Hope Is A Verb

Meet Future Council, a global youth-led movement that’s empowering kids and teenagers to help co-design the future. Inspired by the documentary ‘Future Council’ that followed eight young activists as they travelled across Europe in a yellow bus confronting big business leaders, the movement is showing how the next generation can reshape climate leadership. In our final episode for this season, we chat with filmmaker Damon Gameau and two of the original councillors –Skye Neville, a 15 year old environmental campaigner from Wales and Clemence “CC” Currie, the 12 year old CEO of CCs Plastic Pick-up Crew in Scotland. From Billie Eilish to the phrase that we need to stop telling our kids, this conversation is a reminder than when it comes to changing the world, none of us can sit on the sidelines. Other topics: what adults can learn from young activists; early encounters with environmental risk; small steps that scale into meaningful impact; corporate accountability and sustainability culture; hope as a tool for young campaigners; generational views on climate crisis; emerging models of youth governance; power dynamics inside sustainability boardrooms; media narratives shaping climate perception; digital networks for youth organising; the role of families in early activism; values-driven climate decision-making; the tension between optimism and urgency; cross-cultural collaboration among young leaders; and the fine line between encouragement and overwhelm.  Find Out More: If you want to support or join the Future Council Global Movement, click here.Want more details about the film? Click here.  This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Audio Producer/Director Anthony Badolato, Hear That? If you love this episode, please leave a comment or review. You can get in touch with the team via email amy@fixthenews.com

Meet Bryan Walsh, an editorial director at Vox, where he leads Future Perfect – an ambitious solutions journalism project that focuses on the policies and technologies that will make the future a better place. As a former foreign correspondent and climate writer for Time and the author of End Times: A Brief Guide to the End of the World, Bryan has spent more than two decades tracking humanity’s gravest threats. Today he is focused on highlighting the under-reported progress that shows we still have room to bend the story in a better direction.Topics discussed: the good news hiding behind everyday conveniences; George Washington’s candles as perspective; why the report card for humanity is “incomplete”; negativity bias, doomscrolling, and the allure of bad headlines; local crime statistics versus national fear of rising violence; how American political psychodrama dominates the global news feed; what AI overviews and chatbots are doing to online media traffic; the economics of journalism after print advertising and social media; Future Perfect’s origin story and focusing on what matters most; philanthropy, foreign aid cuts, and momentum in development gains; why solutions journalism can feel like eating your vegetables; the narrative deficit and hero deficit in progress reporting; pandemic vaccines as an under-appreciated scientific and moral triumph; hope as a life preserver rather than a prediction and creating a media ecosystem that rewards depth, nuance, and solutions. Find Out More: Future Perfect – Vox MediaAre you interested in how ⁠80,000 Hours⁠ can help you use your career to make a difference? Check out their podcast on Apple,Spotify or where ever you listen to your podcasts.This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio Producer/Director Anthony Badolato, Hear That? If you love this episode, please share, leave a review. You can get in touch with the team via email amy@fixthenews.com

Meet Enric Sala, a marine ecologist, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and founder of Pristine Seas – an organisation that has helped create 31 Marine Protected Areas, safeguarding nearly 7 million square kilometres of ocean. From his five-year Pacific expedition using a three-person submersible to his film Ocean with David Attenborough and his work with governments and coastal communities to drive the 30x30 goal – Enric is someone who intimately understands the scale of the crisis and still has proof that restoration is possible.Other topics: the Ocean Decade’s slow progress; High Seas Treaty benefits and blind spots; why 96% of catch comes from inside coastal waters; the spillover benefits of Marine Protected Areas; community-driven reserves in Greece and Turkey; a five-year Pacific expedition with a new sub; the Port State Measures Agreement in practice; China’s distant-water fleets and accountability; combining science and National Geographic storytelling; how protection boosts local incomes; community-driven reserves in Greece and Turkey; exploring ‘pristine ocean’ that no human has gone to; financing and defending parks through politics; succession planning after a cancer scare;educating future stewards across the Pacific; Revive Our Ocean as a tool for communities; focused action as an antidote to despair; and bottom-trawling footage as a visceral wake-up call.Find Out More:Pristine SeasRevive Our OceanOcean⁠, the film.Enric Sala- Website + Books, This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio Producer/Director Anthony Badolato, Hear That! If you love this episode, please leave a comment or review. You can get in touch with the team: amy@fixthenews.com

Meet Krystal Birungi, Carolina Morgado, Nice Leng’ete and Bhavreen Kandhari – four incredible women who are working on the frontlines of science, conservation, human rights, and environmental advocacy. Krystal is an entomologist with Target Malaria in Uganda developing gene-drive mosquitoes; Carolina is the executive director of Rewilding Chile; Nice leads community-based campaigns to end female genital mutilation in Kenya; Bhavreen co-founded Warrior Moms in India to force accountability on air pollution.Topics discussed: growing up with endemic malaria and the arrival of the Global Fund; proof-of-concept gene-drive trials in Italy and timelines to 2030; resistance to insecticides and drugs; elimination as a realistic regional goal; Chile’s Route of Parks as connected protected areas; park creation as local economic engine; carbon storage in temperate rainforests and kelp systems; Chile’s Cape Froward as a new national park; conservation grounded in community livelihoods and guide certification; outlawing FGM in Kenya in 2011 and the limits of law alone; elders’ councils and alternative rites of passage; mother-to-girl and father-to-son forums; measurable outcomes from community ceremonies and schooling; Delhi school closures during severe smog; COVID as a natural experiment in pollution control; formal complaints versus performative fixes; collective action by parents; clean air as a right, not a luxury.02:08 Krystal Birungi - The scientist using gene drive to fight malaria10:27 Carolina Morgado - Rewilding landscapes and communities in Chile19:42 Nice Leng’ete - Creating an alternative rite of passage for girls in Africa28:12 Bhavreen Kandhari - The warrior mum fighting for clean air Find out more:Krystal Birungi, Entomologist – Target MalariaCarolina Morgado, Director – Rewilding ChileNice Leng’ete – Nice Place FoundationBhavreen Kandhari – Warrior Moms IndiaThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rosefrom ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato from HearThat? If you have a guest suggestion, feedback or interested in sponsorship, please reach out amy@fixthenews.com

Meet David Fajgenbaum, a physician scientist who is saving lives by repurposing existing medications to treat different diseases through his organisation Every Cure. This conversation will challenge the way you look medicine and unlock the possibility that some of the solutions we’re looking for, are hiding in plain sight, on the shelves of your local pharmacy. From the near-death experience that changed the course of David’s life to how he’s harnessing the power of AI for good, this episode is a total game changer. Topics discussed: how a repurposed drug saved David’s life, living life in ‘overtime,’ what it’s like to swim upstream against the medical system, the AI advantage in fast-tracking drug matches to our 18,000 known diseases, how Viagra is saving sick kids, the economics of repurposing existing drugs and what we can expect from the future of medicine.  Find out more:You can check out David’s recent TED talk or his book ChasingMy Cure. You can also support Every Cure and if you want to let his team know about a repurposed drug that’s worked foryou, click here. Are you interested in how 80,000 Hours can help you use your career to make a difference? Check out their free resources here.This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rosefrom Fix The News and sound design by Anthony Badolato from Hear That!

Two weeks ago, Amy was on the ground in New York during the UN General Assembly and Climate Week. Attending various events, including the Clinton Global Initiative, Amy spoke with some incredible people who work on the frontlines of climate, healthcare, education and crisis response. Despite dwindling aid budgets and mounting challenges, these people are meeting this moment with big, bold ambition while quietly reshaping the future of development. From the ‘miracle drug’ for HIV to energy access for all and the rewilding project that will mend ecosystems across the heart of South America, this episode may expand what you think is possible. These are the people who are fighting for a better future every single day.  Here's who you’ll meet:Carolyn Amole, Clinton Health Access InitiativeErica Coe & Frank Aswani, Coalition for Mental Health InvestmentSandra Chukwudozie, Salpha EnergyDavid Harris, Christel HouseElpida Kokkota, MexoxoGeeta Mehta, SocialCapital CreditsEmily Benson & Melanie Joiner, Integrate HealthTjada D'Oyen McKenna, Mercy CorpsDeli Saavedra & Mario Haberfeld, Jaguar Rivers Initiative  Timecodes:03:58 - HIV 'Miracle Drug'09:36 - More funding for mental health16:38 - The shift from aid to self-sufficiency17:44 - Making solar energy accessible to underserved communities in Nigeria22:54 - Working Groups at the Clinton Global Initiative24:17 - A comprehensive education model that alleviating poverty28:03 - The group who are democratising access to education for women32:53 - The social currency that banks good acts in communities37:46 - Putting women at the centre of healthcare in Togo & Guinea42:51 - Mercy Corps, the humanitarian organisation serving 38 million people46:18 - Cross-continental conservation initiative restoring the heart of South America52:45 - Final ThoughtsThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from Fix The News, with audio production by Anthony Badolato, ⁠Hear That? If you want to know more about this series or are interested in sharing it with your networks, send us an email: amy@fixthenews.com 

What do KPop Demon Hunters and Bluey have to do with stories of progress? Well, you’ll hear the answer in this ‘Ask Us Anything’ episode. From controversial opinions on the climate crisis, to our very first News Fix bulletin, Gus and Amy dive into a range of topics and answer some big, burning questions from subscribers. Other topics discussed: Why solar energy is such big news, the role of solutions journalism in Gaza, good humans everywhere, individual action versus systemic change, the question of scale and the launch of our audio documentary about the malaria vaccine, A Shot At History.What did you think of our News Fix? If you want to send us a question, feedback or nominate a potential guest for the podcast, go to our website or email amy@fixthenews.comThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice. 

Meet Rutger Bregman, a Dutch historian, bestselling author andour first repeat guest on the podcast! In this episode we chat with Rutger about his new book Moral Ambition and why it’s time for people to stop wasting their talent and start making a difference. From his early midlife crisis to what we can learn from the abolitionists and why the world needs to redefinesuccess, this is a conversation for our times. Topics discussed: Why the biggest waste of time is the misallocation of talent, the ‘mother of all movements,’ what it takes to build a wildly better world, on taking the long view, the problem with online activism, money is not a dirty word in creating social movements and why the School for Moral Ambition is paying people to quit their jobs. Find out more:https://www.moralambition.orghttps://rutgerbregman.comhttps://www.givingwhatwecan.orgDon’t forget to ‘Ask Us Anything’ – email yourquestion to amy@fixthenews.com or leaveus a voice note here. You have until 9am Wednesday 27th September AEST.This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from Fix The News and sound design by Anthony Badolato from Ai3 - Audio & Voice.  

Meet Paulie Stewart, an Australian punk rocker who teamed up with a group of nuns to help disabled kids in Timor Leste. From walking on the wild side, to almost crossing over to the other side – Paulie’s story is about full circles, second chances, and the one of the most unlikely and inspiring partnerships. Topics discussed: the deathbed encounter that changed Paulie’s life, why the Alma Nuns are more punk than Billy Idol, the impact of Paulie’s work in Timor, the power of faith and the unexpected twists that have defined his extraordinary life journey. If you want to support the Alma nuns, you can donate through their funding platform, Myriad Australia.This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

Meet Wawira Njiru, a nutritionist and social entrepreneur in Kenya who’s gone from serving lunch to 25 children out of a makeshift kitchen to establishing Food4Education, a nonprofit organisation that serves half a million hot, nutritious and affordable school meals every day. From the uncalculated cost of childhood hunger to powering an 'engine of potential', Wawira’s story shows how thinking big and starting small can change the world. Topics discussed: why the world's future leaders need a school meal today, the logistics of feeding half a million kids, the power of scaling a simple idea, why optimism matters, the ripple effects of school meals on communities and how a well-fed future could change Africa. You can support Wawira’s work at Food4Education.org and for more inspiration, check out her 2025 TED talk here.This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

Meet Boyan Slat, founder of The Ocean Cleanup - the world’s largest cleanup in history. After starting as a high school project in the Netherlands in 2011, Boyan’s mission has gone global, removing tens of millions of kilograms of plastic from oceans and rivers. It’s an epic job and with plastic pollution on the rise, the cleanup is doubling down on its goal to remove 90% of ocean plastic by 2040. From the recent launch of the cleanup’s 30 Cities program to dealing with critics on social media, Boyan’s 'engineering energy' might just change the way you think about the world. Topics discussed: mother nature vs human nature; why The Ocean Cleanup is not a lifelong project; behind-the-scenes of the cleaning up the world’s most polluted river; what motivates Boyan to keep going in the face of impossible odds and why addressing the root cause is not the best way to tackle our problems. For more information check out: theoceancleanup.comThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

A new chapter begins on July 31st, 2025.

Depending on where you get your news, 2024 probably sounded like a complete disaster. And while a lot of terrible things happened, not everything that happened in the world was terrible. From breakthrough treatments for HIV and obesity, to the rise in global happiness and the decline in deforestation in the Amazon – there were a lot of bright glimmers of progress that you just didn’t hear about.   Go to our website to read the full list of our 86 Stories of Progress from 2024. Other topics discussed: our word of the year (hint – it’s not "brain rot"); the surprising news about global reproductive rights; the good news for obesity; how 90 million kids got fed at school; the medical breakthrough of 2024; LGBTQ+ victories in Thailand & Greece; China’s 3000 kilometre green wall; the hidden stories of hope in Gaza and Ukraine; why 2025 is going to be a big year in the Amazon; how the clean energy transition is fuelling hope for future; the biggest environmental story of the year; incredible wins for animals; and why stories of progress matter now more than ever. This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

Meet Steven Pinker, a cognitive psychologist and public intellectual who is one of the world’s greatest thinkers on the topic of progress. He is the author of 12 books, including ‘Better Angels of Our Nature,’ which played a key role in the origin story of Fix The News. After five years of email correspondence between Steven and Gus, this is their first face to face conversation. From progress to politics and the rise of tattoos, this episode offers a big dose of perspective about the current state of the world. Other topics discussed: why longstanding peace never makes headlines; the best metrics for human progress; the decline of mental health in rich countries; the problem with word police; changes in social norms and how they happen; why today’s election in the US is better than 1968; the cognitive illusion perpetuated by mass media; how graphs and data can help change beliefs; designing better institutions to help drive more progress; two lessons that Steven learned the hard way; the power of reasonable hope. This episode wraps up season three of this podcast. To celebrate, we’re offering new and existing subscribers a 30% discount on 12-month subscriptions to our weekly newsletter. If you want to make your inbox a more hopeful place: go to fixthenews.com and enter the code PINKER at checkout. Find out more about Steven Pinker: https://stevenpinker.com/ This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

Meet Ncazelo Ncube-Mlilo, a psychologist and narrativetherapist who uses a travelling caravan to bring mental health services to townships on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Tackling gender-based violence andhigh rates of youth depression, Ncazelo’s cutting edge methods for healing trauma are now being used across the globe.We are proud to support Ncazelo’s organisation, ⁠Phola⁠,as one of our charity partners at ⁠Fix The News⁠.  Find out more about Ncazelo:⁠https://phola.org⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6IWbbuYVgw⁠ This podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

Meet Sonia Vallabh, a lawyer turned scientist with one of the most compelling stories we have ever heard. In 2011, Sonia was diagnosed with prion disease, a rare and fatal genetic illness with no viable treatment. Against all odds, Sonia and her husband retrained as a patient–scientists and set out to cure the disease before Sonia misses her window. Thirteen years later, they've found a way to shut off enough genetic signals to halt the disease - and save hundreds of thousands of lives around the world. Find out more:https://www.ted.com/talks/sonia_vallabh_my_quest_to_cure_prion_disease_before_it_s_too_late?subtitle=enhttps://www.broadinstitute.org/bios/sonia-vallabhThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

Two weeks ago, Amy attended the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, where she met some incredible change makers who are driving solutions across healthcare, water access, food security, conservation and scientific discovery. In this episode we'll take you behind the scenes of the two-day event and introduce you to some of the people she met in the corridors, including her interview with the legendary Dr Jane Goodall. Correction: Coalition for Mental Health InvestmentFive organisations are part of the coalition - The McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) has joined the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA), Clinton Global Initiative, Kokoro, and Wellcome.The quote about “every country is a developing country when it comes to mental health” is attributed Shekhar Saxena.Find out more:https://www.clintonfoundation.orghttps://www.thementalhealthcoalition.orghttps://www.whywaste.iohttps://carolinafarmtrust.orghttps://www.millersocent.orghttps://sungai.watchhttps://www.adventurescientists.orghttps://www.clintonhealthaccess.orgThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

Meet Sigrid van Aken, the CEO of Postcode Lottery Group, the world's 3rd largest private charity donor, after the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation & the Wellcome Trust. To date, the organisation has given €13.5 to charities that are driving significant social and environmental change. With over 14 million subscriptions and record turnover of €2.5 billion in 2023, it’s one of the greatest philanthropy stories, you probably haven’t heard about. Find out more:www.postcodelotterygroup.comThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

We cover a lot of conversation stories about the Amazon at Fix The News, but it’s not often that we get the chance to talk with someone who is driving these efforts. Meet Fernando Trujillo, a marine scientist who is fighting to save the Pink River Dolphins of the Amazon River. Over the past 30 years Fernando and his team have scaled a small research project in Colombia into a global mission to protect river dolphins and their waterways around the world. Find out more:https://omacha.orgThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠⁠⁠Fix The News⁠⁠⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.

Meet Valery Wichman, a leading LGBTQI+ activist and lawyer in the Cook Islands who was on the forefront of the fight to decriminalise homosexuality in her country. This conversation explores the 13-year journey behind the landmark victory and the power of faith, love and kindness to change the law, and the world. Find out more:RNZPink NewsCook Island NewsThis podcast is hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose from ⁠Fix The News⁠. Audio sweeting by Anthony Badolato at Ai3 – audio and voice.