Living on Earth

To try to address the biodiversity crisis that threatens as many as 1 million species with extinction, thousands of delegates from around the world are meeting in Montreal with a goal of updating the United Nations treaty on biological diversity. The stakes are high for places like Palawan in the Philippines, which is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth and has been protected by the Indigenous Batak people for thousands of years.

Also, cloud forest ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots but they’re quickly becoming warmer and drier with the climate crisis. So each fall researchers in the cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica conduct a bird census to see what migrant and resident birds are using the forest and how that’s changing with time.

And Living on Earth’s gardening guru, Michael Weishan, joins us to share some tips on how to craft festive holiday wreaths, garlands, and Christmas trees with natural materials from your own backyard.

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The United Nations is working towards creating a treaty to tackle the plastic crisis all the way from production to disposal – its full “life cycle”. 

Also, as the Biden Administration moves forward with plans for offshore wind, in Congress there is a bipartisan effort called the Breeze Act that would update offshore revenue sharing rules dating back to the early days of oil and gas production. 

And the seas are rising because of climate change, but this isn’t the first global sea level rise humans have lived through. In fact, some Indigenous peoples have stories of sea level rise that they’ve passed down over thousands of years. How oral traditions reflect the environmental changes our ancestors lived through.

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Entanglement in lobster fishing gear is one of the biggest threats to endangered whales, so the Marine Stewardship Council has suspended its sustainability certificate for the lobster fishery in the Gulf of Maine prompting Whole Foods to halt sales of Maine lobsters. 

Also, shallow water linked to years of drought has severely limited navigation on the Mississippi River, making it harder for farmers to get their corn, soybeans and wheat to market. We discuss the climate connections with the midwestern drought and how it’s affecting food commodities.

And the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea is interwoven with the physical and spiritual lives of indigenous forest communities. But a plan to build a copper and gold mine threatens the river and its people.

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The United Nations climate talks in Egypt produced an unprecedented agreement for rich nations to pay for loss and damage from climate disasters in poor countries. But no money has been provided yet to stricken nations and many details still need to be worked out. And COP27 added no new brakes to keep the Earth from hurtling past the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming target of the Paris Agreement. 

Also, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin typically involve massive amounts of computation needing lots of energy that’s mostly sourced from burning fossil fuels. But now there’s a far more efficient way to earn new coins if cryptocurrency managers decide to adopt it.

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Join the next Living on Earth Book Club event on November 28th at 4:00 p.m. ET! We'll be speaking with acclaimed author Amitav Ghosh about his book 'The Nutmeg's Curse: Parables for a Planet in Peril,' which uses the haunting history of how nutmeg became a staple of the spice rack to reveal how colonialism and the commodification of the Earth’s resources has led us to the climatic tipping points and global crises we face today. Register at loe.org/events

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As Americans prepare to gather to give thanks over a feast, a look at how embracing the plant world in our diets connects to climate, health, and democracy.

Also, in some Native cultures four more crops join the “Three Sisters” of corn, beans, and squash. The “Seven Sisters” and the importance of saving Native seeds.

And “The Reign of Wolf 21” is the true love story of an alpha pair who lead their Yellowstone pack with grace, courage, and an unbreakable bond. What these wolves can teach us about love, loyalty, and leadership.

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Join the next Living on Earth Book Club event on November 28th at 4:00 p.m. ET! We'll be speaking with acclaimed author Amitav Ghosh about his book 'The Nutmeg's Curse: Parables for a Planet in Peril,' which uses the haunting history of how nutmeg became a staple of the spice rack to reveal how colonialism and the commodification of the Earth’s resources has led us to the climatic tipping points and global crises we face today. Register at loe.org/events

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California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom handily won re-election and now has 4 more years to work towards his goal of achieving carbon neutrality in the state by 2045. Mr. Newsom and other Governors have billions of dollars in climate funding at their disposal that was allocated by the U.S. Congress this summer. These state governments will play a crucial role in helping cities, universities, and the private sector make the most of it. 

Also, emissions of chemicals that tear holes in the protective atmospheric ozone layer have fallen dramatically, thanks to the Vienna Convention launched in 1985 and its related Montreal and Kigali protocols. NOAA recently reported that midlatitude atmospheric concentrations of ozone depleting chemicals have declined about 50% compared to peak historic levels.

And wildlife populations have declined by nearly 70% since 1970 due to habitat loss, over harvest, and pollution. The climate crisis will put even more pressure on wildlife, but there are also signs of improvement and hope.

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Before they’ve even taken their first breath, most babies are exposed to air pollution that passes from their mother’s blood stream through the placenta and has now been found in fetal tissues.

Also, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a.k.a. “Lula,” is headed back to the Brazilian Presidency. In sharp contrast to defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, Lula has pledged to protect the Brazilian Amazon and indigenous communities from illegal mining, agriculture and land grabbing.

And every animal species experiences the world in a totally unique way. Mantis shrimp can filter polarized light, and star-nosed moles can smell under water. Sensory marvels and more, this week on Living on Earth.

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And from https://www.bio.org/podcast”>the I Am Bio podcast, with powerful stories of biotech breakthroughs, the people they help, and the global problems they solve.

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By some estimates there could be more plastic, by weight, than fish in the oceans in less than 30 years. A UN “Young Champion of the Earth” is helping Greek fishermen be part of the solution by collecting plastic along with their fishing haul.

Also, the rich nations of the global north are primarily responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. But some of the poorest nations are being crippled by debt related to loss and damage from storms, fires, droughts, and more.

And for gardeners based in the northern hemisphere, fall is the time to clean up garden beds and prepare for the winter snow. But the joys of gardening don’t have to hibernate until spring. Tips for extending the growing season, including forcing bulbs indoors.

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The federal government is leasing sites for innovative floating offshore wind farms in the deep waters along the California coast, and the oil and gas industry has expertise that can be put to good use for this untapped resource. 

Also, Fat Bear Week celebrates the bears of Katmai National Park in Alaska who stock up on plenty of fat reserves to get them through the long frigid Alaskan winter, and salmon are the unsung heroes. 

And protecting “megaforests,” the remaining intact big forests on Earth, offers a low-cost and highly beneficial way to mitigate the climate crisis. 

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In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act, the first significant federal regulation to protect the waters of the United States, or “WOTUS.” The rules that define WOTUS, however, have often been contested over the years. Now, WOTUS is back with the Supreme Court case Sackett v. EPA.

Also, some homes in the direct path of powerful Hurricane Ian were left intact and mostly unharmed thanks to strong doors, windows, and roofs mandated by newer building codes. We’ll hear about how to build more hurricane-resistant homes and communities.

And coral reefs are a key line of defense against waves and storm surge that hurricane force winds can bring. And while corals get most of the attention, just as important are the marine sponges that actually hold corals together. Ecologist “Sponge Bobbie” joins us for more!

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