Rare Earth

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A Whale's Life

20250627

A ban on commercial hunting for whales came into force nearly 40 years ago. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back on the whaling industry with some of the last of Shetland's whalers and ask if our largest mammals have bounced back from the extinction that so many species were close to experiencing.

Producer: Alasdair Cross

Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University

Whales have been protected from hunting for 40 years. Have they recovered from us?

Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet.

A ban on commercial hunting for whales came into force nearly 40 years ago. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back on the whaling industry and find out if the whale has bounced back.

Title	First Broadcast	Comments
A Whale's Life	20250627	A ban on commercial hunting for whales came into force nearly 40 years ago. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back on the whaling industry with some of the last of Shetland's whalers and ask if our largest mammals have bounced back from the extinction that so many species were close to experiencing. Producer: Alasdair Cross Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Whales have been protected from hunting for 40 years. Have they recovered from us? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. A ban on commercial hunting for whales came into force nearly 40 years ago. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back on the whaling industry and find out if the whale has bounced back. [LISTEN NOW]
After The Bomb	20250704	80 years since the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask how our relationship with nuclear power has evolved. At 8.15 on the morning of the 6th of August 1945 a new era began for this planet. For the first time humankind had the power not just to exploit or damage nature, but to destroy it utterly. Tom and Helen are joined by Mark Lynas, author of Six Minutes to Winter: Nuclear War and How to Avoid It and by Professor Timothy Mousseau of the University of South Carolina, a biologist who has studied the environmental impact of the nuclear disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima. Also in the studio is Dr Fiona Rayment, President of the Nuclear Institute. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Special thanks to Archie McWatt of the University of the West of England Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Eighty years since Hiroshima, how has our relationship with atomic power changed? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. Eighty years since Hiroshima, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask how our relationship with the awesome power of the split atom has changed. 80 years since Hiroshima how has our relationship with nuclear fusion changed? [LISTEN NOW]
Alien Invasion	20240209	Should we celebrate the arrival of new species to the UK or drive them out? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Amazon Future	20241206	It's been a hard year for the Amazon rainforest. The toughest drought on record has helped spread fires that have been the worst in two decades. That combination has hit the local people. “If these fires continue, we indigenous people will die, ? says Raimundinha Rodrigues Da Sousa who runs the voluntary fire service for the Caititu indigenous community in the Brazilian Amazon. Her land is supposed to be protected but outsiders come in and set fires so that they can clear the land for agriculture. For Rare Earth, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski take a look at the state of the Amazon rainforest, analyse its role in the global climate and consider the political battle over its future. They're joined by BBC South America correspondent, Ione Wells and by Angela Maldonado who has worked for 25 years in the Amazon, protecting night monkeys that are stolen and traded for medical research. Based on the Colombia-Peru-Brazil border, Angela has a unique perspective on the long-running war between development and conservation in the region. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Ellie Richbold Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Drought and fire are devastating the Amazon rainforest. What can be done to save it? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Drought and fire are devastating the Amazon rainforest. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap ask what can be done to save it. [LISTEN NOW]
America And The Planet	20260320	President Trump has been very clear in his views on climate change but how much of his rhetoric will have real impacts on the environment in the US and worldwide? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by an expert panel to examine the consequences for the planet's temperature and its wildlife of the second Trump administration. Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in collaboration with the Open University How will the second Trump presidency really impact the future of our environment? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Arctic Goldrush	20250228	For the Arctic, 2024 was the second-warmest year on record, with temperatures rising much faster than the global rate. The region's resources - oil, gas, iron ore, uranium, even diamonds and the rare earth metals used in electric cars - suddenly seem accessible. That's caught the attention of China, Russia and the US, with President Trump, eager to mount a hostile takeover bid for Greenland. In the first of a new series of Rare Earth, physicist Helen Czerski and environmental journalist, Tom Heap consider the impact of this sudden global interest on the people, wildlife and landscape of the far north. It's not the first time that climate change has determined the fate of the region. For 500 years the Vikings occupied Greenland, using it as a base for their discovery of North America. By the late 14th century temperatures were falling, their crops failing and supply ships from Scandinavia struggling to make it through the expanding icepack. Communications faltered and then stopped completely. Historian, Eleanor Barraclough joins Tom and Helen to explore the fate of the last Norse Greenlanders - one of the great mediaeval mysteries and a warning of the power of a changing climate. They're also joined by Duncan Depledge from Loughborough University and the Royal United Services Institute who fills them in on the military and political backdrop to the Arctic Goldrush. In 2007 Russian explorer, Artur Chilingarov led a submarine expedition to the North Pole where he planted a Russian flag on the seabed. It was a blatant land grab by the Putin regime and a warning of Russian expansionism to come. Only now are the other Arctic nations responding, with Denmark ploughing cash into the defence of Greenland as the United States and China stake their own claims to the riches of the frozen north that isn't quite as frozen as it was. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University President Trump wants a slice of the Arctic. What does it mean for the region's wildlife? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 As the Arctic ice melts, its treasures are revealed and Russia, the US and China want a slice of the action. What does this new goldrush mean for the region's people and wildlife? [LISTEN NOW]
Are Insects The Answer?	20250530	Insects are in trouble. Their numbers are plummeting with reports of huge die-offs, and scientists warn that we ignore this at our peril. In this programme, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap explore the largely ignored world of insects. Could they be the answer to some of the environmental problems we have created? Some insects can digest plastic and break down waste. They also have a vital role to play in pollinating plants. Would eating them help and would we ever do it on a large scale? Helen and Tom discuss the world of insects with a panel of experts. Producer: Emma Campbell Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Helen Czerski and Tom Heap discuss the environmental importance of insects. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Helen Czerski and Tom Heap meet a panel of experts to discuss the environmental role of insects. Could insects help solve some of the problems we've created? Insects are the quiet engineers of the environment - pollinating our plants, balancing our ecosystems and clearing up our waste. Some insects can digest plastic, and they play a vital role in crop production. At the same time their populations are under threat from pesticides, habitat loss and climate change. In this programme, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap explore the largely ignored world of insects. Could they be the answer to some of the environmental problems we have created? Would eating them help lower our carbon footprint, and will the western world ever overcome its squeamishness to the idea? Helen and Tom explore the weird and wonderful world of insects with a panel of experts. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Battle For The Planet	20241025	US elections always have an outsized impact on the planet. As the world's second largest polluter and one of the primary sources of green technology and finance, America's lead on environmental issues is a vital part of our battle against climate change. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski analyse the efforts of the Biden regime and examine the rival policies of Harris and Trump. Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act is said to have helped channel half a trillion dollars into clean technology and renewable energy. Has all that money brought down emissions or funded fresh answers to the planet's biggest challenge? Trump talks tough on the environment, supporting oil, gas and coal companies but did his presidential term really accelerate global warming? Tom and Helen are joined by Professor Leah Stokes from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Trisha Curtis, CEO of PetroNerds and presenter of the PetroNerds podcast and by Pilita Clark, Associate Editor and environment and business columnist for the Financial Times. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is a BBC Audio Wales and West production in conjunction with the Open University Which way will America vote and what will it mean for the planet? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Which way will America vote? The result has huge implications for the global battle against climate change. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski examine the issues. Tom and Helen are joined by Professor Leah Stokes from the University of California, Santa Barbara and Pilita Clark of the Financial Times. [LISTEN NOW]
Beak And Talon	20241115	Nothing beats the sight of a top predator as it hunts. In the British Isles that means looking up. Our birds of prey are bouncing back after decades of shooting, poisoning and habitat loss. Buzzard numbers are up by 80% since 1995 and Red Kite by 2000%. Peregrine Falcon are thriving in London and Marsh Harriers have returned to our wetlands. Helen gets up close to Black Kites and an Eagle Owl at the Owl and Raptor Centre in Kent and travel writer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent describes the extraordinary migration of tens of thousands of birds of prey through the Batumi Gap on the border of Georgia and Turkey. The RSPB's Mark Thomas and Robert Benson of the Moorland Association discuss the threat that birds of prey still face on some of Britain's shooting estates and Jennifer Ackerman, author of 'What An Owl Knows' joins Tom and Helen to explore the science behind the night-hunting skills of so many owls. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Britain's birds of prey seem to be bouncing back. Can their momentum continue? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Britain's birds of prey seem to be bouncing back. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski explore the reasons and celebrate the lives of our top avian predators. [LISTEN NOW]
Building The Ark	20240802	Tom Heap and Helen Czerski meet the people with fresh ideas to combat rising sea levels. Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Can An Oil Rig Be A Nature Reserve?	20240628	What should we do with our old oil rigs? Can the relics of the fossil fuel age be good for wildlife? Helen Czerski and Tom Heap investigate the future for the steel and concrete that's fuelled the modern age. Helen visits a highly specialist scrapyard on Teeside which dismantles oil rigs bought ashore at the end of their lives. Tom and Helen discuss whether the rules on what happens to old oil and gas installations in the North Sea should be relaxed to allow some to be turned into artificial reefs. They hear from Professor Matt Frost from Plymouth Marine Laboratory and INSITE, an international project investigating the future for undersea structures; Dr Alethea Madgett a marine ecologist who's researching how old rigs can be used in nature restoration; and Ricky Thomson from the industry body Offshore Energies UK. Producer: Sarah Swadling Assistant Producers: Christina Sinclair and Toby Field Rare Earth is a BBC Audio Wales and West production in conjunction with the Open University What should we do with our old oil rigs? Dismantle and recycle or turn them into reefs? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Can Politicians Save The Planet?	20240216	Why do politicians have such trouble sticking to their environmental promises? Why are they happy to hug a husky one minute, desperate to ditch the 'green crap' the next? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by a panel of insiders to analyse the electoral gains and costs of environmental policies and consider the best strategies to maintain the focus of those in power on the greatest challenge to the planet. Produced by Alasdair Cross for BBC Audio Bristol in conjunction with the Open University. Why do politicians have trouble sticking to their green promises? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. Why do politicians have trouble sticking to their green promises? Helen Czerski and Tom Heap examine the electoral pressures on environmental policies.
Can The Oceans Save Us From Climate Change?	20240223	The world's oceans have absorbed huge quantities of carbon dioxide, protecting us from the worst effects of climate change, but how much longer can they defend us? Join Helen Czerski in New Orleans at the world's biggest conference of marine science to meet the experts working to keep the ocean working for us. Tom and Helen's guests from the American Geophysical Union conference include Jeremy Werdell of NASA and Jaime Palter of Rhode Island University. With special thanks to the team at the AGU and David Mann of Loggerhead Instruments. Produced by Alasdair Cross for BBC Audio Bristol in conjunction with the Open University The oceans have absorbed the worst impacts of climate change, but for how much longer? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Can We Build A Better World With Wood?	20240202	From the emotional balm of a walk in the woods to the first wooden skyscrapers, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask if we can replace a world of concrete and steel with a wooden utopia. Will the Wood Age be healthier for us and for the planet? Michael Ramage of Cambridge University explains how the development of Cross-Laminated Timber makes it possible to build pretty much any building with wood while Tim Searchinger of Princeton University argues that turning forests into construction material has a high carbon cost for the planet. Produced by Alasdair Cross for BBC Audio Wales and West in conjunction with the Open University Is wood the key to healthier people and a cooler planet? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. From the emotional balm of a walk in the woods to the first wooden skyscrapers, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask if a new Age of Wood will be good for us and the planet.
Can We Live Without Waste?	20240126	~Rare Earth is a new weekly podcast and radio show from BBC Radio Four which digs deeper into the biggest issues for our planet. Each week, environmental journalist Tom Heap and physicist Helen Czerski will tackle a major story about our environment and wildlife, work out how we got here and meet the brave and clever people with fresh ideas to help us- and nature- thrive. Helen and Tom won't shy away from the big stuff- temperatures rising while wildlife declines- but this won't be a weekly dose of doom laden predictions and tortured hand-wringing. Rare Earth is here to celebrate the wonder of nature and meet the people determined to keep it wonderful. In the second episode Tom and Helen ask why we're rubbish at tackling waste. Estimates suggest we could cut up to 15% of greenhouse gas emissions if we just used all the stuff that we make and grow. Fashion houses burn their unworn stock and supermarkets make late changes to their orders from farmers, leaving edible crops to go to waste. It's the one climate change solution that doesn't ask anybody to give up anything, so why can't we put a stop to waste? Tom and Helen are joined by the waste-hunting journalist, Oliver Franklin-Wallis and expert on the bio-geography of landfill, Professor Kate Spencer of Queen Mary's, University of London. Produced by Emma Campbell for BBC Audio Wales and West in conjunction with the Open University Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. In this episode they ask why we're so rubbish at tackling waste.
Can Writers Save The Planet?	20240614	Nature-writing is going through a renaissance. What started largely with TV tie-ins has evolved into a genre encompassing books about climate change, the countryside, walking, and off-grid living. For Radio 4's new landmark environment and nature series, Rare Earth, presenters Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined on-stage at the Hay Festival by Mark Cocker, Philippa Forrester and Chris Thorogood to discuss the purpose of nature-writing, why it's important, and how nature-writing can help shape our understanding of the natural world. Produced by Emma Campbell for BBC Audio Wales and West in conjunction with the Open University Editor: Dimitri Houtart Tom Heap and Helen Czerski discuss the evolution of nature-writing with a panel of guests. Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. In a special programme recorded at the Hay Festival, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski discuss nature-writing and ask a panel how the genre shapes our understanding of the natural world.
Christmas Trees	20241220	An ancient Babylonian text, Hammurabi's Code of Laws, forbids the cutting down of street trees without permission. Nearly 4000 years later, threats to our urban trees still arouse the strongest passions. Coventry residents organised a record-breaking mass tree hug in November to save 26 trees marked for the chainsaws and the battle to save thousands of Sheffield's street trees from the council's contractors inspired folk songs and expensive legal battles. As so many of us bring a tree home for Christmas, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski consider our feelings about street trees, the sweet hit of nature that provides year round shade and wildlife habitat in the least promising of city circumstances. They're joined by Jon Stokes of the Tree Council, landscape historian Sonia Dümpelmann and Paul Powlesland, barrister and founder of Lawyers for Nature. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producers: Ellie Richold and Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Helen Czerski and Tom Heap celebrate the urban trees of Britain. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Helen Czerski and Tom Heap celebrate Britain's best loved urban trees, from the gnarliest parkland oak to the street planes that shade our cities. Physicist, Helen Czerski and environment journalist, Tom Heap tackle another major question about our environment and wildlife, meeting the brave and clever people with fresh ideas to help us- and nature- thrive. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap tackle a major question about our environment and wildlife. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap tackle another major question about our environment and wildlife, meeting the clever people with fresh ideas to help us - and nature - thrive. [LISTEN NOW]
City Transport: Faster, Cheaper, Greener	20251212	How we get around town has never been more political, with controversies over low traffic neighbourhoods and 15 minute cities and rows about congestion charging and public transport breaking out all over the country. Tom and Helen are in search of the kind of consensus that makes things faster, cheaper and smoother for all of us. What works and what's been a complete flop? Should we all stop moaning and get on our bikes? Who is the reshaping of traffic flows working - and not working - for? And could Milton Keynes have all the answers? Presenters: Tom Heap and Helen Czerski Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski examine how we get around our towns and cities. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. How we get around town has never been more political, with rows over congestion charging, scooters and 15-minute cities. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski examine the issues. [LISTEN NOW]
Clean Energy Or Green Fields?	20241108	How can we build new green infrastructure without wrecking the countryside? Helen Czerski and Tom Heap debate the issue with a panel of experts, and ask what the measures outlined in last week's budget will mean for planning decisions and the environment. On the panel this week: Emma Pinchbeck, new CEO of the Climate Change Committee; Roger Mortlock, chief executive of the CPRE - the Countryside Charity; and Professor Matthew Kelly, modern historian from Northumbria University. Producer: Emma Campbell Is it possible to build new green infrastructure without wrecking the countryside? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 [LISTEN NOW]
Cooling The Planet	20250314	40 years ago a hole was discovered in the ozone layer. It provoked an international effort to ban the chemicals that were destroying our protection from the sun. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by Jonathan Shanklin, one of the team that realised that CFC chemicals used in aerosol cans and refrigerants were helping to create a 20 million square kilometre hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica. They discuss the unparalleled international unity that swiftly banned the worst of the ozone-destroying chemicals and ask why we can't come up with a similar solution for manmade climate change. Tom will be delving into the black market in refrigerants and meeting the South American detectives dedicated to hunting down the chemicals that still threaten the ozone layer and come with an enormous cost to the climate. Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in collaboration with the Open University 40 years ago a hole was discovered in the ozone layer. It caused an international crisis. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 [LISTEN NOW]
Cop30: A New Hope?	20251114	For thirty years world leaders have been gathering to negotiate the planet's route away from climate disaster. For thirty years carbon emissions have been rising and hopes have been fading. Is it time to admit defeat and search for a new strategy to persuade corporations and individuals to cut their pollution and save the planet? As the COP30 summit begins in Brazil, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap will be joined by an expert panel eager to come up with fresh solutions that could accelerate climate action and bring a unified, international response to the existential crisis of our time. With them are Nigel Topping, Chair of the UK Climate Change Committee, Corinne Le Quéré, professor of climate change science at the University of East Anglia, Anna À...berg from the Chatham House think tank and Georgina Rannard, BBC Climate and Science correspondent. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University World leaders are gathering in Brazil, but can they prevent runaway climate change? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. World leaders are gathering in Brazil for the latest round of negotiations to slow down runaway climate change, but could COP30 be the last of these increasingly desperate efforts? [LISTEN NOW]
Cop30: The End Of The Road?	20251114	For thirty years world leaders have been gathering to negotiate the planet's route away from climate disaster. For thirty years carbon emissions have been rising and hopes have been fading. Is it time to admit defeat and search for a new strategy to persuade corporations and individuals to cut their pollution and save the planet? As the COP30 summit begins in Brazil, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap will be joined by an expert panel eager to come up with fresh solutions that could accelerate climate action and bring a unified, international response to the existential crisis of our time. Producer: Alasdair Cross Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University World leaders are gathering in Brazil, but can they prevent runaway climate change? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. World leaders are gathering in Brazil for the latest round of negotiations to slow down runaway climate change, but could COP30 be the last of these increasingly desperate efforts? [LISTEN NOW]
Creatures Of The Night	20250829	A celebration of the wildlife that works while we sleep Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Cry Wolf	20250307	The wolf has mounted an extraordinary comeback. Once hunted to extinction across Western Europe the wolf has taken advantage of the collapse of the Iron Curtain and the depopulation of the countryside to spread from east to west, reaching the suburbs of Amsterdam and Brussels. Only Britain, Ireland and Luxembourg now lack the top predator that haunts our fairytales. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski go face to snout with the wolf to find out the secrets of its success. They're joined by writer, Adam Weymouth, who tracked the route of a pioneering wolf called Slavc that made its way from Slovenia to Verona, kick-starting the return of the wolf packs to northern Italy. BBC Eastern Europe reporter Nick Thorpe digs into the relationship between farmers and wolves in their Carpathian heartland to reveal the conflicts we can expect as the western wolves increase their population. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Wolves are back, right across Europe. Should we be nervous or welcoming? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Wolves are back, right across Europe. Should we be nervous or welcoming? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski go face to snout with the top predator that's always lived alongside us. [LISTEN NOW]
Engineering The Planet	20250905	Can we design and build our way out of climate change? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Environment And The General Election	20240621	With the general election now two weeks away, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap take a look at how the environment is featuring on the political agenda. They are joined by a panel of guests: energy and climate commentator Sepi Golzari-Munro; senior policy editor at the independent climate news website Carbon Brief, Simon Evans; Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trusts, Craig Bennett; and environment correspondent for BBC News, Matt McGrath. Together they take a look through the manifestos of the main political parties, exploring their policies and pledges when it comes to the environment and wildlife. They ask whether green issues are taking a back seat in this general election compared with previous ones - and if so, why? They examine how the parties are talking about the environment in their campaigning, including the language they're using and how they're positioning environmental concerns in relation to other issues such as healthcare and the cost of living. Do politicians see environmental promises as a vote-winner or a vote-loser? We also hear from the polling organisation YouGov, which has carried out research assessing which issues are most important to voters. Producer: Sarah Swadling Rare Earth is a BBC Audio Wales and West production in conjunction with the Open University. How are wildlife and the environment treated in the election manifestos? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. How are wildlife and the environment treated in the election manifestos? Helen Czerski and Tom Heap size up the political plans.
Environmental Agenda	20240621	How are wildlife and the environment treated in the election manifestos? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Fashioning The Future	20251121	Whether you love to shop or find getting dressed a chore, clothing apparently isn't optional. Patrick Grant, entrepreneur and presenter of The Great British Sewing Bee, and other industry insiders explore the impacts of our fashion choices on the environment, find out how well (or otherwise) big business is doing at tackling its carbon footprint, discover the story of how second-hand became mainstream, and help us rethink how we dress to prioritise the planet. Presented by Tom Heap & Helen Czerski Produced by Beth Sagar-Fenton Can we rethink how we dress to be less impactful on the planet? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. Can we rethink how we dress to be less impactful on the planet? The Great British Sewing Bee's Patrick Grant helps Tom Heap, and Helen Czerski look for answers. [LISTEN NOW]
Fire And Theft- Insuring The Planet	20250822	When huge swathes of Los Angeles were destroyed by wildfire in 2024 the spotlight shone on the insurance industry. Would insurers pay out billions of dollars to rebuild in exactly the same way, in exactly the same place, in a region in which the risk of wildfire is only going to increase? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski take a deep dive into the role of the insurance industry in the climate crisis. Why can new homes in floodplains be insured? Are the rest of us subsidising risky behaviour with our own premiums? If the industry took an accurate measure of climate risk could it help save the planet? Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Rare Earth is produced in collaboration with the Open University Can the insurance industry save the planet? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski report. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. Can the insurance industry save the planet? If insurance companies measure risk accurately then house-building on flood-plains and in wildfire zones could be uninsurable. [LISTEN NOW]
Forever Chemicals	20250321	PFAS chemicals are all around us. They're used in frying pans, food packaging and waterproof coats but they have been linked to thyroid disease, liver damage and cancer. The trouble is that PFAS just doesn't go away - these 'forever chemicals' build up in our bodies and the environment. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back at the invention of these miracle chemicals, their use in the Second World War and the Space Race and meet Robert Bilott, the American lawyer who held the PFAS manufacturers to account, going head to head with the enormous DuPont corporation. Producer: Emma Campbell Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University The health impact of PFAS chemicals used in everything from frying pans to coats. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 PFAS chemicals are all around us. They're used in frying pans and waterproof coats, but they have been linked to thyroid disease, liver damage and cancer. Should we stamp them out? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back at the invention of these miracle chemicals, their use in the Second World War and the Space Race and meet Robert Bilott, the American lawyer who held the PFAS manufacturers to account, going head to head with the enormous DuPont corporation. They're also joined by Stephanie Metzger of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Hannah Evans from the environmental charity Fidra and by the journalist Leana Hosea of Watershed Investigations. Producer: Alasdair Cross [LISTEN NOW]
Good Clean Fun	20241213	With fans travelling halfway across the country, stars expecting first class flights and venues serving up beefburgers and drinks in plastic cups the worlds of professional sport and live music share a pretty poor reputation for environmental impact. Add in the wasteful habits of high end film and TV productions and it starts to look as though anything that's fun has a disproportionate impact on the planet. In Liverpool, they're hoping to change all that. The United Nations has asked the city to use its reputation as a hotbed of culture to devise ways to cut the carbon cost of live events and film production. To launch the project the city is hosting a conference and a series of high profile gigs with Massive Attack, Idles and Chic to showcase best practice and spread the word that fun doesn't need to cost the planet. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap host a panel from the worlds of sports, entertainment and science to discuss a green future for fun, in front of an audience at Liverpool's Exhibition Centre. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University How to cut the carbon from live music and sport and film and TV production. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Live music and sports events mean big emissions and film and TV production has a reputation for racking up the air miles. How can we clean up our industries of fun? [LISTEN NOW]
Great Migrations	20250919	New technology gives fresh insights into the great animal migrations. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski discuss the great spectacles of the bird, mammal and insect worlds and consider how they're changing in an era of climate change and habitat destruction. They're joined by insect migration expert, Will Hawkes, David Barrie, author of Incredible Journeys and the leader of the ICARUS satellite monitoring project, Martin Wikelski from the University of Konstanz. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent reports from the dangerous songbird migration route over Cyprus while ecologist and concept developer Mark van Heukelm reveals the secrets of the extraordinary fish doorbell and Martha Kearney visits Britain's migration hotspot, Fair Isle. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producers: Toby Field and Georgia Christie Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. New technology gives fresh insights into the great animal migrations. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski on the great spectacles of the bird, mammal and insect worlds. [LISTEN NOW]
Green Infrastructure Or Green Fields?	20241108	Is it possible to build new green infrastructure without wrecking the countryside? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 [LISTEN NOW]
Greenhushing	20240607	Rare Earth is a new weekly podcast and radio show from BBC Radio Four which digs deeper into the biggest issues for our planet. Each week, environmental journalist Tom Heap and physicist Helen Czerski will tackle a major story about our environment and wildlife, work out how we got here and meet the brave and clever people with fresh ideas to help us- and nature- thrive. Helen and Tom won't shy away from the big stuff- temperatures rising while wildlife declines- but this isn't a weekly dose of doom laden predictions and tortured hand-wringing. Rare Earth is here to celebrate the wonder of nature and meet the people determined to keep it wonderful. In the first edition of a new series Tom and Helen reveal a new phenomenon- 'Greenhushing'. Big corporations that once trumpeted their green credentials are now staying very quiet about the environment. From the left they've been attacked by green zealots eager to point out when they're not doing enough to save the planet, while from the right any hint of environmental action is condemned as 'woke'. Better, some business advisors believe, to keep quiet about the issue and avoid offending any of their potential customers. Tom and Helen are joined by business experts and PR gurus to consider the broader impact of business and industry disengaging from the core issue of our time. Producer: Sarah Swadling Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. In the first of a new series they ask if businesses are scared of being green.
Hiding In Plain Sight	20251205	A celebration of city wildlife from across the world. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Hot Sport	20260327	The 2026 World Cup is expected to be the most environmentally costly yet. But are there alternative models that provide sporting thrills without the carbon cost? Helen Czerski and Qasa Alom consider the climate impact of the biggest events and the impact of climate on sport at every level. Whether you're a hugely rich footballer sweltering in a World Cup final or a kid who can't play on a waterlogged pitch, the problem- and perhaps the solution - are the same. Qasa and Helen are joined by Norwegian international footballer Morten Thorsby and Claire Poole of Sports Positive to discuss the upcoming World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico. Professor of Global History at Oxford University and batsmen for the Croatian national cricket team, Peter Frankopan and Indian cricketer and commentator Abhishek Jhunjhuwn consider the impact of a warming climate on players, professional and amateur, who play their sport in the full glare of the sun for up to eight hours. Producers: Alasdair Cross and Robin Markwell Assistant Producers: Toby Field and Rebecca Rooney Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup we ask how to cut the environmental cost of sport. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
How Do We Get Our Healthy Rivers Back?	20240301	With river pollution more in the news than ever before, and sewage now a hot topic, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap investigate how we can restore the health of our rivers. They talk to the Rivers Trust, which this week releases its latest ‘State of our Rivers' report, and ask whether water quality has got better or worse since the last survey three years ago. They delve into the history of our water system – from the creation of the Victorian sewer network after the “Great Stink ? of 1858, to the 21st century Thames Tideway Tunnel, London's super-sewer currently under construction. But have we got our whole water system wrong? Tom and Helen ask whether regarding water as a one-way disposal system has partly created the mess our rivers are in today. They also hear about some waterfleas with remarkable powers to suck pollutants out of water. Produced by Emma Campbell for BBC Audio Bristol in conjunction with the Open University Tom Heap and Helen Czerski investigate the health of our rivers. Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. With so many of the UK's rivers in poor ecological health, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask what went wrong - and what we can do to try to put things right.
How To Clean Up The Shipping Industry	20250328	The shipping industry is an enormous source of pollution. Ships burn dirty fuel oil that helps contribute to the industry's global carbon emissions and even in port they continue to belch out noxious fumes that pollute the air of many of our major port cities. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski search for the solutions, from a return to sailing ships to new fuels - and even the possibility of ships being more like penguins - with a panel including: Paddy Rodgers, Director (Chief Executive) of Royal Museums Greenwich and former CEO of Euronav Tristan Smith, Professor of Energy and Transport, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources (UCL) Aoife O'Leary, CEO of Opportunity Green Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producers: Toby Field and Harrison Jones Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University The shipping industry is a big polluter. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski search for solutions. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 The shipping industry is a huge source of pollution. Ships burn dirty fuel oil that contributes 3% of global carbon emissions. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap search for solutions. The shipping industry is an enormous source of pollution. They burn dirty fuel oil that helps contribute to the industry's global carbon emissions and even in port they continue to belch out noxious fumes that pollute the air of many of our major port cities. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski search for the solutions, from a return to sailing ships to new fuels and tighter controls on cruise ships and freighters. Assistant Producer: Toby Field The shipping industry is an enormous source of pollution. They burn dirty fuel oil that contributes 3% of global carbon emissions. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap search for solutions. [LISTEN NOW]
How To Floodproof A City	20240802	Tom Heap and Helen Czerski meet the people with fresh ideas to combat rising sea levels, from Enfield to Indonesia. Average sea levels across the world are rising fast. That puts 570 cities with a combined population of 800 million people at significant threat of inundation. Add in the impact of extreme rainfall events and you have a huge slice of our urban planet that needs protection from flooding. Tom and Helen are joined by Professor Richard Dawson of Newcastle University who considers the engineering solutions available, from huge chunks of concrete and steel to the clever use of parks and gardens that can slow down the flow of water into the streets. Emma Howard Boyd, former chair of the Environment Agency, tells them about her London Climate Resilience Review which shines a light on the urgent need to raise the city's embankments and suggests some quirkier options. Could the 160,000 large holes that are dug ever year in London be repurposed as emergency water buffers? Helen visits New Orleans, 19 years after one of the world's most disastrous urban floods, to meet Dana Eness who leads the Front Yard Initiative which helps city residents floodproof their homes with native flower gardens and rainwater butts. And journalist, Peter Hadfield, discusses his visit to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia that's sinking fast. There are ambitious plans for new sea defences linked by artificial Dubai-style luxury islands, but the national government has decided to abandon the city in favour of a new capital over 1000km away. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Hush! Don't Mention The Environment	20240607	In the first edition of a new series of Rare Earth Tom Heap and Helen Czerski reveal a new phenomenon- 'Greenhushing'. Big corporations that once trumpeted their green credentials are now staying very quiet about the environment. From the left they've been attacked by green zealots eager to expose greenwashing, when their claims don't stand up to scrutiny. Meanwhile from the right any hint of environmental action is condemned as 'woke'. Better, some business advisors believe, to keep quiet about the issue and avoid offending any of their potential customers or falling foul of new regulations. Tom and Helen discover how hotel towels inspired the coining of the term greenwash, by ecologist Jay Westerveld. Moving on to greenhushing, they're joined by business experts and PR gurus to consider the broader impact of business and industry disengaging from the core issue of our time. Solutionist Solitaire Townsend explains why she thinks some greenhushing is a good thing. Tom and Helen take a deep dive into what might be driving greenhushing with the former CEO of French food giant Danone, and now head of the International Sustainability Standards Board, Emmanuel Faber, international trade and sustainability expert Dr Rebecca Harding, and journalist turned PR advisor Piers Scholfield. Producer: Sarah Swadling Are companies going quiet on the environment to avoid greenwash allegations? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski explore why companies are going quiet about their green credentials, to avoid greenwash allegations.

Title	First Broadcast	Comments
A Whale's Life	20250627	A ban on commercial hunting for whales came into force nearly 40 years ago. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back on the whaling industry with some of the last of Shetland's whalers and ask if our largest mammals have bounced back from the extinction that so many species were close to experiencing. Producer: Alasdair Cross Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Whales have been protected from hunting for 40 years. Have they recovered from us? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. A ban on commercial hunting for whales came into force nearly 40 years ago. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back on the whaling industry and find out if the whale has bounced back. [LISTEN NOW]
After The Bomb	20250704	80 years since the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask how our relationship with nuclear power has evolved. At 8.15 on the morning of the 6th of August 1945 a new era began for this planet. For the first time humankind had the power not just to exploit or damage nature, but to destroy it utterly. Tom and Helen are joined by Mark Lynas, author of Six Minutes to Winter: Nuclear War and How to Avoid It and by Professor Timothy Mousseau of the University of South Carolina, a biologist who has studied the environmental impact of the nuclear disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima. Also in the studio is Dr Fiona Rayment, President of the Nuclear Institute. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Special thanks to Archie McWatt of the University of the West of England Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Eighty years since Hiroshima, how has our relationship with atomic power changed? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. Eighty years since Hiroshima, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask how our relationship with the awesome power of the split atom has changed. 80 years since Hiroshima how has our relationship with nuclear fusion changed? [LISTEN NOW]
Alien Invasion	20240209	Should we celebrate the arrival of new species to the UK or drive them out? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Amazon Future	20241206	It's been a hard year for the Amazon rainforest. The toughest drought on record has helped spread fires that have been the worst in two decades. That combination has hit the local people. “If these fires continue, we indigenous people will die, ? says Raimundinha Rodrigues Da Sousa who runs the voluntary fire service for the Caititu indigenous community in the Brazilian Amazon. Her land is supposed to be protected but outsiders come in and set fires so that they can clear the land for agriculture. For Rare Earth, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski take a look at the state of the Amazon rainforest, analyse its role in the global climate and consider the political battle over its future. They're joined by BBC South America correspondent, Ione Wells and by Angela Maldonado who has worked for 25 years in the Amazon, protecting night monkeys that are stolen and traded for medical research. Based on the Colombia-Peru-Brazil border, Angela has a unique perspective on the long-running war between development and conservation in the region. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Ellie Richbold Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Drought and fire are devastating the Amazon rainforest. What can be done to save it? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Drought and fire are devastating the Amazon rainforest. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap ask what can be done to save it. [LISTEN NOW]
America And The Planet	20260320	President Trump has been very clear in his views on climate change but how much of his rhetoric will have real impacts on the environment in the US and worldwide? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by an expert panel to examine the consequences for the planet's temperature and its wildlife of the second Trump administration. Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in collaboration with the Open University How will the second Trump presidency really impact the future of our environment? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Arctic Goldrush	20250228	For the Arctic, 2024 was the second-warmest year on record, with temperatures rising much faster than the global rate. The region's resources - oil, gas, iron ore, uranium, even diamonds and the rare earth metals used in electric cars - suddenly seem accessible. That's caught the attention of China, Russia and the US, with President Trump, eager to mount a hostile takeover bid for Greenland. In the first of a new series of Rare Earth, physicist Helen Czerski and environmental journalist, Tom Heap consider the impact of this sudden global interest on the people, wildlife and landscape of the far north. It's not the first time that climate change has determined the fate of the region. For 500 years the Vikings occupied Greenland, using it as a base for their discovery of North America. By the late 14th century temperatures were falling, their crops failing and supply ships from Scandinavia struggling to make it through the expanding icepack. Communications faltered and then stopped completely. Historian, Eleanor Barraclough joins Tom and Helen to explore the fate of the last Norse Greenlanders - one of the great mediaeval mysteries and a warning of the power of a changing climate. They're also joined by Duncan Depledge from Loughborough University and the Royal United Services Institute who fills them in on the military and political backdrop to the Arctic Goldrush. In 2007 Russian explorer, Artur Chilingarov led a submarine expedition to the North Pole where he planted a Russian flag on the seabed. It was a blatant land grab by the Putin regime and a warning of Russian expansionism to come. Only now are the other Arctic nations responding, with Denmark ploughing cash into the defence of Greenland as the United States and China stake their own claims to the riches of the frozen north that isn't quite as frozen as it was. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University President Trump wants a slice of the Arctic. What does it mean for the region's wildlife? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 As the Arctic ice melts, its treasures are revealed and Russia, the US and China want a slice of the action. What does this new goldrush mean for the region's people and wildlife? [LISTEN NOW]
Are Insects The Answer?	20250530	Insects are in trouble. Their numbers are plummeting with reports of huge die-offs, and scientists warn that we ignore this at our peril. In this programme, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap explore the largely ignored world of insects. Could they be the answer to some of the environmental problems we have created? Some insects can digest plastic and break down waste. They also have a vital role to play in pollinating plants. Would eating them help and would we ever do it on a large scale? Helen and Tom discuss the world of insects with a panel of experts. Producer: Emma Campbell Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Helen Czerski and Tom Heap discuss the environmental importance of insects. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Helen Czerski and Tom Heap meet a panel of experts to discuss the environmental role of insects. Could insects help solve some of the problems we've created? Insects are the quiet engineers of the environment - pollinating our plants, balancing our ecosystems and clearing up our waste. Some insects can digest plastic, and they play a vital role in crop production. At the same time their populations are under threat from pesticides, habitat loss and climate change. In this programme, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap explore the largely ignored world of insects. Could they be the answer to some of the environmental problems we have created? Would eating them help lower our carbon footprint, and will the western world ever overcome its squeamishness to the idea? Helen and Tom explore the weird and wonderful world of insects with a panel of experts. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Battle For The Planet	20241025	US elections always have an outsized impact on the planet. As the world's second largest polluter and one of the primary sources of green technology and finance, America's lead on environmental issues is a vital part of our battle against climate change. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski analyse the efforts of the Biden regime and examine the rival policies of Harris and Trump. Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act is said to have helped channel half a trillion dollars into clean technology and renewable energy. Has all that money brought down emissions or funded fresh answers to the planet's biggest challenge? Trump talks tough on the environment, supporting oil, gas and coal companies but did his presidential term really accelerate global warming? Tom and Helen are joined by Professor Leah Stokes from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Trisha Curtis, CEO of PetroNerds and presenter of the PetroNerds podcast and by Pilita Clark, Associate Editor and environment and business columnist for the Financial Times. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is a BBC Audio Wales and West production in conjunction with the Open University Which way will America vote and what will it mean for the planet? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Which way will America vote? The result has huge implications for the global battle against climate change. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski examine the issues. Tom and Helen are joined by Professor Leah Stokes from the University of California, Santa Barbara and Pilita Clark of the Financial Times. [LISTEN NOW]
Beak And Talon	20241115	Nothing beats the sight of a top predator as it hunts. In the British Isles that means looking up. Our birds of prey are bouncing back after decades of shooting, poisoning and habitat loss. Buzzard numbers are up by 80% since 1995 and Red Kite by 2000%. Peregrine Falcon are thriving in London and Marsh Harriers have returned to our wetlands. Helen gets up close to Black Kites and an Eagle Owl at the Owl and Raptor Centre in Kent and travel writer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent describes the extraordinary migration of tens of thousands of birds of prey through the Batumi Gap on the border of Georgia and Turkey. The RSPB's Mark Thomas and Robert Benson of the Moorland Association discuss the threat that birds of prey still face on some of Britain's shooting estates and Jennifer Ackerman, author of 'What An Owl Knows' joins Tom and Helen to explore the science behind the night-hunting skills of so many owls. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Britain's birds of prey seem to be bouncing back. Can their momentum continue? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Britain's birds of prey seem to be bouncing back. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski explore the reasons and celebrate the lives of our top avian predators. [LISTEN NOW]
Building The Ark	20240802	Tom Heap and Helen Czerski meet the people with fresh ideas to combat rising sea levels. Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Can An Oil Rig Be A Nature Reserve?	20240628	What should we do with our old oil rigs? Can the relics of the fossil fuel age be good for wildlife? Helen Czerski and Tom Heap investigate the future for the steel and concrete that's fuelled the modern age. Helen visits a highly specialist scrapyard on Teeside which dismantles oil rigs bought ashore at the end of their lives. Tom and Helen discuss whether the rules on what happens to old oil and gas installations in the North Sea should be relaxed to allow some to be turned into artificial reefs. They hear from Professor Matt Frost from Plymouth Marine Laboratory and INSITE, an international project investigating the future for undersea structures; Dr Alethea Madgett a marine ecologist who's researching how old rigs can be used in nature restoration; and Ricky Thomson from the industry body Offshore Energies UK. Producer: Sarah Swadling Assistant Producers: Christina Sinclair and Toby Field Rare Earth is a BBC Audio Wales and West production in conjunction with the Open University What should we do with our old oil rigs? Dismantle and recycle or turn them into reefs? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Can Politicians Save The Planet?	20240216	Why do politicians have such trouble sticking to their environmental promises? Why are they happy to hug a husky one minute, desperate to ditch the 'green crap' the next? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by a panel of insiders to analyse the electoral gains and costs of environmental policies and consider the best strategies to maintain the focus of those in power on the greatest challenge to the planet. Produced by Alasdair Cross for BBC Audio Bristol in conjunction with the Open University. Why do politicians have trouble sticking to their green promises? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. Why do politicians have trouble sticking to their green promises? Helen Czerski and Tom Heap examine the electoral pressures on environmental policies.
Can The Oceans Save Us From Climate Change?	20240223	The world's oceans have absorbed huge quantities of carbon dioxide, protecting us from the worst effects of climate change, but how much longer can they defend us? Join Helen Czerski in New Orleans at the world's biggest conference of marine science to meet the experts working to keep the ocean working for us. Tom and Helen's guests from the American Geophysical Union conference include Jeremy Werdell of NASA and Jaime Palter of Rhode Island University. With special thanks to the team at the AGU and David Mann of Loggerhead Instruments. Produced by Alasdair Cross for BBC Audio Bristol in conjunction with the Open University The oceans have absorbed the worst impacts of climate change, but for how much longer? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Can We Build A Better World With Wood?	20240202	From the emotional balm of a walk in the woods to the first wooden skyscrapers, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask if we can replace a world of concrete and steel with a wooden utopia. Will the Wood Age be healthier for us and for the planet? Michael Ramage of Cambridge University explains how the development of Cross-Laminated Timber makes it possible to build pretty much any building with wood while Tim Searchinger of Princeton University argues that turning forests into construction material has a high carbon cost for the planet. Produced by Alasdair Cross for BBC Audio Wales and West in conjunction with the Open University Is wood the key to healthier people and a cooler planet? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. From the emotional balm of a walk in the woods to the first wooden skyscrapers, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask if a new Age of Wood will be good for us and the planet.
Can We Live Without Waste?	20240126	~Rare Earth is a new weekly podcast and radio show from BBC Radio Four which digs deeper into the biggest issues for our planet. Each week, environmental journalist Tom Heap and physicist Helen Czerski will tackle a major story about our environment and wildlife, work out how we got here and meet the brave and clever people with fresh ideas to help us- and nature- thrive. Helen and Tom won't shy away from the big stuff- temperatures rising while wildlife declines- but this won't be a weekly dose of doom laden predictions and tortured hand-wringing. Rare Earth is here to celebrate the wonder of nature and meet the people determined to keep it wonderful. In the second episode Tom and Helen ask why we're rubbish at tackling waste. Estimates suggest we could cut up to 15% of greenhouse gas emissions if we just used all the stuff that we make and grow. Fashion houses burn their unworn stock and supermarkets make late changes to their orders from farmers, leaving edible crops to go to waste. It's the one climate change solution that doesn't ask anybody to give up anything, so why can't we put a stop to waste? Tom and Helen are joined by the waste-hunting journalist, Oliver Franklin-Wallis and expert on the bio-geography of landfill, Professor Kate Spencer of Queen Mary's, University of London. Produced by Emma Campbell for BBC Audio Wales and West in conjunction with the Open University Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. In this episode they ask why we're so rubbish at tackling waste.
Can Writers Save The Planet?	20240614	Nature-writing is going through a renaissance. What started largely with TV tie-ins has evolved into a genre encompassing books about climate change, the countryside, walking, and off-grid living. For Radio 4's new landmark environment and nature series, Rare Earth, presenters Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined on-stage at the Hay Festival by Mark Cocker, Philippa Forrester and Chris Thorogood to discuss the purpose of nature-writing, why it's important, and how nature-writing can help shape our understanding of the natural world. Produced by Emma Campbell for BBC Audio Wales and West in conjunction with the Open University Editor: Dimitri Houtart Tom Heap and Helen Czerski discuss the evolution of nature-writing with a panel of guests. Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. In a special programme recorded at the Hay Festival, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski discuss nature-writing and ask a panel how the genre shapes our understanding of the natural world.
Christmas Trees	20241220	An ancient Babylonian text, Hammurabi's Code of Laws, forbids the cutting down of street trees without permission. Nearly 4000 years later, threats to our urban trees still arouse the strongest passions. Coventry residents organised a record-breaking mass tree hug in November to save 26 trees marked for the chainsaws and the battle to save thousands of Sheffield's street trees from the council's contractors inspired folk songs and expensive legal battles. As so many of us bring a tree home for Christmas, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski consider our feelings about street trees, the sweet hit of nature that provides year round shade and wildlife habitat in the least promising of city circumstances. They're joined by Jon Stokes of the Tree Council, landscape historian Sonia Dümpelmann and Paul Powlesland, barrister and founder of Lawyers for Nature. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producers: Ellie Richold and Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Helen Czerski and Tom Heap celebrate the urban trees of Britain. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Helen Czerski and Tom Heap celebrate Britain's best loved urban trees, from the gnarliest parkland oak to the street planes that shade our cities. Physicist, Helen Czerski and environment journalist, Tom Heap tackle another major question about our environment and wildlife, meeting the brave and clever people with fresh ideas to help us- and nature- thrive. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap tackle a major question about our environment and wildlife. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap tackle another major question about our environment and wildlife, meeting the clever people with fresh ideas to help us - and nature - thrive. [LISTEN NOW]
City Transport: Faster, Cheaper, Greener	20251212	How we get around town has never been more political, with controversies over low traffic neighbourhoods and 15 minute cities and rows about congestion charging and public transport breaking out all over the country. Tom and Helen are in search of the kind of consensus that makes things faster, cheaper and smoother for all of us. What works and what's been a complete flop? Should we all stop moaning and get on our bikes? Who is the reshaping of traffic flows working - and not working - for? And could Milton Keynes have all the answers? Presenters: Tom Heap and Helen Czerski Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski examine how we get around our towns and cities. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. How we get around town has never been more political, with rows over congestion charging, scooters and 15-minute cities. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski examine the issues. [LISTEN NOW]
Clean Energy Or Green Fields?	20241108	How can we build new green infrastructure without wrecking the countryside? Helen Czerski and Tom Heap debate the issue with a panel of experts, and ask what the measures outlined in last week's budget will mean for planning decisions and the environment. On the panel this week: Emma Pinchbeck, new CEO of the Climate Change Committee; Roger Mortlock, chief executive of the CPRE - the Countryside Charity; and Professor Matthew Kelly, modern historian from Northumbria University. Producer: Emma Campbell Is it possible to build new green infrastructure without wrecking the countryside? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 [LISTEN NOW]
Cooling The Planet	20250314	40 years ago a hole was discovered in the ozone layer. It provoked an international effort to ban the chemicals that were destroying our protection from the sun. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by Jonathan Shanklin, one of the team that realised that CFC chemicals used in aerosol cans and refrigerants were helping to create a 20 million square kilometre hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica. They discuss the unparalleled international unity that swiftly banned the worst of the ozone-destroying chemicals and ask why we can't come up with a similar solution for manmade climate change. Tom will be delving into the black market in refrigerants and meeting the South American detectives dedicated to hunting down the chemicals that still threaten the ozone layer and come with an enormous cost to the climate. Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in collaboration with the Open University 40 years ago a hole was discovered in the ozone layer. It caused an international crisis. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 [LISTEN NOW]
Cop30: A New Hope?	20251114	For thirty years world leaders have been gathering to negotiate the planet's route away from climate disaster. For thirty years carbon emissions have been rising and hopes have been fading. Is it time to admit defeat and search for a new strategy to persuade corporations and individuals to cut their pollution and save the planet? As the COP30 summit begins in Brazil, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap will be joined by an expert panel eager to come up with fresh solutions that could accelerate climate action and bring a unified, international response to the existential crisis of our time. With them are Nigel Topping, Chair of the UK Climate Change Committee, Corinne Le Quéré, professor of climate change science at the University of East Anglia, Anna À...berg from the Chatham House think tank and Georgina Rannard, BBC Climate and Science correspondent. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University World leaders are gathering in Brazil, but can they prevent runaway climate change? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. World leaders are gathering in Brazil for the latest round of negotiations to slow down runaway climate change, but could COP30 be the last of these increasingly desperate efforts? [LISTEN NOW]
Cop30: The End Of The Road?	20251114	For thirty years world leaders have been gathering to negotiate the planet's route away from climate disaster. For thirty years carbon emissions have been rising and hopes have been fading. Is it time to admit defeat and search for a new strategy to persuade corporations and individuals to cut their pollution and save the planet? As the COP30 summit begins in Brazil, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap will be joined by an expert panel eager to come up with fresh solutions that could accelerate climate action and bring a unified, international response to the existential crisis of our time. Producer: Alasdair Cross Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University World leaders are gathering in Brazil, but can they prevent runaway climate change? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. World leaders are gathering in Brazil for the latest round of negotiations to slow down runaway climate change, but could COP30 be the last of these increasingly desperate efforts? [LISTEN NOW]
Creatures Of The Night	20250829	A celebration of the wildlife that works while we sleep Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Cry Wolf	20250307	The wolf has mounted an extraordinary comeback. Once hunted to extinction across Western Europe the wolf has taken advantage of the collapse of the Iron Curtain and the depopulation of the countryside to spread from east to west, reaching the suburbs of Amsterdam and Brussels. Only Britain, Ireland and Luxembourg now lack the top predator that haunts our fairytales. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski go face to snout with the wolf to find out the secrets of its success. They're joined by writer, Adam Weymouth, who tracked the route of a pioneering wolf called Slavc that made its way from Slovenia to Verona, kick-starting the return of the wolf packs to northern Italy. BBC Eastern Europe reporter Nick Thorpe digs into the relationship between farmers and wolves in their Carpathian heartland to reveal the conflicts we can expect as the western wolves increase their population. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Wolves are back, right across Europe. Should we be nervous or welcoming? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Wolves are back, right across Europe. Should we be nervous or welcoming? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski go face to snout with the top predator that's always lived alongside us. [LISTEN NOW]
Engineering The Planet	20250905	Can we design and build our way out of climate change? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Environment And The General Election	20240621	With the general election now two weeks away, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap take a look at how the environment is featuring on the political agenda. They are joined by a panel of guests: energy and climate commentator Sepi Golzari-Munro; senior policy editor at the independent climate news website Carbon Brief, Simon Evans; Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trusts, Craig Bennett; and environment correspondent for BBC News, Matt McGrath. Together they take a look through the manifestos of the main political parties, exploring their policies and pledges when it comes to the environment and wildlife. They ask whether green issues are taking a back seat in this general election compared with previous ones - and if so, why? They examine how the parties are talking about the environment in their campaigning, including the language they're using and how they're positioning environmental concerns in relation to other issues such as healthcare and the cost of living. Do politicians see environmental promises as a vote-winner or a vote-loser? We also hear from the polling organisation YouGov, which has carried out research assessing which issues are most important to voters. Producer: Sarah Swadling Rare Earth is a BBC Audio Wales and West production in conjunction with the Open University. How are wildlife and the environment treated in the election manifestos? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. How are wildlife and the environment treated in the election manifestos? Helen Czerski and Tom Heap size up the political plans.
Environmental Agenda	20240621	How are wildlife and the environment treated in the election manifestos? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Fashioning The Future	20251121	Whether you love to shop or find getting dressed a chore, clothing apparently isn't optional. Patrick Grant, entrepreneur and presenter of The Great British Sewing Bee, and other industry insiders explore the impacts of our fashion choices on the environment, find out how well (or otherwise) big business is doing at tackling its carbon footprint, discover the story of how second-hand became mainstream, and help us rethink how we dress to prioritise the planet. Presented by Tom Heap & Helen Czerski Produced by Beth Sagar-Fenton Can we rethink how we dress to be less impactful on the planet? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. Can we rethink how we dress to be less impactful on the planet? The Great British Sewing Bee's Patrick Grant helps Tom Heap, and Helen Czerski look for answers. [LISTEN NOW]
Fire And Theft- Insuring The Planet	20250822	When huge swathes of Los Angeles were destroyed by wildfire in 2024 the spotlight shone on the insurance industry. Would insurers pay out billions of dollars to rebuild in exactly the same way, in exactly the same place, in a region in which the risk of wildfire is only going to increase? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski take a deep dive into the role of the insurance industry in the climate crisis. Why can new homes in floodplains be insured? Are the rest of us subsidising risky behaviour with our own premiums? If the industry took an accurate measure of climate risk could it help save the planet? Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Rare Earth is produced in collaboration with the Open University Can the insurance industry save the planet? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski report. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. Can the insurance industry save the planet? If insurance companies measure risk accurately then house-building on flood-plains and in wildfire zones could be uninsurable. [LISTEN NOW]
Forever Chemicals	20250321	PFAS chemicals are all around us. They're used in frying pans, food packaging and waterproof coats but they have been linked to thyroid disease, liver damage and cancer. The trouble is that PFAS just doesn't go away - these 'forever chemicals' build up in our bodies and the environment. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back at the invention of these miracle chemicals, their use in the Second World War and the Space Race and meet Robert Bilott, the American lawyer who held the PFAS manufacturers to account, going head to head with the enormous DuPont corporation. Producer: Emma Campbell Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University The health impact of PFAS chemicals used in everything from frying pans to coats. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 PFAS chemicals are all around us. They're used in frying pans and waterproof coats, but they have been linked to thyroid disease, liver damage and cancer. Should we stamp them out? Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back at the invention of these miracle chemicals, their use in the Second World War and the Space Race and meet Robert Bilott, the American lawyer who held the PFAS manufacturers to account, going head to head with the enormous DuPont corporation. They're also joined by Stephanie Metzger of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Hannah Evans from the environmental charity Fidra and by the journalist Leana Hosea of Watershed Investigations. Producer: Alasdair Cross [LISTEN NOW]
Good Clean Fun	20241213	With fans travelling halfway across the country, stars expecting first class flights and venues serving up beefburgers and drinks in plastic cups the worlds of professional sport and live music share a pretty poor reputation for environmental impact. Add in the wasteful habits of high end film and TV productions and it starts to look as though anything that's fun has a disproportionate impact on the planet. In Liverpool, they're hoping to change all that. The United Nations has asked the city to use its reputation as a hotbed of culture to devise ways to cut the carbon cost of live events and film production. To launch the project the city is hosting a conference and a series of high profile gigs with Massive Attack, Idles and Chic to showcase best practice and spread the word that fun doesn't need to cost the planet. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap host a panel from the worlds of sports, entertainment and science to discuss a green future for fun, in front of an audience at Liverpool's Exhibition Centre. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University How to cut the carbon from live music and sport and film and TV production. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 Live music and sports events mean big emissions and film and TV production has a reputation for racking up the air miles. How can we clean up our industries of fun? [LISTEN NOW]
Great Migrations	20250919	New technology gives fresh insights into the great animal migrations. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski discuss the great spectacles of the bird, mammal and insect worlds and consider how they're changing in an era of climate change and habitat destruction. They're joined by insect migration expert, Will Hawkes, David Barrie, author of Incredible Journeys and the leader of the ICARUS satellite monitoring project, Martin Wikelski from the University of Konstanz. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent reports from the dangerous songbird migration route over Cyprus while ecologist and concept developer Mark van Heukelm reveals the secrets of the extraordinary fish doorbell and Martha Kearney visits Britain's migration hotspot, Fair Isle. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producers: Toby Field and Georgia Christie Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. New technology gives fresh insights into the great animal migrations. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski on the great spectacles of the bird, mammal and insect worlds. [LISTEN NOW]
Green Infrastructure Or Green Fields?	20241108	Is it possible to build new green infrastructure without wrecking the countryside? New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 [LISTEN NOW]
Greenhushing	20240607	Rare Earth is a new weekly podcast and radio show from BBC Radio Four which digs deeper into the biggest issues for our planet. Each week, environmental journalist Tom Heap and physicist Helen Czerski will tackle a major story about our environment and wildlife, work out how we got here and meet the brave and clever people with fresh ideas to help us- and nature- thrive. Helen and Tom won't shy away from the big stuff- temperatures rising while wildlife declines- but this isn't a weekly dose of doom laden predictions and tortured hand-wringing. Rare Earth is here to celebrate the wonder of nature and meet the people determined to keep it wonderful. In the first edition of a new series Tom and Helen reveal a new phenomenon- 'Greenhushing'. Big corporations that once trumpeted their green credentials are now staying very quiet about the environment. From the left they've been attacked by green zealots eager to point out when they're not doing enough to save the planet, while from the right any hint of environmental action is condemned as 'woke'. Better, some business advisors believe, to keep quiet about the issue and avoid offending any of their potential customers. Tom and Helen are joined by business experts and PR gurus to consider the broader impact of business and industry disengaging from the core issue of our time. Producer: Sarah Swadling Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. In the first of a new series they ask if businesses are scared of being green.
Hiding In Plain Sight	20251205	A celebration of city wildlife from across the world. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
Hot Sport	20260327	The 2026 World Cup is expected to be the most environmentally costly yet. But are there alternative models that provide sporting thrills without the carbon cost? Helen Czerski and Qasa Alom consider the climate impact of the biggest events and the impact of climate on sport at every level. Whether you're a hugely rich footballer sweltering in a World Cup final or a kid who can't play on a waterlogged pitch, the problem- and perhaps the solution - are the same. Qasa and Helen are joined by Norwegian international footballer Morten Thorsby and Claire Poole of Sports Positive to discuss the upcoming World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico. Professor of Global History at Oxford University and batsmen for the Croatian national cricket team, Peter Frankopan and Indian cricketer and commentator Abhishek Jhunjhuwn consider the impact of a warming climate on players, professional and amateur, who play their sport in the full glare of the sun for up to eight hours. Producers: Alasdair Cross and Robin Markwell Assistant Producers: Toby Field and Rebecca Rooney Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup we ask how to cut the environmental cost of sport. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski dig deeper into the biggest environmental issues on the planet. [LISTEN NOW]
How Do We Get Our Healthy Rivers Back?	20240301	With river pollution more in the news than ever before, and sewage now a hot topic, Helen Czerski and Tom Heap investigate how we can restore the health of our rivers. They talk to the Rivers Trust, which this week releases its latest ‘State of our Rivers' report, and ask whether water quality has got better or worse since the last survey three years ago. They delve into the history of our water system – from the creation of the Victorian sewer network after the “Great Stink ? of 1858, to the 21st century Thames Tideway Tunnel, London's super-sewer currently under construction. But have we got our whole water system wrong? Tom and Helen ask whether regarding water as a one-way disposal system has partly created the mess our rivers are in today. They also hear about some waterfleas with remarkable powers to suck pollutants out of water. Produced by Emma Campbell for BBC Audio Bristol in conjunction with the Open University Tom Heap and Helen Czerski investigate the health of our rivers. Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. With so many of the UK's rivers in poor ecological health, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski ask what went wrong - and what we can do to try to put things right.
How To Clean Up The Shipping Industry	20250328	The shipping industry is an enormous source of pollution. Ships burn dirty fuel oil that helps contribute to the industry's global carbon emissions and even in port they continue to belch out noxious fumes that pollute the air of many of our major port cities. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski search for the solutions, from a return to sailing ships to new fuels - and even the possibility of ships being more like penguins - with a panel including: Paddy Rodgers, Director (Chief Executive) of Royal Museums Greenwich and former CEO of Euronav Tristan Smith, Professor of Energy and Transport, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources (UCL) Aoife O'Leary, CEO of Opportunity Green Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Assistant Producers: Toby Field and Harrison Jones Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University The shipping industry is a big polluter. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski search for solutions. New science documentary series for BBC Radio 4 The shipping industry is a huge source of pollution. Ships burn dirty fuel oil that contributes 3% of global carbon emissions. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap search for solutions. The shipping industry is an enormous source of pollution. They burn dirty fuel oil that helps contribute to the industry's global carbon emissions and even in port they continue to belch out noxious fumes that pollute the air of many of our major port cities. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski search for the solutions, from a return to sailing ships to new fuels and tighter controls on cruise ships and freighters. Assistant Producer: Toby Field The shipping industry is an enormous source of pollution. They burn dirty fuel oil that contributes 3% of global carbon emissions. Helen Czerski and Tom Heap search for solutions. [LISTEN NOW]
How To Floodproof A City	20240802	Tom Heap and Helen Czerski meet the people with fresh ideas to combat rising sea levels, from Enfield to Indonesia. Average sea levels across the world are rising fast. That puts 570 cities with a combined population of 800 million people at significant threat of inundation. Add in the impact of extreme rainfall events and you have a huge slice of our urban planet that needs protection from flooding. Tom and Helen are joined by Professor Richard Dawson of Newcastle University who considers the engineering solutions available, from huge chunks of concrete and steel to the clever use of parks and gardens that can slow down the flow of water into the streets. Emma Howard Boyd, former chair of the Environment Agency, tells them about her London Climate Resilience Review which shines a light on the urgent need to raise the city's embankments and suggests some quirkier options. Could the 160,000 large holes that are dug ever year in London be repurposed as emergency water buffers? Helen visits New Orleans, 19 years after one of the world's most disastrous urban floods, to meet Dana Eness who leads the Front Yard Initiative which helps city residents floodproof their homes with native flower gardens and rainwater butts. And journalist, Peter Hadfield, discusses his visit to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia that's sinking fast. There are ambitious plans for new sea defences linked by artificial Dubai-style luxury islands, but the national government has decided to abandon the city in favour of a new capital over 1000km away. Producer: Alasdair Cross Assistant Producer: Toby Field Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski.
Hush! Don't Mention The Environment	20240607	In the first edition of a new series of Rare Earth Tom Heap and Helen Czerski reveal a new phenomenon- 'Greenhushing'. Big corporations that once trumpeted their green credentials are now staying very quiet about the environment. From the left they've been attacked by green zealots eager to expose greenwashing, when their claims don't stand up to scrutiny. Meanwhile from the right any hint of environmental action is condemned as 'woke'. Better, some business advisors believe, to keep quiet about the issue and avoid offending any of their potential customers or falling foul of new regulations. Tom and Helen discover how hotel towels inspired the coining of the term greenwash, by ecologist Jay Westerveld. Moving on to greenhushing, they're joined by business experts and PR gurus to consider the broader impact of business and industry disengaging from the core issue of our time. Solutionist Solitaire Townsend explains why she thinks some greenhushing is a good thing. Tom and Helen take a deep dive into what might be driving greenhushing with the former CEO of French food giant Danone, and now head of the International Sustainability Standards Board, Emmanuel Faber, international trade and sustainability expert Dr Rebecca Harding, and journalist turned PR advisor Piers Scholfield. Producer: Sarah Swadling Are companies going quiet on the environment to avoid greenwash allegations? Our relationship with the natural world explored by Tom Heap and Helen Czerski. Tom Heap and Helen Czerski explore why companies are going quiet about their green credentials, to avoid greenwash allegations.

Rare Earth

Episodes