction.350.org sprang up two years ago as a grass roots movement aimed at making sure climate action is just as ambitious as the science demands. The group was founded by the eminent US environmentalist Bill McKibben. DW spoke to the group's US coordinator May Boeve about what's in a name. Interview: May Boeve / Nathan Witkop Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5614778,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5614778,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss A special edition of Living Planet this week – you can hear just a few of the more interesting speakers addressing a panel discussion on pricing the planet. Pavan Sukhdev explains how TEEB audits nature – to save it from us; Andrew Simms of the New Economics Foundation is less than fully convinced; and the EU's top environment bureaucrat says what Europe intends to do about it.You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual pieces.Pavan Sukhdev puts a price tag on mother nature's servicesPavan Sukhdev is a senior banker at Deutsche Bank. He is also the leader of an international study that's tried to put a price tag on the services that nature provides us – and which we take for granted everyday.The study's called TEEB – the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity – and according to its calculations, our rapacious appetite for development could be costing us twice as much as the failure to tackle climate change – over three trillion euros a year. Andrew Simms distinguishes between price and valueWhile Parvan Sukdev freely considers himself a capitalist, others are less convinced by markets, and wary of the notion of pricing the earth to save it.Andrew Simms is policy director at the New Economics Foundation. It's one of the UK's more critical think tanks on the topic of greening the economy, and Andrew is a little worried about the concept of pricing versus value. Changing the CAP to a nature fundThe European Union's executive organises Green Week each year to highlight an environmental issue of concern. But the EU also has a poor track record to date when it comes to curbing the urban sprawl, intense agricultural practices and pollution that are typically pushing back species in its own backyard.There is mounting hope, however, that one of the EU's most controversial policies – it's Common Agricultural Policy which subsidizes farming to the tune of 50 billion euros a year – could be turned around to promote habitat restoration instead. Deutsche Welle put the prospects of this to Karl Falkenberg, director general of the EU's Environment Commission. Interview: Karl Falkenberg / Nathan Witkop Ashok Khosla describes the extent of the crisisDr Ashok Khosla is President of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - whose Red Lists take stock of the world's species - as well as co-President of the Club of Rome, which first warned of the dangers of pursuing unlimited economic growth in the 1970s.Ashok Khosla made a great contribution to the panel discussion - clearly setting out just how dire the earth's situation is. Unfortunately his talk didn't make it into this week's Living Planet, but you can hear it online here! Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 4 Jun 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5614669,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5614669,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss A special edition of Living Planet this week – you can hear just a few of the more interesting speakers addressing a panel discussion on pricing the planet. Pavan Sukhdev explains how TEEB audits nature – to save it from us; Andrew Simms of the New Economics Foundation is less than fully convinced; and the EU's top environment bureaucrat says what Europe intends to do about it.You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual pieces.Pavan Sukhdev puts a price tag on mother nature's servicesPavan Sukhdev is a senior banker at Deutsche Bank. He is also the leader of an international study that's tried to put a price tag on the services that nature provides us – and which we take for granted everyday.The study's called TEEB – the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity – and according to its calculations, our rapacious appetite for development could be costing us twice as much as the failure to tackle climate change – over three trillion euros a year. Andrew Simms distinguishes between price and valueWhile Parvan Sukdev freely considers himself a capitalist, others are less convinced by markets, and wary of the notion of pricing the earth to save it.Andrew Simms is policy director at the New Economics Foundation. It's one of the UK's more critical think tanks on the topic of greening the economy, and Andrew is a little worried about the concept of pricing versus value. Changing the CAP to a nature fundThe European Union's executive organises Green Week each year to highlight an environmental issue of concern. But the EU also has a poor track record to date when it comes to curbing the urban sprawl, intense agricultural practices and pollution that are typically pushing back species in its own backyard.There is mounting hope, however, that one of the EU's most controversial policies – it's Common Agricultural Policy which subsidizes farming to the tune of 50 billion euros a year – could be turned around to promote habitat restoration instead. Deutsche Welle put the prospects of this to Karl Falkenberg, director general of the EU's Environment Commission. Interview: Karl Falkenberg / Nathan Witkop Ashok Khosla describes the extent of the crisisDr Ashok Khosla is President of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - whose Red Lists take stock of the world's species - as well as co-President of the Club of Rome, which first warned of the dangers of pursuing unlimited economic growth in the 1970s.Ashok Khosla made a great contribution to the panel discussion - clearly setting out just how dire the earth's situation is. Unfortunately his talk didn't make it into this week's Living Planet, but you can hear it online here! Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 3 Jun 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5460133,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5460133,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Poland and East Germany face powerful floods; the EU climate commissioner talks up the prospects of an international emissions trading scheme, pressure mounts on US authorities to take over responsibility for sealing the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico; and a separate threat to Florida's wild life. You can listen online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click teh links below for the individual reports. Poland and East Germany face powerful floodsFloods along the Vistula and Odra rivers in Poland have already caused extensive damage there and claimed the lives of 15 people this past week.They're now expected to arrive across the border in Germany where the Odra river becomes the Oder. Interview: Martin Geiger / Nathan Witkop Europe's climate chief talks up prospects of an international ETSThe European Union's Climate Commissioner came out this week announcing that that the recession has slashed the cost of climate action. Connie Hedegaard released new data showing that the EU's current goal of cutting emission by 20 percent by the end of the decade is much cheaper than originally thought.In fact, about 22 billion euros a year cheaper - or around a third less than the 70 billion a year originally anticipated. The new data is sure to reopen the debate over whether Europe should strive for a more ambitious climate agenda. Proponents say raising the EU's targets could pressure others to follow, but does Europe really have any influence on the rest of the world anymore? Interview: Connie Hedegaard / Nathan Witkop BP takes another shot at killing the leakIt's been over five weeks since BP's oil rig Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast. Since then, crude has been streaming into the Gulf at causing grave damage to marine life, local industries, and BP's reputation.On Wednesday, the oil giant launched it's latest attempt to stop the leak. Report: David Levitz The threat to Florida's Everglades - from withinFlorida's Everglades have been suffering for decades under the strain of human intervention. The oil spill to the region's west might be a better known menace right now, but some unwelcome serpents are proving quite deadly too.The ecosystem has been dissected with by dikes, dams and canals, and polluted with fertilizer and urban runoff. It's now half the size it once was and has lost nine in ten of its wading birds. Many species that remain are endangered, and they are facing another growing risk. Report: Maria Bakkalapulo Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:16 Thu, 27 May 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5459580,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5459580,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss A mix of good and bad news seeps from the Gulf of Mexico this week; the European Union wrestles with the idea of a sea change for its fishing industry; a tour through Europe's greenest city; and a minor gourmet French revolution.You can listen to the show online or download Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports. A mix of good and bad news seeps from the Gulf of MexicoBP is finally making progress in stemming the leaking oil well.Not all the news is positive, though - the environmental fallout seems destined to spread further than previously feared. Report: Sam EdmondsThe EU wrestles with a sea change for the fishing industryEurope has a poor track record of tackling overfishing. Most commercial fish species are over exploited in European waters, and many populations are heading for collapse.This week the EU's Fisheries Commissioner said she wanted to get away from years of flawed policy, and get the industry onto a sustainable path by 2015. So can the EU end years of haggling over flawed quotas before it's too late? Report: John KluempersA tour through Europe's greenest cityThe Swedish city of Stockholm is Europe's Green Capital for 2010. It' got just under a million inhabitants, but nine in ten of them live within 300 metres of a park or some other green space.In fact, the city is pioneering a range of clever ideas for a more sustainable approach to life... Report: Tanya Wood The French evolution to environmentally-friendly cookingFrance, the country of savoir-vivre and haute cuisine, is making the transition towards healthy eating and environmentally-friendly cooking.Sceptics might say that the French will never put health and environmental aspects before the pure enjoyment, but in 2007, the French government launched an action plan to make 20 percent of food in public canteens organic by 2012. Some private initiatives are already underway. One of them is Elisabeth Laville’s. Report: Nina Haase Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:19 Fri, 21 May 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5459532,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5459532,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss A mix of good and bad news seeps from the Gulf of Mexico this week; the European Union wrestles with the idea of a sea change for its fishing industry; a tour through Europe's greenest city; and a minor gourmet French revolution.You can listen to the show online or download Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports. A mix of good and bad news seeps from the Gulf of MexicoBP is finally making progress in stemming the leaking oil well.Not all the news is positive, though - the environmental fallout seems destined to spread further than previously feared. Report: Sam EdmondsThe EU wrestles with a sea change for the fishing industryEurope has a poor track record of tackling overfishing. Most commercial fish species are over exploited in European waters, and many populations are heading for collapse.This week the EU's Fisheries Commissioner said she wanted to get away from years of flawed policy, and get the industry onto a sustainable path by 2015. So can the EU end years of haggling over flawed quotas before it's too late? Report: John KluempersA tour through Europe's greenest cityThe Swedish city of Stockholm is Europe's Green Capital for 2010. It' got just under a million inhabitants, but nine in ten of them live within 300 metres of a park or some other green space.In fact, the city is pioneering a range of clever ideas for a more sustainable approach to life... Report: Tanya Wood The French evolution to environmentally-friendly cookingFrance, the country of savoir-vivre and haute cuisine, is making the transition towards healthy eating and environmentally-friendly cooking.Sceptics might say that the French will never put health and environmental aspects before the pure enjoyment, but in 2007, the French government launched an action plan to make 20 percent of food in public canteens organic by 2012. Some private initiatives are already underway. One of them is Elisabeth Laville’s. Report: Nina Haase Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:19 Thu, 20 May 2010 16:30:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5458893,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5458893,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Efforts to stop the oil in the Gulf of Mexico grow desperate; the UN's latest biodiversity outlook paints a bleak picture for life on earth; turning trains to reefs, and a team of scientists sets off to measure the impact of warming on the Arctic. You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports.Efforts to stop oil leaking in the Gulf of Mexico become desperateA plan to lower a containment dome over one of the leaks failed last weekend, leaving engineers scrambling for alternatives.As oil began reaching the coastlines of islands off Louisiana this week, oil company executives, including those of the well's operator BP, took heat in congress over their involvement in the crisis. Report: Mark Hallam UN report scores world badly on preserving lifeEight years on from international pledges to halt current rates of extinction, the UN's latest outlook for biodiversity says countries have failed to achieve any of their goals.This week saw the release of the UN's latest outlook for the state of biodiversity in the world. It paints a grim picture. Ecosystems are in danger of being lost for good in the coming decades. Despite nearly-global agreement to conserve the rapidly dwindling variety of earth's species, the prospects of halting, let alone reversing, current rates of extinction remain as distant as ever. Report: Nancy Isenson / Helle JeppesenTrains to reefs program runs its courseFor nearly a decade, subway cars from New York have been turned into artificial ocean reefs just off the shore of Delaware, creating new habitats for nearly a dozen species of aquatic life.People who take the subway in New York City may often feel packed like sardines in a can. But for fish, the city's subway cars are more like first-class condominiums. The trouble is, these carriages come with asbestos. Then again, that's why they were dumped in the ocean in the first place. Report: Kateri Jochum Greenpeace expedition attempts to measure impact of warming on the ArcticScientists like to regard the Arctic as the canary in the mineshaft when it comes to climate change. Its ice cover reflects a significant portion of sunlight back into space, and because ocean water does the exact opposite, losing arctic ice can have a self-reinforcing effect.The Arctic is especially sensitive to changes in climate. This week, a team of scientists – backed by Greenpeace – is setting off to measure just how dramatically the region could change under current warming scenarios. Report: Chiponda Chimbelu Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Fri, 14 May 2010 07:05:00 GMT http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5458852,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,5458852,00.html?maca=en-podcast_living-planet-948-xml-mrss Efforts to stop the oil in the Gulf of Mexico grow desperate; the UN's latest biodiversity outlook paints a bleak picture for life on earth; turning trains to reefs, and a team of scientists sets off to measure the impact of warming on the Arctic. You can listen to the show online or subscribe to Living Planet as a podcast. Click on the links below for the individual reports.Efforts to stop oil leaking in the Gulf of Mexico become desperateA plan to lower a containment dome over one of the leaks failed last weekend, leaving engineers scrambling for alternatives.As oil began reaching the coastlines of islands off Louisiana this week, oil company executives, including those of the well's operator BP, took heat in congress over their involvement in the crisis. Report: Mark Hallam UN report scores world badly on preserving lifeEight years on from international pledges to halt current rates of extinction, the UN's latest outlook for biodiversity says countries have failed to achieve any of their goals.This week saw the release of the UN's latest outlook for the state of biodiversity in the world. It paints a grim picture. Ecosystems are in danger of being lost for good in the coming decades. Despite nearly-global agreement to conserve the rapidly dwindling variety of earth's species, the prospects of halting, let alone reversing, current rates of extinction remain as distant as ever. Report: Nancy Isenson / Helle JeppesenTrains to reefs program runs its courseFor nearly a decade, subway cars from New York have been turned into artificial ocean reefs just off the shore of Delaware, creating new habitats for nearly a dozen species of aquatic life.People who take the subway in New York City may often feel packed like sardines in a can. But for fish, the city's subway cars are more like first-class condominiums. The trouble is, these carriages come with asbestos. Then again, that's why they were dumped in the ocean in the first place. Report: Kateri Jochum Greenpeace expedition attempts to measure impact of warming on the ArcticScientists like to regard the Arctic as the canary in the mineshaft when it comes to climate change. Its ice cover reflects a significant portion of sunlight back into space, and because ocean water does the exact opposite, losing arctic ice can have a self-reinforcing effect.The Arctic is especially sensitive to changes in climate. This week, a team of scientists – backed by Greenpeace – is setting off to measure just how dramatically the region could change under current warming scenarios. Report: Chiponda Chimbelu Living Planet DW-WORLD.DE | Deutsche Welle clean 30:18 Thu, 13 May 2010 16:30:00 GMT