On The Green Fence

Agriculture needs to adapt to climate change to ensure food security. Agroforestry systems could help make farms more resilient, but they only constitute a fraction of farming in Europe. Is it time for change?

Staff shortages and flight cancellations have thrown airlines into turmoil at the start of a busy summer holiday season. But that's just one challenge confronting the aviation industry. It's also under growing pressure to shrink its carbon footprint in the face of a much bigger crisis: climate change. (This episode has been republished and updated).

Expanding forests can help bring down the amount of CO2 trapped in the atmosphere. But restoring these invaluable ecosystems is a complex business, and planting new trees can sometimes do more harm than good.

Climate change and monoculture plantations are rendering Germany's forests more vulnerable to forest fires. One solution could be the creation of forests that don't burn so easily. But how is this done, and what does this mean for ecosystems and timber production?

Global CO2 emissions continue to rise despite the urgent need to decarbonize. What does this failure to tackle climate change mean for climate activism? Is radicalization the next step?

Trees are connected to each other by a huge underground network through which they can exchange information. But why is this crucial for the survival of forests and how is climate change affecting connectivity?

Forests cover 30% of the Earth's land area and are home to 80% of its biodiversity. Forests are our lungs and can help mitigate climate change by storing carbon. But things are changing as temperatures rise and the global population grows. What does this mean for our trees?

The town of Andernach uses its public spaces to grow fruit, vegetables and herbs that anyone can pick free of charge. The project has been a resounding hit with locals keen to learn more about growing food sustainably. For some, it's even been life-changing.

Supermarkets stock thousands of food products flown in from all over the world. And we've become used to this bounty of choice, often at the cost of the environment. Is it time to scale back?

Lab-grown meat could help us decarbonize agriculture and abolish factory farming along with all its environmental and ethical downsides. So why the holdup?

The world is going to need about 50% more food by 2050. Has the time come to roll out genetically modified crops that promise higher yields, are more resilient to climate change and reduce the carbon footprint of farming?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is threatening global food security and supply chains. The shocks to food systems are set to intensify amid climate change. Is greener farming the answer?

Water scarcity already affects about 40% of the world's population and droughts could put up to 700 million people at risk of displacement by the year 2030. Are we entering a new era of violent conflict over water?

The Rhine used to be a heavily polluted and stinking river. Today, it supplies over 30 million people with high quality drinking water. How was this achieved? And which new threats are emerging for Germany's longest waterway?

As global demand for water continues to rise, safeguarding the water supply will likely grow more challenging and costly. Is more privatization the answer?

Of all the world's water-stressed countries, India has the highest population at risk. But despite shrinking water reservoirs and dire warnings that the country could soon run dry, not all Indians are taking this existential threat seriously. Why not?

The psychological impact of climate change is growing across the globe. But how do you know whether you have eco-anxiety and what can you do to keep it at bay?

By 2050, half the world's population could be affected by at least one allergy. Is climate change to blame?

Disease-spreading mosquitoes kill more humans than any other animal. They are responsible for 1 million deaths per year. Global heating will expose half the world's population to dangerous mosquitoes by 2050. Time for drastic measures?

The health care sector is responsible for about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It is contributing to climate change, which will create more patients and yet more emissions. Meet the German doctor who's trying to break this vicious circle by decarbonizing health care and convincing his patients of the health benefits of a greener lifestyle.