TalkLandscape

We’re currently living through a recording breaking ‘Super El Niño’ that is knocking weather systems out of balance, causing storms, floods and droughts around the world. 

El Niños are natural events, but new research suggests that human-caused climate change might be making them stronger – with deadly repercussions.

To find out more, we’re chatting with the lead author of that research: Julia Cole, a professor of Earth and environmental sciences at the University of Michigan. 

Join us for TalkLandscape Episode 16, where we discuss whether humans are impacting El Niño, how scientists are figuring that out and what we can all do to help.

For many countries, 2026 has already been the worst year on record for wildfires.

From the old-growth forests of Canada to the peatlands of Indonesia to the heathlands of England, ecosystems around the world are burning.

But while environmentalists and communities are trying to build natural resilience, a narrative has emerged that seems to throw doubt on their efforts: that rewilding actually makes fires worse.  

To understand whether there is any truth in this statement, and learn more about the role rewilding plays in restoration, we spoke with Joe Glentworth, a lecturer in nature recovery and rewilding at the University of Manchester.

In TalkLandscape episode 15, he explains whether rewilding really causes wildfires, the natural techniques being used to tackle the blazes and why people are vital for any rewilded landscape.

For more stories, visit: thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org

Wildlife trafficking has been supercharged by the digital world, from online marketplaces to untraceable currencies, but anti-trafficking experts are using their own cutting-edge tech to fight back.

In episode 14 of TalkLandscape, we speak with Oli Wright, a project officer at TRAFFIC, about the scale of the illegal wildlife industry, its wide-reaching impacts and why every plant and animal taken from its habitat is a problem you should care about.  

He explains how the illegal trade has increased in the wake of digital globalization and delves into some of the tools – from 3D printing to AI-powered scanners – that are helping to turn the tide and protect nature. 

For more information visit: https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/

Agriculture is vital to humanity, but it’s also the leading driver of terrestrial biodiversity loss and responsible for up to a third of human-made greenhouse gas emissions.

One solution that has been gaining traction in recent years is regenerative agriculture.

Regenerative agriculture covers a wide range of practices that improve soil health and ecosystems while producing the food and goods humanity needs to survive.

In this episode of TalkLandscape, we explore how to finance the transition to regenerative agriculture and the costs to those on the front line of farming.

For episode 13 of TalkLandscape, we’re joined by Catalina Mora, the Sustainable Agriculture Network’s strategic programs manager, Ken Gunsalu, founder and co-CEO of NutriCare Malawi, and Philippe Birker, co-founder of Climate Farmers.

Almost a third of Africa is rangelands – large open landscapes of grasses, shrubs, woods and deserts that are grazed by wild animals and livestock.

These vast areas offer unique biodiversity, global climate services and significant economic benefits on a local and national level.

However, like many other ecosystems around the world, they are under threat, with large areas now severely degraded.

But scientists, pastoral communities and financiers are flipping the script and turning these landscapes into climate solutions though sustainable practices such as traditional pastoralism.

For episode 12 of TalkLandscape, we spoke with Claudine Kamanzi, founder of Forest4Life, about why rangelands in Africa are important, the problems they face and the solutions being developed to save them.

Women still face many systemic barriers around the world, from gender bias and marginalization to underrepresentation in decision making. 

But wherever there are challenges, there are women overcoming them by re-envisioning policy, economies, education and climate solutions. 

In episode 11 of TalkLandscape, we speak to two amazing guests from previous 8 Women celebrations and kick off GLF Women: a year long campaign calling on people to reimagine leadership and systems of care. 

We look at the vital role of women in climate leadership and how they are pushing positive change in their communities, countries and across the world.  

A conversation with Subhra Bhattacharjee, director general at FSC International, and Eva ‘Kandi’ Makandi, founder of environmental organization Light on a Hill (LOAH).

More information here: https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/102960/what-does-climate-leadership-mean-for-women/

The world’s oceans are vast, and more than half are outside the jurisdiction of any one country. 

These so-called ‘high seas’ are vitally important to the environment, biodiversity and global economy, but they face a growing number of threats. 

The United Nations has introduced a landmark treaty to safeguard them – but what will it do and is it enough? 

In episode 10 of TalkLandscape, we explore the high seas, including: 

• why they’re much more important than you might think 
• some of the threats they face, from deadly ships to deep sea mining 
• and what’s being done to save them. 

We’ll speak with Mariamalia Rodriguez Chaves, attorney for the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defence Ocean Program, Wassim Dbouk, a marine and maritime policy research fellow at the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, University of Southampton, and Elissama Menezes, co-founder and director at Equal Routes.

Can genetic engineering save an endangered species – or bring back one that is already extinct? Is it safe to figure this out by experimenting in the field?

In episode 9 of TalkLandscape, we explore the world of synthetic biology in conservation.

Synthetic biology is a cutting-edge science that looks at how biological organisms can be modified or created, especially through the use of genetic engineering.

In this episode, we look at what synthetic biology is being used for in conservation, the risks it could pose to ecosystems and biodiversity, and how experts are weighing up its pros and cons in the fight to save nature.

Join us for a conversation with Franziska Achterberg, head of policy at Save our Seeds, Stefano Daza Arango, manager of conservation partnerships at the Colossal Foundation, and Maria Julia Oliva, who served as co-chair of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) working group tasked with developing the first-ever global policy on synthetic biology in relation to nature conservation.

More information can be found here: https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/101226/can-synthetic-biology-save-nature/

Let’s talk about how we talk about the climate crisis. In an era when disinformation spreads rapidly across social media, much of it generated by AI, we need to unpack how climate narratives are created.

In the increasingly contested field of climate communication, whose voices are being heard or silenced? And who – or what – gets to decide what stories land in your social feeds?

In episode 8 of TalkLandscape, we look at how conversations around climate and sustainability are shaped by social media and AI technologies, and how creators are rising to the challenge of fighting disinformation and uncovering authentic stories from the frontlines of climate action.

With Chris Wells, Estêvão Ciavatta and Natalia Figueiredo

For more information, visit: thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org

Forests are homes, climate regulators and sources of food, water and cultural value. But can they also spearhead an economic transformation that protects livelihoods and the environment at the same time? 

In episode 7 of TalkLandscape, find out how communities are managing forests sustainably – turning them into a source of sustainable livelihoods and ecosystem resilience. 

Discover the forest bioeconomy in the Mediterranean and beyond, from community-based forest management and forest wood supply chains to ecosystem services beyond timber and innovative financial mechanisms that reward forest stewards. 

Join us as we discover how we can create thriving forest-based economies through sustainable forest management, community engagement and forest finance. 

TalkLandscape with Beria Leimona, Toni Ventre and Abdelkrim Marzouk

For more information, visit: thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org