Living Planet

From origami-like electric cars, to drones taking out a rat infestation in the Galapagos, to one company that is quite literally sucking CO2 out of the air in an effort to mitigate climate change. This week on Living Planet we're looking towards the future with new technologies that address environmental problems.

As a global phenomenon, it's no wonder that climate change's impacts can be felt in our work, home life, and even our leisure activities. This is leading people to take to the streets, as is the case with recent climate action protests in France, and to make more sustainable choices in the least likely of places.

When it comes to the health of our planet, we often look to the example set by others. This week on Living Planet, we take a look at one U.S. state that is trying to set the bar high, one area in Chile that has a dismally low environmental record, and we speak with an environmental lawyer trying to set new precedents in Europe and beyond.

Solutions to environmental problems are different everywhere. In this edition of Living Planet, we’re taking a look at the projects looking to recycle waste across Africa, regrow coral in Florida and shine a light on plastic pollution in Bali.

Wetlands: swamps, bogs, and marshes are important worldwide as a source of fresh water and as a home to many insects and animals. However, many of them are under threat due to overuse and deforestation and some are cleared to make way for farming.

When talking about climate change, we can sometimes feel overwhelmed with problems that don’t seem to have solutions. In this episode of Living Planet, we meet the students protesting for climate action, the landscapers in California who are switching to electric only equipment and the NASA climate scientist who reduced his fossil fuel use to 1/10th of what it was.

From fossil fuels to water usage, our consumption has causes hidden environmental damage further along the supply chain. In this episode of Living Planet, we assess how Argentina is performing against its climate goals, whether Germany can phase out coal whilst protecting workers, where we get our drinking water from and how overuse of water is causing Indonesia’s capital to sink into the sea.

Humans have an interesting relationship with meat. Some love it, some object to it and some simply want other options from time to time. We take a look at some of the reasons people reduce their meat consumption, what options they have and why eating less meat is having a mostly positive impact on the planet. Plus, we look at how agriculture affects water consumption.

The new year is a time for reflection, making changes and figuring out ways we can make this year better than the last. We explore stories about good food and meet the people who are making sure there’s enough of it to go around. Plus, we discover how climate change is affecting our health.

How will Christmas change as the world gets increasingly warmer? We take a look at how reindeer are affected, whether a real or fake Christmas tree is better and how Santa's home - the north pole - is warming up.