In Nigeria’s oil producing Niger Delta, women are the breadwinners in many homes, doing traditional jobs like farming and fishing, while men often head to cities to work. After decades of oil pollution, women especially have suffered the consequences of serious pollution, and the health problems associated with it. But they are now leading the movement to change that.

The largest glacial cave system in the contiguous United States is melting at an alarming rate. The complex system has been studied by cavers and glaciologists since the caves were first discovered in 2011 in mountains near Portland, Oregon. But scientists may be running out of time, as the warming climate means the glaciers could be completely gone in a few years.

In parts of the Caribbean, it is not unusual for faucets to run dry — the region is facing drought linked to climate change. During the COVID-19 pandemic, that means many people lack the water they need to wash their hands. Aging infrastructure that wastes this precious resource is among the main problems. But locals in Trinidad are seeking solutions.

In much of the world, clean water is taken for granted. But in parts of the Global South, drought and flooding connected to climate change are making water scarce. And that is hitting kids the hardest. DW reporter Jennifer Collins chats about a Global Ideas project that investigated the impacts of water inequality on the health of children in South Africa and India.

Despite its location straddling the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, Chile is facing water scarcity, due in part to climate change-related drought. Water was privatized under the Pinochet dictatorship in the 1970s — limiting access for farming communities and city dwellers alike. In 2020, citizens voted to rewrite the constitution. And water is looming large in the debate.

Forests capture and store about one of every four tons of carbon dioxide we spew out, slowing global warming. And though trees are increasingly likely to suffer from warmer temperatures and drought, there's hope: plants need carbon dioxide, and the ever-growing amount could help them. In 2020,NASA sent researchers to study this effect at an active volcano in northwest Costa Rica.

In Italy, trees are under attack from a tiny, round, reddish-brown invader. The pine tortoise scale latches on to its victim, excretes copious amounts of sugary liquid and waits for black sooty mold to take over. The nonnative pest from the Americas first showed up here in 2014, and it's threatening to decimate Rome's 1 million umbrella pine trees. Angelo van Schaik tells us how they can be saved.

Over the past 40 years, around 1 million square kilometers of the rainforest have been destroyed across South America. Two famous Brazilians want to end deforestation and bring rainforests in their homeland back to life. Sebastiao Salgado, a well-known photographer and forest champion, and musician Gilberto Gil hope to plant 1 million trees a year. Sonya Diehn presents a report by Ivo Marusczyk.

The Latur region of the western state of Maharashtra in India is notorious for water scarcity, and farmers there have faced drought for some time. But over recent years, they have been shifting cultivation methods to conserve water, turning toward nature-oriented farming to restore the land and rivers. And those efforts are making the communities more resilient to climate change impacts.

It's about the most underrated superfood out there: the humble legume. Loaded with nutrition, legumes — or beans — are barely eaten in some parts of the world, although some experts see legumes as the best option for sustainably ensuring food security. Plant scientist Chris Ojiewo in Nairobi spoke to DW about the Tropical Legumes Project, an initiative seeking to put beans on tables across Africa.

Nutritious and delicious, avocados have conquered palates across the globe. Business is booming — in the past 20 years, avocado production has tripled. But this is also causing a massive strain on resources in places where the water-intensive tropical fruit grows — in particular, Latin America. Is it possible to keep eating our treasured avocados with a clear conscience?

Protesters in London have just wrapped up a month-long action inside an illegally dug tunnel intended to stop construction of a new high-speed rail line. While trains have an eco-friendly repute, protesters say lost trees and construction emissions make the project a losing equation. Since the UK set its net-zero emissions goal two years back, the protest has put the topic back in the spotlight.

China is big on coal — it's the world's largest producer and consumer. Despite that, China is presenting itself as a leader in climate protection on the world stage, recently announcing plans to go carbon-neutral by 2060. It's massively invested in wind and solar power, and has finally launched an emissions trading scheme. But can China meet its ambitious promises?

More than 70% of India's electricity comes from burning coal, and much of that is imported. Imported coal lands in Goa — a coastal state famous for its white sandy beaches and biodiversity. The government plans to transform the region into India's coal hub. But citizens are pushing back in a bid to prevent pollution and protect the state's glimmering green hills.

The ways we get around are changing – and that's especially true in big cities. Vehicle and bike-sharing services are booming, making it easier to leave cars at home or forego car ownership altogether. Barcelona has the highest vehicle density of any city in Europe. But it's now breaking ground on a transport and urban planning initiative that will grow its innovative public spaces for residents.

All of our food waste has to go somewhere. But how our trash is disposed of can actually have an impact on climate change. In the US's largest metropolis, there's a simple way New Yorkers can reduce their methane emissions, and maybe even spruce up their gardens in the process.

They’re Australia’s climate change refugees and they’re looking for somewhere to roost. But their smell and nocturnal shrieks have made them unpopular with locals. Scientists warn against trying to get rid of flying foxes, calling them the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ for what will happen to other species as temperatures rise. Their disappearance would spell disaster for forests and woodlands.

Experts estimate that we will produce more than 50 million tons of electronic waste globally by 2021 – and the precious metals this e-waste contains often aren't recycled properly. But a promising research project at the University of Cape Town in South Africa aims to change this.

Philadelphia, one of the biggest, poorest and most violent cities in the US, is seeking to expand its green spaces by planting more trees. Besides combating sweltering temperatures in summer, there's evidence increased tree cover may also help bring down levels of gun violence.

How can our economies keep growing when we live on a planet with finite resources? The short answer, according to some, is they can't. Ecological economists say it's time to instead embrace "degrowth." But what does this mean, and how do we change? DW's Ruby Russell explains.

Economic growth is often the main measure for human progress and development. But Achim Steiner, head of the UNDP, says that's a narrow view that fails to take into account the impact of environmental damage. In an interview with DW, he lays out how we can get to the green economy of tomorrow.

A symbol of fertility and prosperity, the stork has been making its summer home on European fields and rooftops for millennia. European white storks typically migrated to Africa when the seasons turned to winter up north — but warmer winters due to climate change, along with a steady new food source are convincing the birds to stay put in Europe over the winter.

People from all over the world come to observe the striking African crowned crane in its native habitat. Worldwide, birding is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and a vital source of income in many communities. The bird lives across East Africa — but it is declining in Kenya. And some volunteers have made it their business to take care of grey crowned cranes — starting with the local community.

Scavenger birds like the vulture play a critical role in ecosystems, eating decaying flesh and returning that energy to the food web. But the fact that these birds are reliant on eating dead animals also puts them at risk. Though vultures don't exactly capture the hearts and minds of the general population, some people have made it their mission to lobby for these undesirables.

Eagles and hawks have found themselves a new competitor for their prey: Well-to-do hunters on the Scottish moors. A threat to human hunters of red grouse, these raptors have become targets themselves. The problem has gotten so bad that new laws are being brought in to restrict hunting, while new technology is helping pinpoint where those protected predatory birds are being illegally killed.