Living Planet: Environment Matters Around the Globe

Play Now -->

DATE : Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:30:00 GMT
Entered in Database : 2009-12-10 16:30:00
length : 14576318
Link to the Show / Show Notes

This week on Living Planet an NGO hands over 10 million demands for a fair climate summit, assessing the media hype surrounding Copenhagen, the technological gains driven by climate change, and how one French city is spreading the idea of eco-friendly lights.
Eco NGO has 10 million supporters calling for fair deal

The Alliance of Small Island States is urging delegates at the global climate summit in Copenhagen to approve measures that would save their homes from sinking into the sea.

The 15th conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15) officially opened in Copenhagen on December 7. 15,000 delegates from 192 countries have descended on the Danish capital for two final weeks of negotiations.

The delegates have been joined by countless protestors and non-governmental organizations, including the Global Campaign for Climate Action. They are an alliance of NGOs, trade organizations and faith groups which joined together specifically to try and influence the negotiations.

The public face of the group is the TckTckTck campaign. On December 8 they handed over a petition demanding a fair climate deal signed by 10 million people to summit President Connie Hedegaard and the head of the UN climate secretariat, Yvo de Boer. The group says the summit is more than just negotiations and paper. For some, it's a matter of life and death.

Report: Helle Jeppesen / Neil King

Media hype surrounding the Copenhagen climate talks and the environment has been growing and growing, but will this interest in eco-issues stay around come January?

On the opening day of the Copenhagen summit, 56 newspapers in 45 countries jointly published an editorial calling for more decisive action against climate change. Such unity was unprecedented and was led by The Guardian newspaper in London.

In fact, this conference has drawn more media attention to environmental issues than any other public event in recent years. But some media scholars have questioned the longer-term effectiveness of such coverage.

Report: Cyrus Farivar

Experts tell us that switching to electric vehicles will put a massive dent in global CO2 emissions, but how easy are they to use, especially when it comes to filling up the empty 'tanks'?

Beginning December 7 leaders and representatives from 192 nations are meeting in the Danish capital to hammer the details of a climate agreement meant to replace the Kyoto Protocol. But this is not just about saving the planet.

An agreement will give an additional boost to the technology required to reduce carbon emissions, including solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. German, Danish and Spanish companies dominate this new business in Europe. But the UK is now trying to carve out a niche in this fast growing industry.

Report: Stephen Beard

Each year the city of Lyon lights up for a festival that is both merry and bright – and it's not as bad for environment as you might think.

Many people probably assume that a festival attracting four million visitors and involving several dozen powerful multi-media lighting displays would be a prime example of energy extravagance.

But the French city of Lyon says the electricity used up by the shows at its annual “Festival of Lights," which ended December 8, cost only a few thousand euros thanks to new technology.

With the Copenhagen summit putting pressure on EU countries to reduce their carbon emissions, the city is developing more energy-efficient urban lighting as well. And it‘s sharing its expertise with cities around the world.

Report: Alasdair Sandford

Play in your Iphone