In this special edition of Eco Africa, we're focusing on aquatic ecosystems. From rivers and lakes to the depths of the ocean, we take a look at how to protect these unique environments.

Our first report comes from the Seychelles, an archipelago hundreds of miles from mainland east Africa. The tropical island nation is a stunning natural paradise, but under the sea, damage caused by climate change is clear. Many of the coral reefs have already perished. But the nation has an ambitious plan to protect those remaining.

Next up, Eco Check is our new format bringing you the latest facts on environmental topics. This week we take a look at the state of our oceans ⁠— and it doesn't look good. Rising temperatures and pollution are putting our seas under threat.

To find out more, Eco Africa host Nneota Egbe spoke with marine expert Regina Folorunsho from Nigeria's Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research. She explains why we need to do more to fight pollution, overfishing, and oil spills in order to conserve our oceans for the next generation.

We paddle back to Europe next for a kayak trip with a difference! GreenKayak is an initiative which lets people borrow boats for free in exchange for collecting litter floating in city rivers. We're on board!

Then we go to Germany to explore a river cleaning project on a much larger scale. Biebesheim water treatment plant treats water from the River Rhine. Once its purified, it can be used to top up groundwater levels and help irrigate the local area.

And finally, we're back in Africa, where communities in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are working on a self-cleaning system for Lake Victoria. Along with scientists from Europe, they're developing an environmentally friendly filtration method which is also helping the lake's many fish farmers save money.

Check out the show and let us know what you think at ecoafrica@dw.com.