Mongabay Newscast
News and inspiration from nature’s frontline, featuring inspiring guests from scientists to authors discussing global environmental issues like climate change, biodiversity, rainforests, wildlife conservation, animal behavior, marine biology and more.
info_outline
The high costs of resource-based conflicts for people & planet
04/16/2024
The high costs of resource-based conflicts for people & planet
On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, journalist joins co-host Rachel Donald to discuss the ways many international conflicts are based on resource scarcity. Notable as an unembedded reporter during the US-led Iraq invasion, Jamail expands on the human and ecological to these conflicts, the purported reasons behind them, how those justifications are covered in the media, and the continued stress these conflicts put on society. "There was a saying a ways back by Lester Brown [who] said 'land is the new gold and water is the new oil.' And I think that that perspective is really kind of driving what we're seeing," Jamail says. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, , or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Image credit: A U.S. Army soldier watching a burning oil well at the Rumaila oil field in Iraq in April 2003. Image by Arlo K. Abrahamson/DoD via (Public domain). --- Timecodes (00:00) Introduction (01:57) From Alaska to Iraq (10:59) Resource scarcity and the geopolitics of war (29:31) New horizons and new tensions (35:09) Post-show discussion (50:05) Credits
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/30853413
info_outline
How young activists navigate a hostile climate with honest conversations
04/09/2024
How young activists navigate a hostile climate with honest conversations
On today's episode, climate activist and founder of the non-profit , Clover Hogan, details list of challenges activists face both from outside and within their movements. Not only do environmental activists face growing legal and physical threats across the globe, they are also vulnerable to burnout, exhaustion, and ridicule as they navigate a host of other social challenges while doing this work that is poorly compensated. Hogan speaks with co-host Mike DiGirolamo about these challenges and the way forward for more inclusive movements while navigating the noise: “It's no accident that we spend so much of our time thinking about our individual lifestyles and not thinking about how [to] actually hold these systems accountable,” she says. Attention, Google Podcasts users—although that podcast provider is being closed by Alphabet, which is moving all podcasts to its YouTube Music service—you can find our show via any of the podcast apps, so please find and follow the Mongabay Newscast via any of those to not miss an episode! If you enjoy the show, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, , or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Image credit: Clover Hogan speaking in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Clover Hogan. --- Timecodes (00:00) Introduction (02:10) Force of Nature (05:36) The challenges activists face (08:52) The myth of 'perfection' (16:50) Hostile environments (25:59) The most surprising 'confessions' of a climate activist (32:51) Throwing soup on paintings: helpful or harmful? (39:49) 'Hope' is a verb (43:53) Climate activism is an intersectional movement
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/30754723
info_outline
Jane Goodall on turning 90 and building empathy for nature
04/02/2024
Jane Goodall on turning 90 and building empathy for nature
On today's episode of the Newscast, world-renowned primatologist and conservation advocate Dr. Jane Goodall sits down with Mongabay founder and editor-in-chief, Rhett Butler. Goodall is celebrating her 90th birthday this week and reflects upon her long (and continuing) career, sharing reflections, lessons, stories and inspirations that guide her philosophy toward protecting the natural world. Widely recognized for her pioneering work on animal behavior, she explains the importance of having empathy for animals and why it is crucial for meeting conservation goals now and into the future. The iconic conservationist also shares why she thinks that, despite 'doom & gloom' news, humanity can overcome the adversity of its many environmental challenges. "I've come to think of humanity as being at the mouth of a very long very dark tunnel and right at the end there’s a little star shining. And that's hope. But it's no good sitting, wondering when that star will come to us...We must gird our loins, roll up our sleeves, and navigate around all obstacles that lie between us and the star." View a print version of this interview at the Mongabay website: Editor's Note: Jane Goodall is a member of Mongabay's advisory council. Subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever you get podcasts, and if you enjoy the show, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, , or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Feedback? Send a message to [email protected]. Image credit: Photo of Jane Goodall by Rhett Butler/Mongabay. --- Timecodes (00:00) Introduction (04:09) Reflections on conservation and changes (05:04) How do you keep hopeful? (06:40) How can individuals make a positive impact? (08:36) How can people make their voices heard? (09:34) Ways to rally around nature (11:53) Why do you think people connect with your work? (20:08) Overlooked conservation solutions (22:29) The importance of empathy (27:44) Collaboration and hope in conservation (32:22) Choosing the impact we make
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/30651453
info_outline
Forest elephants, the endangered "gardeners" of the Congo Rainforest
03/26/2024
Forest elephants, the endangered "gardeners" of the Congo Rainforest
African forest elephants play a crucial role in shaping the Congo rainforest ecosystem, two experts explain on this episode. As seed dispersers and maintainers of forest corridors and clearings, they are sometimes referred to as "gardeners of the forest." Their small and highly threatened population needs additional study and conservation prioritization, since the loss of this species would fundamentally change the shape and structure of the world's second-largest rainforest. Guest Fiona "Boo" Maisels is a conservation scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, while Andrew Davies is assistant professor of organismic and evolutionary biology at Harvard University, and they speak with host Mike DiGirolamo about these charismatic mammals. Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, , or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Image credit: A calf attempts to sneak its trunk into a mineral pit that mom is drinking from. Protest calls are often heard from calves in this behavioral context, as mom sometimes pushes them away and they in turn express their displeasure with a little yell. Photo Ana Verahrami, Elephant Listening Project. --- Timecodes (00:00) Introduction (02:00) There are two African elephant species? (06:06) Can the "value" of an elephant be quantified? (19:30) The value of forest bais (27:25) Impacts of climate change (30:30) The future of forest elephants in the Congo Basin (38:44) Credits
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/30555078
info_outline
Show us the money: Are giant pledges by major conservation funders effective?
03/19/2024
Show us the money: Are giant pledges by major conservation funders effective?
Billionaires, foundations, and philanthropists often make massive, headline-grabbing pledges for biodiversity conservation or climate change mitigation, but how effective are these donations? How do these huge sums get used, and how do we know? These questions are among the considerations that conservationists and environmental reporters should keep in mind, two guest experts on this episode say. On this edition of the Mongabay Newscast, Holly Jonas, global coordinator of the ICCA Consortium, and Michael Kavate, staff writer at Inside Philanthropy, break down some of the more overlooked issues these giant gifts raise, and story angles that reporters should consider when covering philanthropy for the environment. "I think what the public really needs is more critical and in-depth coverage of the ideologies and the approaches behind their kinds of philanthropy, the billionaire pledges and so on, how they're being rolled out in practice, where the funding's actually going," says Jonas. Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, , or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Image credit: Great Green Macaw in Las Balsas reserve. Photo credit: José León. --- Timecodes (00:00) Introduction (01:55) Biggest trends in environmental philanthropy (07:23) Follow the money, follow the power (20:23) Tools and techniques for reporters (24:09) Localization & accountability (37:37) Funding transparency (53:25) Project finance for permanence (01:06:14) Western influence in philanthropy (01:13:37) Credits
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/30445983
info_outline
Cultural survival through reclaiming language and land, with author Jay Griffiths
03/12/2024
Cultural survival through reclaiming language and land, with author Jay Griffiths
Today’s guest is , award-winning author of several books, including the acclaimed Wild: An Elemental Journey. She speaks with co-host Rachel Donald about the importance of language for preserving communities and their cultures, the impact of colonization and globalization on Indigenous communities, and the innate human connection with the natural world in the land of one's birth. Roughly 4,000 of the world’s 6,700 languages are spoken by Indigenous communities, but multiple factors (such as the decimation of human rights) continue to threaten their existence along with their speakers’ cultures. The guest also explores parallels between humans, nature and culture: “There’s great research that suggests that we learned ethics from wolves [by taking] an attitude to the world of both me the individual, and of me the pack member,” in caring for all members of the group, she says. Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, , or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Image credit: Kali Biru (Blue River) on Waigeo Island in Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Photo credit: Rhett Ayers Butler --- Timecodes (00:00) Introduction (01:45) The power of language (09:03) Colonialism and globalization (17:40) The trickster in myth to modern governance (23:24) Reclaiming belonging (20:27) Championing Indigenous voices (34:45) Against mechanic modernity (40:35) West Papua, a brief explainer (46:22) Land and identity (51:50) A world of climate refugees
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/30347118
info_outline
Restoring an Irish rainforest by simply leaving nature alone
02/27/2024
Restoring an Irish rainforest by simply leaving nature alone
Eoghan Daltun has spent the past 14 years restoring 75 acres of farmland in southwest Ireland to native forest, a wildly successful and inspirational effort that has welcomed back long-absent flora and fauna, which he details in his book, . On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, host Rachel Donald speaks with Daltun about how easily he achieved this feat, its seemingly miraculous results, and the historical context behind the near-total ecological annihilation of Ireland, a country that today has only 11% forest cover. Daltun provides an honest but hopeful perspective on how humans can shift their relationship with nature and rekindle a powerful partnership with it. Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, , or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Image credit: Part of the guest's Irish Atlantic rainforest on the Beara Peninsula. Photo courtesy of Eoghan Daltun. --- Timecodes: (00:00) Introduction (01:14) Eoghan’s journey (05:55) Getting out of the way (10:42) Removing invasive species (13:50) What lies underneath (17:26) A connection with the land (22:48) A brutal history (29:22) Hope for the future (35:48) Reflections on forests (40:45) What is a temperate rainforest? (54:25) Credits
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/30139868
info_outline
Exploring a jewel of the Coral Triangle
02/20/2024
Exploring a jewel of the Coral Triangle
On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, host Mike DiGirolamo takes you on a journey through the most biodiverse marine region in the world, Raja Ampat. He speaks with three guests about how ecotourism has provided stable incomes through conservation, including documentary filmmaker Wahyu Mul, veteran birding guide Benny Mambrasar and resort owner Max Ammer, whose biological research center trains and employs local people in a variety of skills. Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, , or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Image credit: Cape Kri, Sorido Bay Resort, Raja Ampat Regency, by Rhett Butler for Mongabay. ---- Timecodes (00:00) Introduction (02:20) The Role of Ecotourism in Raja Ampat (03:01) Wahyu Mul (10:03) The Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre (15:00) Max Ammer (39:36) Into the Forest - Benny Mambrasar (47:00) Threats of Development (52:47) Credits
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/30038723
info_outline
Is media objectivity possible during our environmental crisis?
02/13/2024
Is media objectivity possible during our environmental crisis?
Objectivity is a pillar of journalism, but its definition and application are loosely defined and humanly impossible to achieve, experts say. Podcast guest Emily Atkin argues that an uncritical adherence to objectivity (over trust) has led to gaslighting readers about the real-world causes and urgency of the climate crisis. She quit her day job to launch the acclaimed newsletter “,” which was spurred by a desire to report on the human causes of climate change and ecological destruction more directly. She discusses why with host Rachel Donald on this episode. Subscribe to or follow the Mongabay Newscast wherever you get podcasts, from to , and you can also listen to all episodes on the Mongabay website, or download our free app for and devices to gain instant access to our latest episodes and all our previous ones. Image: An abstract AI-generated photo of a wildfire in the forest. Image from CharlVera via . --- Timecodes: (00:00) - Introduction (02:48) - The Birth of Heated: A Climate Journalism Venture (05:19) - The Challenges of Mainstream Media (14:17) - The Role of Objectivity in Journalism (32:34) - The Role of a Journalist and Power Dynamics (35:49) - The Relationship Between Press and Government (38:48) - The Role of Independent Journalism (47:33) - Journalism Ethics (50:41) - The Roots of Objectivity (01:00:35) - Conclusion
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/29939763
info_outline
The many social and ecological benefits of a 'degrowth' world
01/30/2024
The many social and ecological benefits of a 'degrowth' world
Can 'degrowth' solve our economic, social, and ecological problems? Economist Timothée Parrique thinks so. On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, he joins co-host Rachel Donald to interrogate this 20+ year-old concept that critiques the notion of limitless growth in a finite world, and which offers tangible gains for people and planet. The current economic model stretches the ecological limits of the planet – the . Parrique says degrowth is a pathway for rich countries to scale back production and consumption – much of which contributes nothing to human well-being, research indicates – making room for low and middle-income nations to raise their standards of living, while allowing natural systems to continue supporting the ecosystem services humanity needs, like clean air and water. Related reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: A bicycle lane in Fürth, Germany. Image by Markus Spiske via . --- Timecodes: (00:00:00) Introduction (00:02:35) What is degrowth exactly? (00:07:46) Is 'decoupling' the answer? (00:12:52) Will 'limitless growth' improve quality of life? (00:18:23) Wasted GDP in the USA (00:25:28) Pushing the 'GDP button' (00:35:20) Implementing degrowth (00:47:57) A degrowth future (00:56:44) Rachel & Mike post-chat (01:12:45) Rachel asks Mike to imagine a day in a post-growth world (01:16:42) Credits
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/29718998
info_outline
Is "Not the End of the World" author's 'techno-realism' enough to solve our ecological problems?
01/16/2024
Is "Not the End of the World" author's 'techno-realism' enough to solve our ecological problems?
Data scientist and head of research at Our World in Data, Hannah Ritchie, says her 'radically hopeful' new book that's getting a lot of press, offers a pathway to solving the multiple environmental crises our world faces. However, co-host Rachel Donald finds that key geopolitical challenges are left unaddressed by the book, leaving out important frameworks such as the planetary boundaries, and attempts to ride an "apolitical" line on solutions that inherently need policy shifts in order to be effectively implemented. In this podcast interview, Donald challenges Ritchie on these questions and more. To hear specific topics discussed, refer to the chapter marks noted below. Related reading at Mongabay: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple Store or Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Episode artwork by Pawel Czerwinski via Unsplash. --- Timecodes: (00:00:00) - Introduction (00:03:57) - Renewable Energy and Political Will (00:07:06) - Realism of Tech Solutions (00:09:03) - Degrowth & Decoupling (00:17:33) - Doomerism, Inequality & Politics (00:28:45) - How does a transition happen? (00:36:51) - Hannah defends terminology used in the book (00:44:58) - Deforestation (00:53:11) - Our World In Data & Bias (01:06:19) - Mike & Rachel post-chat (01:26:19) - Credits
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/29514893
info_outline
When independent journalism exposes crimes against people and planet
01/09/2024
When independent journalism exposes crimes against people and planet
In 2015, independent journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown and Sarawak Report uncovered the beginnings of what is now considered the world’s biggest money-laundering scandal. The crime resulted in billions stolen from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund. While former prime minister Najib Razak is now facing a 12-year prison sentence for his role in the crime, Rewcastle Brown herself has also faced legal actions against her, including an arrest warrant and an attempt to place her on Interpol’s Red Notice list of wanted fugitives. Mongabay podcast co-host Rachel Donald speaks with Rewcastle Brown, the founder of the Sarawak Report, about what led her to investigate this scandal, as well as environmental destruction in Borneo. Related reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Kelumpang Sarawak (Sterculia megistophylla) in Malaysian Borneo. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/29417538
info_outline
Wildlife trafficking should be covered as a crime story
12/19/2023
Wildlife trafficking should be covered as a crime story
is a high-profile but complex topic that reporters struggle to tackle effectively. Three experts recently spoke with Mongabay about some of the thornier questions the media should consider when covering international wildlife crime. Wildlife trafficking should be covered as a crime story, first and foremost, because that's what it is, as one podcast guest argues. Simone Haysome, Dwi N. Adhiasto, and Bryan Christy joined host Mike DiGirolamo in a live discussion that originally aired in late 2022 to unpack these questions as part of Mongbay's ongoing webinar series for environmental journalists. This conversation is useful to anyone interested in wildlife conservation issues, and refers to a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) meeting that occurred in Panama City, Panama in November of 2022. Watch more from our webinar series for journalists: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Cameroon’s gorillas and chimps have been hunted to feed a national and international illegal trade in skulls and other body parts. Photo by MCAMERFİLS licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/29155398
info_outline
Reversing biodiversity loss requires ecological restoration
12/12/2023
Reversing biodiversity loss requires ecological restoration
The idea that nature is something outside of society hampers practical solutions to restoring it, says Laura Martin, associate professor of environmental studies at Williams College. On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, co-host Rachel Donald speaks with Martin about the restoration vs. preservation debate, and why Martin says a focus on the former is the way to address the biodiversity crisis. Martin defines restoration as “an attempt to design nature with non-human collaborators,” which she details in her book Wild by Design: The Rise of Ecological Restoration. See related content: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit www.patreon.com/mongabay to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Project participants planting native species seedlings in the Itapu Restoration Trail, as part of Brazil’s effort to help meet the world’s ambitious restoration commitments made under the Bonn Challenge. The ongoing management of such projects requires long-term financing. Image by Raquel Maia Arvelos/CIFOR via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/29045198
info_outline
How the Junglekeepers protect 55,000 acres of the Peruvian Amazon
12/05/2023
How the Junglekeepers protect 55,000 acres of the Peruvian Amazon
Conservationist Paul Rosolie co-leads a non-profit deep in the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon. Conserving forests beyond where law enforcement is willing to travel can be dangerous work, but his team successfully recruits former loggers to use their forest knowledge to become conservation rangers: this provides alternative income streams for communities and has attracted millions of dollars in funding. Today, this Indigenous-co-led nonprofit is responsible for protecting 55,000 acres of rainforest. In this episode, Rosolie shares his recipe for conservation success and what he thinks other conservation organizations can focus on to boost their effectiveness. Related reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit www.patreon.com/mongabay to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Image of Paul Rosolie. Courtesy of Paul Rosolie.
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/28946448
info_outline
How the UN climate Loss & Damage Fund got lost & damaged
11/28/2023
How the UN climate Loss & Damage Fund got lost & damaged
The text of the climate loss and damage fund is heading to the COP 28 climate summit in Dubai this December without a mandate that wealthy, industrialized nations pay into it, says Brandon Wu, director of policy and campaigns at ActionAid USA. Frequent Mongabay contributor and journalist Rachel Donald joins the Mongabay Newscast as co-host to speak with Wu about why he says this global climate fund “requires almost nothing of developed countries." Related reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app in the Apple App Store or in the Google Store to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit www.patreon.com/mongabay to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: The most recent negotiations from the UN Transitional Committee on the climate loss & damage fund completed the fifth and final round in Abu Dhabi. Image by Daniel Moqvist via Unsplash (Public domain).
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/28830513
info_outline
Deforestation decline in the Amazon and other positive news
11/21/2023
Deforestation decline in the Amazon and other positive news
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has declined by 22% for the year ending July 31, 2023, according to data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, CEO and editor-in-chief Rhett Butler tells us what the data show and what Mongabay will be looking for in the future. Butler also details more exciting news, such as the 2023 Biophilia Award for Environmental Communication, given to Mongabay for its “outstanding track record” in communicating issues related to nature and biodiversity, and the launch of an all-new bilingual bureau in Africa. Related Reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Scarlet macaw in Brazil. Photo by Rhett Butler.
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/28745133
info_outline
Corals, kelp and creative conservation in Australia
10/24/2023
Corals, kelp and creative conservation in Australia
If current conditions line up just right, much of the Great Barrier Reef could soon suffer another catastrophic bleaching event, so how are conservationists reacting to threats like this in Australia? “We could lose a huge part of the reef by February,” says Newscast guest Dean Miller of the Forever Reef Project, so his team is racing to add the final coral specimens to its huge “biobank” of coral species before then, for use by researchers and conservationists. Work like this was featured at the first international edition of the famed South by Southwest (SXSW) festival and conference (October 15-22, 2023 in Sydney), and Mongabay spoke with multiple people engaged with coral and kelp reforestation, plus sustainable agriculture. On this edition of the Mongabay Newscast, guests also include John “Charlie” Veron from the Forever Reef Project, Mic Black from Rainstick, and Adriana Vergés from the Kelp Forest Alliance, detailing their projects and the challenges they're tackling. Related Reading Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Healthy coral in the Great Barrier Reef. Image by Jonas Gratzer for Mongabay. Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/28413560
info_outline
Debunking the UN's climate neutrality claims
10/10/2023
Debunking the UN's climate neutrality claims
In a yearlong investigation from The New Humanitarian and Mongabay, spanning multiple countries, investigative reporters found the United Nations is not climate neutral as it claims to be. The UN bases much of its claims on the use of carbon credits--which are already increasingly criticized by experts as having little impact on actually offsetting emissions. Reporters found that many projects that issue carbon credits to the U.N. were linked to environmental damage or displacement, and 2.7 million out of 6.6 million credits were linked to wind or hydropower — which experts say don’t represent true emissions reductions. Joining the podcast to explain these findings is investigative reporter Jacob Goldberg from The New Humanitarian. Related reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Episode artwork: More than half of the UN carbon offsets come from high-risk projects. Image by JuergenPM via Pixabay (Public domain). Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/28281137
info_outline
Ken Burns on 'The American Buffalo,' his latest documentary focusing on the iconic species
10/03/2023
Ken Burns on 'The American Buffalo,' his latest documentary focusing on the iconic species
The American bison ('buffalo') was once decimated to a tiny fraction of its original population of 30 million, reaching a low point of just 77 individuals. Today, they number around 350,000 thanks to the visionary preservation efforts of Indigenous communities, individual conservationists, and others. Joining the Mongabay Newscast to discuss this hopeful conservation effort that enabled this comeback is acclaimed, award-winning filmmaker and American documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. His latest project examines the tragic history of the American buffalo and the devastation that their population collapse wrought upon Indigenous Americans. Mongabay staff-writer Liz Kimbrough speaks with him about his process, the role of native peoples in making the film, and what the team discovered by making it. THE AMERICAN BUFFALO is set to premiere on U.S. public television, PBS, on Oct. 16 and 17. Read Liz's feature and see the interview transcript here: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Episode artwork: The American bison, once on the very edge of extinction, is making a major comeback, including in protected areas and on tribal lands. Photo courtesy of Kelly Stoner/WCS Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/28210925
info_outline
Why some bears thrive and others barely survive
09/27/2023
Why some bears thrive and others barely survive
Human beings have a storied and complicated history with bears. The iconic mammals have long been an important symbol for thousands of years in cultures across the globe. Yet, almost all of the eight bear species left in the wild remain threatened. Some iconic bear species, such as the giant panda, have benefitted from conservation gains, but other species continue to face urgent and increasing threats to their survival. Award-winning environmental journalist Gloria Dickie joins the Mongabay Newscast to discuss the state of the world’s eight remaining bear species which she documents in a compelling new book, “Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future.” Related reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Episode artwork: A portrait of a wild grizzly bear, a subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos). Photo by Jean Beaufort via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (CC0). Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/28162580
info_outline
Can 'road ecology' save millions of animals?
09/19/2023
Can 'road ecology' save millions of animals?
Nearly a million animals are killed on roads every day. That's just in the U.S., and this is very likely an underestimate. “If anything, the number is probably quite a bit higher,” says Ben Goldfarb, environmental journalist and author of the new book "." The world is projected to build 25 million more miles of roads by 2050, so wildlife ecologists and engineers are searching for ways to integrate the needs of wildlife into their design. Goldfarb’s book offers a deep examination of some of the most fascinating, inspiring, but also tragic ways human societies develop infrastructure alongside nature. He joins the Mongabay Newscast to explain the concept of ‘road ecology’ and how wildlife-friendly designs are becoming part of landscapes globally. Related reading: Hear Goldfarb's previous visit with this podcast, where he discussed his award-winning book "Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter," by looking up episode #49 via your favorite podcast player or click play here: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Episode artwork: A bison crosses a road in British Columbia, Canada. Image courtesy of Ben Goldfarb. Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/28085825
info_outline
Profitability and sustainability go together, Patagonia's advocacy director says
09/05/2023
Profitability and sustainability go together, Patagonia's advocacy director says
Traditional capitalism is not working for the planet or the public, and needs an overhaul, says Beth Thoren, environmental action and initiatives director at Patagonia. Where governments are failing to regulate, Thoren argues, corporations should be making the change anyway. “If we continue to live in a world where shareholder value is the only thing that is valued, we will burn up and die,” she says. She joins the Mongabay Newscast to detail Patagonia's business model—which gives its profit to environmental organizations—and shares how the company is making a push for other corporations to follow, while taking stands against boondoggles like the space race via their #NotMars campaign. In founder and CEO Yvon Chouinard's words, Patagonia exists to "force government and corporations to take action in solving our environmental problems." These are words the company backs up with its environmental marketing campaigns, its business model, its films and books. The company details its philosophy and the lessons learned from 50 years in business in the book, , published this month. Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image caption: Beth Thoren, Environment Director, Patagonia. London, U.K.Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. Photographer: Jason Alden for Patagonia Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/27950937
info_outline
Ecuadorian environmentalists win historic vote for Yasuní National Park
08/22/2023
Ecuadorian environmentalists win historic vote for Yasuní National Park
Ecuadorians have just approved a referendum to halt oil drilling in Yasuní National Park, one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, which will prohibit further oil extraction. The "yes" vote effectively keeps its oil in the ground, so for the details we check in with staff writer Max Radwin who covered the news for Mongabay. Related to that is a recent legal victory in Ecuador's Andean region, another massively biodiverse area – not only in that country but for the entire planet – so we're re-sharing a discussion with associate digital editor Romi Castagnino that aired after the winning decision for Indigenous and local communities, whose rights to prior consultation and the 'rights of nature' were both upheld. You can read more about both stories and watch the video report mentioned by Romi at these links: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all the news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image caption: Indigenous activist Nemonte Nenquimo stands alongside an oil spill near Shushufindi in the province of Sucumbíos, Ecuadorian Amazon, June 26th 2023. Image by Sophie Pinchetti / Amazon Frontlines. Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/27824886
info_outline
Protecting the Amazon requires fresh thinking
08/08/2023
Protecting the Amazon requires fresh thinking
Tim Killeen is a top conservation biologist and author whose book is a straight-shooting, non-naive dive into "everything you need to know about the Amazon if you want to save it," he says on this episode. With 30 years of experience living in the Amazon, his wealth of knowledge springs from having guided the first environmental impact study there, pioneering satellite mapping of deforestation with NASA, and traveling extensively throughout the region, so Killeen has unique insight into the drivers of – and solutions for – Amazon deforestation. On this episode he shares key insights from the second edition of his book "A Perfect Storm in the Amazon Wilderness," plus what gives him hope, and his advice for up-and-coming conservationists. Mongabay is releasing the book's new edition in short installments in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, find the first two chapters published so far, here: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image caption: Rainstorm in the Amazon. Pillcopata, Villa Carmen, Peru. Image by Rhett Butler. Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/27696210
info_outline
XPRIZE-Rainforest finalists for $10m conservation tech award announced
07/25/2023
XPRIZE-Rainforest finalists for $10m conservation tech award announced
Conservation technology such as drones, remote sensing, and machine learning plays a critical role in supporting conservation scientists and aiding policymakers in making well-informed decisions for biodiversity protection. Recognizing this, the XPRIZE Foundation initiated a five-year competition with the goal of developing automated and accelerated methods for assessing rainforest biodiversity. In this episode of the Newscast, Mongabay staff writer Abhishyant Kidangoor interviews Peter Houlihan, the executive vice president of biodiversity and conservation at the XPRIZE Foundation during the semi-finals in Singapore. The foundation recently revealed the six finalists that will compete next year. Houlihan discusses the importance of the collaborative nature of the competition, and why he believes it has become a movement. Related reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image caption: An extendable arm attached to a drone was used to deploy the platform on top of the canopy. Team Waponi. Photo by Abhishyant Kidangoor. Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/27567033
info_outline
Biological field stations are key to conservation but often 'invisible'
07/11/2023
Biological field stations are key to conservation but often 'invisible'
Field research stations are vital to rewilding and conservation efforts yet they’re often absent from global environmental policy, a Nature paper argues. Despite this lack of visibility and funding challenges, their impact is immensely beneficial in regions of the world such as Costa Rica: a nation that had one of the highest rates of deforestation in the 1980s and became the to reverse tropical deforestation. Joining the Mongabay Newscast to discuss the importance of field research stations --is wildlife ecologist and director of Osa Conservation, Andrew Whitworth. Related reading: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: A field biologist with Osa Conservation releasing a king vulture that the team has just tagged with a solar-powered GSM unit. These are some of the first tagged king vultures in the world – a part of the conservation science focus of the research that will help to understand the health of the ecosystem of the Osa Peninsula and ultimately how healthy this system is for key apex species like king vultures. Photo by Luca Eberle for Osa Conservation Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/27438579
info_outline
Big problems and potential for great ape conservation
07/04/2023
Big problems and potential for great ape conservation
Great apes are facing a concerning future. If humans neglect to address climate change, they could lose up to 94% of their range by 2050. In the Congo Basin, a stronghold for great ape species, several challenges pose significant threats to their survival; national interests in exploiting natural resources, security issues in areas like the Albertine Rift, hunting activities, and the illegal wildlife trade all contribute to the severe predicament faced by these charismatic mammals. In this episode of Mongabay Explores, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Kirsty Graham, Terese Hart, and Sally Coxe shed light on threats to bonobos and mountain gorillas, provide insight from their years of experience working with them, and discuss the pivotal role played by great apes in safeguarding the Congo Basin rainforest. Listen to the other episodes in this Congo Basin season of Mongabay Explores: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Bonobos live in more peaceful societies than their two close relatives, chimpanzees and humans. Photo courtesy of Jutta Hof. Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/27368103
info_outline
Can the boom in psychedelics boost Amazon conservation?
06/20/2023
Can the boom in psychedelics boost Amazon conservation?
Famed ethnobotanist and conservation advocate, Mark Plotkin, joins the Mongabay Newscast to discuss traditional ecological knowledge about the increasingly popular psychedelic and medicinal plants and fungi of the Amazon. He shares his thoughts on the value of this knowledge and how this cultural moment can be used to leverage conservation action. Plotkin is no stranger to conservation, having co-founded the Amazon Conservation team in the 1990s. Their Indigenous-led and managed conservation model, while considered pioneering at the time, is becoming more recognized as the ideal today. His own podcast discusses these issues and the great importance of Indigenous knowledge in great detail, listen to 'Plants of the Gods' here via the podcast provider of your choosing: Read more about Mark Plotkin's work on Mongabay here: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Amanita muscaria is a mushroom that is both hallucinogenic and poisonous. Image posted by creator 942784 to the Creative Commons via Pixabay. Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/27218673
info_outline
The Boom: Amy Westervelt examines Guyana's massive oil project on 'Drilled'
06/13/2023
The Boom: Amy Westervelt examines Guyana's massive oil project on 'Drilled'
"" is a true-crime podcast series from Critical Frequency and journalist, Amy Westervelt, examining the back-door dealings and environmental impacts of major fossil fuel projects. The latest season looks into what's happening between the South American nation of Guyana and oil giant Exxon Mobil. For this episode of the Mongabay Newscast we give you a look at the first episode of the 8th season of this critically acclaimed podcast series. You can listen to it here. to Drilled on the podcast provider of your choice. We also encourage you to listen to our previous Newscast interview with Amy Westervelt . Related reading on Guyana from Mongabay: Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, from Apple to Spotify, or download our free app or to get access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: or find and follow Mongabay on all the social media platforms. Image Caption: Spangled cotinga in Guyana. Image by Mathias Appel via Flickr (CC0 1.0). Please share your thoughts and feedback!
/episode/index/show/mongabay/id/27140979