What On Earth

As Jamaica moves to rebuild after the storm, the world prepares to gather for its annual climate conference. And amid the stories of death and destruction, Caribbean nations are urging richer countries to help them adapt to climate change. We hear from climate leaders in the Caribbean about what Jamaica is doing to safeguard itself against hurricanes, and why more is needed from world leaders at COP30.

Wasted food has a climate cost bigger than the aviation industry. So how can we toss less – and feed hungry people at the same time? We meet someone who’s made it a mission to eat everything she buys, including scraps you might not have ever considered saving for later. Then, we head out with a charity that collects leftover food from grocery stores and passes it along to people in need. And, we hear what’s needed for Canada to meet its promise to cut food waste in half by 2030.

You might have heard that using a chatbot to write an email can use a cup of water. So how much water do the new AI data centres being built in Canada use? CBC’s Jonathan Montpetit wanted to find out. Instead, he found a murky business with little oversight. But there’s also growing opposition to big tech companies using public drinking water, just as climate change makes water more precious than ever.

For the past decade, Canadians have been split 50/50 on new pipelines — that has changed. Two recent opinion polls found roughly three quarters of eligible voters in Canada want at least one new pipeline built to export more fossil fuels. Yet, 70 per cent of people consider climate change a serious threat. IDEAS producer Tom Howell explores the incompatibilities and future scenarios. Fill out the IDEAS listener survey here. We appreciate your input! IDEAS is a place for people who like to think. If you value deep conversation and unexpected reveals, this show is for you. To hear more, you can listen to IDEAS wherever you get your podcasts or here: https://link.mgln.ai/Lh6sD9

Work is underway to pump seawater onto ice in Nunavut as a way to thicken it in the face of climate change. The experiment is showing some promising results but there are also concerns about its impact on ecosystems. Journalist Alec Luhn travelled onto the ice to see what was happening and to listen to local Indigenous elders about what the ice means to them. He also considers the moral hazard of trying to geoengineer a solution and whether it distracts from the real work needed to cut emissions.

Severe drought and a record-breaking wildfire season have left some remote First Nations in Manitoba cut off from the rest of the province. Planes were grounded by wildfire smoke, and in one boat-access community, the lake was so low the ferry couldn’t run. Now, demands from Indigenous leaders are growing for better all-season roads, so the next time climate-fuelled disasters hit, they can get their people out.

The Biljik First Nation in New Brunswick is growing food aplenty thanks to a geodesic dome, community gardens and traditional knowledge. We pay them a visit during pumpkin harvest, to find out how they’re winning the fight for food security even as drought threatens the region. Then we cross the country to find out why one bumper crop season is worth celebrating , but also why it’s not enough in a changing climate.

If you drove by recent rallies across Canada, you might’ve wondered: what are they protesting? War? Fossil fuels? Discrimination? There were placards about all of it. Our youth climate action columnist Aishwarya Puttur says banding together could strengthen, not dilute, activists’ messages. Then, we hear a similar call to action from renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, who died a few days ago at the age of 91.

Carter Vigh died when wildfire smoke brought on a severe asthma attack. Now his mom is part of an effort to teach other kids about the risks of smoky days and poor air quality. We hear the case for having these kinds of lessons in classrooms everywhere, as the planet warms, creating the hot, dry conditions that lead to longer lasting and more intense fires. And – we meet Roland, another nine-year-old kid with asthma, to find out how climate change is changing his life.

Cori Lausen remembers the first time she saw a bat killed by a wind turbine. It looked like a “black banana peel.” That unlocked a years-long search to understand what was happening and how to fix it. Decades later, Cori says not enough has been done to keep those bat species, which act as natural pest control, from becoming endangered. As wind energy developments continue to pop up in a rush to add renewables to the grid, the question looms: will we be able to do enough to keep both climate solutions on the landscape?

Here’s a pitch for a national project that could bring cheaper power to Canadians, reduce emissions, protect our energy sovereignty and promote Indigenous reconciliation. How about a cross-Canada electricity grid powered by wind and solar? What On Earth’s Indigenous climate solutions columnist, Melina Laboucan-Massimo, is with a delegation in Ottawa making the case for why this project should be a priority for Mark Carney’s government.

The Yukon government is betting on a first-in-Canada solution to help protect Whitehorse from wildfire: a permanent fuel break made of trees. Replacing conifers with the more fire-resistant, deciduous aspen trees, the community hopes it will keep fire from encroaching on the city. But, the process takes a lot of work, starting with harvesting tiny seeds.

Bike lanes equals “bikelash” in parts of Canada. Why? And what is Paris doing right? We travel the path to the heart of the debate about making cities more bicycle friendly, finding out what difference they make to cutting emissions. Then we’ll hear about one Calgary man’s cycling adventure in Paris (croissants by the Seine anyone?) and what he learned about the city’s campaign to build better routes for bikes. We’ll also head to a neighborhood meet-up where one enthusiast is trying to teach the youngest to safely ride on Vancouver city streets in hopes of building a stronger cycling culture and community.

They’re popping up on balconies across Europe. You can even buy them at IKEA in Germany. Solar panels designed to hang over a railing and plug into your wall. We hear about what’s driving the trend, and what’s standing in the way of bringing balcony solar to Canada.

The debate over EV adoption reached its peak after the PM put the mandate on ice. Now auto industry leaders want to scrap the rules altogether, while advocates say Canada risks falling behind if it doesn't aggressively pursue electrification. We trace the politicization of EVs over the years with an industry reporter, and ask Electric Mobility Canada whether their goal of more EVs on highways is falling by the roadside.

For more than 35 years, the outspoken American environmentalist has been raising the alarm about the climate crisis, starting with his groundbreaking book The End of Nature. Now Bill McKibben says, for once in his life, he is spreading good news. In his latest book, Here Comes the Sun, Bill explains why the recent boom in solar and wind power has given him hope for the planet's future, and he implores everyone to buy in.

For over a decade, Alberta’s capital has been building a groundbreaking sustainable neighbourhood, right in the middle of the city. But some say the development has moved too slowly and is costing too much. With a municipal election looming, one mayoral candidate says the city needs to change course with this prime piece of real estate.

From the Best of What On Earth – They can be noisy. And smelly. And, as Cate Blanchett (yes, Cate Blanchett!) complains, don’t they just move “leaves from one place to another, only for them to be blown back again"? Gas-powered leaf blowers create a lot of opinions and a lot of emissions. Molly Segal takes us through why they're so particularly polluting and unhealthy. And, she explores the solutions underway — from political bans to incentives for switching to electric.

A hiking ban in Nova Scotia is getting lots of attention this summer, from Joe Rogan to former Freedom Convoy supporters. The temporary rules have ignited an international debate about government overreach during fire season. Some Nova Scotians are calling the criticism fearmongering and want outsiders to butt out of the province’s affairs. We hear from an emergency management expert who says governments should prepare for more backlash against wildfire rules as the climate changes and summers become potentially more restricted.

From the Best of What On Earth - A tale of two First Nations pushed to live on lands that face increasing flooding risks as the climate changes. We hear their stories of survival and their fight for justice and a safe place to live. Also, want to travel cargo? As in cruising onboard a cargo ship? It may just make for a greener vacation.