PODCAST · business
What on Earth?
by eianews
We investigate and campaign against environmental crime and abuse.
Episodes
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Why tackling nitrous oxide emissions under the Montreal Protocol is essential
The United Nations has recently conceded that it is now “unavoidable” for the world to remain within the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. This means ambitious, rapid action is more essential than ever – and there are few better places to start than reducing our…
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How crimes affecting the environment are an increasingly interconnected threat
Environmental crime is often regarded as a series of disparate issues, from wildlife trafficking and illegal logging to waste dumping and illegal fishing. But according to EIA's latest major report, Crimes that Affect the Environment – STILL a Critical Threat to Our Future, these crimes are...
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Are supermarkets selling us short over plastic packaging for loose produce?
The leading UK supermarkets have made limited progress in reducing plastic packaging for fresh fruit and vegetables, despite signing up to the UK Plastics Pact’s voluntary commitment to sell at least 30 per cent of uncut fresh produce loose by 2025. But the new EIA report UK Supermarket Sale of...
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Vietnam's ongoing battle to keep illegal timber out of its supply chains
Vietnam has made laudable progress in recent years to shut illicit timber out of its supply chains and so keep access to the lucrative export markets on which its huge furniture industry relies. But new investigations by EIA’s Forests team have revealed that those efforts are in danger of being...
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Why tiny microplastics add up to a full-scale invasion across planetary systems
Humans tend to respond to threats we can see, but the world’s mounting plastics pollution crisis isn’t just a matter of what’s visible. In this episode, we take a closer look at microplastics, tiny particles which have been found from the deepest ocean floors to the highest mountain peaks and...
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Breaking the deadlock: Alternative pathways to securing a Global Plastics Treaty
Ongoing negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty effectively ground to halt in Geneva last year when talks ended without an agreement or even a timeline for what happens next. But the process doesn’t need to be left in limbo, held hostage by a small number of petrostates and vested fossil fuel...
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How the future for rhinos still hangs balanced between enforcement and trade
In recent years, rhino poaching and horn seizures have become less visible in the news – but that doesn't mean these majestic creatures are free from the threats posed by poachers and illegal trade. In this episode, we dive into two recent reports from our colleagues at EIA US which shed light on...
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Why the cobalt we need for our electric cars is costing lives in Africa
Recent findings from an investigation by our colleagues at EIA US reveal a shocking truth about cobalt production in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cobalt is an essential element in the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles in the Global North – but its production in DRC has left...
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Uncovering Italy's multi-million euro black market in climate-harming refrigerants
Climate-damaging refrigerant gases such as hydrofluorocarbons – more commonly called HFCs – are being phased out, but this has created an opportunity for widescale illegal trade that criminals have been quick to exploit. This chemical black market is worth hundreds of millions of euros a year in...
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Why do the world’s whales still need saving from commercial hunting?
Why do the world’s whales still need saving from commercial hunting? The International Whaling Commission effectively banned commercial whaling from 1986 and yet the world’s amazing and environmentally essential whales are still being hunted for their flesh and blubber. EIA has joined forces with...
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Understanding the impacts of nitrous oxide and why it matters for the climate
In recent years, nitrous oxide has gained attention as a significant environmental threat, yet many people remain unaware of its implications for the climate, the integrity of the Earth’s protective ozone layer and for human health. While nitrogen is essential for life, excessive reactive…
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Tackling the methane challenge: Why it matters and what we can do
Methane is widely regarded as the second most important greenhouse gas the world needs to address in the fight against runaway climate change. Tonne per tonne, it’s 82.5 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and is responsible for a third of the warming that has occurred so...
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Green Crime: What drives the criminals devastating our wildlife and environment?
Environmental crime is rated as the third or fourth largest organised criminal activity globally, but what motivates those carrying it out, from wealthy kingpins at the head of transnational syndicates to poachers at the other end of the scale? A new book – Green Crime: Inside the minds of the...
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How well are major retailers doing in the switch to climate-friendly cooling?
EIA’s report Cooling the Climate Crisis analysed the climate impact of supermarket refrigeration and revealed that up to 70 per cent of a supermarket’s emissions stem from cooling. Our Climate campaigners have been directly engaging with the retail sector since 2009 to make it aware of the…
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Climates of fear: Five eco-themed chillers to watch for the Halloween season
Fantastical cinema has long been a place where audiences can confront their darker fears in a safe environment, albeit often dressed up in the guise of shambling monsters and unknown alien threats to keep them at arm’s length. In this episode, we’re taking a look at five unsettling films with...
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Despite commendable efforts, Vietnam remains a hub for illegal wildlife trade
Our latest report, A Pivotal Player – Vietnam’s ongoing fight against the illegal wildlife trade, concludes that, although the country has made significant inroads, it still faces significant challenges. In this episode, the report’s main authors, EIA UK Senior Wildlife Campaigner Linh Nguyen and...
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After the collapse of Global Plastic Treaty talks, where do we go from here?
The final round of talks to hammer out the detail of a Global Plastics Treaty opened in Geneva in early August – and almost two weeks later collapsed with no agreement at all, due in large part to the blocking tactics employed by a handful of petrostates and a multitude of lobbyists working to...
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Science in the crosshairs of industry lobbyists as Global Plastic Treaty talks go down to the wire
The final round of talks in pursuit of a Global Plastics Treaty is due to get under way in Geneva shortly and there's everything still to play for. But as ambitious countries and civil society organisations such as EIA pursue a robust agreement to meaningfully tackle the crisis, corporate fossil...
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The grim toll of fisheries bycatch on whales, dolphins and porpoises in European waters
Tens of thousands of dolphins, porpoises and whales are killed each year in European waters due to being bycaught in fishing gear – and some populations are coming perilously close to extinction. To discuss the findings of her new report Catch of the Day, EIA Senior Ocean Campaigner joins Senior...
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Taking a look inside the murky world of tiger farming and its role in illegal wildlife trade
With approximately only 5,500 wild tigers left in the world, this iconic species remains under threat from a variety of factors, particular illegal wildlife trade. The illegal trade in tigers and their parts and derivatives continues to be fuelled by facilities holding tigers in captivity,...
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Busting the myths spread by Big Chemical to keep climate-wrecking refrigerants in play
Climate-damaging F-gases are synthetic substances widely used in refrigeration, air-conditioning and elsewhere. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are the most common and are so harmful that they are to be phased down under the Montreal Protocol and phased out altogether in the EU. However, the chemical...
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As UN talks fail to deliver a Global Plastics Treaty, what went wrong in Busan and what’s next?
What was expected to be the fifth and final session of the UN’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee met in South Korea last month, but ultimately it failed to agree a Global Plastics Treaty. Instead of cause for celebration, our campaigners came away from the talks concerned that the process...
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INC-5 - Will we get a viable Global Plastics Treaty or will compromise water it down?
The fifth round of talks in pursuit of a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty kicks off in Busan, South Korea shortly — but will we emerge with an agreement capable of tackling the world’s plastic crisis or will vested interests compromise the final vision. In this episode, EIA Ocean Campaign...
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EIA at 40 – ‘EIA helped change the narrative around organised criminality and environmental crime’
In the countdown to EIA’s 40th anniversary in September, as well as sharing films and stories from our archive, we’ve also recorded a short series of new podcasts with some of the longest serving campaigners to get an insight into how the organisation has evolved over four decades. In this…
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EIA at 40 – 'You've got to worry about being accused of espionage or something more serious'
In the countdown to EIA’s 40th anniversary later this year, as well as sharing films and stories from our archive, we’ve also recorded a short series of new podcasts with some of the longest serving campaigners to get an insight into how the organisation has evolved over four decades. In this...
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EIA at 40 – ‘You can take on the biggest, whether it's the oil industry or illegal logging’
In the countdown to EIA’s 40th anniversary later this year, as well as sharing films and stories from our archive, we’ve also recorded a short series of new podcasts with some of the longest serving campaigners to get an insight into how the organisation has evolved over four decades. In this...
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With the clock ticking, can we agree a Global Plastics Treaty by the end of 2024?
After a strong opening to UN talks in pursuit of a Global Plastics Treaty, recent rounds of negotiation have been hindered by the efforts of fossil fuel industry lobbyists as well as by some countries keen to water it down and rein in its ambition. In this episode, EIA Ocean Campaign Leader...
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Will Mexico’s crackdown on illegal fishing give vaquita porpoises a fighting chance?
With only an estimated 10 individuals left, the vaquita porpoise is the world’s most endangered marine mammal, pushed to the edge of extinction by illegal fishing for the dried swim bladders of totoaba fish which are in high demand in Asia. But despite the species’ alarmingly low numbers, recent...
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EIA at 40 – ‘I've been threatened by senior government officials, shouted at and screamed at’
In the countdown to EIA’s 40th anniversary later this year, as well as sharing films and stories from our archive, we’ve also recorded a short series of new podcasts with some of the longest serving campaigners to get an insight into how the organisation has evolved over four decades. In this...
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Oppression, sanctions and blood teak, hallmarks of Myanmar’s coup on its third anniversary
On the third anniversary of the Myanmar military seizing power, the country has effectively seen a return to the violence, plunder and human rights abuses of the former dictatorship in pursuit of control and hard currency. Despite international sanctions, the current regime still seeks to fund...
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Drilling down into the detail of eco crime prosecutions on our open access Crime Tracker
More than two years ago, EIA unveiled our Environmental Crime Tracker, an open access online tool to help analyse and better understand wildlife and forest crime around the world. Recently, we expanded its capabilities even further with a new dashboard to help assess the prosecutions of...
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Is the palm oil in so many of our products still a problem and will it ever be truly sustainable?
Palm oil is cheap, versatile and used widely in countess thousands of products and in biofuels, but its production has been linked to human rights abuses, illegal logging and deforestation, causing considerable harm to indigenous peoples and the habitats of endangered orangutans. In this episode,...
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Why can’t we rely on technology to clean the oceans of our plastic waste?
The terrible scale of our planet’s plastic pollution crisis has been making headlines in recent years, as have a number of apparent technological solutions to the problem – but can we really rely on physical ocean clean-ups to sort out the mess for us? Special guest Ewoud Lauwerier, Plastic…
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What to expect as we enter round three of talks for a Global Plastics Treaty
EIA’s Ocean campaigners were among the first to spot the rising crisis of plastic pollution and we’re proud to have helped lead the call for a new Global Plastics Treaty to tackle it. This month we’ll be in Nairobi to attend the third session of the UN’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee...
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The threatened species in traditional medicines and the big names investing in them
Illegal wildlife trade is happening on a large scale to supply the parts and products of protected species such as leopards, pangolins, rhinos and tigers to serve as ingredients in some traditional Chinese medicines. In this episode, EIA Legal and Policy Specialist Avinash Basker talks to Senior...
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Why are World Heritage Sites such a vital tool for saving endangered species and habitats?
In this episode, we take a look at the work of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which has just met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and discuss what happened – and what didn’t happen – at the meeting and how World Heritage Sites can be an important tool when it comes to bolstering protection for...
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On World Rhino Day 2023, how is this magnificent species is doing versus illegal trade?
Much of the past decade has been a tough time for endangered rhinos, to judge from the recorded seizures of rhino horn being smuggled around the world – but it’s not all bad news for this threatened species … In this special episode for World Rhino Day, EIA Senior Wildlife Policy Analyst Taylor...
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Iceland has resumed its slaughter of whales, but what future does the industry have?
After spending most of the summer in port, Iceland’s last whalers have been given the green light by their Government to resume the hunting and killing of endangered fin whales. In this episode, EIA’s Senior Ocean Adviser Clare Perry and Senior Ocean Campaigner Sarah Dolman talk to Senior Press…
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As negotiations for the first Global Plastics Treaty continue, what about the Big Oil lobby?
The UN Environment Assembly is in the process of negotiating a new Global Plastics Treaty, with the second phase of talks kicking off at the end of May to hammer out the detailed needed to properly address the fast-rising threat of plastics pollution. In this episode, EIA Ocean Campaign Leader...
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Cultivating Plastics – how the use of agriplastics sows the seeds of pollution in farming
The plastics used in agricultural production – commonly called agriplastics – account for only 3.5 per cent of the plastic used around the world each year, but they directly pollute the human food chain and harm the wider environment. As EIA releases the first of a new series of reports on the...
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Methane madness – why the EU must tackle harmful emissions from its energy imports
The European Union has ambitious plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 – but one major problem is its reluctance to address the huge amount of harmful methane released into the planet’s warming atmosphere from the its imports of coal, gas and oil. In this...
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How we’re using artificial intelligence to help tackle the illegal trade in tigers
In partnership with the UK’s Alan Turing Institute, EIA is currently working on an ambitious project to create a database of tiger stripe patterns – as individual as human finger prints – to help identify and trace animals in the wild and in illegal trade. In this latest episode, EIA Senior Press…
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What can we expect from the opening negotiations for the world’s first Global Plastics Treaty?
In March this year, the United Nations Environment Assembly agreed to forge ahead with a new Global Plastics Treaty and next week sees work start in earnest to get the detail in place to address the fast-rising threat of plastics pollution. In this episode, EIA Ocean Campaign Leader Christina…
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CITES meetings are a big deal in the environmental calendar, but just what is it and what does it do?
One of the biggest dates in the environmental calendar is happening in November when the 19th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – aka CITES – opens in Panama City. But just what is CITES? Justin Gosling, the Senior...
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International Ozone Day - What’s next for the Montreal Protocol as it marks its 35th anniversary?
On 16 September, the United Nations marks the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer – and for EIA’s Climate team, it’s an opportunity to look back at the Montreal Protocol as it marks its 35th anniversary and to consider its role in addressing present and future challenges to...
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International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies - the problems with methane
Today (7 September) is the UN International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies and Climate Campaigner Kim O’Dowd talks about the dangerous impacts of methane pollution on climate change as well as on human health and what EIA is doing about it.
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Fighting for the forests - documenting a partnership forged to take on environmental crime
This episode, EIA Forests Team Leader Faith Doherty and Kaoem Telapak’s Mardi Minangsari talk with Senior Press & Communications Officer Paul Newman about the reasons for embarking on a major documentary project, the obstacles overcome and the special relationship that has been built between both...
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Ban it and keep on banning it … the high cost to elephants of restarting legal ivory trade
Last week, Zimbabwe hosted what it called an ‘Elephant Summit’ for itself and several other African nations – including Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia – with the aim of restarting the legal international trade in ivory and selling off their stockpiled elephant tusks. And in...
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Will a new national strategy to tackle environmental crime tame Nigeria’s Wild West?
In this edition, special guest Wilson Ogoke, Wildlife Policy Coordinator with the Africa Nature Investors Foundation, talks with EIA Wildlife campaigners Philip Rekret and Justin Gosling about the country’s new environmental crime strategy and how effective it may prove to be.
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Plastic pollution is in the air, land and seas – and now it’s been found in our blood
Billions of tonnes of plastics have been produced by human beings and it can be found polluting every corner of the planet, from the highest mountains to the deepest seas. New research has just revealed that it’s also present in human blood. In this edition, we’re delighted to be joined by…
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How many episodes does What on Earth? have?
What on Earth? currently has 68 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
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We investigate and campaign against environmental crime and abuse.
How often does What on Earth? release new episodes?
What on Earth? has 68 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Who hosts What on Earth??
What on Earth? is created and hosted by eianews.
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