Mongabay Newscast

A deep dive into cutting-edge remote sensing technologies with Heinz Award-winner Greg Asner, who invented an airborne observatory that his team uses to monitor ecosystems like rainforests and coral reefs. Their laser-guided lab can even see underwater to map reefs, find record-breaking individual rainforest trees that have escaped detection, and more. Plus: a bioacoustics researcher who analyzes species richness in tropical forests plays some new recordings, and we recap recent top news.

On today’s episode we feature a conversation with iconic Canadian scientist, author, television presenter, and activist David Suzuki. He is is the author of more than 50 books and the host of the long-running science program The Nature of Things. He’s also the founder of the David Suzuki Foundation and the Blue Dot Movement, which aims to enshrine the right to a healthy environment in the Canadian Constitution. Plus, we round up the recent top environmental and conservation science news.

On the first episode of 2018, we speak with the author of a new book about the resilience of indigenous peoples in the face of climate change, and a researcher shares recordings of Australia's elusive night parrot. Plus we round up the recent top environmental news! If you like what you hear, please subscribe and tell a friend about this podcast.

Mongabay speaks with Christopher Herndon, a medical doctor who as co-founder and president of the group Acaté Amazon Conservation helped the indigenous Matsés people to document their traditional healing and plant knowledge in a 1,000 page encyclopedia. Also on the show is Rowan Moore Gerety, a veteran radio and print journalist that Mongabay hired to examine the factors that contribute to or hinder success of conservation efforts in Madagascar, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.

Margaret Atwood joins the Mongabay Newscast to discuss her conservation-themed graphic novel series, the need for action to save birds and oceans, and much more. Then author and entrepreneur Tyler Gage joins us to discuss his business that supports indigenous communities and biodiversity in the Amazon.

Jane Goodall joins the Mongabay Newscast to discuss the recent vindication of her long time contention that all animals have distinct personalities, and much more. Then Mongabay reporter Justin Catanoso joins us from Bonn, Germany, to discuss the news and trends he's seeing at the latest UN Climate Change conference (COP23).

In this episode we discuss new science on the impacts on birds and amphibians of drilling for natural gas in the tropics with a Smithsonian researcher, and a Goldman Prize winner discusses her ongoing campaign to rid mercury contamination from the environment, which is (still) having alarming human health effects. Plus we round up the top environmental news.

Mongabay editor Phil Jacobson joins the Newscast to discuss a new investigative reporting project called “Indonesia For Sale” about the land deals — and the powerful politicians and businessmen behind them — that have converted vast areas of Indonesian rainforest to industrial palm oil plantations for personal profit. Then we speak with Adrià López-Baucells, whose acoustic studies of bats in the central Amazon reveal the effects of Amazon forest fragmentation on bat foraging behavior.

On this week's show we discuss whether forest certification schemes like Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) are actually achieving their goals. Whether they do or not has massive implications for forest conservation worldwide, and while the evidence is hard to find, this tropical forest ecologist has interesting findings to share. Then we speak with the co-author of a new paper on Javan rhino vocalizations. He plays some recordings of these fascinating sounds and discusses what they mean. 

This week we welcome a living legend onto the program, musician Bruce Cockburn, who is well known for his outspoken support of environmental and humanitarian causes. His career has yielded 33 records, including his latest, Bone On Bone. This week, he will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame alongside another icon, Neil Young. We spoke with Cockburn about how he came to his ecological worldview, and why he wrote iconic songs like "If a Tree Falls" and "If I Had A Rocket Launcher."

From AI to remote sensing, tech and conservation a powerful combo

New Madagascar mine worries locals and lemurs; plus, banjo frogs and whistling ducks in Australia

Katharine Hayhoe is an acclaimed atmospheric scientist and climate change communicator, a professor at Texas Tech University, and host of the popular web series "Global Weirding," which tackles common questions, misconceptions, and myths around climate science, politics, and religion.

Taiwan's natural soundscapes and a critique of the global hydropower building boom

Guest Ben Mirin, aka DJ Ecotone, is an explorer, wildlife DJ, educator, and television presenter who creates music from the sounds of nature to help inspire conservation efforts. He explains the art and science of his recordings and play several songs he composed. We also speak with Cleve Hicks, author of a new children’s book called A Rhino to the Rescue: A Tale of Conservation and Adventure.