Why forests, why now? How tropical forests can survive and thrive

enMay 31, 2017

Mongabay Newscast

About this Episode

On this episode we speak with Frances Seymour, lead author of a new book Why Forests? Why Now? The Science, Economics and Politics of Tropical Forests and Climate Change, which she co-authored with Jonah Busch.

Seymour argues that tropical forests are key to climate change mitigation, and that it's up to rich countries to invest in their protection. She shares her thoughts on why now is an important moment for such forests, whether or not the large-scale investment necessary to protect them will materialize any time soon, and which countries are leading the tropical forest conservation charge.

We also welcome Mongabay editor Glenn Scherer back to the program to answer a question from a Newscast listener about which 'good news' stories are worth talking about in these tough times for environmental and conservation news. Mongabay has a long and very inspiring series of stories tagged 'happy upbeat' that you can view here.

Please help us improve this show by leaving a review on its page at Android, Google Play, iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, or wherever you subscribe to it. Thanks!

Recent Episodes from Mongabay Newscast

Cultural survival through reclaiming language and land, with author Jay Griffiths

Today’s guest is Jay Griffiths, 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 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, mongabay.com, 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

Mongabay Newscast

enMarch 12, 2024

culture

indigenous

indigenous communities

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, An Irish Atlantic Rainforest: A Personal Journey Into the Magic of Rewilding.

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.

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, mongabay.com, 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

enFebruary 27, 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.

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, mongabay.com, 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

enFebruary 20, 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 “HEATED,” 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 Apple to Spotify, and you can also listen to all episodes here on the Mongabay website, or download our free app for Apple and Android 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 Pixabay.

---

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

enFebruary 13, 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 Planetary Boundaries. 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.

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, "Not the End of the World: How We Can be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet," 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:

The nine boundaries humanity must respect to keep the planet habitable

Mongabay Series: Planetary Boundaries

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 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.

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

enJanuary 16, 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:

A mid corruption scandal, Malaysia switches track on future of rail network

INTERPOL rejects Malaysia’s request to place journalist on Red Notice list

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: Kelumpang Sarawak (Sterculia megistophylla) in Malaysian Borneo. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.

enJanuary 09, 2024

Wildlife trafficking should be covered as a crime story

Wildlife trafficking 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:

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: 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.

enDecember 19, 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:

Podcast: Is ecosystem restoration our last/best hope for a sustainable future?

Japanese butterfly conservation takes flight when integrated with human communities

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).

enDecember 12, 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.

On this page

Why forests, why now? How tropical forests can survive and thrive

Mongabay Newscast

About this Episode

Recent Episodes from Mongabay Newscast

Cultural survival through reclaiming language and land, with author Jay Griffiths

Restoring an Irish rainforest by simply leaving nature alone

Exploring a jewel of the Coral Triangle

Is media objectivity possible during our environmental crisis?

The many social and ecological benefits of a 'degrowth' world

Is "Not the End of the World" author's 'techno-realism' enough to solve our ecological problems?

When independent journalism exposes crimes against people and planet

Wildlife trafficking should be covered as a crime story

Reversing biodiversity loss requires ecological restoration

How the Junglekeepers protect 55,000 acres of the Peruvian Amazon