Living Planet
DW
300 episodes
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.
Episodes page 1 of 6
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Part two: Can we buy our way out of sea level rise?
To many on Germany’s Hallig Islands, the thought of relocating is scarier than facing dangerous flood events. A closer look at why the German government is investing big money into preserving their unique way of life.
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Part one: The islands keeping Germany safe
As the world races to adapt to sea level rise, in Germany, nature itself is part of the solution. A visit to its islands, the vital coastal defenders protecting the mainland from the very threats they face themselves.
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When storms trigger asthma
Dave McGann had never experienced a serious asthma attack. Then a storm rolled in and he couldn't breathe - neither could thousands of others. What turned the air deadly that night?
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Powering China, reshaping Tibet
As a teen, Lobsang Yangtso left her home in Tibet. It took two decades to return, and what she found shocked her. China's clean energy revolution is bringing major gains, but also difficult trade-offs.
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Why aren’t more women cycling?
Cycling changed Aisling's life for the better. So why did she begin to wonder whether it was worth it? Her story reveals the hidden barriers keeping many women off two wheels, and why overcoming them benefits everyone.
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Fighting fire with fire
Anasuya Basil lives in a virtual tinder box in California. After surviving blazes big and small, she winced at the smell of smoke. Then everything changed. Now she sets fires on purpose.
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The imperfect activist
Katie Hodgetts wanted to do everything right for the planet. She stopped flying, changed how she lived, and threw herself into climate activism. But when doing more became too much, she learned an important lesson.
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Searching for higher ground in Australia
In 2022, a catastrophic flood tore through Australia's Northern Rivers region. By the time it receded, life for one couple had changed forever. Surviving the flood was one thing, figuring out what came next was another.
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Saving Syria’s war-ravaged bees
Syria’s bee population was once considered the largest in the Middle East, but then came the civil war in 2011, plunging the country into years of violent conflict. Only a fraction of its bee colonies survived. A…
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Summer reads – How we made the wilderness w/Cal Flyn
What if the places we think of as empty and unmarred are anything but? What if wilderness is as much an idea as a place? A conversation with Cal Flyn, who, in her new book, travels to some of the world's most remote,…
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Summer reads – On the magic of the Himalayas w/Anuradha Roy
If you want to escape to the profound stillness of the Himalayan foothills, a good place to start is by reading Indian writer Anuradha Roy’s latest book, Called by the Hills. A conversation about living with wild…
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Summer reads – Learning from dinosaurs w/Evan Jevnikar
If you've ever wondered whether humanity can adapt to a changing climate, the fossil record offers surprising reasons for hope. Paleontologist Evan Jevnikar, author of Surviving Climate and Chaos explores how dinosaurs…
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Summer reads – Thinking in deep time w/Marcia Bjornerud
Standing atop a 1.7-billion-year-old rock in Wisconsin, geologist Marcia Bjornerud points out the many challenges our planet has weathered, and that its long memory might hold the key to facing climate change today. A…
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When data centers move in | Part 2
Where does the cloud actually live? We go behind the high-security fences of a German data center to find out. Inside lies the physical infrastructure that powers our expanding digital universe. And a growing debate…
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When data centers move in | Part 1
The internet's invisible backbone is becoming impossible to ignore. As data centers multiply, so do questions about the land, power and communities they depend on – and who decides where they go. In part one, we visit…
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The next flood doesn’t have to be a disaster
Five years after catastrophic floods tore through Germany's Ahr Valley, Living Planet host Neil King reflects on the devastation he witnessed firsthand, while reporter Jonas Mayer returns to see what's changed. Can…
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The cloud comes to town (coming soon)
The cloud is supposed to be invisible. Limitless. Until it isn't. Coming soon, Living Planet goes in search of the hidden infrastructure being built to power our digital futures.
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California's largest lake is turning to dust
Dust storms around the world are getting worse and for people like Michelle, living with chronic asthma near a drying lake in California, the results are life-threatening. Elsewhere, seeds of change are being planted…
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Can we bury climate pollution?
What happens after carbon is captured? In this special collaboration with How We Survive, Living Planet follows CO₂ from a cement factory to its final resting place more than a mile beneath the seabed. We investigate…
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Is carbon removal a fantasy?
Every time you drive a car, heat your home or board a plane, carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. A growing industry says it can pull that CO₂ back out again. Living Planet reporter Sam Baker visited two companies…
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How this super pollutant became as ‘lucrative as cocaine’
At some point today, you’ve probably used an appliance that relies on HFCs, also known as refrigerants. They're many times more potent than CO2, which is why the EU, US and others are phasing them out. Planet A…
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Europe’s chemical recycling gamble
A new generation of chemical recycling plants promises to turn hard-to-recycle plastics back into new packaging and keep waste out of landfills and incinerators. But as Europe pours millions into the technology,…
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Feldheim: The village that took back its power
Wind turbines, pig manure, people power – and one radical idea. Feldheim may look like an ordinary farming village, but it’s become world famous for its unique energy system, where residents pay far less for power than…
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Rats, revisited
We thought we were done talking about rats. Then your questions came in. From plague myths to poisoned predators, population growth and climate change to urban allotment gardens in Helsinki, this bonus episode follows…
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Prescription for a superbug crisis
After a life-changing accident, Vanessa spent years fighting a dangerous infection that kept coming back. Eventually, doctors discovered why: the bacteria fueling it were resistant to antibiotics. Her story leads us…
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The dirty truth about laundry (Rebroadcast)
Laundry seems harmless - but it’s not. Chemicals, microplastics, and energy use add up fast. Are we overwashing just to feel "clean”? Discover how to clean your clothes smarter - and greener.
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War-proofing Ukraine's power grid with solar
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,…
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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 —…
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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…
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Pray or act? Breaking the silence of US churches
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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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?
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The rainforest's hidden warning
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…
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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…
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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…
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The dark side of recycling
This week, we're featuring Episode 2 of Boy Wasted, a three-part environmental true crime series by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, co-produced by Adnan Khan. The investigation into a boy found dead in a bale of recycled…
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The great American protein push. What's at 'steak'? (Bonus)
US Health Secretary RFK Jr. released new dietary guidelines that have literally turned the food pyramid upside down. Beef is, quite literally, "what's for dinner." Living Planet's Jennifer Collins spoke with health…
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The classroom with no walls
Children today spend less time in nature than any generation before - and educators are sounding the alarm. But what if the outdoors becomes the classroom itself? In this episode, we explore the science and stories…
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AI can unlock nature’s symphony, but can it save biodiversity?
Bioacoustics is pretty niche, but now thanks to AI, it could turbocharge biodiversity research. Michel André calls it “the science of the sound of life.” In this episode, we hear his recordings from the mysterious…
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Bacteria to the rescue?
It started with a scoop of soil from an Arctic dump. Inside was a microbe scientists call a game-changer - able to live on air and pull methane, one of the planet’s most dangerous greenhouse gases, straight out of the…
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Let’s get quizzical!
Time to ring in the New Year with something a little different, and fun! Host Neil King is joined by producers Jennifer Collins, Kathleen Schuster and Charli Shield for Living Planet’s first ever quiz. How closely were…
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And the award goes to...
Before we say goodbye to 2025, Living Planet has some good news to share. Not only has the feedback from you, our listeners, been overwhelmingly positive, but our team has received recognition for its work in climate…
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The hidden toll of roadkill (Rebroadcast)
Every year, countless animals meet their end on our roads - yet most of us barely notice. But this isn’t just a minor tragedy; the sheer scale is reshaping ecosystems across the planet. So, how can we make a difference…
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What we get wrong about eating protein
Protein obsession is reshaping our diets — and our planet. We lift the lid on the protein craze, what we truly need for good health, why animal protein carries such a heavy climate footprint, and what choices could cut…
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Bill McKibben: One big thing is going right | The Switch 3
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. In the…
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Blackout: What's really breaking energy grids | The Switch 2
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…
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Deserted: Why solar power's failing where it should shine | The Switch 1
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…
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The Switch — a miniseries
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…
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