In Darwin’s Wake: New Horizons for Nature Science

The impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss are felt in distinct and often unequal ways. The developing world is often hardest hit and has the least capacity to deal with the consequences of environmental degradation. Most notably it is often women who are hardest hit. In addition, the voices of women are often marginalised when discussing and dealing with these challenges. In this episode Brit - who is joined by Carla - speaks to Dr. Nadia Sitas who is from South Africa and works for The Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Brit also interviews Nita Shashidharan who is a researcher with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment in Southern India. Nita talks of the experiences of women who are involved as researchers and scientists, and how gender is a consideration in how they go about their work.   To find out more about IPBES, go to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES  

A healthy environment means a healthy planet. But how does nature contribute to the well-being of people - in less direct ways - than the health of the land, air and water? That is the question under the spotlight in this episode of Nature Insight. Brit speaks to Rachelle Gould, an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at the University Of Vermont, who has studied this issue. In addition, she interviews Nick Roskruge, a retired professor of ethnobotany who is active in the Enviroschools Programme in New Zealand. He is passionate about keeping traditional Māori horticultural knowledge alive by stressing the importance of Indigenous systems of knowledge and education. To find out more about IPBES, go to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES

In the first episode of the Nature Insight’s new season, Brit Garner and Rob Spaull set sail  - literally and figuratively - on a journey inspired by one of history’s most influential naturalists. In ‘Darwin’s Wake - New Horizons for Nature Science’ they explore how today’s scientists, conservationists and others are influenced by Charles Darwin’s legacy and discover how biodiversity science has changed in the 21st century. In this episode Brit interviews Victor Rault, leader of a multi-year, round-the-world expedition retracing the route of Darwin’s voyage on the HMS Beagle which  took place almost two hundred years ago. Rob speaks to Professor Alex Antonelli, the Executive Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in the UK. It is home to the largest collection of living plants from around the world and Rob hears about its historical connections to Darwin and his legacy today.  To find out more about IPBES, go to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES

Nature Insight is back for a fifth season! Join Brit, Rob and new addition, Carla, as they speed date with experts who offer unique insights into the values of nature and the world we all share – from the legacy of Darwin and inspirational lessons from indigenous Maori culture to how business both depends on and impacts nature. Subscribe now, for a backstage pass to better-informed choices about protecting all life on earth. Coming soon!   To find out more about IPBES, head to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES.

George the Pinta Island tortoise and Martha the passenger pigeon achieved fame as 'endlings’ - the last individuals of their species. Their passing is tragic, but can their fate perhaps help us to protect other threatened species?  In this final episode of Season 4, Brit interviews Dr. Alexander Lees, from Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK, who has been working on Amazonian conservation issues for more than 20 years and has a particular interest in birdlife. Brit also hears from Joanna Lilley,  a poet who uses verse to capture the beauty and tragedy of endlings. To find out more about IPBES, head to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES.

Global challenges require the most robust evidence for the best possible responses - which is also key to conserve, restore and sustainably use biodiversity. So, it is vital to include as many perspectives, from as many parts of the world as possible, to understand the full picture, and to ensure that the results are used in every part of the globe. In this episode, we explore why some regions are less engaged in the IPBES processes, and what is being done to address this challenge. Rob talks to Dr. Axel Paulsch, Geo-Ecologist from the University of Bayreuth in Germany and Chair of the Institute of Biodiversity Network about the work they are doing in Eastern Europe and Central Asia; as well as to Dr. Isimemen Osemwegie – Programme Coordinator at CABES, an organization working to research and protect biodiversity in West, Central and East Africa. To find out more about IPBES, head to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES.

We humans have our favourites in the natural world. Just consider the status accorded to pandas, lions, and elephants. Charismatic species get a lot of attention, and not only from the public, but also from scientists and policy makers. We spend significant resources on studying, conserving and telling their stories. But what about ‘ugly’ species? What kind of impact does our lesser interest in them have on their existence and conservation as a whole? In this episode Rob hears from Simon Watt, a biologist and president of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, which crowned ‘Mr. Blobby’ as the ugliest animal in the world. Rob also talks to Professor Bob Smith at the University of Kent, about so-called ‘Cinderella’ species and how we can change things for ‘ugly’ species. To find out more about IPBES, head to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES.

What does transformative change mean? Is it possible, and how can it be achieved and accelerated with so many imminent threats to the natural world? These are the burning questions at the heart of the IPBES ‘Transformative Change Assessment’, which offers tools and guidance for a more just and sustainable world.  In this episode, Brit talks to one of the co-chairs of the Assessment, Professor Lucas Garibaldi, from the Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, in Argentina. We also delve into the forests of Nepal with Dr. Janita Gurung, a programme lead for governance and rights at RECOFTC - an organisation working to ensure that resilient communities, with respected rights, thrive in forest landscapes.  To find out more about IPBES, head to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES.

The crises keep on coming – in food, in water, in health, in biodiversity, and in climate change. IPBES is launching its ‘Nexus Assessment Report’, which looks at how all of these crises are interlinked and often cascade and compound each other. It’s time to ‘tune up our instruments’ - to create greater harmony in tackling them together for a just and sustainable world. In this episode, Rob hears from the two co-chairs of the Nexus assessment, Professor Paula Harrison, the Principal Natural Capital Scientist at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the UK, and Pamela McElwee, a Professor of Human Ecology at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. The episode also features Professor Jason Rohr from the University of Notre Dame in the United States, who takes us to Senegal in his fight against the ancient curse of the pharaohs - schistosomiasis. To find out more about IPBES, head to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES.

When it comes to biodiversity, you have probably heard of the importance of diverse species and ecosystems. But there is one more layer underlying our natural systems… genetic diversity. To kick off the season, Brit gets back in touch with her former mentor, Dr. Sean Hoban, Tree Conservation Biologist at The Morton Arboretum in Chicago, USA. And we hear from Dr. Laura Bertola, Research Associate for the National Centre for Biological Sciences in India, about the importance of genetic diversity in big cats. You can also watch the documentary that filmmaker Luca Cueni produced when he was part of the Leo Foundation in March 2022, here. To find out more about IPBES, head to www.ipbes.net or follow us on social media @IPBES.