Chemicals in our everyday environment ‘are poisoning our brains’

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will send experts and sophisticated monitoring equipment to help Peru assess and limit the environmental damage from a major oil spill in its coastal waters, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi told the Foreign Minister of the South American nation today.

The White House is warning that Russia could be planning a chemical or biological weapon attack in Ukraine. Washington says it's "very concerned" about the potential for the war to escalate and the possibility that Moscow may deploy non-conventional weapons. To discuss this and more, we're joined for Perspective by Edward Arnold, a research fellow for European security at the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said any false-flag operation by Russia in order to use chemical, nuclear or biological weapons would constitute a war crime.

Scientists have issued a stark warning: chemical pollution has officially exceeded the limits safe for humans and the planet. The ocean, which has become a dumping ground for a cocktail of toxic pollutants, is bearing the brunt of this pollution. We take a closer look in this edition of Down to Earth.

There are calls from the US and Britain for an investigation after Ukrainian soldiers of the Azov regiment were reportedly injured by a "poisonous substance" during a Russian attack on the port city of Mariupol. No evidence has yet been gathered. The UK foreign secretary says it would be "a callous escalation" of the war. The Pentagon says it's "deeply concerning". Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has already expressed his fears that Russia could deploy chemical weapons in his country.

There are calls from the US and Britain for an investigation after Ukrainian soldiers of the Azov regiment were reportedly injured by a "poisonous substance" during a Russian attack on the port city of Mariupol. No evidence has yet been gathered. The UK foreign secretary says it would be "a callous escalation" of the war. The Pentagon says it's "deeply concerning". Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has already expressed his fears that Russia could deploy chemical weapons in his country.

The latest figures put pollution on par with smoking in terms of global deaths. In comparison, COVID-19 killed about 6.7 million people globally since the pandemic began.

The event in Portugal will present a nonbinding declaration meant to curb ocean pollution and destruction, as well as discuss financing models for ocean preservation.

Is light putting our health and wildlife at risk? The lightbulb has revolutionized our lives, but as artificial illumination expands around the world the impact of disappearing darkness is becoming more and more visible.

Our oceans are louder than ever – thanks to huge container ships, offshore wind farms and gas exploration. The excessive noise renders whales deaf, kills plankton and scares fish away from their feeding grounds. What can industry do to help?

The EU aims for zero harmful pollution in its air, water and soil by 2050. By 2030, the bloc wants to tighten rules that most members already struggle to follow. Critics warn it's still short of WHO guidelines.

The European Union's environment watchdog has reported 238,000 premature deaths in the bloc in 2020 due to air pollution.