Erik Hoffner

In 2024, the U.N.’s climate and biodiversity conferences, COP29 and COP16, drew the attention of more than 3,500 media delegates and 1,000 journalists, respectively. Though these massive global negotiations are consequential for international policy on the environment and have human rights implications, there were also international negotiations this year on managing the majority of the world’s fisheries (which are currently being driven to collapse) — without any media in the room. There are 17 regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) responsible for regulating the fishing of various commercially valuable species across vast swaths of the ocean. Their members meet regularly, but their decisions aren’t often well-publicized, due to a lack of journalists in attendance. “Our presence at these meetings is not really welcomed, and that’s a problem,” says Mongabay staff writer Malavika Vyawahare. During this podcast episode, Vyawahare is joined by a fisheries expert and an RFMO secretary to explain how science is used during these meetings, the consequences their decisions have on global fish populations, human rights and labor rights on the high seas, and how journalists can better cover these secretive organizations. “Decisions are being made by RFMOs that impact billion-dollar fisheries and take effect next year [so] these stories deserve to be told,” says Grantly Galland, a project director at the Pew Charitable Trusts. Also joining the conversation is Darius Campbell, secretary of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, an RFMO. “The sea is [vast and it’s] very difficult to understand what’s going on. Most of the [fish]…This article was originally published on Mongabay

President Biden's executive order directed the U.S. Forest Service to conduct an inventory of mature and old-growth forests on federal lands

In 2024, the cod fishing moratorium on Newfoundland's Grand Banks was lifted, 32 years after a historically significant ecological collapse of the fish's population was caused by overfishing.

The 29th United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, ended late and with a massive finance shortfall of pledged climate finance for countries in the Global South, roughly $1 trillion less than what was sought. Many delegates were already on flights home when the final agreement was reached, while other […]

The 29th United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, ended late and with a massive finance shortfall of pledged climate finance for countries in the Global South, roughly $1 trillion less than what was sought. Many delegates were already on flights home when the final agreement was reached, while other nations like Papua New Guinea chose not to attend the conference altogether, while over 1,700 fossil fuel industry lobbyists attended. Collective frustration with this result spurred former executive secretary of the UNFCCC, Christiana Figueres – under whose leadership the Paris Agreement was struck – to co-author a letter to the UN urging an overhaul to the COP process, and calling it “no longer fit for purpose.” Figueres joins Mongabay’s podcast to speak about why the world’s governments seemingly cannot agree to move decisively on climate action, and what can be done about it. In this frank conversation, Figueres says why – despite these frustrations and disappointments – she remains optimistic about the global effort to decarbonize economies and transport systems, citing recent advancements in the deployment of renewable energy and the power of everyday actions. “I used to think that it was our collective responsibility to guarantee to future generations that they would have a perfect world. And now that I am a recent grandmother, I really look back at that and I go, ‘my God, we cannot guarantee to future generations that they’re going to have a perfect world.’ We cannot. So, what can…This article was originally published on Mongabay

Attending the UN climate (COP28) and biodiversity (COP16) conferences during the past two years, it strikes this observer that the UN specialist environmental agreements on climate, biodiversity, pollution, hazardous waste, desertification, and so forth, all tacitly assume a global political context other than the one we are in. This political context is something we as a human community urgently need to build, not only for the sake of seeing such agreements succeed, but even more, for moving toward a day when they are no longer necessary. The currently missing political context goes well beyond the euphemistic “lack of political will” sometimes fleetingly referenced – as if with sufficient will, these specialist agreements alone would suffice to preserve the planet, without requiring any further political or economic change. In fact, it is not a lack of political will that is the problem, but rather an inordinate amount of very real political and cultural will operating against these agreements’ success, against making the environmental expert’s view of the world successful in overtaking the power broker’s view. A rhinoceros hornbill. Image courtesy of Mark Louis Benedict via Flickr. On the power-broker’s side, these agreements seem irrational; they buck the dominant trends afoot, not only in material terms, but in terms of ideas and zeitgeist. It is rational by major companies’ standards to do away with even their fleeting lip service to ESG, as many now are, because the entire notion of ESG is at odds with the mainstream, oil-based economy, which operates in…This article was originally published on Mongabay

The Himalayan wolf (Canis lupus chanco) and snow leopard (Panthera uncia) are apex predators in alpine ecosystems. By controlling the numbers of meso-predators and herbivores, these top predators can have cascading effects on plant and animal species at different trophic levels. Their predation activities create intricate trophic interactions that help stabilize food webs and promote a balanced ecosystem. These predators support nutrient cycling by helping scavengers through carrion provisioning and dispersing essential nutrients across the ecosystem. Furthermore, these carnivores attract global tourism, providing local communities with valuable ecotourism opportunities. These opportunities provide alternative livelihoods for pastoralists and other communities living in these mountainous regions, offering them a sustainable source of income that aligns with conservation goals. As iconic symbols of wildlife conservation, these predators inspire efforts to protect the Himalayan ecosystem, garnering support from local communities and international conservation organizations. Their presence enriches regional biodiversity and highlights the interconnectedness of life forms, emphasizing the importance of preserving the balance of the high-altitude environments. Perceptions and economic impacts on pastoral communities Mountain pastoralists in Asia often hold negative views of snow leopards and wolves due to predation on livestock that are essential for their income and food security. For these communities, livestock rearing is not merely a way of life; it is central to their economic survival, providing vital products like meat, milk, and wool. In recent years, shifts toward commercial agriculture have increased the economic value of livestock, making each animal crucial to the household’s financial well-being. For marginalized communities,…This article was originally published on Mongabay

Reviving rivers in Bangladesh is not simply an ecological issue, but also socio-cultural one, and an economic imperative.

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS — Marco Andres Vizcaino Garcia is probably the most qualified naturalist guide a person could hire during their visit to Galápagos National Park and its adjacent marine reserve. Born into a fishing family that’s lived here for generations, he discovered a passion for the unique and fragile ecosystem of the islands at age […]

Reviving rivers in Bangladesh is not simply an ecological issue, but also a socio-cultural one, and an economic imperative.