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PODCAST

Down to Earth

FRANCE 24 English

We meet the people behind fascinating environmental, health and technological innovations in a bid for sustainable solutions to our changing world.

science & medicine

All Episodes

00:04:31

'They see with their noses': Detector dogs trained to...

Down to Earth ·

2024/10/07

From crop failures to shrinking lakes, Europe is increasingly suffering from a lack of water. According to the European Environment Agency, around 30 percent of the continent's population is already affected by shortages. Preventing water leaks has become a priority for many cities. In France, a special dog brigade has been trained to locate leaky pipes. As the dogs are able to detect chlorine, they can pinpoint leaks quickly and efficiently. Our team at Down to Earth reports.

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00:04:53

A Swiss NGO wants to protect both sheep and wolves....

Down to Earth ·

2024/09/25

Can man and wolves coexist? Several European countries are grappling with this question, as wolves naturally regain ground across the continent. Switzerland is the latest country that's having to adapt to their return. Wolves were first spotted there in 2012, with their numbers tripling to reach at least 300. Shepherds have since had to face growing attacks, but one NGO has made it its mission to reconcile sheep and wolves, offering a unique service to help. Our Down to Earth team reports.

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00:03:39

Paris's plan to ditch ACs and expand urban cooling...

Down to Earth ·

2024/09/09

Around the world, record-shattering temperatures are feeding demand for air conditioning. 135 million individual ACs are sold every year, a figure set to triple by 2050 according to the International Energy Agency. This rush to cool air could in turn become a major driver of electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Paris, a little-known network of underground water pipes aims to cool down buildings, without resorting to polluting AC units.

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00:03:23

French beekepers prepare for killer Asian hornets to...

Down to Earth ·

2024/04/26

Asian hornets were first detected on French soil in 2004, and the invasive species has since spread rapidly across the country and the rest of Europe, including Germany, Spain and the UK. Asian hornets are known to be a major cause of high bee mortality, with entire colonies wiped out in as little as several days. Earlier this month, the French government launched a nationwide strategy to combat their proliferation. Beekeepers have also had to adapt in order to protect their hives. The Down to Earth

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00:06:54

French startup uses plastic-chewing enzymes in...

Down to Earth ·

2024/04/22

April 22 marks Earth Day, and this year's theme is "Planet vs. Plastics". Over the past 60 years, around 7 billion tons of plastic have been produced, according to the UN. But only around 10 percent of it has been recycled. Initiatives are flourishing around the world to tackle the waste crisis, including new technology to improve recycling rates. French startup Carbios has developed an alternative method to mechanical recycling, using plastic-chewing enzymes to break down polyethylene, one of the

en

00:04:03

Barcelona's tourism industry going 'unpunished' amid...

Down to Earth ·

2024/03/22

As the Spanish region of Catalonia battles its worst drought on record, activists are beginning to question Barcelona's mass tourism model. Should Spain's most visited city be allowed to welcome even more tourists this summer amid a state of emergency? The Down to Earth team takes a closer look.

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00:12:07

Metro pollution: Paris's dirty secret

Down to Earth ·

2024/01/26

The Paris metro is one of the oldest underground railway networks in the world. Every day, 4 million people in the French capital rely on its services. But could Parisians be unknowingly exposing themselves to toxic levels of air pollution? The Down to Earth team takes a closer look.

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00:11:08

Could natural hydrogen discovered in France be the...

Down to Earth ·

2024/01/12

In France's eastern Lorraine region, scientists have uncovered vast deposits of natural hydrogen, one of the cleanest fuels in nature. The discovery could be the biggest of its kind so far, spurring a global energy race for the fuel of the future. The Down to Earth team takes a closer look.

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00:11:37

How super plants could help fight pollution

Down to Earth ·

2023/12/22

Where life cannot be sustained, some plant species show astounding resilience against toxic contaminants. Could they help us clean up pollution? The Down to Earth team investigates.

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00:12:13

Will COP28 mark the end of the fossil fuel era?

Down to Earth ·

2023/11/30

As the UN's annual climate summit gets underway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, one underlying question is set to top the agenda: can the world finally agree to ditch fossil fuels? Down to Earth takes a closer look.

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00:12:01

One year after France's Gironde wildfires, bark...

Down to Earth ·

2023/10/27

One year on from the historic wildfires that decimated the woodlands of Gironde in south-western France, the bark beetle is adding insult to injury. Bark beetle larvae usually feed off the sap of dead trees, but after the fires left so many trees weakened, it's been a field day for the insect, which is now proliferating at an alarming rate. It's now a race against time to save what can be saved – to evacuate dead or infected trees from the area, in the hope of protecting their neighbours. The Down

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00:12:17

Climate crisis: French Alps hit by increasing rockfalls

Down to Earth ·

2023/10/06

Last August, a massive rockfall in France's Maurienne valley brought traffic to a standstill between France and Italy. Nearly 16,000 cubic metres of rock suddenly tumbled down the mountain, damaging a highway and train tracks down below.

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00:12:10

Dying forests: New carbon emitters?

Down to Earth ·

2023/09/22

Their carbon-absorbing properties have made trees crucial climate allies. But for how long? As extreme climate conditions accelerate their decline, forests are losing their ability to act as carbon sinks by soaking up planet-warming gases. In France, some have even turned into a source of carbon. In this edition of Down to Earth, we meet with scientists as they try to piece together the sequence of factors contributing to the decline of French forests and carbon sequestration.

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00:11:53

Concrete no more: The end of urban sprawl?

Down to Earth ·

2023/09/08

As cities expand, demand for land continues to grow. But that same land provides vital services to humans, such as agriculture. Nature and urbanisation are two sides of the same coin. Can they ever be reconciled? Or is urban sprawl inevitable? The Down to Earth team takes a closer look at the situation in France.

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00:12:08

Posidonia meadows: Lungs of the seas at risk

Down to Earth ·

2023/08/24

They produce twice as much oxygen in the Mediterranean as the Amazon rainforest. They are often confused with algae. But seagrasses, known as "posidonia" in the Mediterranean, are plants that are crucial to our planet. Yet they are under threat. Scientists believe the Mediterranean has lost 14 percent of its seagrass meadows over the past 100 years. Tourism, boats dragging their anchors and pollution have driven the rapid decline of this ancient, carbon-absorbing plant.

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00:11:38

Health sector in uphill battle to reduce emissions...

Down to Earth ·

2023/06/30

The healthcare sector accounts for around 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. That's equivalent to the annual emissions of France, Germany and Brazil combined. Medical staff and the healthcare industry are gradually embracing the objective of reducing the sector's contribution to global warming. But the task remains daunting. The Down to Earth team takes a closer look.

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00:12:32

France's growing water crisis

Down to Earth ·

2023/06/15

Dry rivers, thirsty villages and depleted groundwater reserves: as water supply grows ever more uncertain, France is gearing up for another dry summer. But the country has a game plan for survival: share, reuse and save a dwindling resource. The Down to Earth team takes a closer look.

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00:12:06

Olympic cleanup: Swimming in the Seine

Down to Earth ·

2023/06/02

Swimming in the Seine has long been forbidden but taking a dip in the iconic river could soon become a reality. Just in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Paris has embarked on its most ambitious bid yet to clean up one the world’s busiest waterways.

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00:11:58

Microplastic invasion: Oceans, soil and food?

Down to Earth ·

2023/05/19

With microplastic pollution invading our oceans and the soil, few places have been spared. Could it also enter the food chain? Scientists in the Netherlands are beginning to uncover the tip of the iceberg – so far, with more questions than answers.

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00:11:35

Recycling ahoy! New life for old boats

Down to Earth ·

2023/05/05

It could almost be the scene of a picture postcard: old boats dotted around the French coastline, moving with the tide. But their environmental impact is a lot less charming. Most boats are made of fibreglass, plastics and resins, making them difficult to recycle. But is there another way? Can sustainable boating set sail? We take a closer look in this edition of Down to Earth.

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68 results

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