logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2022
7m 37s

The African swamp protecting Earth's env...

TED
About this episode

The peatlands of Africa's Congo Basin are a vast expanse of swamp and greenery that act as one of the world's most effective carbon sinks -- and they're under threat of environmental destruction. Economist Vera Songwe explains how putting a price on the carbon stored in the peatlands would not only help protect this vital resource but also recognize and reward the African communities that have contributed little to climate change. "This is not just about decarbonization," Songwe says. "This is also about development with dignity."



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
The wiggly wonder of music | Jacob Collier
Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier has a name for the feeling that moves through a great piece of music: the wiggle. Watch him break down the idea into its three parts — melody, rhythm and harmony — with nothing but his own voice, a grand piano and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wo ... Show More
12m 39s
Yesterday
How AI unleashed (not replaced) my creativity | Kelly A. Boesch
After working for years in film, fashion and graphic design, visual artist Kelly A. Boesch found a new collaborator to work with: AI. She walks through how she uses the technology to create dreamlike images and music that remain hauntingly human, exploring the two questions every ... Show More
8m 50s
Sep 13
How to turn setbacks into success | Amy Shoenthal
Success rarely happens in a straight line, with setbacks all but guaranteed along the way. What's the best way to recover? Leadership coach Amy Shoenthal lays out the four phases of the "setback cycle" and explains how to transform difficult moments into opportunities for reinven ... Show More
20m 2s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2022
Is a rare carbon sink under threat in the DRC?
Dense tropical rainforest in central Africa's Congo Basin is humid and rainy for much of the year. Underfoot lies one of the world’s biggest carbon sinks – muddy soil built up from layers of partly decomposed plant matter. Remote and uncultivated, the peatlands have survived for ... Show More
17m 28s
Feb 2024
Are wetlands our secret weapon for fighting climate change?
The world's wetlands store carbon and can help us tackle some of the impacts of climate change. Are we overlooking their importance? And what can we do to protect them more?Graihagh Jackson travels to wetlands near her home in East Anglia while Qasa Alom reports from the Bay of B ... Show More
27m 3s
Sep 2025
Are wetlands our secret weapon in fighting climate change?
The world's wetlands store carbon and can help us tackle some of the impacts of climate change. Are we overlooking their importance? And what can we do to protect them more?Graihagh Jackson travels to wetlands near her home in East Anglia while Qasa Alom reports from the Bay of B ... Show More
26m 28s
Jul 2022
Peat and the environment
Sam Fenwick explores why peat is such an important carbon store and whether it’s use in compost should be banned. Sam visits a peat bog in the UK and speaks to garden centres in Japan and India, where like many parts of the world gardening boomed during the pandemic. She also hea ... Show More
18m 40s
Sep 2024
My mission to protect threatened mangroves
Sigit Sasmito describes how his research at James Cook University in Brisbane, Australia, is helping to protect both peatlands and mangroves across southeast Asia, as part of a drive to meet Sustainable Development Goal 15.The goal, one of 17 agreed by the United Nations in 2015. ... Show More
25m 19s
Nov 2021
Cashing Out Coal, Saving the Tropical Carbon Bank, and more
At the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, the US and European nations agreed to provide $8.5 billion in financing to help South Africa phase out its use of coal power. South Africa, which is experiencing yet another wave of power outages, gets most of its electricity from burning co ... Show More
52m 37s
Aug 2020
Clearing the Air: Environmental Justice
As the 2020 presidential election approaches, environmental protections, natural resource management and climate change are a big part of the conversation. Protecting the environment goes way beyond fuel efficient cars and polar bears, it also means improving living conditions fo ... Show More
23m 31s
Apr 2022
Saving Mesopotamia's Marshes
Azzam Alwash remembers the marshlands of southern Iraq as a magical place, where he would spend long days gliding through the thick reeds by boat with his father. But for decades now, the area has been under threat, so Azzam has become part of the effort to save the natural wonde ... Show More
16m 54s
Nov 2022
The energy Africa needs to develop -- and fight climate change | Rose M. Mutiso
In this perspective-shifting talk, energy researcher Rose M. Mutiso makes the case for prioritizing Africa's needs with what's left of the world's carbon budget, to foster growth and equitably achieve a smaller global carbon footprint. After the talk, our host Sherrell expands up ... Show More
12m 52s
Aug 2023
The energy Africa needs to develop -- and fight climate change | Rose M. Mutiso
In this perspective-shifting talk, energy researcher Rose M. Mutiso makes the case for prioritizing Africa's needs with what's left of the world's carbon budget, to foster growth and equitably achieve a smaller global carbon footprint. After the talk, our host Sherrell expands up ... Show More
12m 52s