Costing the Earth (Series 31 and onwards)
Below are episode descriptions for each episode of BBC radio show and podcast Costing the Earth. The show focuses on topics relating to the environment such as energy, pollution and technology.
Series 31
How to Halve Emissions by 2030
In November 2021, Glasgow will host the COP26 conference. We are currently not on track to meet the goal of limiting temperature increases, and Tom Heap is joined in a discussion with a variety of experts on what practical solutions can be implemented to meet the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 2030.
The New Environmental Sheriff in Town
Dame Glenys Stacey has the role of keeping the government on a path to an improved environmental record, and she talks with Tom Heap about her role as head of the Office for Environmental Protection. She also discusses her job which will involve working with local councils and the Environmental Agency.
The Lorax
Michael Rosen discusses the fiftieth anniversary of Dr Seuss' The Lorax, and on other books which have had an influence on the modern environmental movement. The show also features interviews with other prominent people including writer George Monbiot and Children's Laureate Cressida Cowell.
Lockdown Planet
Tom Heap reports on what the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown has been on the planet after one year. Discussing the impact both in the UK and around the world, he is joined by air quality expert Ally Lewis, psychologist Lorraine Whitmarsh and South Korea correspondent Laura Bicker.
Killer Kitties
Miranda Krestovnikoff discusses the impact of domestic cats in the UK, with estimates suggesting that they kill over one hundred million wild animals a year. This episode explores how scientists are monitoring the situation, and hears about more drastic measures being proposed and enacted in other countries.
Gene Editing Nature
The power gene editing technique - CRISPR - allows us to rewrite DNA, and is thought to be a tool which can be used to save the biodiversity of the planet. However, with the technology comes the ethical questions about using it, and what impact it may have on the environment and public health.
Maritime Nation
Peter Gibbs and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall discuss how well protected the coast of Britain and its wildlife are now that the United Kingdom has left the European Union. They also discuss whether rules can be strengthened, what impact climate change is having on the coastal waters, and whether plastic pollution from beaches can be eradicated.
Landfill Legacy
Tom Heap reports on the legacy of landfills. Despite recent efforts to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, there is still a huge amount buried underground and prior to the 1970s, there were almost no rules about what could go into landfill. Some of these landfills, due to erosion, and now starting to leak their contents, and many more are expected to in the coming decades.
Shipping
Lucy Siegle heads a panel discussion on the impact of shipping. With the early 2021 blockage of the Suez Canal by a ship for almost a week, hundreds of other vessels were stuck in tailbacks through what is normally one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. The group discuss the impact of shipping on the environment and ways of cleaning up the industry.
The South Australian Miracle
Australia's government is well-known for failing to tackle climate change, despite increasing problems with bushfires and droughts. As the Liberal-led government continues to promote coal-mining and avoid efforts to reduce emissions, one state lead by a Liberal government of its own is ahead of most of the world in its conversion to renewable energy.
New Grid for the New Age
"Greenfinger"
With government action on climate change being sluggish, the question is whether rich individuals should be able to bypass the government and enact changes to help cool the planet on their own by funding from their own finances. However, this episode asks whether they should be allowed and what the ramifications of doing so will be.
Beaver Town
Braunton, North Devon, is considering the reintroduction of beavers due to the flooding problems which have increased in severity over the past decade. After the animals were hunted to extinction in Britain four hundred years ago, they are now beginning to make a comeback with hopes that their dams will improve wildlife diversity and prevent downstream floods.