Mike DiGirolamo

Governments must prioritize nature protection, former US senator Russ Feingold says Bill Gates recently claimed that protecting nature or improving human health is an either-or choice, but former national leaders like Russ Feingold, a retired U.S. senator, and Mary Robinson, former I...

It was a pleasure to speak with @mikedigirolamo.bsky.social on the @mongabay.com podcast to talk about conserving nature and the work we are doing at the Campaign for Nature to advocate for the protection of land and water on the earth. @erikhoffner.bsky.social

news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...

Governments must prioritize nature protection, former US senator Russ Feingold says Bill Gates recently claimed that protecting nature or improving human health is an either-or choice, but former national leaders like Russ Feingold, a retired U.S. senator, and Mary Robinson, former I...

Bill Gates recently claimed that protecting nature or improving human health is an either-or choice, but Russ Feingold, a retired U.S. senator, disagrees. As chair of the Global Steering Committee of the Campaign for Nature, Feingold emphasizes that supporting both nature and people is essential.

A ‘Life After Cars’ can provide huge human health and environmental benefits Sarah Goodyear, Doug Gordon and Aaron Naparstek realized that no one was discussing the many cultural factors that have played a role in humanity’s car dependency, or the negative impacts this relianc...

This week on the Mongabay Newcast Doug Gordon @thewaroncars.bsky.social details the human health and planetary impact of car dependency and how we might get out of it. Wisdom that he, Sarah Goodyear, and Aaron Naparstek detail in their new book 'Life After Cars.' Listen here:

How to Cover the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) | Mongabay Webinars YouTube video by Mongabay

The European Parliament voted to delay the European Union Deforestation Regulation by yet another year. This landmark anti-deforestation law was supposed to go into effect at the end of 2024. Reporters interested in covering this topic should view @mongabay.com's webinar on how to cover it:

How to Cover Climate change in South Asia | Mongabay Webinars YouTube video by Mongabay

It's not often I can host a panel with reporters in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka simultaneously. My colleagues joined me to discuss covering climate change in South Asia, and they gave excellent insight that I think is crucial for reporters on this beat.

Watch here @mongabay.com :

Rights to millions of hectares of Indigenous & local communities’ lands restored by ‘barefoot lawyers’ Nonette Royo is a lawyer from the Philippines and executive director of The Tenure Facility, a group of “barefoot lawyers” working to secure land tenure for Indigenous, local and Afro-descendant commu...

This week on the Newscast I speak with Nonette Royo, executive director of The Tenure Facility, a group of lawyers that have made progress in securing land rights for local and Indigenous peoples' land covering 34 million hectares, an area larger than Greece.

news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...

Protecting pangolins IRL, not just on paper: Interview with conservationist Kumar Paudel KATHMANDU — Of the eight known species of pangolins found in Asia and Africa, three are listed as critically endangered on the Red List that’s maintained by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation…

Pangolins, the scaly anteaters that are the most trafficked wild mammals in the world, face a host of challenges throughout their range, including South Asia.

The IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group is working on a global action plan to conserve the species, with subgroups working on regional plans.

Yes. It's astounding how much better I feel using them.

Pioneering primatologist in Madagascar shares decades of conservation wisdom Patricia Wright, a pioneering primatologist who established the Centre ValBio research station in Madagascar, began her work there in 1986. As the person who first described the golden bamboo lemur (H...

Patricia Wright, a pioneering primatologist who established the Centre ValBio research station in Madagascar, joins the Mongabay Newscast to discuss her conservation breakthroughs and the challenges the island faces.

Listen here @mongabay.com:

Scientists warn 'critical' koala habitat under threat from mine expansion Scientists mapping koala habitat in the NSW central west find it is larger than previously thought, but concerns remain over expansion plans at a nearby coal mine.

Yancoal (Moolarben) is trying to expand a coal mine in New South Wales that would clear 113 hectares of koala habitat if it is approved.

One in five Australian households 'severely food insecure', report finds A new report from Foodbank finds 20 per cent of Australian households have skipped meals or days of eating in the year to July.

"Australians are skipping meals," said Foodbank Australia chief executive Kylea Tink.

"They're not knowing what they're going to put in their children's lunch boxes the next day."

20% of the country lives in severe food insecurity:

No, Bill Gates, we don’t have to choose between people & planet (commentary) Bill Gates has long been a leading voice in the global response to human health and climate change. His climate investments and advocacy have helped drive innovation, expand access to clean energy and...

The former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, disagrees with Bill Gates in a commentary for @mongabay.com edited by @erikhoffner.bsky.social.

"His suggestion that the world must choose between financing development or climate action falsely presents a zero-sum situation."

Rhett Butler reflects on recent accolades, and Jane Goodall’s legacy of hope Hello listeners. This week on the Mongabay Newscast, we ask that you take a few minutes to fill out a brief survey to let us know what you think of our audio reporting, which you can do here. Mongabay...

This week on the podcast, I speak with our founder and CEO, @rhettayersbutler.bsky.social who reflects on his longtime friendship with Jane Goodall, being named to the @forbes.com 2025 sustainability leaders list, and being awarded the Henry Shaw Medal. Listen here:

Can confirm, hail stones fell here in Sydney on my location.

Jodogahama beach, Japan. Photo by me.

I’ve been hosting the Mongabay Newscast for nearly 3 years. We’ve had some great conversations about the biggest environmental challenges of our time. Myself and @erikhoffner.bsky.social took home an award.

But we want to hear from you. How has the Newscast impacted you?

Tell us: lnkd.in/gKc5AQtg

Australia celebrates ‘humpback comeback,’ but a main food source is under threat News of Australia’s “humpback comeback” is making waves globally. Numbers of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on the nation’s east coast have rebounded to an estimated 50,000 from a historic l...

Australia’s “humpback comeback” is making waves globally. Numbers of whales on the east coast have rebounded to an estimated 50,000 from a historic low. Wildlife scientist and whale expert @drvanessapirotta.bsky.social joins me on the podcast this week @mongabay.com to chat about this achievement:

World’s climate plans fall drastically short of action needed, analysis shows Recent plans submitted to UN by more than 60 countries would cut carbon by only 10%, a sixth of what is needed

The world is deeply unserious about dealing with climate change. We need to reduce emissions by 50% in 5 years and we're nowhere near that.

Indigenous guardians successfully keep extractives out of Ecuador’s Amazon forests PAKAYAKU TERRITORY, Ecuador — Deep in the heart of Ecuador’s Amazon, where the Bobonaza River winds through ancient forests in Pastaza province, Sacha Gayas spreads out a hand-drawn map across her woo...

The Indigenous Pakayaku in Ecuador’s Amazon have kept mining, logging & oil out of their community's forests for generations

@mongabay.com's reporter visited to meet their 45 women warriors who patrol 99,000 acres of rainforest to detect incursions

Few have been allowed to witness this until now:

Aussie Bird Count Celebrate National Bird Week by taking part in the biggest citizen science project to hit Aussie shores. Join thousands of people from across the country, heading out into their backyards, local parks...

AUSSIE BIRD COUNT STARTS TODAY! aussiebirdcount.org.au

Spend 20 minutes counting the birds you encounter. Log them. Repeat as many times as you like. Proper science! There are also prizes.

Podcast review

We love fan mail at @mongabay.com's podcast

A new listener loved the optimism of our host @mikedigirolamo.bsky.social's discussion with global #rewilding advocate Ben Goldsmith, hear why they made this climate activist cry from #conservationoptimism here:
news.mongabay.com/podcast/2025...

New book unearths environmental crime’s psychological roots Psychologist and true crime presenter Julia Shaw joins Mongabay’s podcast to discuss her latest read, examining some of the highest-profile environmental crimes and why they occur, in Green Crime: Ins...

Psychologist @drjuliashaw.bsky.social joins Mongabay’s podcast to discuss her latest read, examining some of the highest-profile environmental crimes and why they occur, in 'Green Crime: Inside the Minds of the People Destroying the Planet and How to Stop Them.'

🎙️Listen: @mongabay.com

Pioneering policies and rights-of-nature rules win World Future Policy Awards Policies enacted by seven nations and one international agreement have been recognized by the World Future Council for “top policy solutions for [humans], nature and generations to come.” On this edit...

Policies enacted by 7 nations and one international agreement have been recognized by the World Future Council for “top policy solutions for [humans], nature and generations to come.” I spoke with the council’s CEO, Neshan Gunasekera, about the eight World Future Policy Award laureates. Listen:

For the first time, we linked a new fossil fuel project to hundreds of deaths. Here’s the impact of Woodside’s Scarborough gas project The results challenge claims that the climate risks posed by an individual fossil fuel project are negligible or cannot be quantified.

“it is no longer defensible for companies proposing new or extended fossil fuel projects to claim the climate harms will be negligible. Our research shows the harms are, in fact, tangible and quantifiable – and no project is too small to matter.”
theconversation.com/for-the-firs...

Ah. Didn't see this. I just put down a vote for the Regent Honeyeater.

World’s top fossil fuel producers set to grow despite Paris targets The world’s 20 largest fossil fuel producing countries are on track to produce more than twice the amount of coal, oil and gas in 2030 than would be consistent with the global goal to limit warming to...

"World’s 20 largest fossil fuel producing countries are on track to produce more than twice the amount of coal, oil and gas in 2030 than would be consistent with the global goal to limit warming to 1.5° Celsius (2.7° Fahrenheit), according to the new Production Gap Report 2025."

From Bobby Bascomb

Really enjoying listening to @corinanewsome.bsky.social discuss how birding can be a pathway to #racial justice, particularly in overburdened communities. #birding #envjustice

Bird-watching for nature connection & social justice Wildlife biologist and ornithologist Corina Newsome of the U.S. NGO National Wildlife Federation joins Mongabay’s podcast to discuss how bird-watching plays a role in environmental justice for underse...

Wildlife biologist Corina Newsome joins me on this week's podcast to talk about how birding is beneficial for racial justice and conservation at large.

“ What birds require of us will benefit us in ways that are far beyond bird conservation."

Listen @mongabay.com

Jane Goodall (1934–2025): primatologist, conservationist, and messenger of hope Jane Goodall, who revealed the intimate lives of chimpanzees and gave the modern world a language of hope, has died at the age of 91. Over the course of six decades, she moved from an unlikely young r...

By now, many of you are aware of the passing of Jane Goodall. Mongabay CEO, Rhett Butler, shares some words and reflections on her legacy.

"She described humanity as standing at the mouth of a dark tunnel with a star shining at the end—hope. To reach it, she said, required collective effort."

Mongabay staffer shares the joy and impact of wildlife photography On this episode of Mongabay’s weekly podcast, we look at nature through the lens of wildlife photographer and senior marketing associate at Mongabay, Alejandro Prescott-Cornejo, the multilingual staff...

This week on the podcast for @mongabay.com I speak with @apcwildlife.bsky.social about his journey to wildlife photography, the healing he found behind the lens, and his work with Mongabay as the senior marketing associate.

“This huge hole in my life led me back to nature."