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Down to Earth

by FRANCE 24 English · 24 episodes

ScienceMedicine

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We meet the people behind fascinating environmental, health and technological innovations in a bid for sustainable solutions to our changing world.

Latest episodes

  1. Lula's re-election brings hope for the Amazon as deforestation drops to record low

    Climate activists in Brazil and beyond are celebrating President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's election victory as good news for the Amazon rainforest. His last four years in power s…

    5 min
  2. Indonesia continues to battle wildfires, with nearly 2 million hectares burned

    Fires in Indonesia have burned through more than 1.9 million hectares of land, according to new data, as the country battles its worst wildfire season in a decade. The blazes have…

    5 min
  3. Old jeans could shield your home from the next heatwave

    We all have that one pair of old jeans in the back of our wardrobe – don’t throw them out! A French company says denim fibres make for great insulation against the cold and heat. M…

    9 min
  4. Frenchwoman buys elephants from abusive owners in Laos

    Once known as "The Land of a Million Elephants", only an estimated 800 elephants remain in Laos, as deforestation and exploitation push the species closer than ever to the brink of…

    4 min
  5. A Green pope? Vatican describes environmental destruction as an 'ecological sin'

    In recent years, the Catholic Church has taken a growing stance in favour of climate action, culminating with the Vatican's signing of the landmark Paris climate agreement in 2022.…

    6 min
  6. French farmers turn to tropical crops amid rising temperatures

    In the south of France, climate change is reshaping the region’s fruit production. Rather than fighting against it, a growing number of farmers are learning how to work with it – t…

    5 min
  7. Countries turn to coal to avoid shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz

    The US-Israel war on Iran has shaken global energy markets and coal is no exception. Countries around the world are turning to the highly polluting source of power in a bid to avoi…

    6 min
  8. Meet the millionaires investing in nature conservation

    In France, a handful of wealthy entrepreneurs are buying up hundreds of hectares of land with the goal of letting nature reclaim its rightful place. Among them is Rodolphe Landemai…

    6 min
  9. Climate-smart apartments designed to beat the heat

    While most of France suffered from last week's heatwave, a certain number of Montpellier residents were in total comfort in their apartments – without air conditioning. From Middle…

    2 min
  10. Fixing fast fashion: France will pay you to repair your clothes

    Your ripped clothes deserve better than the bottom of your closet or – worse – the trash can. The French government is now paying people to get them repaired, in a bid to extend th…

    5 min
  11. French co-op on a mission to prove organic farming can feed the world

    Many people assume that organic agriculture is expensive and hard to produce on a massive scale. But a group of 10 farmers in France's western Vendée region want to prove that chem…

    5 min
  12. How can France adapt to recurrent heatwaves?

    France is seeing a second consecutive heatwave in less than a month. Half the country is now under red alert as temperatures are expected to rise to 43°C in the southwestern city o…

    6 min
  13. 2026 World Cup set to be 'most polluting' sporting event in history

    The 2026 World Cup is bringing excitement to football fans around the world, but it will also come at a cost for the environment. The 2026 edition is officially projected to be the…

    6 min
  14. They pay 30% less for electricity. Their secret? Solar panels

    Residents in the town of Escourse, France, pay 30 percent less for their electricity bills than elsewhere in the country. Their secret? Renewable energy. Since 2011, the town has i…

    3 min
  15. Squid fleets exposed: Investigation reveals illegal fishing and forced labour

    June 8 marks World Oceans Day, a global event held every year to raise awareness of the impact of human actions on the ocean. Illegal fishing is one of them, threatening entire mar…

    6 min
  16. French doctors sound alarm over drinking water pollution

    Pesticides, microplastics and so-called forever chemicals: that’s the cocktail of substances millions of French people are exposed to simply from drinking tap water. According to F…

    7 min
  17. Count the dead bugs on your windshield and contribute to science

    Scientists need your help! French researchers are calling on car drivers to help them measure the decline of insect populations – thanks to an app dubbed "Bugs Matter". The citizen…

    5 min
  18. Human hair protects French forests from hungry deer

    In France alone, nearly 4,000 tonnes of hair end up landfilled or incinerated every year. Yet human hair has unique properties: it is not only highly resistant, it can also absorb…

    4 min
  19. 'We've been poisoned': Babies exposed to pesticides in the womb

    Rates of cancer, birth defects and cognitive disorders are on the rise among French children. The use of pesticides has been recognised as a major risk to mothers and their babies,…

    6 min
  20. What is hantavirus and how does it spread?

    Three people have died and three others are ill ⁠after a Netherlands-based cruise ship in the Atlantic was hit by a suspected outbreak of hantavirus. The virus is transmitted to hu…

    5 min
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