What on Earth?

Vietnam's ongoing battle to keep illegal timber out of its supply chains

Vietnam has made laudable progress in recent years to shut illicit timber out of its supply chains and so keep access to the lucrative export markets on which its huge furniture industry relies.

But new investigations by EIA’s Forests team have revealed that those efforts are in danger of being undermined by high-risk timber entering from neighbouring Cambodia and Laos, with the true nature of these imports hidden behind sophisticated fake paperwork scams.

In this episode, Thomas Chung, EIA Forests Campaign Leader on Timber, unpacks the findings of our new report Manufacturing Legality with Senior Press and Communications Officer Paul Newman.

Why tiny microplastics add up to a full-scale invasion across planetary systems

Humans tend to respond to threats we can see, but the world’s mounting plastics pollution crisis isn’t just a matter of what’s visible. 

In this episode, we take a closer look at microplastics, tiny particles which have been found from the deepest ocean floors to the highest mountain peaks and everywhere inbetween – including in human blood, brains and placental tissue.

Joining EIA Senior Press and Communications Officer is special guest Sedat Gündoğdu, a marine biologist and environmental researcher at Türkiye’s Çukurova University, EIA Legal and Policy Specialist Amy Youngman and EIA Senior Lawyer Tim Grabiel. 

Breaking the deadlock: Alternative pathways to securing a Global Plastics Treaty

Ongoing negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty effectively ground to halt in Geneva last year when talks ended without an agreement or even a timeline for what happens next.

But the process doesn’t need to be left in limbo, held hostage by a small number of petrostates and vested fossil fuel interests intent on blocking it – new research commissioned by EIA shows there are several alternative ways to make progress without the need for a global consensus.

In this episode, Chris Dixon, EIA Ocean Programme Leader, and Ocean Campaigner Hannah Hughes join Senior Press and Communications Officer Paul Newman to explore the possibilities.

How the future for rhinos still hangs balanced between enforcement and trade

In recent years, rhino poaching and horn seizures have become less visible in the news – but that doesn't mean these majestic creatures are free from the threats posed by poachers and illegal trade. 

In this episode, we dive into two recent reports from our colleagues at EIA US which shed light on the complexities of rhino horn trafficking, particularly focusing on an analysis of enforcement efforts in China and the ongoing push in South Africa for a legalised trade to allow exports of horn to other countries.

Taylor Tench, a Senior Wildlife Policy Analyst at EIA US, joins EIA UK Senior Press and Communications Officer Paul Newman to talk about the key findings of both reports.

Why the cobalt we need for our electric cars is costing lives in Africa

Recent findings from an investigation by our colleagues at EIA US reveal a shocking truth about cobalt production in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Cobalt is an essential element in the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles in the Global North – but its production in DRC has left communities grappling with severe respiratory issues linked to the pollution from a new processing facility.

In this episode, EIA US Africa Programme Campaigner Luke Allen joins EIA UK Senior Press & Communications Officer Paul Newman to discuss the findings of the investigation, documented in the report Toxic Transition.

Why do the world’s whales still need saving from commercial hunting?

Why do the world’s whales still need saving from commercial hunting?

The International Whaling Commission effectively banned commercial whaling from 1986 and yet the world’s amazing and environmentally essential whales are still being hunted for their flesh and blubber.

EIA has joined forces with several partners to launch a new global petition calling on the last three whaling nations to join the 21st century and to stop the slaughter for good.

In this episode, EIA Senior Ocean Advisor Clare Perry talks with Senior Press and Communications Officer Paul Newman about the history of whaling, the countries that defy the ban to keep on hunting and the new petition we’ve launched with partners to press for a complete end to the appalling and unnecessary practice.

You can make your voice heard by signing the petition at https://endcommercialwhaling.org/– and do please share it with family and friends.

Understanding the impacts of nitrous oxide and why it matters for the climate

In recent years, nitrous oxide has gained attention as a significant environmental threat, yet many people remain unaware of its implications for the climate, the integrity of the Earth’s protective ozone layer and for human health.

While nitrogen is essential for life, excessive reactive nitrogen results in substantial pollution issues …

In this episode, Climate Campaigner Tom Nickson talks with Senior Press & Communications Officer Paul Newman about EIA’s nitrous oxide campaign and unpacks some of the complexities surrounding the gas and its negative effects.

Tackling the methane challenge: Why it matters and what we can do

Methane is widely regarded as the second most important greenhouse gas the world needs to address in the fight against runaway climate change.

Tonne per tonne, it’s 82.5 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and is responsible for a third of the warming that has occurred so far.

In this episode, EIA Climate Campaigner Jack Corscadden and special guest Christophe McGlade, an energy expert with the Climate Crisis Advisory Group, discuss the impacts of methane and what’s being done to tackle the problem with Senior Press and Communications Officer Paul Newman.

Green Crime: What drives the criminals devastating our wildlife and environment?

Environmental crime is rated as the third or fourth largest organised criminal activity globally, but what motivates those carrying it out, from wealthy kingpins at the head of transnational syndicates to poachers at the other end of the scale?

A new book – Green Crime: Inside the minds of the people destroying the planet and how to stop them – takes a deep dive into the world of eco crime, estimated to generate $110-281 billion annually in criminal profits.

In this episode, Green Crime author Dr Julia Shaw, a criminal psychologist, writer and TV and audio presenter, talks with Senior Press and Communications Officer Paul Newman about her book, which features a number of major case studies, including EIA’s 2017 investigation into and exposure of the notorious Shuidong wildlife trafficking syndicate.

How well are major retailers doing in the switch to climate-friendly cooling?

EIA’s report Cooling the Climate Crisis analysed the climate impact of supermarket refrigeration and revealed that up to 70 per cent of a supermarket’s emissions stem from cooling.

Our Climate campaigners have been directly engaging with the retail sector since 2009 to make it aware of the serious impacts of using climate-harming refrigeration while simultaneously sharing information about the alternative systems available.

In this episode, EIA Senior Climate Campaigner Fin Walravens talks with Senior Press and Communications Officer Paul Newman about the positive progress in the supermarket sector.