The electric car industry in Europe has been having a difficult time with sales underperforming and factories threatened with closure. At the same time, almost everyone agrees that electrifying transport is essential to combat global warming. So what's going on? CGTN Europe's Ken Browne talked to Aurelien de Meaux, founder and CEO of car charging station operator Electra. Electra runs one of Europe's biggest networks of fast chargers, across 9 different countries.
Aurelien explains what he believes governments are getting wrong; why consumers have not all fallen in love with electric cars yet; and offers some important advice for anyone looking to buy an electric car.

So there used to be this term called 'airpocalypse' in China, a decade ago. In 2016, The New York Times even ran a piece about the issue dramatically titled: 'Life in China, Smothered by Smog.'

A decade later, an unprecedentedly short period for a nation of its GDP and size, China has brought these blue skies - cleaner air - across the country. Since 2013, the peak of the airpocalypse era, China has grown its GDP by 121 percent, claimed it's eradicated poverty in the nation, and reduced PM 2.5 small particulate matter in its air by 57 percent. How did they do it?

In Fact with Kyle Obermann, a groundbreaking series from CGTN, delves into one of the world's most debated environmental topics: China's environmental record and its global impact.

About the host:

Kyle Obermann is an environmental photographer, filmmaker, writer, and athlete who focuses on Asia's high mountain regions. Fluent in Mandarin, with seven years of experience living and working in China, Kyle has received numerous honors, including becoming a two-time winner of China's Wildlife Image and Video Competition. He has spoken at TEDx, served as a jury member for China's annual Outdoor Environmental Awards, and been recognized as a National Geographic Expert. Kyle is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, the Explorers Club, ICIMOD's Save Our Snow Campaign, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

China is a nation of history, metropolis, art, industry, and, the focus of my career and expeditions - the wild: covering 42 percent of the country. In Europe, wilderness covers only 2 percent. But the percentage of wilderness itself doesn't tell the whole story: What about protection?

In 2021, China announced the creation of the first 5 of 49 planned national parks spanning land and sea. How does a national park function in the world's formerly most populated nation? Let's dig into it.

In Fact with Kyle Obermann, a groundbreaking series from CGTN, delves into one of the world's most debated environmental topics: China's environmental record and its global impact.

About the host:

Kyle Obermann is an environmental photographer, filmmaker, writer, and athlete who focuses on Asia's high mountain regions. Fluent in Mandarin, with seven years of experience living and working in China, Kyle has received numerous honors, including becoming a two-time winner of China's Wildlife Image and Video Competition. He has spoken at TEDx, served as a jury member for China's annual Outdoor Environmental Awards, and been recognized as a National Geographic Expert. Kyle is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, the Explorers Club, ICIMOD's Save Our Snow Campaign, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

To avoid a global climate catastrophe we need to triple the amount of global renewable energy by 2030. About half of this is expected to come from solar. And, since 2006, the solar panels China has produced account for 70-80 percent of the total, global GW of the installed capacity today. But China is also getting the most pushback from the U.S. and Europe. What's happening here? Why is China leading and why, given the crisis we are in, do some see that as a problem?

In Fact with Kyle Obermann, a groundbreaking series from CGTN, delves into one of the world's most debated environmental topics: China's environmental record and its global impact.

About the host:

Kyle Obermann is an environmental photographer, filmmaker, writer, and athlete who focuses on Asia's high mountain regions. Fluent in Mandarin, with seven years of experience living and working in China, Kyle has received numerous honors, including becoming a two-time winner of China's Wildlife Image and Video Competition. He has spoken at TEDx, served as a jury member for China's annual Outdoor Environmental Awards, and been recognized as a National Geographic Expert. Kyle is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, the Explorers Club, ICIMOD's Save Our Snow Campaign, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

Five years ago, a paper published in one of the world's most prestigious peer-reviewed journals made headlines across the world. The authors used NASA satellite data to claim that at least one-quarter of the world's green leaf area increase since the 2000s was due to Chinese tree planting efforts. Some celebrated, some couldn't believe it. What went on here and are China's newly planted forests as successful as they claim?

In Fact with Kyle Obermann, a groundbreaking series from CGTN, delves into one of the world's most debated environmental topics: China's environmental record and its global impact.

About the host:

Kyle Obermann is an environmental photographer, filmmaker, writer, and athlete who focuses on Asia's high mountain regions. Fluent in Mandarin, with seven years of experience living and working in China, Kyle has received numerous honors, including becoming a two-time winner of China's Wildlife Image and Video Competition. He has spoken at TEDx, served as a jury member for China's annual Outdoor Environmental Awards, and been recognized as a National Geographic Expert. Kyle is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, the Explorers Club, ICIMOD's Save Our Snow Campaign, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

Electric vehicles, or EVs, from China are the focus of a global debate. On the one hand, they are affordable, climate-friendly, and advancing technology at a breakneck pace. On the other, the U.S. has already slapped a 100 percent tariff on them and the European Union is moving towards tariffs up to 36.3 percent on the grounds that they harm local carmakers. During a climate crisis, how can necessary technology like EVs be so wrapped up in controversy?

In Fact with Kyle Obermann, a groundbreaking series from CGTN, delves into one of the world's most debated environmental topics: China's environmental record and its global impact.

About the host:

Kyle Obermann is an environmental photographer, filmmaker, writer, and athlete who focuses on Asia's high mountain regions. Fluent in Mandarin, with seven years of experience living and working in China, Kyle has received numerous honors, including becoming a two-time winner of China's Wildlife Image and Video Competition. He has spoken at TEDx, served as a jury member for China's annual Outdoor Environmental Awards, and been recognized as a National Geographic Expert. Kyle is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, the Explorers Club, ICIMOD's Save Our Snow Campaign, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

In April 2023, Andrea Papi became the first Italian in 150 years to be killed by a bear. Mauled while jogging, he became an unwitting victim of a well-meaning EU-funded rewilding program designed to reintroduce bears to the Italian Dolomites. This podcast explores where responsibility lies for his death and how it has exacerbated a growing divide in Italy and beyond about the wisdom, safety and management of rewilding large carnivores.

Presenter: Johannes Pleschberger

Producers: Elizabeth Mearns, Alice Castle

Sound Editor: Terry Wilson
Series Producer: Elizabeth Mearns

Sfx: Life Ursus

Sound Editor: Terry wilson

In this podcast, meet Uganda’s first wildlife vet and expert on mountain gorillas Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka. She’s not your average vet, her work has brought back Uganda’s wildlife from the brink of disaster and her winning formula is being adopted across Africa but this is just one of her many achievements. She says:
‘I would like to be remembered as someone who went outside their comfort zone to change the world and somebody who was willing to challenge societal norms and cultural barriers and as somebody who championed a new way of promoting conservation’.
Hear her extraordinary story here.

Presenter: Paul Barber
Producer: Sarah Parfitt
Sound design: Terry Wilson
Series Producer: Elizabeth Mearns
Team Gorilla was written and performed by Gasuza
Gorilla natural sound: Nick Penny
Additional audio clip: Carla Delaney