Living Planet

In cities around the world, rats aren't just surviving; they're thriving. Despite decades of poison, traps and control, they keep coming back. So, what is it about modern city life that suits them so well? From Berlin to New York, this is a story about what happens when urban systems start feeding "the rat problem".

Climate change is reshaping the world - but inside many churches, it’s barely spoken about. So what’s behind the silence? One believer whose passion for God’s creation started as a kid surrounded by manatees and mangroves, is urging US churches to reconnect faith with stewardship of the land.

Brock Yordy once helped extract fossil fuels; now, he’s using the same skills to tap the Earth’s heat for clean energy. His journey from oilfields to geothermal puts a new spotlight on a big question: can the industry that drove emissions now lead the way in reducing them? And if there’s so much power beneath our feet, what’s holding geothermal back?

Chemical recycling promises to transform plastic waste, and Houston is at the center of this big experiment in the US. While industry touts it as a breakthrough, activists are finding that much of the plastic doesn't get recycled after all. Is Houston leading the way to real change - or revealing the limits of the latest recycling fad?

The four-day work week was a hot new trend not all that long ago, but amid stagnating economies, some countries are pushing for more work, not less. Even in Europe, the German chancellor is calling for an end to "lifestyle" part-time jobs. Living Planet's Jennifer Collins spoke with economists and manufacturers about the benefits of working less, both for us and the planet. Plus, could AI help?

As climate change reshapes the Arctic, Norwegian scientists are testing how far north farming can go. But is expanding Arctic agriculture a responsible answer to future food shortages, or a risky bet?

The rainforests in northeast Australia are some of the most protected in the world – they haven't been logged in nearly 40 years. But after decades of measuring these forests tree by tree, scientists have uncovered a troubling change. An unexpected shift that could force us to rethink how we calculate emissions pathways and the role forest sinks play in slowing climate change.

Do men really care less about the environment than women or is the story more complicated? We unpack the "Green Gender Gap," the politics and identity behind it, and the surprising ways men — from veterans to lumberjacks — are being drawn into climate action.

Vegan leather. Faux leather. Synthetic leather. Call it what you want - it’s everywhere, especially in the shoes on our feet. For some shoppers, it’s about saving money. For others, it’s about protecting animals or reducing their environmental footprint. But what's the real story behind this fast-growing alternative? And is vegan leather actually better for the planet?

This week, we're featuring Episode 2 of Boy Wasted, a three-part environmental true crime series by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, co-produced by Adnan Khan. The investigation into a boy found dead in a bale of recycled plastic in Turkey takes a shocking turn, as new witnesses come forward and the wider dangers of the global recycling trade start to come to light.