Living Planet

DW

Looking to reconnect with nature? Want to make better decisions for the health of the planet? Every Friday, Living Planet brings you the stories, facts and debates on the key environmental issues of our time.

  • 31 minutes 57 seconds
    Racing to war-proof Ukraine's power grid
    When Russia targets Ukraine's energy system, it's not just turning off the lights — it's creating conditions for nuclear disaster. Each attack forces a rethink: more solar, more batteries, more distributed, harder-to-hit systems. For Ukrainians, this isn't about climate — it's about survival. What can the rest of the world learn from this?
    24 April 2026, 9:30 am
  • 29 minutes 41 seconds
    Something is wrong in the Arctic - Narwhals can tell
    Alex Ootowak grew up watching narwhals, the “unicorns of the sea”, frolic in Canada’s Arctic waters. Then a nearby mine changed everything. In this episode, hear how underwater recordings reveal a decline in narwhals - and why scientists couldn’t research these enigmatic creatures without the Inuit community.
    17 April 2026, 9:15 am
  • 30 minutes 29 seconds
    Why cities keep losing the war on rats
    In cities around the world, rats aren't just surviving; they're thriving. Despite decades of poison, traps and control, they keep coming back. So, what is it about modern city life that suits them so well? From Berlin to New York, this is a story about what happens when urban systems start feeding "the rat problem".
    10 April 2026, 10:00 am
  • 30 minutes
    Pray or act? Churches at a crossroads
    Climate change is reshaping the world - but inside many churches, it’s barely spoken about. So what’s behind the silence? One believer whose passion for God’s creation started as a kid surrounded by manatees and mangroves, is urging US churches to reconnect faith with stewardship of the land.
    3 April 2026, 9:55 am
  • 33 minutes 58 seconds
    Geothermal could be huge, why isn't it?
    Brock Yordy once helped extract fossil fuels; now, he’s using the same skills to tap the Earth’s heat for clean energy. His journey from oilfields to geothermal puts a new spotlight on a big question: can the industry that drove emissions now lead the way in reducing them? And if there’s so much power beneath our feet, what’s holding geothermal back?
    27 March 2026, 11:00 am
  • 29 minutes 18 seconds
    Houston, we have a plastic problem!
    Chemical recycling promises to transform plastic waste, and Houston is at the center of this big experiment in the US. While industry touts it as a breakthrough, activists are finding that much of the plastic doesn't get recycled after all. Is Houston leading the way to real change - or revealing the limits of the latest recycling fad?
    20 March 2026, 11:00 am
  • 34 minutes 9 seconds
    Would the four-day work week kill productivity?
    The four-day work week was a hot new trend not all that long ago, but amid stagnating economies, some countries are pushing for more work, not less. Even in Europe, the German chancellor is calling for an end to "lifestyle" part-time jobs. Living Planet's Jennifer Collins spoke with economists and manufacturers about the benefits of working less, both for us and the planet. Plus, could AI help?
    13 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 35 minutes 4 seconds
    Arctic farming: Climate fix or future problem?
    As climate change reshapes the Arctic, Norwegian scientists are testing how far north farming can go. But is expanding Arctic agriculture a responsible answer to future food shortages, or a risky bet?
    6 March 2026, 11:00 am
  • 28 minutes 18 seconds
    Rainforests’ invisible carbon problem
    The rainforests in northeast Australia are some of the most protected in the world – they haven't been logged in nearly 40 years. But after decades of measuring these forests tree by tree, scientists have uncovered a troubling change. An unexpected shift that could force us to rethink how we calculate emissions pathways and the role forest sinks play in slowing climate change.
    27 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 33 minutes 38 seconds
    Why some men tune out climate change
    Do men really care less about the environment than women or is the story more complicated? We unpack the "Green Gender Gap," the politics and identity behind it, and the surprising ways men — from veterans to lumberjacks — are being drawn into climate action.
    20 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 29 minutes 35 seconds
    Vegan leather: Green dream or plastic problem? (Rebroadcast)
    Synthetic leather. Faux leather. Vegan leather. Call it what you want - it’s everywhere, especially in the shoes on our feet. For some shoppers, it’s about saving money. For others, it’s about protecting animals or reducing their environmental footprint. But what's the real story behind this fast-growing alternative? And is vegan leather actually better for the planet?
    13 February 2026, 10:00 am
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