Living Planet - Reports | Deutsche Welle

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.

The Kingdom of Morocco is one of just two countries (along with Gambia) on track to meet its Paris commitments, according to the Climate Action Tracker. In 2009, King Mohammed VI called for a makeover of the country's energy sector. So, what achievements have the north African country made since then? The first solar airplane, Green Mosques and the world's largest solar plant, to name a few.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The United Kingdom uses 5 million metric tons of plastic every year, and only about a third of that ends up being recycled. In a bid to find out just how widespread plastic pollution is, British campaigner Laura Sanderson has decided to test the waters — quite literally — in the UK's wildest rivers.

Trapping wild birds is illegal in most countries of the European Union. But some countries – like Italy and France – still allow it as a hobby and for food. In Malta, hunting birds is a tradition that many men don’t want to give up. The government there is now proposing that traditional trappers become citizen scientists. But there are doubts that this will work.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, the wind blows particles of radioactive uranium across the population. Johannesburg is considered to be one of the most radioactive cities in the world. Due to its history as a gold mining region, uranium is in the air there. That's impacting people’s health — and many say not enough is being done about it.

Microplastics are not just in our waters — they are also in our air. And one of the largest sources for this is tires. As vehicles drive on roads, that releases tiny plastic particles into our air, which we can then breathe in. Turns out that's a pretty serious health risk. But a startup called the Tyre Collective has a new invention that it believes will help with the microplastics problem.

Air pollution kills more than 7 million people worldwide every year. And right at the top of the list of places with unhealthy air is Delhi, also known as "the smog capital of the world." Gigantic smog-sucking towers that clean the air are now being hailed as a new solution. But they are far from a fix-all.

It's no secret that drug trafficking and cartel wars cost human lives, but what isn't often talked about is their environmental cost. In an interview, DW reporter Tim Schauenberg explains how drugs are hurting our planet.

If environmental costs were part of the price tag, food in Germany would be much more expensive. Researchers have now calculated just how much more. One discount supermarket in Berlin is testing the waters by showing its customers what it truly costs to make their food, with surprising results. Anne-Sophie Brändlin went there to find out more.

It's not hard to accumulate stuff: Too many books, too many clothes, too many plates, cups, pairs of socks ... the list goes on. But it is hard to get rid of it. As DW reporter Tamsin Walker and her family found out, shedding the unnecessary does have certain benefits — both personal and planetary.

In western Kenya, there's water, water everywhere — yet not a drop to drink. Climate change-driven floods have displaced tens of thousands of people, ironically leading to water scarcity. No class or sector is immune, and experts are now scrambling in search of a solution.

Women in rural Kenya are disproportionally affected by climate change as they struggle to find food for their families. Nongovernmental group the BOMA Project offers grants to the most vulnerable in society, allowing women to generate their own income to mitigate climate impacts like drought. DW spoke with program director Sam Owilly — and a couple women also speak for themselves.