Living Planet

Cobalt is one of the most important raw materials used to make batteries for smartphones, tablets and e-cars. About two thirds of cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition to the big industrial mines, there are many small makeshift mines where even children source the raw material, risking their lives. Linda Staude went to explore.

The world is reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic — and that goes for our environment, too. From the importance of getting out into nature in times of social distancing to concerns around maintaining food supply chains, we explore how this virus is changing the way we interact with the world around us — and maybe pointing to some needed changes.

Today on the show, we're taking a look at our plastic world — from the oceans, to its place in our homes, to its original source. What can we do now about our plastic problems and what do we still need to figure out?

This week we hear stories about different species in the animal kingdom: nutria, pangolins, the golden lancehead pit viper. According to the United Nations, one million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction, many within the coming decades. But as famed primatologist and conservation advocate Jane Goodall explains, animals aren't so different from us humans.

The purity of global water supplies faces numerous threats. To mark World Water Day, we hear about pressures on a freshwater lagoon in Spain, pharmaceutical contamination spawning something sinister in India, how the Rhine River in Germany cured its contamination problem, and how climate change endangers the Rio Grande in the southwestern United States.

As governments strive to wean themselves off fossil fuels, we visit Sweden to find out why wood could be key for a net-zero carbon future. We'll also head to Brazil, where activists are replanting trees obliterated by last year's catastrophic fires. Plus, Rob Greenfield, a self-proclaimed "dude making a difference," tells us how he started foraging for food to live a more sustainable existence.

Plastic — it’s forever, quite literally, as it only breaks down into ever-smaller pieces. Worldwide, communities are seeking solutions to this persistent problem. Rome is rolling out an inventive idea for how to manage used plastic bottles in its subways. A Rwandan DW journalist talks about how Africa's plastic bag bans are faring. Plus, single-use plastic in the medical sector — what can be done?

What's the role of sports when it comes to climate change? Spanish soccer club Real Betis has committed to reducing its carbon footprint. Tea producers in Kenya experiment with a sugarcane waste product that could help reduce demand for firewood and in turn help curb deforestation. We also talk about the sound of soil and why it's important.

How clean is our snow? Is it safe to eat for dogs? Scientists have found traces of dangerous substances in Lake Victoria, Africa's biggest lake. And what to do with Fukushima's radioactive water and other nuclear waste in our oceans.

This week on the show, we take a look at lithium-ion batteries — how they are both necessary to ending our dependence on fossil fuels and how our increased demand for lithium is affecting communities on either side of the globe. We also hear about how the UK is using a citizens' assembly to find the best solutions to address climate change.