Impacts: Climates Change the World - Episode Guide

Emissions of methane gas, which has a strong effect on global warming, are at a peak. In Japan, where 40% of methane emissions come from rice farming, finding a solution is of great importance.

Global temperatures in 2024 exceeded the Paris Agreement target of 1.5℃ above the pre-industrial average. A recent Yokohama symposium and citizen initiatives suggest possible countermeasures.

As a constant supply of concrete is required for urbanization around the world, Japanese companies have developed concrete that emits no CO2 during production, and a CO2-absorbing material coating.

Global warming is impacting ecosystems and bird habitats in the world's mountainous regions. In the Japanese Alps, various efforts are underway to protect the endangered Japanese rock ptarmigan.

The first of five episodes on EXPO 2025. Besides reducing CO2 emissions, a key factor in global warming, explore new ways to capture it from the atmosphere, in a cutting-edge Carbon Recycling Factory.

Architecture emits large amounts of CO2 globally through construction, transport and demolition. At the Netherlands and Swiss pavilions, new ideas and technology merge to control CO2 emissions.

With the theme of "revitalizing our oceans," BLUE OCEAN DOME aims to inspire action by visualizing the water cycle, marine biodiversity, and the seriousness of plastic pollution.

To help reduce the "ghost" marine debris that does not decompose, those involved in Japanese fisheries have launched a project to collect and recycle used fishing nets.

The low-elevation South Pacific islands are seriously threatened by sea level rise due to global warming. Attempts are underway to raise them with Nature-based solutions, using star sand and coral.

The World Expo 2025 is underway in Osaka, Japan. Bobby Judo and Professor Oki Taikan, a hydrologist visit pavilions focusing on climate change to find out how the ocean can help us combat this urgent global issue.

Peatlands cover only 3% of the Earth's land surface, yet they store carbon more effectively than forests. In Scotland, a global beverage company has launched a project to restore degraded peatlands.

Japanese chum salmon migrate over 20,000 kilometers in their return journey across the North Pacific. Global warming has caused an alarming decline in returning salmon and requires urgent action.

Climate change has begun to impact the food supply. In Japan, hotter summers and stronger typhoons are affecting rice. Researchers are now working to develop rice that can withstand such challenges.

Australia's "worst-ever" wildfires in 2019 had a devastating impact on endangered species, including koalas. We examine the cause of these fires and explore ways to minimize future catastrophes.

Each year, 10 million hectares of forest are lost. Japan's Miyawaki Method grows forests ten times faster and boosts biodiversity. This report explores the state of forests and their power to recover.

The number of tornadoes is surging in the US - the world's hotspot. What's driving the rise? We met the scientists who are uncovering their mechanisms and using new technology to save lives.

In recent years, urban intrusions by bears have significantly increased worldwide. What is behind this phenomenon? How is it related to global warming? We focus our investigation on cases in Japan.

A recent report by the WMO announced that Asia's climate change is proceeding at twice the rate of the rest of the world. We investigate this situation leading to a range of natural disasters.

With its flammable peatlands, Indonesia's forest fires are among the most serious in Asia. Peatlands release 20 times normal CO2 when burned, causing damage to the atmosphere and natural resources.

Dengue fever cases worldwide have risen to 30 times their levels 20 years ago, with global warming connected to infection spread by mosquitoes, especially in countries such as the Philippines.

Water levels all over the world are rising, with regions at low elevation in particular danger. Vietnam's rice fields have been subjected to floods, endangering production of precious food supplies.

Average rainfall levels worldwide increased by 53 mm in 2024, with heavy rains in countries like Thailand causing major flooding and water damage among the worst in Asia.

After a record hot summer in 2024, the WMO has placed a focus upon Asia, where warming progresses at double the rate of the rest of the world. Specialists weigh in on potential countermeasures.

The world is too divided to unite and tackle the issue of the Earth getting hotter every year. Alongside the COP30 discussions, we will explore possible ways to overcome this harsh reality.

Episode 2 of this series on COP30 in Brazil focuses on "Amazon dieback." Deforestation has reached 17%, and scientists warn that exceeding a figure of 20% could disrupt the water cycle.

Episode 3 of this series on COP30 in Brazil looks at AMOC, an ocean current in the Atlantic. It transports warm water to the north, but melting ice threatens to stop it entirely.

Global warming leads to widespread famine. By the end of the century, it is predicted that yields of maize, soybeans, and wheat may fall by 30-40%. We examine the scientific data on this global issue.

Episode 5 of this series on COP30 in Brazil examines agroforestry, a combination of agriculture and forestry promoted by scientists as a potential method of regenerating rainforests.

A special edition of this series on COP30 describes the threats facing the Amazon rainforest. We see the potential of agroforestry, and discover Japanese technologies aiding farmers' incomes.

Food waste is a major driver of global warming. One institute warns that greenhouse gas emissions from food waste exceed those of nations like India and Russia. We examine the data behind this issue.

Data centers, the engines of our digital age, consume vast energy and drive a surge in CO2 emissions, intensifying climate risks while powering global connectivity.

Reductions in Arctic sea ice caused by global warming have ironically led to record-breaking Northern Hemisphere snowfalls and frequent winter storms. What mechanism is at work?

One effect of climate change worldwide has been changes in plankton levels due to global warming, such as algal blooms. These cause major damage to local fishing and aquaculture industries.

The IUCN lists 48,646 species facing extinction, a figure that has more than quadrupled in 25 years, accelerated by climate change. Has the "Sixth Mass Extinction" begun?

The latest research highlights the polar region crisis, with the lowest ever levels of sea ice and a polar bear population 50% reduced in 42 years in some areas. We look at wildlife in the Arctic.

The ecosystem in Hokkaido's Taisetsu Mountains is changing dramatically. Alpine plants have vanished due to global warming which has created a crisis for rare animals that depend on them to survive.

Wind power helps fight climate change. But as turbines spread across land and sea, birds face growing risks. This episode explores impacts and mitigation measures to protect birds and the climate.

Rising temperatures due to climate change have affected the behavior of bees, with fewer bees and shorter pollination periods, posing a threat to agriculture that could lead to a food crisis.

The Earth has suffered five mass extinctions. Human activities are now accelerating climate change and the threat of the "Sixth Mass Extinction". We analyze the past to consider what we should do.

The number of people suffering from hay fever, which seriously impacts daily life, is increasing worldwide. Behind this trend is a change in pollen dispersal patterns influenced by climate change.

Each year, 20 million people are displaced by climate change. If nothing is done, these "climate refugees" will number 216 million by 2050. We examine footage of problem areas and the latest research.

Wild elephants entering human living areas, causing accidents and crop damage, is a problem across Asia. What will happen to elephant-human coexistence as their habitats shift due to climate change?

Water researchers have established the term "water bankruptcy," an irreversible condition approached by many regions in which social and environmental factors exhaust the water supply.

What happens to lake water when it no longer freezes in winter? Detailed records of a "divine" freezing phenomenon of Lake Suwa in Japan have been kept for 580 years, but since 2018 it has not frozen.