Are coral reefs doomed on a warming planet?

UN members back historic world court climate ruling; US to end safeguards against forever chemicals in drinking water

This week on Earth Radio, the UN General Assembly backs a historic world court ruling on countries' obligations when it comes to climate change, and chances for a "super" El Niño rise. We also look at the US Environmental Protection Agency's rollback of limits on toxic chemicals in drinking water, and an investigation revealing that Trump-appointed EPA officials accepted $1.8 billion from chemical companies and groups before taking office.  Read this week's stories at the link below: * UN General Assembly backs historic world court climate ruling [https://earth.org/landmark-moment-for-climate-justice-un-general-assembly-backs-historic-world-court-climate-ruling/]  * April temperatures hit joint third-highest on record globally as chance of very strong El Niño grows [https://earth.org/april-temperatures-hit-joint-third-highest-on-record-globally-as-chance-of-very-strong-el-nino-grows/]  * Trump’s EPA wants to end limits on carcinogenic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water [https://earth.org/trumps-epa-wants-to-end-limits-on-carcinogenic-forever-chemicals-in-drinking-water/]  * Trump’s EPA appointees received at least $1.8 billion from chemical industry, trade groups ahead of rollback of major safeguards [https://earth.org/trumps-epa-wants-to-end-limits-on-carcinogenic-forever-chemicals-in-drinking-water/] --- Earth Radio is an Earth.Org project. Earth.Org is a non-profit environmental news organization funded by readers and listeners. For more information, visit our website [https://earth.org/]. Credits:  * Stories reported by: Martina Igini and Max Bruneau * Editor: Rebekah Hendricks * Producer: Rebekah Hendricks * Music: Rebekah Hendricks

World Cup players could face dangerous heat levels; report calls for overhaul of FEMA

This week on Earth Radio, World Cup players and fans could face dangerous levels of heat, and a report calling for the overhaul of the US disaster response agency only mentions "climate" once. Meanwhile, New Zealand is considering passing legislation that would ban lawsuits against polluting companies. Find this week's stories at the links below: * ⁠ [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/06/alaska-mega-tsunami-climate-change-glacier]World Cup 2026: 1 in 4 matches could take place in dangerous heat conditions, analysis finds [https://earth.org/world-cup-2026-athletes-face-elevated-risk-of-dangerous-heat-conditions-analysis-finds/] * Report calling for overhaul of US disaster response agency only mentions ‘climate’ once [https://earth.org/report-calling-for-overhaul-of-us-disaster-response-agency-only-mentions-climate-once/] * New Zealand mulls law prohibiting civil lawsuits against polluting companies [https://earth.org/new-zealand-government-mulls-law-prohibiting-civil-lawsuits-against-polluting-companies/] * Extreme heat now a ‘regular reality’ in India, Pakistan: study [https://earth.org/extreme-heat-now-a-regular-reality-in-india-pakistan-study/] --- Earth Radio is an Earth.Org project. Earth.Org is a non-profit environmental news organization funded by readers and listeners. For more information, visit our ⁠website⁠ [https://earth.org/]. Credits: * Stories reported by: Martina Igini * Producer: Rebekah Hendricks * Editor: Rebekah Hendricks * Music: Rebekah Hendricks

Climate campaigners attack Shell over profits from Iran war; April sees second-highest sea surface temperatures on record

This week on Earth Radio, scientists say that last year's mega tsunami in Alaska is a stark warning of the risks of coastal rockslides and glacier retreat fueled by the climate crisis. Meanwhile, climate protesters gathered outside Shell’s London HQ to protest against the company’s better-than-expected profits amid the war in Iran, and rising water levels are beginning to revive Iraq's wetlands after years of drought left them cracked and empty. Find this week's stories at the links below: * Alaska’s 2025 mega tsunami highlights risk to cruise lines as glaciers retreat [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/06/alaska-mega-tsunami-climate-change-glacier] (The Guardian) * Climate campaigners attack Shell over ‘windfall’ profits from Iran war [https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/07/climate-campaigners-attack-shell-over-windfall-profits-from-iran-war] (The Guardian) * Iraq's historic marshes revive as water returns after years of drought [https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/iraqs-historic-marshes-revive-water-returns-after-years-drought-2026-05-07/] (Reuters) * Second-highest sea surface temperatures recorded during third–warmest April globally [https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-second-highest-sea-surface-temperatures-recorded-during-third-warmest-april-globally] (Copernicus) --- Earth Radio is an Earth.Org project. Earth.Org is a non-profit environmental news organization founded by readers and listeners. For more information, visit our website [https://earth.org/]. Credits: * Producer: Rebekah Hendricks * Editor: Rebekah Hendricks * Music: Rebekah Hendricks

Another city bans fossil fuel ads; countries meet in Colombia to discuss end of fossil fuels

This week on Earth Radio, soil-dependent species are at risk of extinction, the Trump administration deals another major blow to science and an Italian city takes an important step away from fossil fuels. Find these week’s stories at the links below: * Record Heat, Vanishing Ice: New Report Charts the Accelerating Climate Crisis Across Europe [https://earth.org/record-heat-vanishing-ice-new-report-charts-the-accelerating-climate-crisis-across-europe/] * Coalition of ‘High Ambition’ States Calls For Legal International Instrument on Fair Fossil Fuel Phase Out⁠ [https://earth.org/coalition-of-high-ambition-states-calls-for-legal-international-instrument-on-fair-fossil-fuel-phase-out/] * 1 in 5 Soil-Dependent Species Is Threatened With Extinction, New Study Finds [https://earth.org/1-in-5-soil-dependent-species-is-under-threat-new-study-finds/] * Trump Fires All 22 Independent Board Members of National Science Foundation [https://earth.org/trump-fires-all-22-independent-board-members-of-national-science-foundation/] * Another Italian City Bans Fossil Fuel Ads, Joining Growing Global Movement [https://earth.org/another-italian-city-bans-fossil-fuel-ads-joining-growing-global-movement/] --- Earth Radio is an Earth.Org project. Earth.Org is a nonprofit environmental news organization funded by readers and listeners. For more information visit our ⁠website⁠ (https://earth.org/ [https://earth.org/⁠]) . Credits: * Stories reported by: Martina Igini * Producer: Rebekah Hendricks * Music: Rebekah Hendricks * Editor: Rebekah Hendricks

Are coral reefs doomed on a warming planet?

This week, our host Rebekah Hendricks speaks with Dr. Oliver Selmoni, a Spatial Geneticist at the University of Zurich, for a special episode about how coral reefs are responding to climate change. In late 2025, the Global Tipping Points report [https://global-tipping-points.org/lana-download/global-tipping-points-report-2025-full-report/] showed that ocean temperatures have crossed a critical threshold for coral reefs. The heat stress has caused huge swaths of coral reefs to become bleached ghost towns. Luckily, Dr. Selmoni says many reefs have the ability to adapt to heat stress. Listen on to find out how, and what that might mean for the future of these ecosystems. Learn more about coral reefs on our website [https://earth.org/tag/coral-reefs/]. --- Earth Radio is an Earth.Org project. Earth.Org is a nonprofit environmental news organization funded by readers and listeners. For more information visit our ⁠website⁠ [https://earth.org/]. Credits: * Producer: Rebekah Hendricks  * Music: Rebekah Hendricks  * Editor: Rebekah Hendricks