Latest Episodes for this Channel
Wed November 05 2008
Germany’s Bird of the Year -- Capturing usable water out of the air -- Spreading the word about animal welfare -- and -- Climate Witness: Indone...
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Germany’s Bird of the Year -- Capturing usable water out of the air -- Spreading the word about animal welfare -- and -- Climate Witness: Indonesia -- these stories and more in this edition of
Living Planet.Tune in via the live-stream or download the program as a podcast. Send your comments and questions to features@dw-world.de.Kingfisher Named Bird of the Year 2009While the bird itself is
n...
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Germany’s Bird of the Year -- Capturing usable water out of the air -- Spreading the word about animal welfare -- and -- Climate Witness: Indonesia -- these stories and more in this edition of
Living Planet.Tune in via the live-stream or download the program as a podcast. Send your comments and questions to features@dw-world.de.Kingfisher Named Bird of the Year 2009While the bird itself is
not endangered, it can tell scientists a lot about how the environment is doing.The Common Kingfisher has been crowned Germany’s bird of the year for 2009. The bird itself isn’t
endangered, but conservationists are hoping the added attention this brings may results in increased protection for its dwindling habitat: rivers. Kingfishers need natural river banks and clean,
clear water to flourish – all of which are in short supply in Europe. Report: Kate HairsineCoaxing Water Out of Thin AirPulling humidity out of the air is a cheap and environmentally safe way
to provide the world’s ever growing population with usable water.It may be fall in the northern hemisphere, but far south of the equator summer has almost arrived, and with it comes humidity.
The air gets sticky and you sweat right through your clothes. But humidity isn’t all bad; in fact, it can be downright life saving, especially to those living in the world’s semi-arid
regions. The Israeli company EWA, which stands for Extraction of Water from Air, has come up with a way to pull humidity out of the air in an economic and environmentally friendly way. It sounds
almost too good to be true, but the idea is actually thousands of years old. It is mentioned in the Bible and in ancient Jewish prayers, and archaeologists still find the stones ancient Israeli
farmers used to collect water for their crops. Living Planet spoke to the CEO of EWA, Dr. Etan Bar, about the innovation. Interview: Mark Mattox and Dr. Etan Bar, EWAPassionate Pensioner Teaches
Children About Animal WelfareA German woman, along with her dog, is spending her retirement trying to broaden the horizons of Germany’s youth.Gisela Lichterfeld is a pensioner with a passion
for educating the younger generation about animal welfare. Accompanied by her dog, Lucky, she visits schools in Germany to teach children about respect for animals. She wants to make them aware that
a household pet is not just a cuddly "toy", but a living being that requires appropriate care and handling. Lichterfeld also aims to raise general awareness of animals' needs, including the issue of
ethical farming practices. Report: Eva WutkeClimate Witness Series: IndonesiaIn Living Planet’s ‘Climate Witness’ mini-series we hear first-hand testimony about the consequences of
climate change.The effects of climate change in Indonesia could be devastating. Communities in Jakarta have been hit by floods and as weather conditions become more unpredictable it is disturbing the
way rice farmers have worked for generations. We hear from Norman Givan an indigenous Dayak from West Kalimantan, or Borneo, in Indonesia. Report: Cheryl Northey
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Wed October 29 2008
US Presidential Candidates’ Energy Policies -- Eyewitness accounts about climate change from South America -- Scotland’s Remote Communitie...
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US Presidential Candidates’ Energy Policies -- Eyewitness accounts about climate change from South America -- Scotland’s Remote Communities Becoming Energy Self-Sufficient -- these
stories and more in this edition of Living Planet.Tune in via the live-stream or download the program as a podcast. Send your comments and questions to features@dw-world.de.Examining American
Presidential Ca...
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US Presidential Candidates’ Energy Policies -- Eyewitness accounts about climate change from South America -- Scotland’s Remote Communities Becoming Energy Self-Sufficient -- these
stories and more in this edition of Living Planet.Tune in via the live-stream or download the program as a podcast. Send your comments and questions to features@dw-world.de.Examining American
Presidential Candidates’ Energy PoliciesEnergy and climate change topics were a part of the political platforms of both Presidential candidates during their campaigns.The United States of
America holds less than 5% of the world’s population, yet produces almost one quarter of its greenhouse gas emissions. During the US presidential race both candidates Republican John McCain and
Democrat Barack Obama mapped out how they would tackle global warming and address the energy security of the country in the future. Living Planet takes a closer look at the respective positions of
both candidates during the presidential campaign trail in the lead up to the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008. (Report: Leah McDonnell)Climate Witness Series: Latin AmericaIn
Living Planet’s ‘Climate Witness’ series we hear first-hand testimony about the consequences of climate change.Latin America is already experiencing climate change in various ways.
As global temperatures rise, the Amazon rain forest, which plays a key role in helping to regulate the earth’s climate – and in providing a home to countless species of animals and plants
- could become dryer. Meanwhile, in other areas, heavier and more frequent rain could see an increase in tropical water-borne diseases. We hear from Tony James, who is the President of the Amerindian
Peoples Association in Guyana, South America. (Report: Cheryl Northey)Scotland's Remote Communities Seek Sustainable FutureThe biggest issue facing communities in Scotland's remote areas at the
moment is the global energy crisis.Petrol prices are on average 10% higher in the highlands and islands, and people living in these areas are more reliant on private transport to reach essential
services. Many communities in the highlands and islands are preparing to become self sufficient in energy within three years. Living Planet visits western Scotland to find out how they are planning a
greener energy future. (Report: Cheryl Northey)International Award for Arctic FeatureLiving Planet received the 2nd prize at the Turquoise 2008 International Radio Competition for "Meeting the
Inupiat" - a feature from the series "Baked Alaska".Living Planet's Irene Quaile accompanied a group of young ‘Climate Ambassadors’ to the Arctic region of Alaska in May. While there they
interviewed Inupiat-Eskimos and scientists to find out about climate change. The Turquoise 2008 jury selected the feature – one of a series from the trip – as an excellent radio
production, which reports on the difficult living conditions of the Inupiat and the wide-ranging effects of climate change from various perspectives. Simply scroll down Living Planet's page for the
whole "Baked Alaska" series.
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Wed October 22 2008
Climate change opens the Arctic – Combating desertification – Using online activism to tackle big business – Eyewitness accounts abo...
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Climate change opens the Arctic – Combating desertification – Using online activism to tackle big business – Eyewitness accounts about climate change – these stories and more
in this edition of Living Planet.Tune in via the live-stream or download the program as a podcast. Send your comments and questions to features@dw-world.de.Climate Change Opens the ArcticBoth the
North...
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Climate change opens the Arctic – Combating desertification – Using online activism to tackle big business – Eyewitness accounts about climate change – these stories and more
in this edition of Living Planet.Tune in via the live-stream or download the program as a podcast. Send your comments and questions to features@dw-world.de.Climate Change Opens the ArcticBoth the
Northwest and Northeast Passages were completely ice free this summer. Great for shipping, but how bad is it for the environment?The German research vessel Polarstern has returned to the port of
Bremerhaven after its journey to the Arctic. The ship is operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, or AWI, which carries out research in the Arctic and Antarctic as well
as the high and mid latitude oceans. Due to the complete lack of ice in both the Northwest and Northeast passages this summer, the Polarstern was the first research vessel to cruise completely around
the North Pole. On board were researchers from 12 nations, including Germany, France, Japan, Russia and the United States. Living Planet spoke with Dr Ruediger Gerdes, a physical oceanographer with
AWI. Interview: Mark Mattox and Ruediger Gerdes, AWIEnvironment, Forced Migration and Social VulnerabilityDesertification doesn’t just threaten millions of hectares of land, but also the
livelihood of countless numbers of people.This month, the first international conference on the topic of "environment, forced migration and social vulnerability" took place in Bonn. Some 500 experts,
politicians and students took part in the event, which showcased speakers from around the world. For three days the visitors discussed the effects of environmental and climate change. There was one
point which they all agreed on - the necessity to effectively counteract the spread of desert regions. Maximilian Rech visisted the conference and his report is presented by Eva Wutke. Report:
Maximilian Rech / Eva WutkeOnline Activism Provides Real Action on Climate ChangeBy using the internet some people are taking a stand and beating big business at the emissions game.It was
controversial from the start and it still is today; the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme created a market in emissions by capping corporate pollution levels. Those companies wanting to emit more
than this cap have to buy their permits from cleaner rivals. It’s supposed to an incentive to reduce emissions over time and invest in cleaner energy sources, but it’s been dogged by
accusations that it’s merely favoured big business at the expense of the environment. But now environmental campaigners think they’ve found a way of beating the emissions market at its
own game. Naomi Fowler’s been investigating. Report: Naomi FowlerClimate Witness Series: AlaskaIn Living Planet’s new ‘Climate Witness’ mini-series we hear first-hand
testimony about the consequences of climate change.George Divoky is an ornithologist from the institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Fairbanks in Alaska. He has spent most of his career
observing a colony of black guillemots, a type of seabird, on Cooper Island, a remote and otherwise uninhabited island in the Arctic Beufort Sea, around 35 miles north of Barrow, the northernmost
settlement in the US. Over the past 30 years, George's bird watching project has turned into an observation of climate change at its most dramatic. Report: Irene Quaile
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Wed October 15 2008
Why European fruit orchards are in danger -- How eco-friendly footwear is helping to save the planet -- 2009 announced as the Year of the Gorilla -- A...
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Why European fruit orchards are in danger -- How eco-friendly footwear is helping to save the planet -- 2009 announced as the Year of the Gorilla -- All this and more in this edition of Living
Planet.Saving the OrchardsCentral-European fruit-tree meadows, which provide living space for thousands of species, are among the most endangered habitats in Europe.Up until the 1950s,
“fruit-tree mead...
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Why European fruit orchards are in danger -- How eco-friendly footwear is helping to save the planet -- 2009 announced as the Year of the Gorilla -- All this and more in this edition of Living
Planet.Saving the OrchardsCentral-European fruit-tree meadows, which provide living space for thousands of species, are among the most endangered habitats in Europe.Up until the 1950s,
“fruit-tree meadows” or “grassland orchards” were an integral part of the Central European landscape. But this traditional type of orchard, with its mix of different fruit
trees in one field, just hasn’t been able to compete with modern monoculture fruit-growing methods. Kate Hairsine visited a volunteer project that’s helping to preserve these meadows in
the German state of Baden Württemberg. Report: Kate HairsineEco-Shoes Leaving Behind No FootprintHow many people take the concept of their eco-footprint literally and consider what impact their
shoes are having on the earth?Some European shoe manufacturers are thinking about just that – and they’re developing a range of “eco-shoes”, which are meant to leave behind
only a small, if non-existent, footprint on the earth. Report: Catherine Graue2009 - Year of the GorillaThe Gorilla – our second-closest relative after the chimpanzee – is a highly
endangered species, with its current habitat limited to a few parts of central Africa.This is exactly why the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the
Bonn Convention, will declare 2009 as the Year of the Gorilla. Its aim is raising awareness and aiding the survival of this fascinating species. Irene Quaile spoke to gorilla expert and UN
ambassador, Ian Redmond, and asked him about the significance of the Year of the Gorilla. Interview: Irene Quaile
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Wed October 08 2008
IUCN releases their Red List of Endangered Species – Sailing to Barcelona harbor for environmental awareness – Eyewitness accounts about c...
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IUCN releases their Red List of Endangered Species – Sailing to Barcelona harbor for environmental awareness – Eyewitness accounts about climate change – these stories and more in
this edition of Living Planet. Tune in via the live-stream or download the programme as a podcast. Send your comments and questions to features@dw-world.de.IUCN Publishes Red List of Endangered
SpeciesT...
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IUCN releases their Red List of Endangered Species – Sailing to Barcelona harbor for environmental awareness – Eyewitness accounts about climate change – these stories and more in
this edition of Living Planet. Tune in via the live-stream or download the programme as a podcast. Send your comments and questions to features@dw-world.de.IUCN Publishes Red List of Endangered
SpeciesThe IUCN is perhaps best known for its Red List of Endangered Species, which is a kind of health check for the planet. Currently the planet is not in good shape. This time of year, people from
all over the Europe often head to Spain to get their last dose of fun in the sun before the long, cold winter sets in. But this week Barcelona is drawing crowds looking to do more than just get a tan
on the beach. The Spanish port city is the place to be for anybody interested in ecological issues. The IUCN or International Union for the Conservation of Nature, is the world’s biggest and
oldest global environmental network. It only holds its general congress every four years. And this time, it’s come to Barcelona. Our Living Planet team is there to report back on the latest
news. Report: Irene QuaileVoices of IUCNThousands of people have descended on Barcelona, Spain for the ecological conference. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, holds
its general congress every four years. This year it’s taking place in the Spanish port city of Barcelona, and has drawn visitors from around the world. Living Planet talked with a few of them
to find where they’re from and what brought them to the conference. Vox Pops: Irene Quaile / Nina HaaseSailing to BarcelonaA group of environmentalists are hoisting their sails and floating
into the Barcelona harbor to draw attention to the threat faced by the animals and plants living in the world’s oceans. Some of the participants at the World Conservation Congress took a route
that many would consider rather unusual. "Sailing to Barcelona" is an initiative that brought a colorful flotilla of several dozen boats from around the world sailing into the picturesque harbor this
weekend. Their mission: to join the IUCN conference and pass on the message that we can and must protect our seas, oceans and coasts. The boats are not just ordinary sailing vessels. Each is living
proof that something can be done to protect the extraordinary environment that covers more than two thirds of the earth. The Living Planet team jumped aboard the French ship Garlaban, as it left the
old harbor of Barcelona to join in the parade of boats. Report: Nina HaaseClimate Witness Series: TanzaniaIn Living Planet’s new ‘Climate Witness’ mini-series we hear first-hand
testimony about the consequences of climate change. This week we take a look at Tanzania. The eastern African nation is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The frequency of
droughts and flooding is on the rise, which impacts water resources, food and agriculture and can possibly lead to famine. In part four of ‘Climate Witness’, Grace Mketto, from the
Institut Africain pour le Développement Economique et Social (INADES) speaks about her country’s struggle. Report Andrew Zubiri / Irene Quaile
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