Living Planet
As humans' impact on the planet becomes more evident, there is a need for independent reporting. Living Planet looks at new technologies, visits innovative projects and keeps you up-to-date on the state of the earth.
Bill McKibben: One big thing is going right
For 40 years, environmentalist and author Bill McKibben has chronicled the worsening climate crisis and politicians' failure to stop it. But now, for the first time, he says he can actually see a path forward. We ask him what that path looks like – and what still threatens to derail…
Blackout: What's really breaking energy grids
We're generating more solar and wind power than ever before, but somewhere between where it's made and where it's needed, the energy system can't keep up. From Spain's blackout to bottlenecks across Europe, the way we move electricity is in desperate need of some updates. In Part 2 of The…
Deserted: Why solar power fails where it should shine
Some of the places hardest hit by climate change are also home to one of the future's most powerful gifts: superabundant sunshine. If solar is now cheaper than ever, what’s stopping the clean energy revolution from taking off where the sun shines the brightest? In Part 1 of our special…
The Switch — coming soon
Solar power is the cheapest energy source in history - and wind isn’t far behind. So why isn't the clean energy transition moving faster? In a new three-part miniseries, we’re digging into why the switch is so damn hard. From solar mega-farms in Morocco to European bottlenecks to climate writer…
Breaking gold's toxic bond with mercury pollution
When mercury pollution makes headlines, it's often linked to fish and human health. But there's another big source of mercury pollution that's affecting millions of people across the world - artisanal and small-scale gold mining. This episode looks at efforts in South America to reduce mercury use in mining -…
The resale illusion: Why second-hand isn't always better
Your thrifted shirt might not be as green as you think. From Ghana's "dead white man's clothes" to the rise of resale, we uncover fashion's hidden impact - and a way forward that could change it all.
Introducing: Boy Wasted
This week on Living Planet, we're sharing Boy Wasted - a gripping three-part environmental true crime series by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor. It begins with a shocking find: a boy's body hidden in a bale of recycled plastic in Turkey, leading to a dangerous, cross-border investigation into a global…
Can a cancer hotspot be saved from our addiction to plastic?
The harm of plastics on human health is well known, but what about their impact on the people living near the plants that produce them? In this episode, we hear from the women on the frontlines of the fight against petrochemical companies in one of the US’s most toxic strips…
What are students really learning about climate change?
In classrooms across the US, fossil fuel interests and political pressure are shaping the science - and leaving key facts out. Meet two teachers fighting to keep climate education honest, local, and alive.
The truly amazing world of fungi (Rebroadcast)
Think fungi are just mushrooms and mold? Think again. Over 90% of fungal species are still unknown, and scientists are discovering new ones all the time. This World Fungus Day, dive into the hidden, fascinating world of fungi with us.