Planet Policy Pals Podcast

By: Ajwah Zahid and Alayibo Semenitari
  • Summary

  • Friends discussing environmental science, policy, and community. Trying not to freak out, trying to be appropriate. Barely doing either, but we have a good time. Every other Tuesday wherever you get podcasts!
    Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • EP 53: A Dying Rainforest- Congo
    Jul 11 2023

    The UN estimated that in 2000 some 1.6 billion people around the world, including many of the world’s poorest, derived at least part of their food, income or medical needs directly from the forest. The Congo rainforest is the second biggest rainforest in the world and has lost more than 600,000 hectares of primary forest in 2020, which is a 9 percent increase compared to 2019, according to recent data from the Global Forest Watch (GFW). The biggest drivers of deforestation in the Congo rainforest over the past 30 years have been small-scale subsistence agriculture, logging, urban expansion, and mining. What has the impact been on the DRC, the general region, and the globe at whole? We discuss this, the lack of global efforts, and more in this episode.

    Global land use changes are four times greater than previously estimated | Nature 

    Global land use change, economic globalization, and the looming land scarcity | PNAS 

    Land degradation and climate change - resource | IUCN.

    Climate change: Land degradation and desertification | WHO

    Deforestation in Africa: Causes, Effects, and Solutions | Earth.Org

    3 Surprising Ways Water Depends on Healthy Forests | World Resources Institute

    Saving Africa’s forests, the ‘lungs of the world’ | Africa Renewal

    Rainforests in Africa- Mongabay

    How Colonialism Spawned and Continues to Exacerbate the Climate Crisis | Columbia news 

    COP27: Conserving the Congo Basin rainforest | African Wildlife Foundation

    US tech giants sued over DRC cobalt mine child labour deaths | Al Jazeera 

    To save the Congo basin rainforest, end the conflict in the DRC | Al Jazeera

    COP26: Landmark $500 million agreement to protect the DRC forest | UN.org

    COP27 long on pledges, short on funds for forests | Mongabay.org 

    Women for Forests | WECAN International

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    48 mins
  • EP 52- America First: Another Disaster
    Jun 27 2023

    On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, igniting a fire and setting off fears of an explosion. The NTSB found that the accident was “100% preventable” and yet Norfolk Southern, the company responsible, firmly disagrees. Shortly after the derailment, 1,500 to 2,000 residents were told to evacuate. The EPA, Ohio officials, and the company responsible are all reporting different effects. It will take continuous testing to determine the scope of this accident. Still, what is being done to prevent these accidents that keep happening in America? We get into it in this episode.

     

    Source links below:

    Section of major I-95 highway in Philadelphia may take months to repair | CNN

    EPA Residential, Commercial, and Agricultural Soil Sampling Results

    EPA Updates from the East Palestine Train Derailment Emergency Response 

    The Ohio Train Derailment: A Timeline - The New York Times

    Environmental Disaster from East Palestine, OH Train Derailment | pennfuture

    UC professor explains environmental harm caused by rail accidents | University of Cincinnati

    Aches, rashes and fear: Trauma remains after Ohio derailment | AP News

    Ohio Train Derailment: An Ecological and Human Health Disaster? | Earth.Org

    Justice Department sues Norfolk Southern over derailment | AP News

    Norfolk Southern’s Profits and Accident Rates Rose Before Ohio Derailment - NYT

    Ohio senators introduce safety rules after toxic train derailment disaster | Guardian

    Derailed: Investigating the US railroad industry | transport | Al Jazeera

    Indigenous Climate Action

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    32 mins
  • EP 51: Greening Auto- Money or the Planet?
    Jun 13 2023

    The  transportation sector is one of the largest contributors of GHGs and cars alone contribute to 29% of emissions in the US. The issue of renewable transport has plagued humanity longer than you think and the rise of electric vehicle sales may be part of the solution. Tesla, Toyota, Honda… all companies that have been less than honest with marketing tactics regarding environmental impact to varying degrees. Is the EV market plagued by greenwashing?

    Source links below:

    The History of the Electric Car | Department of Energy 

    How electric vehicles help to tackle climate change | Carbon Brief 

    Electric Vehicles: Technology Analysis | International Energy Agency 

    Tesla 2022 Impact Report

    Carbon disclosure rating 

    Tesla’s carbon footprint is bigger than the company let on in the past | The Verge 

    Nationwide Study of the Electric Vehicle Shopping Experience | Sierra Club 

    Best Electric Vehicles of 2023 - Top-Rated EVs | U.S. News

    Consumer Reports' top auto picks 2023 | CNBC

    Best Electric Vehicles of 2023 | Kelly Blue Book 

    Toyota accused of greenwashing in Greenpeace complaint filed to ACCC

    EU Commission prepares to crack down on greenwashing with Green Claims law | EEB

    South Korea establishing fines for corporate 'greenwashing' | Business & Human Rights Centre

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    41 mins

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