Life on Planet A

Join us in this captivating episode as we explore the remarkable journey Erchana Murray-Bartlett, an athlete and environmental advocate who ran across Australia for a cause. Erchana started her 5 and a half month journey in August 2022 and finished in January 2023. Discover how her sporting background shaped her passion for the environment and the inception of her 'Running to End Extinction' campaign. Erchana shares personal experiences connecting her with Australia's wildlife, the challenges and triumphs of her journey, and her collaboration with the Wilderness Society.Erchana reveals her motivations, wildlife encounters, emotional moments, and how she managed to stay injury-free. Looking ahead, Erchana discusses her next daunting challenge in Death Valley and her continued efforts in conservation.This episode is a blend of inspiration, endurance, and a deep love for nature, as Erchana shares her vision for preserving biodiversity and her message of hope through her adventures. Tune in for a story of determination and the power of one person's efforts to make a difference.Learn more about Erchana here.Time stamps:3:00 - Who is Erchana?8:30 - Combining forces to create Tip to Toe11:10 - Pitching to clients14:50 - Crashing a drone19:00 - Avoiding getting injured21:00 - Wilderness Society30:00 - Trail runs39:00 - Speed projectSupport the show

Dive deep into the world of climate tech funding with Annelieke de Wit, PhD, and Joey Faust in this insightful episode of Life on Planet A. Discover why climate tech is unique, its challenges, and potential solutions. Learn about the Australian and NZ context, the role of government, and the power of collaboration. Timestamps included for key topics. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more! Link to their journey - https://fundinginnovationinclimatetech.substack.com/0:00 - Joey and Annelieke’s favourite thing in the world6:15 - Joey and Annelieke’s backgrounds 10:50 - Defining climate tech18:50 - Examples of climate tech20:05 - Really smart thing from Annelieke21:18 - Fund return timelines23:28 - The challenges of fundraising / what do VC’s really care about?28:40 - Impact locked definition 33:12 - Climate Tech landscape37:51- The Climate Narrative44:00 - Role of government in innovation47:00 Collaboration between Climate tech firms51:00 - Australian and NZ context59:07 - Indigenous knowledgeSupport the show

Ep 1 for our theme on Great Global Start-Ups! out from life on planet A! To kick this off we’ve travelled to the great USA to speak with Zach Stein, co-founder of Carbon Collective. Zach is a wealth of knowledge which is helpful when running a start-up all about investing! Carbon collective helps American citizens to invest their money into stocks and companies that are working to solve climate change or helping the planet to reach net zero. Useful links:- Carbon collective website- Sustainable investing 101Time Stamps:0:00 - Introduction5:00 - Introduction to Zach Stain7:28 - What is an equity fund?9:09 - Why did Carbon Collective start?16:00 - Challenges at Carbon Collective19:00 - Green Washing26:01 - Project Drawdown30:00 - Nuclear42:00 - Hold or to sell?Support the show

NEW EPISODE NOW UP: Part 3 of our epic journey across the vast and expansive Pacific. This week we’ll hear about traditional knowledge in the Pacific and how it can aid us in managing te environment. Our guest was the inspiring, Salanieta Kitolelei. You’ll learn:- what it’s like fishing with indigenous groups in Fiji? (A crucial part of Sala’s research!) - different fishing methods - cultural keystone species - the relationship between government and indigenous groups in FijiSome extra information from the Episode:Traditional Fijian calendar:https://fijiantraditionalcalendar.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-fijian-itaukei-traditional-lunar.htmlBackground on Sala: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Salanieta-KitoleleiInformation on island mangroves and crabs: http://coraltriangle.blogs.panda.org/seareefs/mali-island-mangroves-and-crabsSupport the show

What does renewable energy look like in the Pacific? What more needs to be done to help these nations in the transition? Join us with our captain, Associate Professor Atul Raturi  as we take a virtual flight over the Pacific. We'll learn the good, the bad and the hopeful for renewable energy in this beautiful region. You'll learn:How much of the Pacific is currently powered by renewable energy?What are the challenges to increasing this amount?Is the Global North doing enough?What is a CDM and CER? How are they helping or hindering this process?Atul is an Associate Professor at the School of Engineering and Physics at The University of the South Pacific, Fiji. You can learn more about his passion and work here.Support the show

This week we're transporting you to the lush, wandering hills and palm tree horizons of Papua New Guinea. Here, we'll discover some tiny freshwater fish ponds that are providing huge social and economic benefits to the local communities. All of this amazing work is made possible by our guest Associate Professor Jes Sammut and his teams and collegues at the University of New South Wales, ACIAR, ANSTO and the Papua New Guinean National Fisheries Authority (NFA). You'll learn:What does freshwater fish farming in PNG look like? How are fish ponds putting an end to violence and tribal warfare?How prisoners are learning to farm fish and the huge change this is making in their lives.Acroynyms used in the episode:PNG = Papua New GuineaACIAR = Australian Centre for International Agricultural ResearchANSTO =  Australian Nuclear Science and Technology OrganisationNFA = Papua New Guinean National Fisheries AuthorityUseful links:Watch this video to learn how aquaculture is changing lives in PNG - Heidi and I watched many many times!!Learn more about the Fish for Prisons ProgramBuilding research and project management skills in fisheries in staff in Papua New Guinea - Final Report by Janelle AllisonRead about the 2017 training program led by Professor Janelle Alison and UTAS that enabled fisheries officers to gain critical research skills.  Read more of Jes' researchKeep up to date with the work of Jes and his team at the UNSW Aquaculture Research Group by following their Facebook pageSupport the show

You're 75 miles offshore of the Big Island in Hawaii in a floating sphere and you're surrounded by 2,000 of your friends. That's what life is like as a Kampachi fish in Ocean Era's offshore aquaculture fish pen (Velella Beta/Gamma/Epsilon). This week Heidi and Bella spoke with Neil Sims, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ocean Era - a Hawaii-based mariculture company focused on expanding the environmentally sound production of the ocean's finest fish.You'll learn:What is offshore aquaculture? How is it different to land based aquaculture (hint: decreased electricity usage, better flow of nutrients)What is a Velella?What are fish currently fed in aquaculture? How can we make this more sustainableMore talk about seaweed! (can you ever have too much?)Useful links:Read more about Ocean Era's research projectsTIME Magazine’s “25 Best Inventions of the Year” for 2012Scientific paper discussed at the start of the episode: Farming the Ocean – Seaweeds as a Quick Fix for the Climate? by Troell et al. 2022Support the show

For our final week of climate change Heidi and Bella take a dive underwater with Dr Alex Campbell to see whether there’s a blue solution to the climate crisis and... there is!  Seaweed and seagrass could be an unlikely hero in the battle against climatic change and not just because of carbon storage;  this slimy macroalgae is used in food, make-up, plastic-alternatives and so much more.  Through the work of research centres such as the USC Seaweed Research Group, we’ve found countless applications for seaweeds!  What you’ll learn this ep:Seaweed is VERY coolHow seaweed and seagrass differ and why this is important for storing carbonWhat is Crayweed? Why did it entirely disappear from the Sydney’s East Coast? And what is being done to bring it back (cue Operation Crayweed)?Over the last century the UK has lost 92% of it’s seagrass cover and this continues to decline by 7% every year!Which other countries are implementing restoration projects? Hint: check out the WWF Seagrass Restoration Project, a plan that aims to restore seagrasses to the shores of the UK. Thanks again for joining us Alex!  Useful links:Operation Crayweed - http://www.operationcrayweed.com/USC Seaweed Research Group - https://www.usc.edu.au/research/seaweed-research-groupPeople can also find links to all my socials on my own personal webpage - https://www.alexandracampbell.com.au/Support the show

Climate Change: an unlikely comedy? This week Heidi and Bella spoke with Australian comedian, performer and writer, Issy Phillips, about the intersection between climate change and comedy. You'll come away with a barrel of laughs, plus a knowledge of:ASMR and how the heck is relates to climate changeHow we could use comedy to cope with climate anxietyHow the media talks about climate changeThat Heidi and Bella's microphones really aren't equipped to do ASMR and we'll leave it to the professionals (much to everyone's relief)Some more useful links to things we spoke about:Issy's TEDx Youth talk 'Could ASMR be the Answer to Climate Change?' Barnaby Joyce embarresing himself on live TV claiming that he 'did not sign' the COP26 agreement, signed by the Morrison GovThe Juice Media's Honest Gov Ad about COP26Thanks again Issy for joining us and you can find Issy on Insta (@issyphillips) or listen to her show on FBi Radio! Support the show

Welcome to Wk 2 of our month on Climate Change: Facts, Denial and Solutions! This week, in honour or COP26 and net zero targets, Heidi and Bella spoke with Professor Mark Howden, Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions at ANU.What you'll learn:What is COP26 and what pledges came out of it?What is Australia's net zero target and how do we plan to reach it?Is this a good target? Can we reach net zero sooner?How much warming are we likely to experience?Useful links:Learn more about Mark's work at ANURead the IPCC 6th Assessment ReportRead more about Australia's fossil fuel expansion plansRead Australia's Long-Term Emissions Reduction PlanSupport the show

What is the greatest human rights challenge of our time? and what are the solutions? For our final week of International Politics month, India and Heidi spoke with the inspirational Negaya Chorley, CEO of Results Australia. Results is an organisation dedicated to empowering women and girls around the world through providing everyone access to healthcare, knowledge and education. You'll learn:What are some of the greatest human rights challenges of our time? And what is #1? (the answer may surprise you!)What are some of the solutions to these challenges?How is Results Australia at the forefront of these challenges?How can you help? and volunteer opportunities with Results AustraliaTo find out more about Results Australia check out their story, current campaigns and how you can volunteer/work with them.Support the show

Icy landscapes on the largest desert on Earth, adorable fur seals, wind turbines on research bases... can you guess where we're travelling to this week? For our 3rd week of International Politics, Heidi and Bella learn all about Antarctic landscapes, governance and wildlife from PhD candidate and Antarctic researcher, Natasha Gardiner. What we learnt:What's it really like to research in Antarctica? Like, how cold??Does Antarctica have a government? Can you be 'President of Antarctica'?How is Antarctica governed? Who's calling the shots?How is research in Antarctica important for the rest of the world?Natasha is a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury where she is studying the interfarce between science, research and politics and she also works as an environmental advisor at Antarctica New Zealand. Follow her on Twitter @nb_gardiner and let us know what you think of the episode by tagging @lifeonplanetapodcast !Support the show

This week India & Heidi learn about 'the accountability trap' with Prof. Susan Park from the Sydney Environment Institute. What you'll learn:What incentives do states have to meet their agreed climate targets? (hint: not a lot)What happens if states don't meet these targets (hint: not a lot)What is the 'accountability trap'?How can we hold states responsible for not meeting these targets?Also listen in at 17:48 to hear the sweet sweet voice of Sir David Attenborough as he calls out the Aus Gov for their lack of action on climate change.Susan Park is Professor of Global Governance at the USYD and acting deputy director of the Sydney Environment Institute, where she focuses on how state and non-state actors use formal and informal influence to make the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) greener and more accountable.Support the show

Climate change, climate emergency, the climate crisis - so much talk about climate change but so little talk about other issues... like biodiversity. Why? This week Heidi, Bella and India spoke with Associate Professor Charlotte Epstein about biodiversity and why we need to be talking about it. What you'll learn:In 1992 leaders from around the world gathered in Rio de Janeiro for 3 major conventions: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate ChangeConvention on Biological DiversityUnited Nations Convention to Combat DesertificationWhy then do we only hear about climate change? Why should we be talking about biodiversity?How can we mobilise action on this?To read more about Charlotte's work see University of Sydney profile, read about the Carlsberg project she's leading on decolonizing political action or follow her on twitter @Prof_ch_epstein. Thanks again for joining us Charlotte! Support the show

The final week of Australian Politics month has arrived!!  We are sad it’s over but we look forward to next month which is International Politics. In this Ep, Bella speaks with Australian Federal Liberal MP, Jason Falinski. Jason was elected the Member for Mackellar in the Australian House of Representatives at the 2016 Australian election. We spoke with Jason about:- What is the philosophy of the Australian Liberal Party? Is this always practiced?- How and when can Australia reach net zero?- What is stopping us from achieving net zero in Australia?- Are electric vehicles and systems the key to net zero?Thanks so much Jason for joining us! Enjoy the show and let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast and #lifeonplanetapodcast on your socials!We also state that Jasons views and opinions are his own and for any information on health or science - please refer to a professional in that field.#politics #australianpolitics #liberals #lifeonplaneta #climatechange #climateemergency #climatecrisis #climateaction #australiangov #ausgov #uspolitics #un #globalgoals #carbonemissions #podcast #sustainabilitypodcast #listennow #newepisodeSupport the show

BONUS episode for week 3 of Australian Politics! This week Heidi and Bella spoke with PhD candidate, Bhiamie Williamson about Native Title and how we can strengthen ties with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; ties that have previously been severed by colonisation. What you'll learn:What is Native Title? What does it mean? How is it granted?What is cultural burning and what does it do for Indigenous communities?What unique opportunities does climate change provide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?How can we re-connect the ties that have previously been severed, and work with these groups?Bhiamie Williamson is a Euahlayi man currently undertaking his PhD at the Australian National University Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, where his research focuses on Indigenous youth, Indigenous Governance, Indigenous Cultural and Natural Resource Management & Indigenous Men and Masculinities.If you want to learn more about the Uluru Statement from the Heart visit: https://ulurustatement.org/faqshttps://fromtheheart.com.au/Support the show

For Episode 3 of Australian Politics month, Heidi and Bella spoke with the inspirational Dr Christine J Winter about intergenerational environmental justice theory, and more specifically...What is Intergenerational Environmental Justice (IEJ)?What is our relationship to nature?Time is a spiral of past, present and future in which, we are all connected.Why have some people lost their connection to nature? How can we repair this?How can we (as individuals and the gov.) work with Australian Indigenous communities to re-connect with nature and embrace IEJ?Christine is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Sydney Environment Institute where her research focuses at the intersection of intergenerational, indigenous and environmental justice. Thank you again for joining us Christine!Some of the concepts this week were tricky so we'll be posting helpful socials throughout the week to help, as well as a summary in our monthly resource sheet available on our website: https://www.lifeonplanetapodcast.com/ Support the show

Week 2 of Australian Politics month has arrived!! On Ep #48 Heidi and Bella talk with Dean Bialek about Australia's role (or lack of) in the COP26 summit and in the global race to net zero carbon emissions. Dean is the Head of the International Politics Unit for the COP26 Climate Champions Team and is leading the development of renewable energy projects across Australia.We learnt:How do Australia's climate goals compare to the rest of the world? The U.S. aims cut 50% of their emissions by 2030, why don't we?Why isn’t Australia more ambitious in our targets? What is 'the Race to Zero' and how is it helping companies and governments become net zero as soon as possible?Thanks so much Dean for joining us! Enjoy the show and let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast and #lifeonplanetapodcast on your socials.Useful links:Guardian article: ‘No action on anything’: Australia increasingly isolated as US and others ramp up climate ambition, which Dean is featured in.Dean and his work at CWP GlobalLearn more about the UNFCCC Race to Zero campaignSupport the show

EPISODE 47: Strong Indepdendent Women in Australian Politics with Zali Steggall. This week Heidi and Bella spoke with inspirational sportsperson, speaker and independent member of Australian Parliament, Zali Steggall. We discussed:- What was Zali's experience as a woman in Australian politics? - What is the latest news on her climate action bill? - What keeps Zali so motivated to push for climate action despite frequent pushback from the Federal Gov?Learn more about women in Aussie politics by watching Ms Represented. Listen now on your favourite platforms and let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta_podcast and #lifeonplanetapodcast on your socials. Thanks again for joining us Zali!Support the show

It's a busy time of year with COVID-19 lockdowns across the globe and Olympic news dominated our newsfeeds. In all this excitement you might've missed a few stories that we think are worth talking about. This week Bella and Heidi discuss the UNESCO World Heritage Commitee's  recent recommendation to add the Australian Great Barrier Reef to the 'in danger' list. The Australian Government faught hard to block this, despite top Australian scientists supporting the choice. Take a listen to find out how this played out and why we should be talking about it.Next, we'll discuss the multitude of natural disasters that have swept across the globe in the past 2 months (from wildfires to floods to drought).Enjoy the episode and as always, let us know what you think by tagging @lifeonplaneta in your socials. Got a topic you want us to talk about? Email lifeonplanetapodcast@gmail.comTime Stamps:0:00 Introduction5:05 - UNESCO and the Great Barrier Reef(GBR)7:44 - Bleaching Events in the GBR12:58 - GBR and the UNESCO 'In-danger' list14:00 - Natural Disasters15:00 - Floods in China17:13 - Floods in Tajikistan 19:42 - Floods in Germany 19:57 - Floods in New York 21:12 - Wildfires Across the Globe23:14 - Famine in Madagascar Support the show