Did you know that one of the most effective absorbers of carbon dioxide is... seaweed? Sanjayan, the CEO of Conservation International, joins the show to talk about how we can harness the power of the ocean to slow the impacts of global heating. Show notes from Chris:

• The world’s oceans are crucial for the health of our planet, helping regulate the climate and global carbon budget. The London School of Economics has a great explainer. Coastal ecosystems are super important. Mangrove forests and seagrass meadows are incredibly effective at locking up carbon, helping limit the amount of global heating. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA for short) has a fabulous 101 here.
• Conservation International are doing amazing work with communities around the world to protect nature. You can learn more about the inspiring Vida Manglar “Blue Carbon” Project in Columbia on their website.
• There are so many fantastic community projects around the world that bring people together to work on nature-based solutions. Search online for a group near you. For those in California, check out Tree People and Friends of the LA River. And of course, wherever you are, there is the brilliant Support and Feed, founded by Maggie Baird. Sign up today to eat at least one plant-based meal a day for 30 days. Take the pledge today.

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As the world heats up, our cities need to adapt. Today we speak with Thai landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom on how she's designing new, more resilient urban environments in her homebase of Bangkok.
Show notes from Chris:

• Sadly, our cities are increasingly vulnerable to global heating. Flooding, heatwaves, storms, rising sea level, poor planning, and our over reliance on concrete are conspiring to make cities less resilient to climate shocks. But nature-based solutions – think parks, green spaces and tree-lined avenues to name but a few – offer positive solutions. The mayors of nearly 100 cities around the world have come together as C40 to tackle the climate crisis and have put together a great overview of what they’re doing. A term you’re going to hear more about with cities is “sponginess”. Rather than using concrete to channel water, “sponge cities” work with nature to manage rainwater. This is a fascinating article on how some of the world’s cities compare.
• You can see Kotchakorn’s awe-inspiring Bangkok park in her beautiful TED talk here. There is a wonderful interview with Kotchakorn about the Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park.
• To learn more about The Nature Conservancy and how they can help you tackle the climate and biodiversity crises, check out their fantastic website.

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For decades, Western governments have pursued policies of fire suppression. But researchers like Glynis Humphrey have shown that these methods don't work – especially as global heating worsens wildfire risks. Today, Glynis joins the show to talk about wildfire management, and what we can learn from the traditional practices of Indigenous communities around the world. Show notes from Chris:

• Glynis is an author of an excellent but sobering United Nation’s report on how wildfires are becoming more intense and frequent. You can download “Spreading like Wildfire: The Rising Threat of Extraordinary Landscape Fires” for free. But this report also gives hope: Indigenous and traditional knowledge can help prevent and reduce the impact of wildfires in a hotter world.
• There are some heartbreaking (and compassionate) movies on wildfires. Rebuilding Paradise (2020) directed by Ron Howard and Fire Front (2022) directed by Eddie Martin are powerful documentaries that capture the devastating impacts of wildfires and the terrific importance of community.
• If you want to find out how best to plan for and respond to wildfires, there are a wealth of resources online. Some excellent examples are the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (the NSW RFS for short) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (aka CAL FIRE). These websites are packed with life-saving information.
• For those wanting to learn more about the Australian “dinosaur trees”, the Wollemi Pine, there is an excellent recent article by the ABC. You can see how close the fires of 2019-2020 came to destroying these amazing trees by clicking here. The movie in this article has extraordinary footage.

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