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Nature Breaking
Nature Breaking features interviews between host Seth Larson and experts on some of the biggest issues affecting people and nature, including climate change, habitat loss, endangered species, and more. Learn something new about nature and our planet in every episode. This podcast is produced by World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
- 114 - Living Planet Report: Wildlife Is Declining. But There's Hope.
WWF's 2026 Living Planet Report finds that monitored wildlife populations have declined by an average of 73% since 1970. In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with Dr. Rebecca Shaw, WWF's Chief Scientist and editor-in-chief of this year's report, to unpack what that number really means — and why, despite the sobering data, this year's report is subtitled "The Science of Hope."
Rebecca explains how the Living Planet Index works, why a global average can hide real bright spots (nearly half of all monitored populations are actually stable or increasing), and how species like tigers, bluefin tuna, Southern African elephants, and green sea turtles have rebounded thanks to decades of coordinated, global effort. She also introduces the report's concept of "positive tipping points" — using the global renewable energy transition as a real-world example of a system that has already tipped toward self-sustaining change — and explains why food systems and finance are still in an earlier "enabling phase," with tipping points potentially just years away.
Links for More Info:
Chapters:
0:00 Teaser
0:42 Intro
2:19 What is the Living Planet Report?
3:57 This year's topline number: a 73% decline
6:12 Why "The Science of Hope"?
8:37 The green sea turtle recovery story
15:21 What are positive tipping points?
19:20 Renewable energy: a tipping point already underway
22:50 Food and finance: the next systems to tip
25:32 The $1.3 trillion nature finance gap
28:31 Why 2030 matters
31:23 Closing thoughts
Thu, 08 Oct 2026 - 32min - 113 - Inside Climate Week: WWF's Panda House Recap
Last week, WWF hosted its first-ever Panda House, a full day of panel sessions during Climate Week NYC — the annual gathering timed to coincide with the UN General Assembly, where leaders from across the climate and conservation world come together to debate ideas and push for action.
In this special recap episode, host Seth Larson and WWF's Sarah Wilson bring you inside Panda House, with a series of short conversations recorded live between panel sessions. The day's discussions spanned carbon markets, tropical forest protection, and ocean conservation, but one theme ran through the day: finance. In other words, how do we raise the funds required to conserve nature at scale?
In this episode you'll hear from:
Andrew Deutz, WWF's Managing Director of Global Policy and Partnerships, about the newly released Financing Nature 2026 report that WWF co-released with The Nature Conservancy and the Paulson Institute; Stephanie Cappa, WWF's Director of Policy and Government Affairs, about the Tropical Forest Forever Facility; and John Morton, WWF's Executive Managing Director for Nature Finance & Investment, about carbon markets, how Climate Week has changed over the years, and what gives him hope for the future.Together, these conversations offer a snapshot of where the nature finance conversation stands today, and what it will take to close the gap between what's being spent and what's actually needed.
Links for More Info:
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:04 Andrew Deutz on the Financing Nature 2026 report
4:23 Stephanie Cappa on the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)
8:06 John Morton on carbon markets and more
11:52 Outro
Thu, 01 Oct 2026 - 12min - 112 - Ze Frank on the Science and Voice Behind True Facts
What do black-footed ferrets, cockatoos, and geckos have in common? They've all starred in True Facts, the wildly popular YouTube series from Ze Frank that's taught millions of people about the weird and wonderful side of wildlife.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with Ze to talk about his nearly two-decade journey as a creator. Together, they explore:
How True Facts evolved from comedy sketches into rigorous science storytelling Why creative limitations often lead to better work The origin of Ze's iconic narrator voice and his invented character, "Jerry" How Ze builds trust with the scientific community Why doing something matters more than just watching, especially for conservationFinally, Seth and Ze trade some of their favorite "true facts" from the animal kingdom.
Links for More Info:
True Facts: The Ferret and the Plague
True Facts: Mussels That Catch Fish
Subscribe to WWF's YouTube Channel
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:59 Intro
2:35 Meet Ze Frank
9:21 How Ze chooses animals for True Facts
14:42 "You Named a Species" and Audience Engagement
17:51 The voice and "Jerry"
21:07 True Facts Educational
23:40 Ze's research process
27:54 Lightning round: Seth & Ze's favorite true facts
32:05 Outro
Tue, 22 Sep 2026 - 32min - 111 - Matthew Rhys on Climate Change & Storytelling (2023)
Earlier this week Matthew Rhys made history as the first actor to ever win two lead-acting Emmys in one night. That was especially exciting for us at WWF because, amid all the scientists and conservation experts we've interviewed on this show over the years, the only actor to ever appear on Nature Breaking was none other than Matthew Rhys. He joined our podcast back in 2023 to talk about the Apple TV show Extrapolations, an anthology show about climate change that he appeared in. Host Seth Larson interviewed Matthew alongside that show's creator, Scott Z. Burns, and its executive producer, Dorothy Fortenberry. The link to the full episode is below, but in honor of Matthew's big night at the Emmys, here's an excerpt from that interview featuring Matthew's thoughts on how storytelling can influence action on climate change.
Links for More Info:
2023 Full Episode: Extrapolations
Fri, 18 Sep 2026 - 04min - 110 - Unwrapped: The Plastic Crisis (Part 3) | Turning Awareness Into Action
The plastic crisis isn't too big to solve — but solving it will take all of us.
In the third and final episode of Unwrapped: The Plastic Crisis, our three-part miniseries from Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson and WWF plastics expert Erin Simon turn from the past and present to the future — exploring what it will actually take to build a world where plastic doesn't end up polluting our oceans, our communities, and even our own bodies.
Joining the conversation is Carissa Cabrera, a marine biologist, climate activist, and CEO of FutureSwell, who has built a massive platform helping everyday people see themselves as part of the solution to ocean and climate issues. Carissa shares what she's learned building community around plastic pollution in Hawaii, why authentic messengers matter more than viral moments, and what gives her hope even when progress feels slow.
This episode is about closing the gap between knowing there's a problem and believing you can be part of the solution.
Links for More Info:
Chapters:
0:00 Can I recycle this? (cold open)
1:15 Seth and Erin explain the episode
4:26 Meet Carissa Cabrera of Future Swell
7:24 What stories resonate to drive action?
12:55 How to convey urgency and hope at once
17:02 Local versus global advocacy
22:43 Reaching people outside the environmental bubble
27:35 Envisioning a future without plastic pollution
41:49 Series wrap-up and closing thoughts
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 - 45min - 109 - Unwrapped: The Plastic Crisis (Part 2) | Can Companies Fix Plastic Pollution?
The world's plastic problem won't be solved by good intentions alone.
In part two of Unwrapped: The Plastic Crisis, our special three-part miniseries from Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson and WWF plastics expert Erin Simon shift from the past to the present—digging into what's actually being done right now to tackle plastic pollution, and where those efforts are falling short.
Joining the conversation is Jeff Bezzo of SC Johnson, one of the world's largest household product companies, who works at the intersection of sustainability and business strategy. Jeff pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes for a 130-year-old company to rethink packaging at scale, and why voluntary corporate action can only go so far without policy to back it up.
Together, they explore:
The hidden reasons some plastic gets recycled and some doesn't How Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) works, and why it's gaining momentum across the US What SC Johnson has learned from real-world experiments with refill and reuse systems Why global companies are increasingly asking for consistent policy, not just goodwill The honest tensions between sustainability goals and business realitiesThis episode is about the messy middle of solving a global crisis—where companies, policymakers, and consumers all have a role to play, and where progress depends on getting the incentives right.
Links for More Info:
ACT: Tell Global Leaders You Want a Future With Less Plastic
Chapters:
0:00 Can I recycle this? (cold open)
0:51 Intro
1:23 Episode overview
4:10 Jeff Bezzo on SC Johnson's sustainability journey
8:28 How SC Johnson is rethinking plastic packaging
13:28 What makes a product "worth" recycling?
17:10 What is EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)?
19:56 Recycling alternatives: reuse/refill, concentrates, etc.
27:05 Balancing sustainability goals with cost pressures
35:02 Jeff's reasons for hope
37:07 Closing thoughts from Seth and Erin
Tue, 25 Aug 2026 - 39min - 108 - Unwrapped: The Plastic Crisis (Part 1) | The Origins of Plastic Pollution
Plastic pollution didn't happen overnight.
In the first episode of Unwrapped: The Plastic Crisis, a special three-part miniseries from Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson and WWF plastics expert Erin Simon take a step back to examine how we got here—and why solving this crisis requires understanding the decisions that shaped it.
Joining the conversation is Dr. Jenna Jambeck, the University of Georgia researcher whose landmark 2015 study was the first to quantify how much plastic enters the ocean each year. Her work transformed our understanding of plastic pollution and helped shift the conversation from cleanup to prevention.
Together, they explore:
Where plastic comes from and why it became so ubiquitous The surprising history of recycling—and why it can't keep up How plastic pollution became a global environmental challenge What Jenna's groundbreaking research revealed about plastic entering the ocean Why scientists, policymakers, businesses, and communities are increasingly focused on the root causes of the problemThis episode is about more than plastic—it's about how societies make decisions, how systems evolve, and what we can learn from the past as we work toward a future with less waste and healthier ecosystems.
Links for More Info:
ACT: Tell Global Leaders You Want a Future With Less Plastic
Chapters:
0:00 Can I recycle… a plastic grocery bag?
0:42 Intro
1:52 What is plastic?
3:52 Why are so many products made from plastic?
5:11 How big is the plastic crisis today?
6:32 Miniseries overview
9:00 Dr. Jenna Jambeck explains her landmark 2015 report
14:03 What prompted Dr. Jambeck's research?
17:00 Why is plastic so hard to recycle?
24:56 What mistakes led to our current crisis?
28:44 The Marine Debris Tracker app
34:26 Dr. Jambeck's key lessons
38:08 Closing thoughts from Seth and Erin
Tue, 11 Aug 2026 - 40min - 107 - What Animal Names Reveal About Humanity
Why do we call an elephant an elephant? Why did the narwhal become known as the "unicorn of the sea"? How did the praying mantis help to inspire kung fu in ancient China? And what can the names we give to animals tell us about ourselves as people?
In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with bestselling author, conservationist, and WWF board member T.A. Barron to discuss his new book, Naming Nature. Drawing on languages, folklore, mythology, and cultural traditions from around the world, the book explores the fascinating stories behind the names of plants, animals, and landscapes—and what those names reveal about humanity's relationship with the natural world.
Tune in to hear how an oak tree near Oxford, England helped inspire T.A.'s passion for writing, how he developed the concept for Naming Nature, and how a run-in with a former NFL quarterback prompted him to reflect on what really matters in life.
Links for More Info:
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:22 Intro
1:29 T.A. Barron on the power of storytelling
4:05 How an Oak Tree near Oxford inspired his writing career
8:27 How T.A.'s mother influenced his career
9:53 What inspired T.A. to write Naming Nature
15:03 How elephants got their name
22:06 How narwhals got their name
26:37 How hummingbirds got their name
29:11 How naming an animal can lead to its conservation
33:04 Meeting NFL quarterback Andrew Luck
36:40 Life advice from T.A.
41:22 Outro
Tue, 14 Jul 2026 - 41min - 106 - America Is Losing Its Grasslands – Why It Matters
As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, there's no shortage of reflection about the landscapes, history, and ideals that have shaped this country. For many people, iconic American landscapes might include mountains, forests, or coastlines. But there's another ecosystem—vast, vital, and often overlooked—that's quietly disappearing: grasslands.
You might know grasslands by other names: prairies, plains, or savannas. Regardless of the name, grasslands matter more than you might think. They filter and supply clean water, store carbon, sustain rural communities and economies, and support iconic wildlife like bison, black-footed ferrets, and birds. But roughly 70% of America's grasslands have already been lost. And even worse, not enough people seem to notice: A recent WWF survey found that nearly half of Americans are unfamiliar with grasslands.
So why are grasslands disappearing—and what can be done to protect what's left? In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with Martha Kauffman, WWF's Vice President for the Great Plains, to break down the science, history, and future of one of America's most important ecosystems.
Links for More Info:
TAKE ACTION: The Indian Buffalo Management Act
Chapters:
00:00 Teaser
00:35 Intro
02:22 Martha's passion for grasslands
05:41 Why should grasslands matter to all of us?
10:33 Current status of US grasslands
13:47 How to keep grasslands intact
24:23 Role of Indigenous Communities
26:26 Martha reflects on 20 years at WWF
28:44 Conserving US grasslands for the next 250 years
30:31 Outro
Tue, 30 Jun 2026 - 31min - 105 - Reframing Rural: From Sand to Soil
*Bonus Episode
Today's episode is a feed swap courtesy of Reframing Rural, an award-winning documentary show that explores the people, history, and culture of rural America. The episode, "From Sand to Soil," was included in Season 4 of Reframing Rural, which focused on the challenges that farm and ranch families face as they pass their operations from one generation to the next. Today you'll hear about the Bruski family, a ranching family in Montana that made a bold decision to rethink how their land is managed as part of their succession process. They did so with support from WWF's Ranch Systems and Viability Planning (RSVP) program, which helps support ranchers in meeting their sustainable management goals while strengthening the long-term viability of their operations.
You don't need to be a farmer or rancher to connect with this story. It's about family, change, and building something better for the future. Our thanks to Reframing Rural for sharing it with us.
Links for More Info:
Tue, 23 Jun 2026 - 1h 08min - 104 - The Rio Grande Is Running Dry—Here's Why
Last winter you probably heard about the lack of snow in the western US, and how that might impact everything from ski resorts to farmlands and freshwater supplies. News coverage of this drought most-often invokes impacts on the Colorado River. But there's another system—the Rio Grande—that's facing just as much pressure.
Stretching from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, the Rio Grande – or the Rio Bravo as it's known in Mexico – supports millions of people, vast acres of farmland, and diverse ecosystems that support an array of wildlife. But the river has lost roughly 85% of its historic flows due to overuse and a years-long megadrought. And this summer could bring the worst conditions yet thanks to the lack of snowpack in the mountains that feed the river.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, we explore why the Rio Grande is running dry—and what that means for communities, wildlife, and the future of water in the region. Host Seth Larson is joined by Enrique Prunes, WWF's Rio Grande Manager and Freshwater Lead Specialist, to break down the crisis and explain what needs to change to secure a brighter future for the river.
Links for More Info:
Take Action: Pledge to be a Steward for Water
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:24 Intro
1:35 Rio Grande/Rio Bravo 101
4:32 Why the Colorado River gets more attention
6:12 Current state of the Rio Grande
9:25 What's causing the river to dry out?
14:24 How to balance agriculture w/ river health
18:05 US & Mexico sharing water resources
21:22 Solutions to restore the Rio Grande
26:47 What gives Enrique hope for the river?
31:25 Outro
Tue, 16 Jun 2026 - 32min - 103 - Rethinking Seafood and the Future of our Oceans
Seafood is one of the most important food systems on the planet—supporting livelihoods, feeding communities, and fueling a global industry. But it's also under growing pressure. Overfishing, climate change, and illegal fishing are putting many marine ecosystems at risk.
So how can we meet global demand for seafood without pushing our oceans past their limits? And what role should companies play in building healthier, more resilient oceans?
In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson speaks with Dr. Sarah Glaser, head of the Blue Foods program and Oceans Futures platform at WWF, and Andrew Russell, Global Marine Sustainability Lead at Mars. They discuss the challenges—and opportunities—of making seafood more sustainable. And they explore how a long‑standing partnership between WWF and Mars is working to improve sourcing practices, increase transparency across complex supply chains, and support healthier fisheries over the long term.
Links for More Info:
Mars & WWF – Protecting Ocean Ecosystems
Chile Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP)
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:32 Intro
2:09 Defining "sustainable seafood"
6:02 Are we too late to save certain fish stocks?
8:37 How Mars got involved with sustainable seafood
12:14 How WWF and Mars are working together
16:14 Driving change for the whole seafood industry
20:04 What do best practices actually look like on a fishing vessel?
24:24 Blue finance – funding change at scale
31:58 What single change would have the biggest impact on ocean health?
35:51 Outro
Tue, 02 Jun 2026 - 36min - 102 - Bringing Buffalo Back (2025)
NOTE: This episode was originally released in July 2025.
Once nearly wiped out, the plains bison, or buffalo, as they are often called by Native Americans, are returning to the Great Plains — and with them, a powerful story of cultural renewal, ecological restoration, and Indigenous leadership. In this episode of Nature Breaking, WWF's Heather Dawn Thompson (a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe) shares how Native Nations are leading efforts to restore buffalo populations, reclaim food sovereignty, and heal the land. From spiritual connections to practical conservation, this interview explores how buffalo are more than just wildlife — they are relatives, providers, and symbols of resilience.
Links for More Info:
Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
1:13 Intro
2:57 Heather Dawn's background and role at WWF
8:45 History of buffalo and connection with Native Nations
11:19 Role of Heather Dawn's family in conserving buffalo
13:44 What's it like to see a buffalo in real life?
15:18 Buffalo harvest story
16:47 Connection between buffalo and healthy grasslands
21:05 Buffalo and food sovereignty for Native Nations
24:07 Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration
29:20 Biggest challenges to buffalo restoration
Tue, 19 May 2026 - 31min - 101 - The Mental Health Benefits of Spending Time in Nature
Are you feeling stressed, scattered, or mentally drained? Science suggests a surprisingly simple way to feel better: spending time in nature.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, we explore the growing body of psychological research showing how time spent outdoors improves focus, mood, and overall mental health. Host Seth Larson is joined by Dr. Dennis Stolle, Executive Lead Psychologist for Applied Psychology at the American Psychological Association (APA), to break down what's actually happening in our brains when we step into outside—and why even small doses of nature can make a real difference. It's an important reminder that when we take care of nature, nature takes care of us.
This episode was produced as part of a collaboration between WWF and APA in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Links for More Info:
American Psychological Association
WWF – Mental Health & Nature page
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:33 Intro
2:07 History of research into nature and mental health
5:09 What happens in our brains when we're outside?
9:21 How time in nature improves happiness
13:19 How too much time indoors or on screens hurts our mental health
16:43 Tips for boosting mental health through nature
20:41 We need nature, and nature needs us
23:08 Outro
Tue, 05 May 2026 - 23min - 100 - Why Giant Pandas Are a Conservation Success Story
When you think of endangered species, chances are the giant panda comes to mind. With their black‑and‑white coats, bamboo obsession, and internet‑famous antics, pandas are among the most beloved animals on Earth—and they're also one of conservation's most hopeful success stories.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, we're diving into the surprisingly weird and wonderful world of giant pandas with Colby Loucks, Vice President and Deputy Lead of WWF's Wildlife Program. Together, we unpack what makes pandas so unique—from their "fake thumb" and bamboo‑only diet to their solitary lifestyles and playful personalities.
But this isn't just about adorable panda videos. We also talk about how decades of conservation work helped giant pandas rebound from the brink of extinction, why they were reclassified from endangered to vulnerable, and what their recovery teaches us about protecting other species. Along the way, Colby shares firsthand stories from the field—including what it's really like trying (and failing) to spot a panda in the wild.
Links for More Info:
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:24 Intro
2:00 Giant Pandas 101
4:56 Why do pandas play?
7:56 How giant pandas became a conservation success story
12:28 Colby's story about tracking a panda in the wild
15:37 Outro
Tue, 21 Apr 2026 - 16min - 99 - What happens when you invest money in nature?
*Bonus Episode*
What does it really mean to invest in nature—and why does it matter?
In this special crossover episode of Nature Breaking and The Pew Charitable Trusts' After The Fact podcast, WWF's Seth Larson and Pew's Giuliana Pence explore the growing field of nature finance. Joined by experts from both organizations, they tackle a big question: how much does it cost to protect nature, and where does that money come from? You'll hear from Matthew Cranford of WWF and Shubash Lohani of Pew as they explain why the world needs roughly $1.2 trillion per year by 2030 to halt biodiversity loss—and why current funding falls short. They also break down innovative financing tools like Project Finance for Permanence, debt‑for‑nature swaps, and market-based models that are helping fund and secure long‑term protection for forests, oceans, and wildlife.
From supporting Indigenous‑led conservation to restoring degraded landscapes, this episode shows why conservation isn't just a cost—it's an investment in healthy ecosystems, resilient communities, and a stable global economy that can also yield financial returns, in addition to nature benefits. If you've ever wondered how conservation actually gets funded, this episode offers a clear, accessible look at what happens when nature gets the investment it deserves.
Links for More Info:
WWF's Nature Finance & Investment strategy
Chapters:
0:00 Intro – Welcome to a special crossover episode with Pew & WWF
1:29 Today's topic: nature finance
3:46 How much does it cost to save nature?
6:28 What does that money pay for?
12:17 What is "nature finance" and how does it work?
16:33 WWF's Nature Finance & Investment strategy
22:07 Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) & the Enduring Earth coalition
26:07 PFP results for nature and people
29:34 Connecting funders with high-quality projects
32:18 Quick Pitch: Why should funders invest in nature?
35:10 Matthew and Shubash reflect on each other's work
37:09 Seth and Giuliana's final thoughts
Tue, 14 Apr 2026 - 38min - 98 - How Maya Higa Is Inspiring Millions to Take Action for Earth
This week on Nature Breaking, we're teaming up with conservationist and content creator Maya Higa to kick off WWF's annual Give an Hour for Earth campaign. Maya is a Twitch streamer and YouTuber whose online community contributed tens of thousands of hours to our campaign last year.
Host Seth Larson interviews Maya about her journey from growing up on a farm to becoming a zookeeper, falconer, livestreamer, and founder of Alveus Sanctuary – a wildlife rehabilitation facility. She explains how digital platforms can be powerful tools for environmental education, what she's learned about inspiring young audiences, and why she believes small, everyday actions—done by many—can drive massive change.
Maya and Seth also break down their top recommendations for this year's Give an Hour for Earth activities, from simple trash cleanups to thoughtful grocery shopping, wildlife rehabilitation volunteering, and even livestream fundraising for conservation. Whether you're looking for hands‑on ways to help the planet or a dose of hope in the face of big environmental challenges, this episode is full of inspiration.
Links for More Info:
TAKE ACTION: Give an Hour for Earth
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:35 Intro
2:21 Maya's origin story
7:26 Maya's Tiny Mic video series and "hiding the broccoli"
9:54 The Alveus Sanctuary's mission
11:37 Give an Hour for Earth: Maya's trash cleanup experience
14:35 How small actions make a big difference
15:35 Maya and Seth's Top 3 Actions for Earth
22:16 Outro
Tue, 07 Apr 2026 - 23min - 97 - Good News for Monarch Butterflies
Good news is hard to come by in the conservation world—but this week, we have some to share. A new report from WWF‑Mexico shows that the endangered migratory eastern monarch butterfly is showing promising signs of recovery, with monarchs occupying 7.24 acres of forest in their wintering grounds in Mexico—up from 4.42 acres last year. That's a 64% increase.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, we revisit conversations with two monarch experts—Eduardo Rendón‑Salinas of WWF‑Mexico and Court Whelan of Natural Habitat Adventures—to explain why this rebound matters, how monarch populations are measured, and what challenges still lie ahead. From the butterfly's amazing multi‑generational migration that spans thousands of miles to the threats posed by habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change, this episode dives into one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena on Earth.
If you're looking for a rare bit of optimism—and a reminder of why these butterflies inspire wonder across North America—this episode is for you.
Links for More Info:
Report: Monarch butterfly population increases by 64%
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:23 Intro & New Report Findings
2:10 The epic migration of monarchs (spring to late summer)
3:41 The epic migration of monarchs (late summer to winter)
6:00 How do we monitor and estimate monarch populations?
7:40 Threats facing monarchs
10:42 Why should we care about monarchs?
12:07 Outro
Tue, 24 Mar 2026 - 12min - 96 - Nature's Awards Show: Celebrating Wildlife, Ecosystems, and Earth's MVPs
Right now we're at the height of awards season, when artists across a variety of disciplines get awarded for the best achievements in their respective industries. In the spirit of that season, we decided to hand out some awards of our own this week. This episode features the first-ever Nature Breaking Awards. It's just like your favorite awards show, but for conservation instead of music or movies. Co-hosts Seth Larson and Hayley Lawton will run through fun categories like "Best Ecosystem Soundtrack" and "Wildest Wardrobe," discuss the nominees, and hand out some (largely arbitrary) awards. Because after all, we're all winners when it comes to saving the planet.
Subscribe to WWF's YouTube page
Find Nature Breaking on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:19 Intro
1:33 Explaining the Nature Breaking Awards
3:05 Standout Support Species
5:03 Outstanding Wildlife Effects
6:38 Best Ecosystem Soundtrack
8:52 Wildest Wardrobe
10:08 Outstanding Ecosystem
11:37 Reactions to the winners
12:58 Outro
Tue, 10 Mar 2026 - 13min - 95 - Can "Impact Investing" Help Save the Planet?
Finance has a critical role to play in achieving conservation goals. Simply put, saving an ecosystem, or a species, isn't free. Those efforts require lots of scientific research and analysis, tools, infrastructure, and staff. WWF has been at the forefront of a variety of innovative ways to finance those efforts – from Project Finance for Permanence initiatives, to debt for nature swaps, and more.
Today we're going to talk about another approach that's gaining steam: impact investing. Impact investing is all about making investments with the goal of advancing social or environmental outcomes – not about maximizing financial returns. Joining Nature Breaking today to explain how it works is Isabelle Foster, WWF's Senior Impact Investing Specialist. Isabelle is part of WWF Impact, our impact investing venture. And she's also a podcast host, having recently launched a limited-series show called Catalyzing Climate Conversations. Her new show is a partnership with the Aspen Institute's Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE).
Stay tuned to hear from Isabelle about how impact investing works, why WWF is investing in companies like EatCloud—whose software platform is helping grocery stores and other businesses divert food from the landfill and instead support local communities—and how these investments advance conservation outcomes on the ground.
Links for More Info:
PODCAST: Catalyzing Climate Conversations
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:30 Intro
1:56 What is impact investing?
5:20 How can impact investing help the planet?
8:02 WWF's approach to impact investing
13:34 Example of success: EatCloud
21:45 Podcast plug for Catalyzing Climate Conversations
27:39 Outro
Tue, 24 Feb 2026 - 28min - 94 - Climate Change & Nature Loss are Driving an Insurance Crisis
Did you know that extreme weather disasters in the U.S. are now causing more than 20 billion‑dollar events every year, leaving a growing share of those losses uninsured? As climate change accelerates—and as ecosystems like wetlands and forests are destroyed and degraded—the insurance protection gap is widening, putting households, businesses, and entire communities at rising financial risk.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, you'll hear from David Kuhn, WWF's Director for Adaptation and Resilience Partnerships and a contributor to a new WWF report on the insurance crisis. David explains what's driving the surge in uninsured losses, why premiums are skyrocketing, and how climate‑driven disasters are undermining the stability of the US insurance system. He also breaks down how nature loss is stripping communities of their "first line of defense" against floods, storms, and heat—and why restoring ecosystems may be one of the most cost‑effective ways to strengthen resilience and shore up the insurance system.
As David shares, there's reason for hope in spite of these alarming trends. With smart policies, better risk modeling, and investments that treat nature as essential infrastructure, we can reduce damages, lower costs, and build a safer, more resilient future.
Links for More Info:
REPORT: Tackling the Insurance Protection Gap
Op-Ed: Nature is a powerful ally against fires and floods (LA Times)
Chapters:
0:00 Teaser
0:31 Intro
1:56 Explaining the insurance protection gap
6:47 Insurance becoming an unsustainable business model
10:23 Practical impacts of insurance gap on consumers
15:23 Role of nature loss in the insurance crisis
19:16 How nature can help mitigate the insurance crisis
21:32 Recommendations for policymakers, insurers, companies, etc.
25:50 Reasons for hope
30:00 Outro
Tue, 10 Feb 2026 - 30min - 93 - Snow Leopards: Ghosts of the Mountain (2023)
Note: This episode originally aired in October 2023. Snow leopards are among the hardest animals to find in the wild, both because of how rare they are, and because their coats are adapted to provide camouflage that makes them hard to see against the rugged mountain landscape they call home. With an estimated 4,000-6,500 snow leopards remaining in the wild, conservationists have been working in snow leopard range countries across Asia to build a more stable future for these big cats. And recently, Bhutan reported some good news: the population of snow leopards in that country has increased by nearly 40% since 2016.
In this episode, you'll hear from Dechen Dorji, Senior Director for Asia on WWF's Wildlife Conservation team. He talks about the many characteristics that make snow leopards unique (5:07), the threats that have caused snow leopard populations to decline (13:01), and what we can learn from Bhutan's recent success to help snow leopards thrive across all 12 range countries they call home (17:52).
Links for More Info:
Press Release: Bhutan National Snow Leopard Survey
Tue, 27 Jan 2026 - 34min - 92 - How Sustainable Infrastructure Can Protect Nature & People
Did you know that 75% of the infrastructure the world will use in 2050 hasn't been built yet? That means the choices we make today—about roads, bridges, railways, ports, and power systems—will shape the future of both human development and the natural world.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, WWF's Ryan Bartlett, Director for Climate Resilience and Risk Management, explains how we can build the infrastructure we need without destroying the ecosystems we rely on for critical benefits, including resilience to worsening weather extremes. From habitat fragmentation to increased flooding, poorly planned infrastructure can unintentionally cause huge environmental and social problems. But with the right planning tools, safeguards, and nature-based solutions that treat nature as infrastructure, we can chart a very different path forward.
Links for More Info:
WWF Sustainable Infrastructure page
Sustainable Infrastructure Program in Asia
Greening Transportation Infrastructure Development (GRID)
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:26 Intro
1:38 Challenges and opportunities with infrastructure development
4:37 Unintended consequences from poorly planned infrastructure
8:05 Best practices to balance infrastructure with nature & climate concerns
10:58 Solutions for infrastructure bisecting wildlife habitat
15:20 Asia as a key region for sustainable infrastructure
18:30 Sustainable Infrastructure Program in Asia (SIPA)
28:53 Lessons learned from SIPA
31:07 Greening Transportation Infrastructure Development (GRID) program
34:32 What does success look like for advancing sustainable infrastructure development?
37:39 Outro
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 - 38min - 91 - Top 10 Conservation Wins of the Century (So Far)
As 2025 comes to a close, we're looking back at the 10 biggest conservation wins of the 21st century (so far). We'll revisit iconic successes like the Paris Agreement on climate, the rebound of wild tigers and giant pandas, and the creation of the Amazon Region Protected Areas Program, the largest tropical forest conservation initiative on Earth. Plus, we'll celebrate grassroots efforts like Earth Hour and the return of bison to Native lands—proof that progress is happening at every level.
If you care about wildlife, climate, and sustainability, this episode will give you hope and inspiration for the future.
Links:
Donate to support WWF's conservation mission
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:33 Intro
1:36 Rules of the Countdown
4:31 High Seas Treaty
5:57 Global Biodiversity Framework
7:06 Bison Restoration
9:27 Giant Pandas No Longer Endangered
10:43 The Paris Agreement on Climate Change
11:32 Global Response to the Poaching Crisis
12:55 Rebound of Wild Tigers
16:06 Earth Hour Launches
17:03 Creation of the Amazon Region Protected Areas (ARPA) Program
19:55 Environmentalism Goes Mainstream
Tue, 30 Dec 2025 - 22min - 90 - A Plan for More Sustainable Food (2024)
Note: This episode originally ran on October 1, 2024. If you'd like to support WWF for Giving Tuesday, visit wwf.help/tuesday.
Global food production is a key driver behind both climate change and the loss of species and ecosystems. In fact, it's responsible for roughly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions and over two-thirds of global habitat and biodiversity losses. That's because unsustainable food production too often lead to the destruction of forests, grasslands, and other ecosystems in order to produce more food. So how do we create a more sustainable food system? Joining the show today is Dr. Jason Clay, Executive Director of WWF's Markets Institute. Jason has decades of experience working with companies to find innovative ways to make their supply chains more sustainable, and today he'll be explaining his latest initiative: Codex Planetarius. In short, Codex Planetarius aims to establish global environmental standards to limit the harm caused by the production of globally traded food. The idea draws inspiration from Codex Alimentarius, the international code of health and safety standards for food established in the mid-20th century. It makes sense: If the world can adopt standards to protect human health and safety, why can't we do the same for the health and safety of the planet? In this interview, Jason explains how his career journey evolved from human rights to conservation (with help from the Grateful Dead and Ben & Jerry's along the way), and how Codex Planetarius could establish new global norms for food production that help us feed the world without destroying it.
Links for More Info:
WEB STORY: Codex Planetarius: Increasing Global Food Sustainability and Resilience
Chapters:
0:00 Programming note
1:22 Intro
3:10 Jason's background
5:14 Working with the Grateful Dead and Ben & Jerry's to save the rainforest
10:14 How the global food trade works
16:17 Codex Planetarius: global standards for sustainable food production
25:09 Paying for Codex Planetarius
30:57 How to implement the plan
41:52 Outro
Tue, 02 Dec 2025 - 42min - 89 - How Losing Vultures Led to 500,000 Human Deaths
What happens when nature's cleanup crew disappears? In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson talks with Professor Eyal Frank, an environmental economist at the University of Chicago, about his groundbreaking research on the near-extinction of vultures in India—and the devastating ripple effects on human health.
Frank explains:
Why vultures are critical for ecosystems and public health How a common painkiller triggered a collapse in vulture populations Why that collapse may have caused 500,000 additional human deaths What this teaches us about the hidden costs of biodiversity lossThis is a fascinating—and sobering—look at how species we often overlook play vital roles in our lives. Tune in to learn why protecting wildlife isn't just about saving nature—it's about saving ourselves.
Listen now and subscribe for more episodes on the connections between people and the planet.
Links for More Info:
Study: The Near Extinction of Indian Vultures Led to the Death of a Half Million People
Shocked Podcast Ep. 3: Vultures
WWF web story: Vultures as Nature's Influencers
Chapters:
0:00 Wild Guess trivia
0:32 Intro
2:16 Eyal Frank's background
4:40 Comparing attribution science in climate change v. biodiversity loss
6:27 Why are vultures important?
9:06 How Eyal learned about vulture loss in India
11:02 What happened to vultures in India?
15:50 How did vulture loss contribute to human deaths?
26:47 What were the actual causes of human deaths?
32:02 How many people died due to loss of vultures?
37:36 Lessons for policymakers and the general public
42:03 What's next for Eyal Frank?
45:02 Outro
Tue, 18 Nov 2025 - 46min - 88 - COP30's Big Idea: The Tropical Forest Forever Facility
At COP30 in Brazil, one of the most ambitious climate finance initiatives ever conceived is set to launch: the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF). This bold plan aims to flip the economics of deforestation by paying countries to keep their forests standing—rather than rewarding them for cutting them down.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, WWF's Andrew Deutz joins host Seth Larson to break down how the TFFF works, why Brazil's $1 billion commitment is a game-changer, and what makes this model so innovative. From leveraging private finance to guaranteeing benefits for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the TFFF could reshape global forest conservation—and climate finance as we know it.
Tune in to learn why COP30 is the "make-or-break" moment for the TFFF, how the facility plans to mobilize $125 billion in capital, and what this means for tropical forest countries and the fight against climate change.
Links for More Info:
Op-Ed: Finance has long failed forests - now it may save them
Press Release: WWF calls for investments in the TFFF following Brazil's catalytic announcement
Chapters:
0:00 Wild Guess trivia question
0:43 Intro
2:07 What is the TFFF?
4:22 TFFF development process
6:11 Benefits for Indigenous Peoples
10:11 COP30 expectations and next steps
14:12 How would the TFFF work in practice?
19:01 Brazil's leadership
21:57 What's in it for the private sector?
26:02 Response to TFFF critiques
31:23 One thing that everyone should know about the TFFF
33:04 Outro
Tue, 04 Nov 2025 - 33min - 87 - Spooky Species and a Green Halloween
In this Halloween bonus episode of Nature Breaking, WWF's Seth Larson and Hayley Lawton share tips for celebrating the season in a more sustainable way—from upcycled costumes and DIY decorations to creative uses for leftover pumpkin bits.
Then, things get spooky as Seth and Hayley play a game of "Guess That Spooky Species," featuring eerie animal sounds from the wild. Can you tell the difference between a raven and an owl? A bear and an alligator? Tune in and test your wildlife knowledge!
Whether you're trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, or just enjoying the spooky vibes, this episode is packed with fun and eco-friendly ideas to help you celebrate Halloween with nature in mind.
Happy Halloween from all of us at WWF!
Links for More Info:
Chapters:
0:00 Wild Guess trivia question
0:41 Intro
1:38 Seth & Hayley Halloween memories
4:09 Green Halloween Tips
7:44 Guess that "spooky species" sound
12:29 Outro
Tue, 28 Oct 2025 - 13min - 86 - The High Seas Treaty Explained: Why It Matters for Our Ocean & Beyond
Nearly half of Earth's surface lies beyond the jurisdiction of any single country—and until now, those waters have been largely unregulated. In this episode of Nature Breaking, WWF's Johan Bergenas joins host Seth Larson to unpack the newly ratified High Seas Treaty and what it means for the future of our ocean.
From illegal fishing and environmental degradation to human trafficking and unregulated resource extraction, the high seas have long been a lawless frontier. But with this treaty now in force, countries have a framework to establish marine protected areas, conduct environmental impact assessments, and collaborate on enforcement and conservation.
Johan explains how the treaty came together, what it aims to achieve, and why it's a critical step toward meeting global biodiversity goals—like protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.
Tune in to learn how this landmark agreement could reshape ocean governance and help safeguard the planet's largest ecosystem.
Links for More Info:
WWF Statement on High Seas Treaty
Chapters:
0:00 Wild Guess trivia question
0:36 Intro
1:58 Defining "the high seas"
3:21 Crime on the high seas
5:13 Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing
10:00 The High Seas Treaty
12:13 Marine Protected Areas
16:00 Next steps for the treaty
17:25 Hurdles to implementation
20:28 Why did it take this long to get a treaty?
22:02 Outro
Tue, 21 Oct 2025 - 22min - 85 - Nature Prescriptions: How Time Outdoors Can Improve Your Health
In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson speaks with Dr. Stacy Beller Stryer, Associate Medical Director of Park Rx America, about the growing movement to prescribe time in nature as a way to improve physical and mental health as a complement to modern medicine and medical techniques.
From reducing stress and anxiety to lowering blood pressure and boosting immune function, the health benefits of nature are real—and measurable. Dr. Beller Stryer explains how nature prescriptions work, why they're gaining traction in the medical community, and how anyone can start incorporating nature into their wellness routine.
Whether you live near a forest or in the heart of a city, this episode offers practical insights into how nature can support your well-being—and why protecting it is essential for public health.
Links for More Info:
WWF's Forests & Human Health page
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Wild Guess trivia question
0:38 Intro
2:10 Dr. Beller Stryer's background
4:25 What is a nature prescription?
5:30 Science behind nature-health link
8:37 How are nature prescriptions designed?
11:02 Rural vs. urban nature access
13:24 Real-world patient examples
15:27 Guidance for doctors
18:30 How can patients take action?
19:41 Closing thoughts
20:33 Outro
Tue, 30 Sep 2025 - 21min - 84 - Nature Needs Us Now: WWF's New Campaign, Explained
Nature provides countless benefits—from clean air and fresh water to raw materials for homes, medicines, and food. But nature is under threat from pollution, deforestation, poaching, and more. That's why WWF just launched a new campaign with a powerful message: Nature Needs Us Now.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with Sara Thomas, WWF's Senior Director for Marketing and Outreach, to take you behind the scenes of how the campaign came together. Sara shares the creative thinking behind the campaign's 90-second ad, "Marble," and reveals insights from WWF's 2025 Connected by Nature Report, which explores how Americans view their relationship with nature.
You'll learn why nature is more than just beautiful landscapes—it's the foundation of our health, economy, and daily lives. And you'll hear what each of us can do to protect the natural systems that sustain us.
🎧 Like, subscribe, and drop a comment to share how nature shows up in your life—and what you're doing to protect it.
Links for More Info:
2025 Connected by Nature report
Chapters:
0:00 Wild Guess trivia question – free merch giveaway!
0:23 Intro
1:58 Sara's background
3:09 How kids inspire Sara's and Seth's interest in nature
5:22 Nature Needs Us Now campaign – what is it, and why now?
7:48 "Marble" ad
9:27 Key takeaways from the ad
11:27 Messaging choices & Connected by Nature report
17:00 What actions can people take?
21:30 Outro
Credits for "The Blue Marble":
Video: © Silverback Films/WWF-UK; © WWF-UK; © Staffan Widstrand/Wild Wonders of China/WWF; © Shutterstock/Nat Sumanatemeya/WWF-UK; © monkeybusinessimages/iStock; © thedronalist/pond5; © StratfordProductions/pond5; © BananaRepublic/pond5; © sekarb/pond5; © Erik Tatevosian/iStock; © molchanovdmitry/iStock; © risingforus/pond5; © chuchart/pond5; © Stockmagical; © Localradio/pond5; © Mycreative/pond5; © uralbear/pond5; © RickRay/pond5; © Shutterstock/WF/WWF; © theundertow.ocean & @diversforclimate/pond5; © Shutterstock/Cinematic Storm Footage/WWF; © Fer Ligabue/WWF-Brazil; © mvtstockshot/pond5; © olegbadak/pond5; © FrozenAntFilms/pond5; © Bellavista/pond5; © SteadyRux/pond5;© KsenyD/pond5; © WWF-US/Zac Shamah and Chris O'Leary
Music Composed by Wishlake
Tue, 16 Sep 2025 - 22min - 83 - Back-to-School Tips for Eco-Smart Kids
Back-to-school season is here—and it's the perfect time to rethink how we pack lunches, buy supplies, and teach kids about sustainability. In this episode of Nature Breaking, hosts Seth Larson and Hayley Lawton share practical, eco-friendly tips for parents, teachers, and students to reduce waste and protect nature.
Then you'll hear an in-depth success story from Lovin Elementary School in Georgia, where educators and students have cut cafeteria food waste by over 70% with the help of WWF's Food Waste Warriors program. Gerin Hennebaul, a teacher at Lovin Elementary, joins Seth to talk through her school's journey.
From reusable lunch gear to share tables and composting, this episode is full of ideas you can bring to your own school or home. Plus, learn about WWF's Wild Classroom resources and a new grant opportunity for educators through the Green Prints for the Future initiative.
🎧 Tune in to discover how small changes can make a big impact—and how you can help raise the next generation of eco-smart kids.
Links for More Info:
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:21 Wild Guess trivia question
0:59 Intro
1:58 Seth and Hayley back to school memories
4:47 Back-to-school eco tips
9:53 WWF resources for educators
12:39 Interview with Gerin Hennebaul, a teacher involved in Food Waste Warriors
14:01 Background about Lovin Elementary School
17:00 How Lovin Elementary got started with Food Waste Warriors
22:11 Which solutions worked best to avoid food waste?
28:06 The "share table"
32:15 Composting program
33:53 Total impact of Food Waste Warriors
35:45 Closing summary
36:53 Wild Guess trivia answer
Tue, 02 Sep 2025 - 37min - 82 - Bringing Buffalo Back: A Native-Led Story of Hope and Healing
Once nearly wiped out, the plains bison, or buffalo, as they are often called by Native Americans, are returning to the Great Plains — and with them, a powerful story of cultural renewal, ecological restoration, and Indigenous leadership. In this episode of Nature Breaking, WWF's Heather Dawn Thompson (a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe) shares how Native Nations are leading efforts to restore buffalo populations, reclaim food sovereignty, and heal the land. From spiritual connections to practical conservation, this interview explores how buffalo are more than just wildlife — they are relatives, providers, and symbols of resilience.
Learn about the Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration, the role of buffalo in grassland ecosystems, and how communities are working together to bring these iconic animals home.
🎧 Listen in and be inspired by a story that's still unfolding — one rooted in tradition, science, and hope.
Links for More Info:
Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:26 Intro
2:10 Heather Dawn's background and role at WWF
7:58 History of buffalo and connection with Native Nations
10:07 Role of Heather Dawn's family in conserving buffalo
13:00 What's it like to see a buffalo in real life?
14:30 Buffalo harvest story
16:00 Connection between buffalo and healthy grasslands
20:16 Buffalo and food sovereignty for Native Nations
23:19 Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration
28:30 Biggest challenges to buffalo restoration
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 - 30min - 81 - Can Business Conserve Forests and Our Future?
In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with Linda Walker, WWF's senior director of corporate engagement for forests, to explore the urgent threats to global forests and the role of business in helping reverse current trends.
Last month, alarming new data were released showing record-breaking tropical forest loss in 2024—an 80% increase over the previous year. Forests are critical to our planet and to us as humans, so we need to double down on efforts to stop the loss of forests where possible and more responsibly manage forests that are earmarked for production. Businesses have a big role to play because 54% of the world's forests are managed either wholly or partly for the production of things like timber, pulp and paper, and furniture. This interview dives into how some companies are already making a difference, including by participating in Forests Forward—WWF's flagship program for corporate leadership on forests launched in 2021. Linda and Seth also discuss what a new report, the Forests Forward Impact Report, reveals about the program's progress and the challenges ahead.
🎧 Tune in to hear inspiring stories from the field, insights into responsible forest management, and how everyday actions—by companies and consumers—can help keep forests thriving.
Links for More Info:
BLOG: Global Forest Watch data shows alarming rate of forest loss
BLOG: To Secure our Forests, We Need Corporate Leadership Now More Than Ever
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:25 Intro
2:09 Linda's favorite forest memories
5:54 Global deforestation and the role of companies in managing forests
10:56 WWF's Forests Forward program
21:11 Impacts of the program
24:09 HP example
27:16 Interholco example
30:39 Reasons for hope
33:57 How all of us can help protect forests
36:57 Outro
Tue, 24 Jun 2025 - 37min - 80 - How to Make Nature Part of Your Summer Plans
As the school year ends and the summer season begins, it's time to think about how to integrate nature into your summer plans. In this edition of Nature Breaking's "Headlines & Trendlines" series, hosts Seth Larson and Hayley Lawton share personal stories and practical tips for weaving nature into your everyday life. From backyard camping and local wildlife refuges to dream destinations like Yosemite and the Great Barrier Reef, this episode is full of ideas that are inspiring and doable—whether you're planning a big trip or just want to make the most of your weekends.
Plus, we'd love to hear from you! What are your favorite ways to connect with nature during the summer? Drop a comment or email us at news@wwfus.org.
Listen in and get inspired to make this your most nature-filled summer yet.
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:26 Intro
2:00 Seth & Hayley's childhood nature experiences
6:27 Simple ways to connect with nature close to home
10:20 Bucket-list nature destinations
12:39 Outro
Tue, 10 Jun 2025 - 13min - 79 - How Coastal Communities Are Protecting Ocean Life
Ahead of World Oceans Day and the UN Ocean Conference, this episode of Nature Breaking explores how local communities are leading the charge in ocean conservation. Join host Seth Larson and WWF's Shauna Mahajan as they dive into the challenges and opportunities facing the Western Indian Ocean seascape—from climate change and overfishing to innovative community-led solutions.
Shauna shares inspiring stories of how coastal communities in places like Tanzania and Madagascar are using tools like microfinance and co-management to protect marine ecosystems, support sustainable development, and build climate resilience. Learn how the open-source tool Elinor is helping track and improve conservation governance, and why community-led conservation is key to achieving global goals like the 30x30 target.
📌 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share to support ocean conservation!
Links for More Info:
Southwest Indian Ocean Seascape
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:24 Intro
1:56 Shauna's background
3:51 Western Indian Ocean seascape
6:46 Ingredients for successful community-led ocean initiatives
14:44 Elinor monitoring tool
20:47 The need for sustainable finance
26:30 UN Ocean Conference
28:09 Closing thoughts
29:47 Outro
Tue, 27 May 2025 - 30min - 78 - The Clean Energy Dilemma: Mining's Impact on Nature
Accelerating the use of clean energy technologies like solar panels and electric vehicles is essential to meet global climate goals. But doing so will require dramatically increasing the global supply of copper, cobalt, lithium and graphite that play critical roles in the production of solar cells, magnets for turbines, and EV batteries. And a significant way to get those materials is through mining. That poses a potential risk to nature. In order to better understand that risk and develop strategies to balance the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure with the conservation of natural habitats, WWF commissioned a new study on the impact of mining for energy transition minerals on nature globally.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson interviews Colin Meehan, WWF's senior director for renewable energy transitions. Colin led the development of this new study, and he shares key insights about the choices we need to make to meet global climate goals while also keeping nature intact and protecting communities.
Links for More Info:
WWF Report: Critical Minerals at a Critical Moment
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:17 Intro
2:05 Colin's background
3:36 How much mining will be needed for a clean energy future?
6:03 Impact of mining for clean energy materials vs. mining for fossil fuels
7:03 Impact of critical minerals mining on nature
11:25 Strategies to mitigate impacts on nature
16:06 Surprising findings in the report
19:55 How to balance concerns around mining impacts with the urgency of climate change
25:41 Outro
Tue, 13 May 2025 - 26min - 77 - Food Waste Solutions: Expert Tips to Keep Food Out of Landfills and Save Money
This episode explores the critical issue of food waste and its impact on our planet. Join host Seth Larson as he speaks with Pete Pearson, vice president for food loss and waste at the World Wildlife Fund, about the staggering amount of food wasted globally and its connection to environmental degradation. Discover innovative solutions and initiatives aimed at reducing food waste, including the Food Waste Warriors program in schools, the Hotel Kitchen project, and the US Food Waste Pact. Learn practical tips on how you can minimize food waste in your own home and contribute to a more sustainable future. Don't miss this insightful conversation that highlights the importance of every action we take to preserve our natural world.
Links for More Info:
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:21 Intro
2:03 Food waste basics
4:27 Food Waste Warriors programs in schools
12:02 Hotel Kitchen program
19:13 US Food Waste Pact
25:25 Tips to stop food waste in your home
32:28 Federal and state policy support for food waste initiatives
37:24 Food waste reduction goals for the future
42:20 Outro
Tue, 29 Apr 2025 - 43min - 76 - Give an Hour for Earth: Small Actions for Big Impact on Earth Day
Join hosts Seth Larson and Hayley Lawton in this special Earth Day episode of Nature Breaking. Discover how simple actions can make a big impact on our planet. Seth and Hayley share their personal experiences participating in WWF's "Give an Hour for Earth" campaign, offering practical ideas for how you can get involved. From jogging in nature to reducing food waste, learn how you can contribute to WWF's goal of banking 125,000 hours by April 30th. Tune in for inspiring stories, easy tips, and a deeper appreciation for Earth Day and Earth Month.
Links for More Info:
WWF's Give an Hour for Earth Campaign
Webby Awards - Vote for Nature Breaking!
Chapters:
0:00 Webby Awards update
0:40 Intro
2:50 Childhood memories of Earth Day
5:26 Give an Hour for Earth activities
11:05 How small actions can make a big difference
13:56 Outro
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 - 14min - 75 - Transforming the Leather Industry to Combat Deforestation
Today's episode highlights a new initiative that aims to reduce the environmental footprint of leather production. Leather, as we all know, is sourced from cattle. And right now, cattle ranching for both beef and leather production is a major driver of deforestation, particularly in biomes such as the Amazon, Cerrado and Gran Chaco. In Brazil, for example, cattle ranching drives twice as much deforestation as the production of soy, palm oil, and wood products combined. It's a major problem that we need to overcome if we're going to save critical ecosystems, conserve species, and secure a stable future for our planet.
That's where the Deforestation-Free Leather Fund comes in. This new initiative, launched by WWF in March, gives companies that use leather in their products a chance to make a difference. This episode features an interview with the leader of that initiative, Fernando Bellese, about what exactly he hopes the fund will achieve. Companies or individuals interested in joining this effort can get more information in the links below.
Links for More Info:
Deforestation-Free Leather Fund
BLOG: Leather Now Has a New Role: Helping to Prevent Deforestation
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:31 Intro
2:04 Fernando's background
4:19 Difference between sustainable vs. unsustainable leather
8:10 Why is a fund needed?
13:50 How the fund works
28:21 Why should companies get involved?
31:27 How can consumers help?
34:25 Outro
Tue, 01 Apr 2025 - 35min - 74 - Monarch Butterflies: Their Epic Migration & Hope for a Species in Decline
Each year, millions of migratory eastern monarch butterflies embark on a breathtaking 3,000-mile migration from North America to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, where they hibernate in the towering Oyamel fir forests. But this iconic species is in trouble. WWF's research conducted with conservation partners since the early 2000s shows that the eastern monarch population has been trending downward for years. And while the latest report released by WWF and the Government of Mexico found that the population nearly doubled during the 2024-2025 winter, this latest finding is still far below the long-term average.
In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson speaks with Court Whelan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Natural Habitat Adventures, about the wonders of the monarch's migration, the threats they face, and the conservation efforts bringing hope for their future. Discover how you can help protect these incredible pollinators, from planting native milkweed to utilizing your own personal "superpower" to advance conservation efforts. Join us for an inspiring conversation that highlights why monarchs are worth saving and what we can all do to ensure their survival.
Links for More Info:Court Whelan bio
WWF: Eastern monarch butterfly population nearly doubles in 2025
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:15 Intro
1:58 Court's backstory
4:53 Monarch migration
13:42 Inside an expedition to the monarch's winter home in Mexico
16:45 A "snow globe" of monarchs
23:10 Threats to monarchs
24:48 Why should we care about saving monarchs?
30:37 Hope for the future of monarchs
33:14 Outro
Tue, 18 Mar 2025 - 34min - 73 - Inspiring Wildlife Comebacks: Snow leopards, mountain gorillas & black rhinos
In this special World Wildlife Day episode of Nature Breaking's "Headlines & Trendlines" series, hosts Seth Larson and Hayley Lawton share uplifting conservation success stories that prove we can make a difference for endangered species.
Discover how mountain gorillas have rebounded from critically endangered to endangered status with populations now exceeding 1,000 in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Learn about Bhutan's remarkable 40% increase in snow leopard numbers—these elusive "Ghosts of the Mountain" are making a comeback thanks to strategic conservation efforts. We also explore how cutting-edge AI technology and camera traps are helping monitor wildlife recovery after Australia's devastating 2020 bushfires, and how black rhinos have grown from just 2,400 to over 6,000 animals through targeted conservation initiatives.
These success stories demonstrate that while many species face threats from habitat loss and poaching, collaborative conservation work is creating real impact. Join us to celebrate these wildlife victories and find hope for our planet's biodiversity.
Links for More Info:
International Gorilla Conservation Program
Snow leopard conservation in Bhutan
AI & camera traps in Australia
Black rhino conservation study
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:16 Intro
1:45 Seth & Hayley's bucket list animals to see in the wild
4:07 Mountain gorillas
7:02 Snow leopards
10:27 Ghosts of the Mountain
11:59 How AI & camera traps helped identify wildlife after Australia's bushfire in 2020
14:36 Black rhinos
17:56 Hayley's black rhino encounter story
19:18 Closing reflections on World Wildlife Day
21:32 Outro
Tue, 04 Mar 2025 - 22min - 72 - COP16 in Rome: Financing nature's future
Last fall, the United Nations convened a major bi-annual conference focused on protecting the world's biodiversity – that's the vast array of animals, plants, waters, and other natural systems that sustain our planet and our very existence. The conference, known formally as the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP16 for short, succeeded on some fronts. But it fell short in other areas, and left some critical work unfinished. In particular, the conference ended without an agreement about how the nations of the world will finance the work that needs to happen to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. So next week, the conference will reconvene in Rome, Italy, to resume those negotiations and hopefully nail down a plan to raise the funds required for nature's future.
Today's episode features a conversation with Andrew Deutz, WWF's managing director for global policy and partnerships. Andrew is an expert on conservation finance and he'll walk through the key issues facing negotiators as COP16 resumes.
Links for More Info:
REPORT: "Financing Nature: Closing the Global Biodiversity Financing Gap"
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:21 Intro
2:06 Refresher on COP16 in Colombia
4:01 Progress for Indigenous peoples
5:08 Progress on nature targets
6:28 New fund for digital sequence information
9:45 Disagreements on finance plan
13:16 How much money do we need to protect nature?
20:37 Where will nature funding come from?
22:09 Key hurdles for negotiators in Rome
27:36 What's at stake for people in these negotiations?
30:24 Outro
Tue, 18 Feb 2025 - 31min - 71 - LA Wildfires: A disaster management expert on rebuilding after a tragedy
Last month a series of wildfires spread across communities in Los Angeles and left a trail of destruction in their wake. Tens of thousands of people were forced to evacuate their neighborhoods. Over 15,000 homes and other structures were burned. And at least two dozen people were killed. It's well documented that climate change contributes to making fires like these worse. And it also exacerbates other hazards like droughts, floods, and storms. So what can local leaders in LA and in other communities in the US and around the world do in the wake of these extreme events to address systemic risks and proactively reduce catastrophic disasters? Today you'll hear from Anita van Breda, WWF's senior director for environment and disaster management. Anita has decades of experience working with communities affected by natural hazards, and she'll share her insights on disaster risk management and recovery in the wake of this most recent tragedy in LA.
Links for More Info:
Web Story: What the 2004 tsunami taught us about disaster recovery
Op-Ed: Why there is no such thing as a "natural" disaster
Nature & Nature-Based Flood Management Guide
Green Recovery & Risk Reduction
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:21 Intro
2:03 Lessons from the 2004 tsunami
5:09 Factors that contributed to LA wildfires
8:16 Disaster recovery tips for LA and other communities
11:49 Role of nature in disaster prevention and recovery
18:19 Parting advice to community leaders
21:10 Outro
Tue, 04 Feb 2025 - 21min - 70 - 2024 conservation wins: bison, tigers & more
We're kicking off the new year with another edition of Nature Breaking's "Headlines & Trendlines." Seth is joined once again by Hayley Lawton as they count down four of their favorite conservation wins from 2024: major progress for bison restoration, a commitment to raise $1 billion to save wild tigers, innovations in "environmental DNA" that could change the way we approach conservation, and the first-ever photograph of a rare bird species. They'll also close with a discussion of what they're most excited about heading into 2025.
Links for More Info:
Web Story: Conservation Highlights of 2024
Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration
Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Preview
0:12 Intro
1:36 Personal milestones in 2024
3:42 Bison restoration
5:54 Raising funds to save wild tigers
7:50 Environmental DNA
10:49 New Britain Goshawk photo
12:16 Things to watch in 2025
14:41 Outro
Tue, 07 Jan 2025 - 15min - 69 - Plastic Pollution: UN treaty talks and corporate action
A major UN conference to negotiate a global treaty on plastic pollution just ended without an agreement. But efforts may resume in 2025 to get a treaty over the finish line. In this two-part episode, you'll hear first from Erin Simon, WWF's vice president for plastic waste and business, about what happened at that conference in Korea (known as INC-5) and what comes next for the global fight against plastic pollution. Then, in Part 2, you'll hear from Sheila Bonini, WWF's senior vice president for private-sector engagement; and Kevin Keane, president and CEO of American Beverage (ABA) – the trade association representing the nation's non-alcoholic beverage industry. Sheila and Kevin's teams have been working together for the last five years to find different ways to achieve material circularity – which means that all the plastic, as well as other materials like aluminum, that get used are collected and remade into new products. Sheila and Kevin will tell us about what's working, what hurdles still remain, and how they plan to advance their mission regardless of whether a global plastics treaty gets adopted.
Links for More Info:
WWF Statement on INC-5 Outcome
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:24 Intro
2:22 Refresher on UN treaty process
5:39 Consensus as a weapon
8:52 What happened at INC-5
11:55 WWF's 4 "must-haves" in a final treaty
13:53 Stumbling blocks in negotiations
17:26 Conclusion of negotiations
23:05 What happens next?
26:27 Role for companies
31:28 Interlude, Part 2 begins
33:07 Explaining the American Beverage Association
34:41 Why does ABA want to address plastic pollution?
38:08 WWF-ABA partnership
41:41 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies
46:54 Consumer awareness
48:39 ABA's EPR principles
54:39 Building consumer confidence about recycling
56:30 Lessons for other industries
59:17 Plastic pollution is a bipartisan policy issue
01:02:41 WWF-ABA Lessons Learned
01:07:12 Outro
Tue, 10 Dec 2024 - 1h 07min - 68 - Avoiding food waste on Thanksgiving (2022)
Ahead of this year's Thanksgiving holiday, today's episode revisits a conversation we originally recorded in 2022 about avoiding food waste when you get together to cook those turkeys and side dishes. This topic matters because some 316 million pounds of food is expected to go to waste this Thanksgiving alone. And when we waste food, we also waste all the water, land, and energy that went into producing it. Alex Nichols-Vinueza, WWF's director of food loss & waste, joins this episode to explain how our food system ends up wasting an estimated 40% of food produced globally (1:20). He then talks about how this problem manifests on Thanksgiving (8:07), and shares some simple steps that people can take to prevent food from going to waste during the holidays (9:04). Last, Alex talks about how schools and businesses can be partners in limiting food waste (11:52), and how changes in federal policies could drive nationwide improvements (15:30).
Links for More Info:
BLOG: Serving Up Tips for a Waste Free Thanksgiving
How schools can become Food Waste Warriors
Industry Coalition Supports the Food Date Labeling Act
Tue, 26 Nov 2024 - 21min - 67 - COP29 and the state of climate finance
This week marks the start of the annual UN climate conference, known as COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan. COP29 is being dubbed the "finance COP" because one of the main focuses of this year's conference will be to set a new goal for global climate finance and to lay out a plan for achieving it. The last time countries set a climate finance goal was 2009, at COP15 in Copenhagen, where wealthy nations committed to provide $100 billion annually to help developing nations deal with climate change. 15 years after the $100 billion target was established, we now know a lot more about the effects of climate change and how much it costs to address. Estimates vary on how much funding is now needed, but suffice to say that it's a lot higher than we thought it was back in 2009. So, where will this funding come from? And what's a reasonable new goal for countries to work toward in the years ahead? Joining me today to talk through these and other questions is Tim Juliani, WWF's director of US corporate climate engagement. Tim is a veteran of previous climate COPs and he'll tell us what he's keeping an eye on heading into Baku.
Links for more info:
Tim Juliani bio: https://www.worldwildlife.org/experts/tim-juliani
WWF's COP29 Expectations Paper: https://wwfint.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/cop29_expectations_24oct24.pdf
Tim Juliani's Substack, "Yet Another Climate Substack": https://timjuliani.substack.com/
Chapters:
0:00 Program note
1:07 Intro
3:00 COP29 context in global process
4:59 COP15 in Copenhagen story
7:02 Definition of NDCs and stocktake
7:43 COP29 is the "finance COP"
10:17 Climate finance challenges
14:04 Finance goals at COP29
16:55 Role of companies
24:53 Goals for NDCs at COP29
28:07 Closing call to action
29:46 Outro
Tue, 12 Nov 2024 - 30min - 66 - Hurricanes, Nature Funding, & Pygmy Hippos
Today, rather than interviewing a WWF expert in-dept on a specific topic, we're trying something new. Seth will be joined by Hayley Lawton from WWF's social media team for something we're calling: Headlines & Trendlines. You'll hear Seth and Hayley briefly summarize some recent news articles and talk about what they mean for climate and nature. This week they discuss two big issues that are driving headlines: this year's devastating hurricane season, and the ongoing UN biodiversity conference. They also touch on the recent pygmy hippo craze that had everyone on Earth talking about baby Moo Deng.
Links for More Info: New York Times, A Tale of Two Hurricanes Finds More That Differs Than Is the Same: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/13/us/hurricane-milton-helene-florida-north-carolina.html
Vox, We need $700 billion to save nature: https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/378249/cop16-biodiversity-finance-gap-seven-hundred-billion
WWF pygmy hippo facts: https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/why-are-pygmy-hippos-so-small-and-6-other-pygmy-hippo-facts
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:27 Intro
2:25 Hayley introduces herself
4:10 NY Times hurricane article
5:56 Hayley & Seth react to recent hurricanes
9:28 Vox nature finance article
10:36 $700b is a lot of money
12:28: COP16 outcomes
13:25 Moo Deng and pygmy hippo facts
15:23 Outro
Tue, 29 Oct 2024 - 16min - 65 - Could CBD COP16 be a turning point for nature?
Next week global leaders will convene in Cali, Colombia for an important meeting: the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16). You're probably more familiar with the climate COP that happens every year, but the biodiversity COP is a critical forum for addressing the loss of nature. Two years ago, at COP15 in Montreal, the nations of the world agreed to a new Global Biodiversity Framework, which set a goal to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Next week's meeting in Colombia is the first opportunity to take stock of progress and commit to implementation at scale.
Joining the show today to tell us more about COP16 and what's at stake is Lucía Ruiz, WWF's director for conservation areas. Lucía will be attending the conference in Colombia next week and is going to help us understand what needs to happen, and what success looks like, at this important meeting.
Links for More Info:
Lucía Ruiz bio: https://www.worldwildlife.org/experts/lucia-ruiz-bustos
CBD COP16 explainer: https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/the-convention-on-biological-diversity-cop16-and-the-grand-plan-for-life-on-earth
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:29 Intro
2:17 Lucía's background and personal story
6:54 History of the Convention on Biological Diversity
12:10 Importance of CBD COPs
13:59 Context for CBD COP16
17:20 What happened at CBD COP15 in 2022?
22:22 Explaining the 30x30 target
27:36 Role of PFPs
28:27 State of play heading into COP16
33:26 What does success look like?
36:11 Fun facts about Colombia
39:28 Outro
Tue, 15 Oct 2024 - 39min - 64 - Living Planet Report reveals catastrophic wildlife decline
In today's special bonus episode of Nature Breaking you'll hear all about WWF's 2024 Living Planet Report. This bi-annual report functions as a check-up on the health of the Earth. Underpinning the report is the Living Planet Index, which monitors populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish around the world. This year the report found that monitored wildlife populations declined by an average of 73% since 1970. Importantly, this year's report also reveals that the Earth stands on the verge of tipping points for tropical forests and coral reefs that could have severe consequences for people and nature everywhere.
Joining the show to explain the Living Planet Report is Dr. Rebecca Shaw, WWF's chief scientist. Rebecca will walk us through the methodology of the report, what its key findings really mean for wildlife and ecosystems, and what we all can do together to put our planet on a more sustainable pathway.
Links for More Info:
Rebecca Shaw bio: https://www.worldwildlife.org/experts/rebecca-shaw
2024 Living Planet Report: worldwildlife.org/livingplanetreport
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:23 Intro
2:09 LPR basics & key findings
4:42 Reasons for wildlife decline
5:51 Why should we care?
7:55 Tipping points explainer
10:21 Amazon rain forest tipping point
12:22 Rebecca's story about living in the Amazon
13:49 Amazon tipping point continued
14:54 LPR species example: parrotfish
18:09 History of the LPR
20:56 How to reverse the loss of wildlife and nature
28:12 Message to leaders at CBD COP16
32:58 Outro
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 - 33min - 63 - A plan for more sustainable food
Global food production is a key driver behind both climate change and the loss of species and ecosystems. In fact, it's responsible for roughly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions and over two-thirds of global habitat and biodiversity losses. That's because unsustainable food production too often leads to the destruction of forests, grasslands, and other ecosystems in order to produce more food. So how do we create a more sustainable food system? Joining the show today is Dr. Jason Clay, Executive Director of WWF's Markets Institute. Jason has decades of experience working with companies to find innovative ways to make their supply chains more sustainable, and today he'll be explaining his latest initiative: Codex Planetarius. In short, Codex Planetarius aims to establish global environmental standards to limit the harm caused by the production of globally traded food. The idea draws inspiration from Codex Alimentarius, the international code of health and safety standards for food established in the mid-20th century. It makes sense: If the world can adopt standards to protect human health and safety, why can't we do the same for the health and safety of the planet? In this interview, Jason explains how his career journey evolved from human rights to conservation (with help from the Grateful Dead and Ben & Jerry's along the way), and how Codex Planetarius could establish new global norms for food production that help us feed the world without destroying it.
Links for More Info:
Jason Clay bio: https://www.worldwildlife.org/experts/jason-clay
Codex Planetarius homepage: https://codexplanetarius.org/
WEB STORY: Codex Planetarius: Increasing Global Food Sustainability and Resilience: https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/codex-planetarius-increasing-global-food-sustainability-and-resilience
Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:21 Intro
2:09 Jason's childhood
4:13 Saving the rain forest with the Grateful Dead and Ben & Jerry's
8:08 Tracy Chapman story
9:13 How the global food system works
12:06 Sustainable vs. unsustainable food production
15:16 Codex Planetarius basics
17:56 Growth of the global food trade
21:05 Limits of voluntary standards
24:08 How to pay for Codex Planetarius
28:59 How to implement Codex Planetarius
35:58 Addressing cost concerns
38:49 What comes next?
40:51 Outro
Tue, 01 Oct 2024 - 41min - 62 - Why We Should Care About The Amazon Rain Forest (2023)
Note: This interview was originally published on September 5, 2023. It's being re-released with a new intro for Amazon Day 2024. To our new subscribers: thanks and welcome!
September 5 is World Amazon Day, and we're celebrating with an episode about the many things that make the Amazon rain forest so special. For example, did you know that the Amazon is the largest rain forest in the world? It covers an area nearly the size of the entire continental United States, and it's home to about one in 10 known species on Earth. It also helps stabilize the local and global climate. But it also faces challenges from deforestation, climate change, and more. In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Meg Symington, WWF's vice president for the Amazon. Meg talks about how she first fell in love with the rain forest (3:11), why the Amazon matters so much to both local communities and the world at large (4:59), the many threats it faces (7:40), and what solutions are needed to keep it intact for future generations (14:08). Later, for our Supporters Sound Off segment, you'll hear from Marianne Spindel, a WWF Hero from Florida, about what inspires her passion for nature (25:40).
Links for More Info:
2023 Thomas Lovejoy Science for Nature Symposium
Tue, 10 Sep 2024 - 29min - 61 - Pakistan's 2022 Floods Were a Climate Catastrophe
Today's episode revisits the climate catastrophe that hit Pakistan two years ago this month in the form of historic floods. In July and August of 2022, Pakistan received nearly double its typical rainfall nationwide, with some localized areas receiving over four times the usual amount. Simply put, the water had nowhere to go. A third of the country was submerged underwater. Two million homes were destroyed and four million acres of agricultural land were ruined. Millions were left without access to drinking water, and the loss of crops led to food shortages. It was a humanitarian disaster of the highest order. In today's interview you'll hear from Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General of WWF Pakistan. Hammad talks about the impacts of the 2022 floods (2:33), and how a new initiative called Recharge Pakistan aims to make his country more resilient to future flood events (11:09).
Links for More Info:
Tue, 20 Aug 2024 - 30min - 60 - Breaking Waves Ep. 6: The government's role in oceans
In this episode of WWF's Breaking Waves podcast, Johan speaks with US Representative Jimmy Panetta of California's 19th Congressional district. The Congressman discusses the beauty and bounty of his district, emphasizing the balance needed between economic growth and environmental preservation. The conversation covers stressors such as fishing regulations, renewable energy projects like offshore wind, and bipartisan efforts as key to advancing pragmatic environmental policies amidst political challenges.
Tue, 13 Aug 2024 - 24min - 59 - Asian Elephants Need Our Help
Ahead of World Elephant Day on August 12, today's episode is all about Asian elephants. Did you know that there are actually three different kinds of elephants? Our planet is home to Asian elephants, African savanna elephants, and African forest elephants. You'll learn more about the difference between these species today, but for starters, Asian elephants and African forest elephants are slightly smaller than their savanna brethren. And Asian elephants are the most endangered of the three species. Asian elephant populations have decreased from some 100,000 at the start of the 20th century to under 50,000 today.
On today's episode, you'll hear from Nilanga Jayasinghe, WWF's manager of Asian species conservation, about the features that make Asian elephants unique (2:27), the threats they currently face (7:14), and how a new initiative called Elly Allies aims address them – focusing specifically on driving progress in Southeast Asia and China (24:04).
Links for More Info:
WWF Asian Elephants page: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/asian-elephant
Nilanga Jayasinghe bio: https://www.worldwildlife.org/experts/nilanga-jayasinghe
Elly Allies blog post: https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/tackling-critical-threats-facing-asian-elephants
Tue, 06 Aug 2024 - 36min - 58 - Breaking Waves Ep. 5: Diplomacy, development, and the economy of oceans
Diplomacy and business have a big impact on our environment, particularly our oceans. On this episode of Breaking Waves, Johan speaks with Sanda Ojiambo, the CEO of the United Nations Global Compact, on the challenges and opportunities of sustainable ocean business practices. They touch on how the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) influence the ocean industry (1:23), how marine renewable energy sources like offshore wind can scale with an eye toward environmental justice (7:30), and the importance of small actions in achieving global impact for ocean conservation (19:54).
Links for More Info:
UNDP Blog: What is a Just Transition?
Tue, 30 Jul 2024 - 23min - 57 - A climate scientist explains recent heat records
This has been a year of record temperatures across the globe. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), June 2024 was the warmest June on record and the 13th consecutive month of record-high temperatures. This follows news from the Copernicus Climate Change Service that we recently experienced a 12-month period in which every month was at least 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial temperatures. That's significant not just because it felt a little hotter for all of us, but because climate scientists have identified 1.5 degrees Celsius as a critical global warming threshold to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. To be clear, this doesn't mean the fight against climate change is lost. But the extreme heat impacting billions of people this summer is providing a preview of what might lie ahead if we don't take aggressive action.
Today's episode features a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Roe, WWF's Global Climate and Energy Lead Scientist. Stephanie explains the role that climate change plays in driving heat waves (2:02), what key indicators she's following to determine just how bad heat-related climate impacts have gotten (5:18), and what we can all do in our daily lives to address climate change and adapt to extreme heat (14:05).
Links for More Info:
NOAA Monthly Climate Report, June 2024
Copernicus Climate Change Service
2024 State of Carbon Dioxide Removal Report
US Energy Department guide to IRA tax credits
Tue, 23 Jul 2024 - 26min - 56 - Breaking Waves Ep. 4: Corporate sustainability and the oceans
What responsibility do global businesses have in conserving our oceans? In this episode, Johan is joined by Marika McCauley-Sine, Chief Sustainability Officer for Mars Petcare, WWF partner and the first global pet food company to publicly commit to sustainable seafood sourcing over 15 years ago. They discuss the challenges of responsible fish sourcing (3:22), Mars's endeavors in coral reef restoration (6:51), and the importance of leadership in cross-sector collaboration to engage consumers on environmental conservation efforts (11:30).
Links for More Info:
Mars Sheba - Hope Reef Documentary
Tue, 16 Jul 2024 - 25min - 55 - Behind the scenes with a seaweed farmer
Today's episode features two people who recently teamed up to tell an important story. The topic? Seaweed farming. Seaweed has all sorts of amazing applications, from feeding people to livestock, and even as a replacement for some plastic packaging. Expanding its market share in those areas could reduce the world's reliance on land- and energy-intensive agricultural practices because seaweed farming requires no land, freshwater, fertilizer, or pesticides. And seaweed is also good for sea life, because it absorbs carbon and produces nutrients beneficial to fish and other species.
But what does it really mean to be a seaweed farmer? That's the story that today's guests are helping to tell. Dr. Ana Borrero is a hatchery manager at Seaweed Solutions, a seaweed farming company based in Norway. And Jeff Siebert is the founder and creative director of Bananabones, a video production company based in the US. WWF recently commissioned Jeff to produce a series of short films called "Portrait of a Seaweed Farmer." Each film follows a single farmer and tells the story of their journey into the seaweed farming industry and what their work entails each day. Ana was one of the featured individuals.
In this episode hear what it's like to produce a docu-series focused on the seaweed industry (2:04), what Ana's experience has been like as a seaweed farmer (6:00), and how she hopes her work will contribute to a better future for her children (19:47).
Links for More Info: Portrait of a Seaweed Farmer: https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/portrait-of-a-seaweed-farmer
Dr. Ana Borrero & Seaweed Solutions: https://seaweedsolutions.com/the-team
Jeff Siebert & Bananabones: https://www.hellobananabones.com/story
Tue, 09 Jul 2024 - 26min - 54 - Breaking Waves Ep. 3: The Geopolitics of Oceans
In this episode of Breaking Waves, Johan interviews Admiral Tim Gallaudet to discuss the complex intersections of ocean health, maritime competition, and national security within the context of geopolitics. Key topics include his three-dimensional approach to ocean geopolitics—economic (blue economy), national security, and environmental conservation (1:58), how the US is countering the challenges of IUU (illegal, unreported, and unregulated) fishing (14:23), and the importance of international alliances in ensuring stability in a warming Arctic (18:28).
LINKS:
Foreign Affairs: Fish Wars by Sarah Glaser and Tim Gallaudet
Tue, 02 Jul 2024 - 29min - 53 - Saving the black-footed ferrets of North America (and prairie dogs too!)
Black-footed ferrets are among the most endangered mammals in North America. These animals live in the prairies of the Great Plains, and only about 390 of them remain in the wild today. That's actually up significantly from decades past, when they were once believed to be extinct. But big threats remain in the form of habitat loss and a non-native disease called sylvatic plague, which affects the ferrets as well as the prairie dogs that they rely on for food and prairie dog burrows for shelter. The ongoing effort to save both black-footed ferrets and prairie dogs has brought together experts from WWF, Fort Belknap Indian Community, local conservation agencies in Montana, and students from the Aaniiih and Nakoda College. Joining the show today to discuss this work are Kristy Bly, WWF's black-footed ferrets restoration manager, and Tevin Messerly, a biologist with the Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department. Kristy and Tevin give a rundown of all the basic facts you need to know about black-footed ferrets (1:39), what strategies they are pursuing to save them (10:46), and what it looks like to deploy those strategies in the field (13:12).
LINKS:
WWF's Black-Footed Ferrets page
PBS Wild Hope Episode: America's BFF
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 - 30min - 52 - Breaking Waves Ep. 2: How Marine Protected Areas can help communities and ecosystems
Welcome to Breaking Waves, a 6-episode limited series from WWF's Nature Breaking podcast. In this episode Johan Bergenas talks with Dr. Enric Sala, Explorer-in-Residence at National Geographic, and Dr. Gabby Ahmadia, WWF's VP of Area-Based Ocean Conservation on the ecological and economic benefits of well-managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Both have extensive experience implementing and studying MPAs, including "no-take" areas (which prohibit all fishing and other extractive activity) and "multi-use" areas (which allow for regulated activities, including some forms of extraction and recreation, in designated zones). They discuss the rapid positive impacts on tourism of MPAs (4:19), the need for equitable and inclusive practices in MPAs (17:35), and how to overcome financial challenges associated with these strategies (21:00).
LINKS:
Project Finance for Permanence
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 - 31min - 51 - Environmental Justice and Climate Action Are Bound Together
As we approach the upcoming Juneteenth holiday, today's episode is about environmental justice. You've probably heard that term before, but in short, it refers to the notion that underserved and historically underrepresented communities with higher populations of black, indigenous, and other peoples of color, have born a disproportionate share of the impacts from climate change and environmental degradation. And over the last few decades there's been a growing movement to address that disparity head on, by raising awareness, engaging companies and other actors that contribute to localized environmental harm, and by changing federal, state and local policies to ensure better outcomes. Joining the show to talk more about this is Carlos Claussell Velez, WWF's manager for climate, DEI, and environmental justice. Carlos explains how his upbringing in Puerto Rico led to a passion for environmental justice (1:41), what climate and environmental justice really means for communities on the front lines of these issues (5:00), and what steps the US government has taken in recent years to embed the notion of justice for communities in climate action plans (12:45).
LINKS:
BLOG: Unleashing Change: Federal Climate Investments Driving Community Benefits
Renewable Thermal Collaborative
Tue, 11 Jun 2024 - 28min - 50 - Breaking Waves Ep. 1: AI for Oceans
Welcome to Breaking Waves, a 6-episode limited series from WWF's Nature Breaking podcast. In this episode of Breaking Waves, WWF's Senior Vice President of Ocean Conservation, Johan Bergenas, talks with Bill Hilf, Chairman of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, about the progression and potential of AI for ocean conservation. Johan and Bill dive into AI's role in enhancing ocean health by leveraging big data and predictive models (16:27), the challenges of sustainable funding (18:44), and the risk of energy consumption presented by AI (23:26).
LINKS:
Allen Institute for AITue, 04 Jun 2024 - 27min - 49 - Wild Tigers: Decline, restoration, & how to sustain their comeback
Today's episode focuses on the latest efforts to conserve wild tigers. After a century of decline, tiger populations began to rebound in the last decade, growing from just 3,200 in 2010 to over 5,500 today. But tigers are still an endangered species. So what are the most important steps we can take to keep tiger populations trending upward? That was the topic of the recent Sustainable Financing for Tiger Landscapes Conference in Bhutan. As the title suggests, one of the biggest hurdles facing tiger conservation is funding. Simply put, countries with wild tigers need more reliable, long-term sources of funding to continue implementing conservation measures at the scale required. Today you'll hear from someone who attended that summit: Jenny Roberts, Director of Development and Communications for WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative. Jenny provides an update on the current status of wild tigers (2:00), shares the key outcomes from the tiger conference in Bhutan (20:35), and explains what global leaders need to do next to secure a future for these iconic big cats (26:55).
LINKS:
Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Summit
Tue, 28 May 2024 - 30min - 48 - Introducing Breaking Waves
Breaking Waves is a new 6-episode limited series that will run on the Nature Breaking feed throughout the summer of 2024. Join host Johan Bergenas, WWF's senior vice president for oceans, as he interviews outside experts on a range of ocean-related topics. You'll hear episodes about how we effectively manage marine protected areas, how new kinds of partnerships are advancing ocean conservation, what the AI revolution means for the open seas, and more. Episodes will run every other week beginning on Tuesday, June 4. Regular episodes of Nature Breaking will continue on opposite weeks.
Tue, 21 May 2024 - 01min - 47 - The Amazon Rainforest: Celebrating 10 Years of ARPA for Life
Today's episode celebrates an important milestone: the 10th anniversary of the largest tropical forest conservation program on Earth. It's called the Amazon Region Protected Areas Program for Life, or ARPA for Life, for short. And since 2014 it has helped provide the resources required to protect 150 million acres of the Brazilian Amazon, an area larger than the state of California. The Amazon rainforest is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, containing about 1 in 10 of all known species. It also stores an abundance of carbon, and regulates regional weather as the moisture from the forest contributes to rainfall in one of the most important agricultural regions in the world. In short, we all have a stake in keeping the Amazon rainforest vibrant and intact. And ARPA for Life is the single biggest initiative attempting to do that. Joining the show today to reflect on 10 years of ARPA for Life is Dr. Mariana Ferreira, Director of Strategy for WWF-Brazil. Mariana shares some of the history behind the creation of ARPA for Life (2:35), how it has endured political challenges presented by changes in the Brazilian government (10:34), and how it has benefitted people, biodiversity, and the climate through its first 10 years (16:41).
LINKS:Dr. Mariana Ferreira bio
Tue, 14 May 2024 - 22min - 46 - How Congress Can Protect Forests
Today's episode is about a piece of legislation currently pending in the US Congress that could make a big difference for global forest conservation: the FOREST Act. This bill would create new requirements and incentives for companies to ensure that the products they import into the US are not associated with illegal deforestation. This matters now more than ever because forests are a critical ally in our global fight against climate change and biodiversity loss, and because we're still losing forests like the Amazon far too quickly. Last year we lost about 10 soccer fields worth of forest every minute. The FOREST Act could help reverse that trend. Today's episode features a conversation with Stephanie Cappa, WWF's director for policy and government affairs. You'll hear Stephanie talk about what's driving deforestation around the world (2:12), the nuts and bolts of how the FOREST Act would work (9:15) and where it currently stands in Congress (22:20). Stephanie also gives a quick update on some other priority legislation for this year, including the Farm Bill (25:28).
LINKS:
Take Action to Support the FOREST Act
Tue, 30 Apr 2024 - 29min - 45 - Plastic pollution is a problem. A new UN treaty could help.
Ahead of Earth Day, today's episode revisits a topic that we first covered in 2022 on this podcast: plastic pollution. Everyone knows that this issue has become a true crisis around the world. Our current system for recycling and reusing plastic products is broken, and far too much of the plastic we use in our lives ends up in our communities or in our oceans. But there is hope for a brighter future. In March of 2022, the UN Environment Assembly agreed to kick off a process to draft a Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution, with a goal of finalizing the treaty by 2025. My guest today is Erin Simon, WWF's vice president for plastic waste and business. Erin has had a front-row seat to this ongoing treaty process, and she's joining us today to provide an update ahead of the critical next phase: the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, which begins on April 23 and is intended to bring the treaty one step closer to being finalized. But first Erin brings listeners up to speed on the current state of the plastic crisis (1:43) and the actions that the US government could take to help (6:56), before breaking down the latest on the UN treaty negotiations (16:17).
LINKS: Erin Simon bio
BLOG: Reflections from WWF's Plastic Policy Summit
POLL: 85% of people want a ban on single-use plastics
Tue, 16 Apr 2024 - 38min - 44 - RE-RUN: Ending the Flow of Plastic Into Nature (2022)
NOTE: This episode originally ran in September of 2022.
In this episode, Erin Simon, WWF's head of plastic waste and business, explains the scale of the plastic pollution crisis and why it matters for both people and nature. She dives into the factors driving this crisis (5:42) and discusses how companies and individuals can help address it (9:12). And lastly, Erin breaks down efforts by the United Nations to create a new treaty to address the plastic crisis (18:00).
LINKS:
Tue, 02 Apr 2024 - 24min - 43 - This US Law Has Been Protecting Tropical Forests for 25 Years
Today's episode marks International Day of Forests (March 21) by celebrating the 25th anniversary of a little-known but important US law: the Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Act, or TFCCA. At its core, the TFCCA was designed to facilitate debt-for-nature swaps, which enable developing countries to restructure the debt they owe to the US in a way that relieves their financial burden in exchange for redirecting a portion of the funds toward conservation. These swaps were conceptualized in the 1980s by Dr. Tom Lovejoy, WWF's first chief scientist, and proved to be remarkably successful and popular. Today's episode features a conversation with Esteban Brenes, WWF's senior director for conservation finance, about the history of debt-for-nature swaps (2:18), how conservation funds get disbursed under the TFCCA (4:25), and some examples of specific debt-for-nature swaps that have delivered results (8:01). Esteban also shares some lessons learned from the last 25 years of implementing this law, and how those lessons can be applied going forward (14:30).
LINKS:
COP28 Event: 25 Years of the TFCCA
WWF Statement on 2023 Peru Debt Swap
WWF Statement on 2021 Congressional Reauthorization of the TFCCA
Tue, 19 Mar 2024 - 22min - 42 - How a Coalition of Tech Companies & NGOs are Working to Stop Online Wildlife Crime
This week we're marking World Wildlife Day by exploring one of the key issues threatening global species: wildlife crime and the sale of wildlife products online. It's a big problem. Over 15,000 African elephants are killed every year for their ivory. Roughly three rhinos are killed every day in South Africa alone for their horns. And tigers are captured not just to become pets or ticketed attractions; they're also killed for their fur, claws, and teeth. And all of these products have sadly become widely available through online marketplaces on common websites and social media apps used by millions of people each day. But here's the good news: many of the tech companies that run those apps and websites have joined forces to put a stop to online wildlife trafficking. They've joined the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online. Today you'll hear from two fantastic guests: Crawford Allan (1:55), WWF's Senior Director for Wildlife Crime, and Traci Andrighetti (23:40), Global Regulatory Specialist for eBay (a member of the coalition). Their interviews touch on the origins of wildlife crime and how wildlife products become available online, the different industry-wide steps being taken to stop the sale of illegal wildlife products, and how eBay in particular is taking steps to stamp out this practice on its platform.
LINKS:
Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online
Buyer Beware: Shopping Smart to Protect Wildlife & Plants
Report Suspicious Wildlife Sales Online
Tue, 05 Mar 2024 - 44min - 41 - Food Waste is a Climate Issue. Here's How Congress Could Help.
Food waste is a major contributor to the climate and nature crises. And food date labels are fueling the problem. Right now consumers might see upwards of 50 different terms used on food items: Use By, Sell By, Best By, etc. Confusion caused by this patchwork of terms leads many people to simply throw out food that may still be perfectly good to eat. Congress could help by passing the Food Date Labeling Act (FDLA), which would establish a simple, nationwide framework focused on just two terms: "Best If Used By," or "Use By." The bill would also provide clear guidance to consumers about how to interpret those terms. In this episode of the podcast you'll hear from Pete Pearson, WWF's Senior Director for Food Loss and Waste. Pete talks about just how big the problem of food waste is, how food date labeling plays into it, and how the FDLA and other federal policy actions could help.
LINKS:
Climate Pollution Reduction Grants
Tue, 20 Feb 2024 - 19min - 40 - What is Green Hydrogen? An Important But Complex Climate Solution, Explained
What is green hydrogen? In short, it's hydrogen produced using entirely renewable electricity, which can then be used for industrial processes like creating cement or steel, among other things. That's important because those industrial processes are currently the third-largest source of greenhouse gases in the United States, after the transportation and electricity sectors. If we can power those processes with green hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, it could go a long way toward helping the US meet its climate goals. But getting there is pretty complicated. On today's episode, you'll hear from Cihang Yuan, WWF's Senior Program Officer for International Corporate Climate Partnerships. Cihang explains why hydrogen is so well suited for industrial settings as well as for heavy-duty transportation (2:30), how green hydrogen is produced (8:53), and how a new series of incentives created by the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law could help bring down the cost of green hydrogen so that it can be more widely deployed in key sectors (15:00).
LINKS:
Send Your Questions to Nature Breaking!
Web Story: What is green hydrogen, and how can it help tackle the climate crisis?
Blog: Decoding Treasury's Proposed Guidance for the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit
Renewable Thermal Collaborative
Tue, 06 Feb 2024 - 28min - 39 - How Local Communities are Saving Rhinos and Other Species in Namibia
Namibia is an incredibly diverse place in southwestern Africa. It encompasses everything from coastal ecosystems, to savannahs, to floodplains and deserts. And Namibia is home to over 2.5 million people, and an incredible array of wildlife, from cheetahs, to elephants, to impalas, and rhinos. Aside from all that incredible biodiversity, one thing that makes Namibia stand out is its community-led approach to conservation. For nearly three decades, Namibians have been forming and leading communal conservancies, which are areas devoted to the protection of species and ecosystems, but which also enable the people in those areas to derive a livelihood from the protection of nature – primarily via tourism. In this episode you'll hear from Siphiwe Lutibezi, communications manager for WWF Namibia. Siphiwe talks about the history of Namibia's communal conservancies and what makes them successful (4:55), how the conservancies have contributed to the recovery of rhino populations (10:12), how WWF Namibia is engaging local youth to participate in conservation projects (17:47), and what a new initiative called Namibia for Life means for the future of conservation in the region (23:35).
LINKS:
WWF Magazine Short: Moving Forward
Tue, 23 Jan 2024 - 27min - 38 - Celebrating 50 Years of the Endangered Species Act – How This US Law Has Helped Protect Bald Eagles, Giant Pandas, and More
Over the holidays we passed an important milestone: the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This bill was signed into law by President Nixon on December 28, 1973. Over the last 50 years the ESA has proved a remarkable success, with 99% of the species covered by the Act avoiding extinction. To mark this occasion, WWF's Leigh Henry joins the podcast to talk about the circumstances that led to the passage of the ESA back in 1973 (1:21), how the law actually works in practice (4:42), and how the law has been utilized to save species like the bald eagle and the black-footed ferret here in the US (10:51). She also explains how the ESA helps to protect species in other countries, from tigers to giant pandas (16:55).
LINKS:
Web Story: Celebrating 50 Years of the Endangered Species Act
Tue, 09 Jan 2024 - 27min - 37 - Decoding COP28: Taking Stock of the UN Climate Talks with Manuel Pulgar-Vidal
For the last 12 days world leaders have convened in Dubai for COP28, the critically important UN climate summit. Important progress has been achieved on some issues, but negotiations have been more difficult in other areas, including on finalizing the Global Stocktake and determining whether it will include language about the need to "phase out" fossil fuels. As COP28 winds to a close this week, we spoke to Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF International's Global Lead for Climate and Energy. In addition to spearheading WWF's global climate work, Manuel also previously served as the president of COP20 back in 2014. In this interview Manuel talks about what it takes to put on a successful climate summit (2:30), what COP28 has achieved so far (6:45), and the state of play on the negotiations heading into the closing days (11:45).
LINKS:
Make a Year-End Donation to WWF
Tue, 12 Dec 2023 - 24min - 36 - COP28 Countdown: 5 Things to Watch at This Year's Climate Summit, and How AI Might Help Save Mangroves
COP28 kicks off on November 30 in Dubai – that's the annual UN summit where national governments come together to assess global climate efforts. Today's episode is a two-part preview for this year's summit. In Part 1, you'll hear from Liz Georges, WWF's senior director for climate communications. Liz is going to tell us what it's like to be at a COP (2:15) and break down the top 5 issues and activities that we'll be watching heading into Dubai (8:35). Then, in Part 2, you'll hear from Shaun Martin, WWF's vice president for climate change adaptation, about ManglarIA, an exciting new initiative that WWF will be showcasing at COP28 aimed at deploying AI to protect and restore mangroves (25:45).
LINKS:
WWF-BCG Report: Building a Nature-Postive Energy Transformation
Tue, 28 Nov 2023 - 37min - 35 - Can "Blue Foods" Help Feed the World?
The term "blue foods" refers to any food that comes from an aquatic source – whether that be the ocean, a river, or the like. These foods represent a staple for the diets of billions of people around the globe. Blue foods also matter against the backdrop of climate change because they produce far fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to land-based food production. But in some situations, harvesting blue foods can upset delicate marine ecosystems. And, as global stocks of sought-after food items like tuna and cod become more scarce, we've increasingly seen competition for blue foods lead to conflicts between nations. In short, as much as we need blue foods to serve as a low-emissions food source for Earth's growing population, we also need to root out practices that harm freshwater and marine ecosystems, and global security. Joining the show today to talk about these issues are Johan Bergenas, WWF's Senior Vice President for Oceans; and Melissa Ho, WWF's Senior Vice President for Freshwater and Food. You'll hear Johan and Melissa talk about the role of blue foods in the context of global food systems (1:55), which factors are driving international conflict around blue foods (4:30), and how we can reduce that conflict by improving predictive capabilities (10:42) and scaling up practices like aquaculture to bolster food security (15:12).
LINKS: WWF Food Page
Tue, 14 Nov 2023 - 26min - 34 - Why are Snow Leopards Called "Ghosts of the Mountain"?
Snow leopards are among the hardest animals to find in the wild, both because of how rare they are, and because their coats are adapted to provide camouflage that makes them hard to see against the rugged mountain landscape they call home. That's why they are sometimes call the "ghosts of the mountain." With an estimated 4,000-6,500 snow leopards remaining in the wild, conservationists have been working in snow leopard range countries across Asia to build a more stable future for these big cats. And recently, Bhutan reported some good news: the population of snow leopards in that country has increased by nearly 40% since 2016. In this episode, you'll hear from Dechen Dorji, Senior Director for Asia on WWF's Wildlife Conservation team. He talks about the many characteristics that make snow leopards unique (5:07), the threats that have caused snow leopard populations to decline (13:01), and what we can learn from Bhutan's recent success to help snow leopards thrive across all 12 range countries they call home (17:52).
LINKS:
Press Release: Bhutan National Snow Leopard Survey
Tue, 31 Oct 2023 - 33min - 33 - Restoring the Plains Bison with Native Nations (Plus a special message from Ken Burns about "The American Buffalo")
Most of us know the bison as one of the iconic American species. In fact, it's the official US National Mammal. These animals once numbered in the tens of millions across North America, and they held a sacred place in the lives and traditions of Native Nations across the continent. But by the late 1800s, barely 500 bison remained. In this episode, you'll hear from Dennis Jorgensen, WWF's bison program manager; and Monica Rattling Hawk, WWF's Native Nations liaison. They discuss the history of the Plains bison and its relationship with Native Nations (6:48), the threats that drove bison to the brink (11:35), and the work WWF and many others are still engaged in today to ensure that the bison have a vibrant future (16:15). Be sure to stay tuned until the end of the episode for a special message from Ken Burns about his new documentary, "The American Buffalo," which premiered on PBS this week (33:03).
LINKS:
Story & Video: 100 Bison Find a New Home with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe
The American Buffalo, a film by Ken Burns
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 - 35min - 32 - Young People are Fighting for a Safe Climate Future
Much of the climate progress we've secured in the last few years has been spurred by the urgent calls to action from young people who are already living with the consequences of decisions that were made by older generations. For this episode, we spoke with one person who has been at the forefront of youth climate organizing and activism. Alexia Leclercq is the winner of WWF's 2022 Conservation Leadership Award, which is given out annually to recognize exceptional young leaders in the environmental space. Alexia is a grassroots organizer, educator, scholar, and artist who recently received a graduate degree from Harvard University. They co-founded the Colorado River Conservancy in 2020 to protect the stretch of that river that runs along their hometown of East Austin, Texas. And they co-lead Start:Empowerment, a non-profit that aims to bolster climate justice education. In this episode Alexia talks about what motivated them to become involved in the climate movement (1:48), the importance of organizing as a tool to build "people power" (9:20), and their advice for the next generation of climate leaders (17:45).
LINKS:
2022 Conservation Leadership Award Announcement: Alexia Leclercq
2023 Conservation Leadership Award Announcement: Charitie Ropati
Tue, 03 Oct 2023 - 20min - 31 - How HP & WWF Are Working Toward a Forest-Positive Future – Live from Climate Week NYC
This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the NEST Climate Campus in New York, where WWF hosted two days of programming for Climate Week NYC – an annual showcase for the latest in climate policy and activism on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting. Our guests for this special event were Sheila Bonini, WWF's Senior Vice President for Private Sector Engagement, and James McCall, Chief Sustainability Officer for HP Inc. Sheila and James spoke about how companies can complement the work of governments to address the global climate and nature crises (6:23), how WWF and HP are working together to protect and restore forest ecosystems in critical areas around the world (15:05), and what's surprised them most about partnering with each other on these issues (27:53).
LINKS:
Thu, 21 Sep 2023 - 35min - 30 - Why We Should Care About The Amazon Rain Forest
September 5 is World Amazon Day, and we're celebrating with an episode about the many things that make the Amazon rain forest so special. For example, did you know that the Amazon is the largest rain forest in the world? It covers an area nearly the size of the entire continental United States, and it's home to about one in 10 known species on Earth. It also helps stabilize the local and global climate. But it also faces challenges from deforestation, climate change, and more. In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Meg Symington, WWF's vice president for the Amazon. Meg talks about how she first fell in love with the rain forest (2:30), why the Amazon matters so much to both local communities and the world at large (4:18), the many threats it faces (7:00), and what solutions are needed to keep it intact for future generations (13:27). Later, for our Supporters Sound Off segment, you'll hear from Marianne Spindel, a WWF Hero from Florida, about what inspires her passion for nature (24:55).
LINKS:
Register for our LIVE podcast in New York
Thomas Lovejoy Science for Nature Symposium
Tue, 05 Sep 2023 - 28min - 29 - Can AI Help Save the Planet?
The last 12 months or so have been marked, in part, by the emergence of Artificial Intelligence as a mainstream tool. But did you know that AI has been helping with conservation projects for years? This episode features a conversation with Dave Thau, WWF's Global Data and Technology Lead Scientist. Dave has years of experience using AI to help make sense of different data inputs that are important for monitoring the health of species and ecosystems. You'll hear Dave talk about how AI is being used to combat deforestation and reduce poaching (3:54), some of the potential risks that come along with applying AI to conservation projects (13:45), and his vision for how AI could one day help to establish a Global Environmental Management System that leverages local-level data to paint a global picture of environmental health (15:50). Last, Dave fields a question from ChatGPT itself (24:50).
LINKS:
Register for our LIVE podcast in NYC!
Medium Blog Series: "G.AI.A - Nature and Artificial Intelligence"
WWF's Forest Foresight initiative
Tue, 22 Aug 2023 - 29min - 28 - Can Seaweed Help Feed the Planet and Fight Climate Change at the Same Time?
Seaweed is an incredibly versatile product. It's showing up more and more on our plates in restaurants and at grocery stores. But seaweed can also be used as animal feed for livestock, and it can even be used as an alternative to plastic in packaging. Importantly, seaweed farming requires no land, freshwater, fertilizer, or pesticides. And it also improves the health of surrounding waters while absorbing carbon, meaning it could play an important role in combatting climate change. Today's episode features a conversation with Bailey Moritz, WWF's Lead Specialist for Seaweed and Shellfish Farming. Bailey explains the basics of seaweed farming (3:40), the environmental and economic benefits of incorporating seaweed into people's diets (5:55), and how exactly seaweed can help reduce methane emissions from animals (14:02). She also explains how seaweed helps to absorb carbon pollution (15:50), and discusses the barriers currently preventing seaweed farming from taking off on a bigger scale in North America and Europe (22:30). Finally, in a new segment called Supporters Sound Off, WWF supporter Nina Sparks shares what inspired her passion for the environment (31:12).
LINKS:
Tue, 25 Jul 2023 - 35min - 27 - Climate Change is Fueling a Season of Extreme Heat, Wildfires, and Floods
BONUS EPISODE: The last few weeks have brought an unprecedented series of extreme weather events. At a global scale, July 4th went down as potentially the warmest day in recorded history. And more locally, communities from Arizona to China have been breaking all-time records for heat. We've also seen wildfires in Canada sending smoke into communities from Detroit to Washington, and intense floods inundating areas of Vermont and New York. It's clear that climate change is fueling a season of extreme weather. Dr. Stephanie Roe, WWF's Global Climate and Energy Lead Scientist, joins this episode to discuss whether these climate impacts match up with previous scientific projections, the role of El Niño in exacerbating underlying climate conditions, and the steps we need to take to avoid the worst effects of climate change in the future.
LINKS:
Washington Post: "Floods, fires and deadly heat are the alarm bells of a planet on the brink"
POLITICO: "'We are not prepared': Disasters spread as climate change strikes"
Thu, 20 Jul 2023 - 14min - 26 - How Can The Post Office Prevent Food Waste?
What's the best thing you ever received in the mail? Maybe a college admission letter or a card from a loved one? Well, what if you could add farm-fresh vegetables to that short list of favorite deliveries? WWF is piloting a new program to help farmers deliver produce directly to people's doors through the US Postal Service. It's called Farmers Post. The goal of the program is to reduce food waste by connecting farmers directly with consumers to sell produce that might otherwise go unused. It's currently being piloted in Connecticut via Healthy PlanEat, and it will soon come to the Virginia area via 4P Foods. In this episode, Julia Kurnik from WWF's Markets Institute talks about how she and her colleagues came up with the idea for this program (2:10), how it's going so far (7:05), and when more people across the US might be able to get fresh foods delivered to their own front doors (21:40).
LINKS:
WWF Magazine: "Farm Fresh": https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/summer-2023/articles/farm-fresh
Healthy PlanEat (CT residents can sign up now): https://healthyplaneat.com/
4P Foods (Coming soon for VA, DC, and MD residents): https://4pfoods.com/
Tue, 11 Jul 2023 - 23min - 25 - Why Does Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matter for Conservation?
In recognition of Pride Month and Juneteenth, Charles Sumpter and Jessica Leung join the show to talk about what WWF is doing to strengthen its approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). They talk about why these issues matter to WWF's mission (1:35), how the organization's journey on this front has evolved in recent years (6:25), how a new internship program is building a more diverse pipeline of future conservationists (23:45), and more.
LINKS: WWF's BRIDGE Internship Program: https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/bridge
Tue, 27 Jun 2023 - 42min - 24 - Charting a Future for our Oceans
In the wake of World Ocean Day on June 8, this episode examines worsening global conflict around fisheries, and what we can do to address it. Put simply, huge swaths of the world rely on fishing, either for subsistence or income. And when fish become more scarce due to overfishing, climate disruption, or other factors, it creates an opportunity for conflict. Today's guest is Sarah Glaser, who leads the Oceans Futures initiative at WWF. The initiative aims to use the best science and predictive technology to provide an early warning system for future marine conflicts, as well as a set of tools to prevent those conflicts. In this conversation Sarah explains some of the basics about illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (3:15), shares how climate change has become an accelerant for high-seas conflict (7:57), and discusses how the Oceans Futures initiative is working to address these issues (12:37).
LINKS:
Oceans Futures: https://www.oceansfutures.org/
Tue, 13 Jun 2023 - 27min - 23 - Conservation and Tourism: How Your Vacation Can Help Protect Nature
The link between travel and conservation goes back at least to the 1860s, when President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Act, setting aside a large area in California for "public use, resort, and recreation." But are travel and conservation still compatible? Joining the show to help answer that question is Jim Sano, WWF's Vice President for Travel, Tourism, and Conservation. You'll hear Jim talk about how tourism dollars provide essential funding for national parks that help preserve nature (3:30), and how places like Namibia are putting conservation at the center of their tourism economy (6:15). And you'll also hear Jim's tips and best practices for sustainable travel (14:35).
LINKS:
WWF's Guide to Responsible Travel: https://lp.panda.org/travel
Tue, 30 May 2023 - 25min - 22 - Polar Bears and Environmental DNA
Perhaps no species on Earth has been more directly associated with climate change than polar bears. As Arctic sea ice melts, the habitat for these bears will continue to shrink. But did you know that polar bear populations have a complicated history? In this episode you'll hear from Elisabeth Kruger, a manager for Arctic wildlife at WWF-US, about how conservation measures helped polar bears in the 1970s when commercial hunting was their primary threat (2:55), and what the future looks like for polar bears in the face of climate change (5:20). Then you'll hear from Dr. Micaela Hellstrom, CEO and co-founder of MIX Research in Sweden, who is working with Elisabeth and others at WWF to collect environmental DNA from polar bear footprints in order to learn more about these iconic Arctic dwellers (22:55).
LINKS:
WWF-US Polar Bear Page: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/polar-bear
WWF Arctic Program Polar Bear Page: https://www.arcticwwf.org/wildlife/polar-bear/
Tue, 16 May 2023 - 38min - 21 - Bees and the Magic of Pollination
Pollination underpins the web of life, helping crops produce food and helping flowers produce seeds. Perhaps no species is more directly associated with the topic of pollination than the European honeybee, but there are actually some 20,000 known species of bee in the world, and nearly 4,000 in North America alone. And pollination doesn't end with bees. Many other species, from butterflies, to bats and even beetles play critical roles. Unfortunately many of these little helpers are under threat from a range of factors, including habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. In this episode you'll hear from Clay Bolt, WWF's Manager of Pollinator Conservation and Communications for the Northern Great Plains Program, about the role that bees and other pollinators play in sustaining natural systems, and the steps we need to take to better protect these species and the services they provide.
LINKS:
WWF Blog: 3 Things You Can Do to Help Your Local Pollinators
Iowa State University Study: "Insecticidal Seed Treatments can Harm Honey Bees"
Tue, 02 May 2023 - 33min - 20 - Saving the Monarch Butterfly
At WWF, we're mobilizing around Earth Day this year to raise awareness about the plight of the migratory monarch butterfly – a species known for its beauty as well as its importance as a pollinator. Sadly, migratory monarchs were officially classified as an endangered species in 2022, and last month brought more grim news: the presence of monarch butterflies in their overwinter habitat in Mexico declined by 22% compared to the same time last year. WWF-Mexico's monarch butterfly expert, Eduardo Rendón-Salinas, joins this episode to talk about what makes migratory monarchs special (3:42), the reasons for their decline (16:44), and how individuals can take action to save them (25:25).
LINKS:
WWF's Monarch Page: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/monarch-butterfly
Learn How to Plant Milkweed: https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/monarch-milkweed-finder
Tue, 18 Apr 2023 - 39min - 19 - Extrapolations: Apple TV+ Tackles Climate Change
Last month Apple TV+ launched a new show called Extrapolations, which portrays a variety of scenarios that could play out in the coming decades if we fail to address climate change. In this special two-part episode, you'll hear first from three people involved in making the show: Scott Z. Burns, the creator and executive producer of Extrapolations; Dorothy Fortenberry, another of the show's executive producers; and Matthew Rhys, one of the actors starring in the show. They'll talk about why they chose to tackle the topic of climate change through a scripted drama (1:37), and what they hope the show will inspire viewers to do (15:56). Then, in Part 2, you'll hear a discussion with Marcene Mitchell, Nikhil Advani, and Anita Van Breda from WWF's Climate team about some of the specific scenarios portrayed in the show, how likely those scenarios actually are, and what the world needs to do to prevent them from becoming a reality (22:12).
LINKS:
Extrapolations Action Page: https://learn.appletvapp.apple/extrapolations
Tue, 11 Apr 2023 - 43min - 18 - Bringing the Nature Agenda to Congress
This time of year marks the beginning of the annual appropriations process in Congress. That's the months-long process through which Congress determines how much money it's going to allocate for a wide array of federal programs – including those that support global conservation efforts. That's why, every March, WWF asks our national network of supporters to consider joining us for a day of advocacy on Capitol Hill. It's an opportunity to meet in-person with Members of Congress and their staff, and to let them know why funding for global conservation is important. On this episode you'll hear from Sara Thomas, WWF's senior director for integrated marketing and activism, about why WWF began holding this annual "Lobby Day" and what it's achieved over the years (1:45). Then you'll hear from two WWF champions who joined us in DC for this year's event: Lindsey Coffey and Carlo Treviso. Lindsey and Carlo will talk about what motivated them to become advocates for nature (14:42), and what they'll remember from their day on Capitol Hill (29:06).
Want to get involved in future WWF advocacy events? Text "WWF Podcast" to 43144 to sign up for news and updates from WWF's mobile action team.
LINKS:
www.worldwildlife.org/takeaction
Tue, 04 Apr 2023 - 35min - 17 - Explaining the New UN Climate Report (IPCC AR6)
We're releasing this episode a day early because today, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a major new report offering the most comprehensive accounting of climate science to date. It's the final report in the IPCC's Sixth Assessment series. One of the lead authors of that series, Dr. Stephanie Roe, also serves as WWF's Global Climate and Energy Lead Scientist. Stephanie joins this episode to explain how this report builds upon other recent climate assessments (1:21) and how the process of developing these reports actually works (3:34). She then shares some key takeaways from this report (5:40), and discusses whether a stable climate future is still achievable (12:40).
LINKS:
IPCC Synthesis Report of the 6th Assessment Cycle
Mon, 20 Mar 2023 - 19min - 16 - Supporting Women-Led Climate Solutions
To mark International Women's Day, this week's episode focuses on an exciting new initiative that WWF is involved with to advance women- and community-led solutions to climate challenges. It's an outgrowth of an alliance that WWF has with CARE, the global development organization that works to address poverty and hunger, with a focus on gender equality. Hear from Cheryl Margoluis, Executive Director of the CARE-WWF Alliance, about how these two organizations first came together (1:33), why the Alliance decided to put women and girls at the center of their work (8:18), and how its latest initiative, Sowing Change, aims to help establish women-led livelihoods that also contribute to local climate solutions (10:52).
LINKS:
Tue, 07 Mar 2023 - 26min - 15 - How the Farm Bill Advances Conservation Priorities
This year the U.S. Congress is due to reauthorize the Farm Bill. This bill is the primary vehicle for setting food and agricultural policy in the United States. That means it's also a huge opportunity to advance conservation policies, because food systems account for about one-third of global emissions and are a leading cause of deforestation, land conversion, and biodiversity loss. In this episode, Suzy Friedman, WWF's senior director for food policy, talks about the history of the Farm Bill (1:40), and how this year's version could strengthen policies that incentivize conservation of important ecosystems (6:25), reduce food loss and waste (14:55), and more.
LINKS:
BLOG: 2023 Farm Bill: An Opportunity for Food and Farm Security
Tue, 21 Feb 2023 - 22min
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