President Donald Trump formally pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement just last month, making it the first and only country to do so. President-elect Joe Biden will reverse that decision. What damage to the US's environmental reputation will remain? Rachel Cleetus, Policy Director for Climate and Energy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, explains what we might expect.

In Germany, the Greens have been gaining momentum and political power in recent years. With Chancellor Angela Merkel stepping down next year, might the Green Party have an even bigger role to play in shaping Germany's future?

Being in nature calms and rejuvenates adults and children alike. And kids who have contact with the natural world end up caring more for the environment, as well. But as more of our lives are spent indoors, we may be losing this vital connection. And as it turns out, kids having a strong connection with nature also has a dark side.

You may know that women and children are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and pollution. And, how communities of color often bear the brunt of environmental hazards. Well, new research shows that climate impacts puts pregnant women of color at higher risk for having premature babies, low birth weight, or even stillbirth.

Earlier this year, thousands of barrels of black sludge contaminated the Ecuadorian Amazon after a landslide damaged oil pipelines. Environmentalists say it was the region's worst oil spill in decades. It's not only threatening the health of a uniquely biodiverse part of the Amazon, it's also taking a massive toll on local villagers who depend on clean river systems for survival.

Osman Salih was horrified when, earlier this year, he discovered an abandoned zoo in war-torn Sudan. Inside the cages there were animals starving to death; some were already dead. The photos he snapped of emaciated lions soon went viral on social media, sparking a campaign that has since turned the animals' situation around.

Each year, millions of second-hand cars that have been relegated to the scrap heap in Europe, the US and Japan end up on African roads. That's a problem - not only because these vehicles fail to meet safety standards in the countries exporting them, but also because they're an environmental hazard.

Since the pandemic started, face masks have become a key tool in the fight to curb COVID-19 infections. But with countries ramping up production of a largely disposable product, a new environmental problem is emerging. At the same time, so are some solutions.

Plastic pollution is a big problem in many countries. But Indonesian scientist Nory Mulyono is developing a way to limit the amount of waste ending up in the ocean. She's turning seaweed into an alternative to plastic packaging.

Petrochemical and recycling companies in the United States are lobbying their government to push Kenya to relax strict anti-plastic measures. Environmental campaigners say that if these firms have their way, Africa could become a dumping ground for plastic.