Planet Hope

The Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by one Celsius since the late 19th century, an increase which has a lasting impact on our entire planet, not to mention some of the world's coldest and extreme areas. With reports suggesting that Arctic sea ice is now shrinking by 12.6% per decade, crucial data found in polar sea ice which can help predict future climate change is disappearing before our eyes. The Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by explorer, climate scientist and Rolex-partner Felicity Aston MBE, to hear how she has witnessed Polar landscapes change in recent years and what critical data she anticipates to capture in her latest expedition ‘Before It’s Gone North’. 

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. 

Series producer: Anya Pearce

Clips: New Scientist, Sky News, BBC World Service

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is no denying that humans have an obligation to protect animals and the ecosystems that they live in, but with an estimated 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence on Earth the question is, where do we start? Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by wildlife conservationist and Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year in 2021, Paula Kahumbu, to learn how her work has and continues to shift years of unjust treatment towards nature in Africa.

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative.

Series producer: Anya Pearce

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2022 Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, erupted on Hawaii's Big Island. Fortunately this event didn't result in any fatalities - but the same can't be said for other recent eruptions in places like Indonesia, Tonga and the Philippines. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by volcanologist and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Andrew McGonigle to learn more about the handheld technology he has developed to predict early warning signs of volcanic eruptions, enabling people living in some of the poorest countries to survive deadly disasters.

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. 

Series producer: Anya Pearce

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An ever-increasing world population and human advancement has offset a complex balance on our natural resources, one which is damaging the way many people live. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan visits environmental advocate and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim who has experienced first-hand the effects of climate change with Lake Chad drying up - changing the way the Mbororo community had to live after relying on the water for their survival.

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative.

Series producer: Anya Pearce

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the world population continues to surge, conflicts between people and wildlife over food, resources and space for living are heightening. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by conservationist and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Krithi Karanth to explore how she is using technology to help local communities in India mitigate animal attacks and lessen animosity between wildlife and humans. 

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative.

Series producer: Anya Pearce

Clips: CBC

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Earth’s climate has been known to change in the past, but it’s only since the industrial revolution that there have been changes to our climate which have been driven by humans. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan joins climate scientist and National Geographic Explorer Tom Matthews to investigate how his work, mapping the planet’s most extreme climates, can help us to better understand how our climate is changing and most importantly, evaluate whether we can change the course that we’re on. 

Through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex supports Tom Matthews as part of the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Mount Everest Expedition and the Amazon Expedition.

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative.

Series producer: Anya Pearce

Clips: Sky News, BBC, Channel 4 News

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Medical inequity jeopardises the safety of everyone and contributes to growing inequalities in and between countries. Take vaccinations for example, we know how important they are for ensuring a longer and healthier life, yet during the Covid-19 pandemic statistics have shown that of the more than 10 billion doses of the coronavirus vaccine distributed worldwide, only one percent have been administered in low-income countries.

Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan talks with biomedical engineer and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Mark Kendall to investigate how his medical innovations are revolutionising modern medicine and allowing for more accessible health care worldwide- from vaccinations in the form of a patch, to micro-wearables that can show early warning signs of a heart attack. 

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. 

Series producer: Anya Pearce

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With estimates suggesting that there are more than 5 trillion pieces of micro and macro plastics in our seas and continued reports stating that a truckload of plastic enters our oceans every minute, we can no longer turn a blind eye to the life cycle of plastic products once they are thrown in the bin. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by scientist, tech entrepreneur and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Miranda Wang to learn how her innovative upcycling technology is paving the way for plastic to have a second, third… maybe even evergreen life.

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative.

Series producer: Anya Pearce

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The balance between wilderness areas and the species that depend on them are fragile and are being threatened. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan joins conservationist and National Geographic Explorer Steve Boyes in Zimbabwe to investigate why Africa’s greatest water sources - the rivers that run through the heart of the continent - are crucial to a prosperous future environment in Africa and beyond. 

Through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex supports the Great Spine of Africa expeditions that traverse and document thousands of kilometres of rivers never scientifically documented before.

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative.

Series producer: Anya Pearce

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Planet Hope - a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Follow the podcast now to never miss an episode.

Each day we watch as rising temperatures, extreme weather and extinctions are accepted as the new normal. The list of bleak headlines feels endless.

It’s no wonder hope is wavering. But all is not lost.

In this podcast series, Adam Vaughan, Environment Editor for The Times, asks why our planet is changing so rapidly and meets leading experts from around the world who are trying to change the tide.

Through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex supports individuals and organisations who go above and beyond to safeguard and preserve our planet for the next generation. 

The Initiative is rapidly expanding and now has a portfolio of more than 20 partners.

You can listen to new episodes of Planet Hope every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.