In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Nichola Clark, an officer from the Pew Charitable Trusts and an expert in protecting ocean life on the High Seas.

In the conversation, we discuss background on the high seas, current threats facing these areas beyond national jurisdiction, and pathways towards protection. We also dive into the dynamics of the high seas treaty currently being debated by national delegations, including key components of the treaty text, challenges standing in the way of reaching full agreement, and the steps forward should a treaty be secured.

In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Angelique Pouponneau, the policy advisor to the chair of the Alliance of Small Island States and the former CEO of the Seychelles’ Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust.

We discuss the disproportionate impact of climate change on small island states, how these nations are addressing climate adaptation and resilience, global models for funding this vital work, and the critical components of a vibrant blue economy.

You can find Angelique on Twitter and the Alliance of Small Island States on Twitter, Instagram, and their website.

In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Matthieu Rytz, the director and producer of Deep Rising, a new documentary that is premiering this year at Sundance that explores the fate of the deep ocean as a small set of regulators and companies open it up to exploration for rare metals. 

In the conversation, we discuss what’s fueling the global race for nodules at the bottom of the ocean, the impact mining may have on vital marine ecosystems, how The Metals Company secured the licenses for this exploration, and the responsibility of the International Seabed Authority to govern this territory. 

You can find Matthieu on his website, and learn more about Deep Rising here.

In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Ami Vitale, a National Geographic photographer, filmmaker, writer, speaker, and founder of Vital Impacts.

In the conversation, Ami shares some of the stories and interactions she has experienced over the years and how those moments have informed her conviction that we are all fundamentally interconnected – with each other and with nature. She also shares her evolution in focus, from areas of conflict to communities of cooperation, and some of the consistent threads she has seen in this coverage.

You can find Ami on Instagram, Twitter, and her website, and you can find the Vital Impacts Winter Collection on their website.

In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Justine Lucas, the executive director of the Clara Lionel Foundation, which was founded by Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty to advance climate justice and resilience in the United States and the Caribbean.

In the conversation, we discuss the organization’s work to invest in core infrastructure, such as schools, health clinics, and information systems, to help communities be more resilient in the face of natural disasters, and the disproportionate impact of climate change on small island states and communities of color.

You can find Justine on LinkedIn and the Clara Lionel Foundation on their website, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

In this episode, we chat with Sam Bencheghib, co-founder of Make A Change World and Sungai Watch, and an impact partner of Only One who is helping to combat plastic waste in Indonesia.

Sam discusses how he ran across the United States to build awareness about the issue, the challenge with plastic waste in Bali, the innovative use of river barriers to stop plastics before they enter the ocean, how Sungai Watch is using data to track polluters, and how the team is engaging local communities in the effort.

You can find Sam on Instagram, and you can learn more about Sungai Watch on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

For this week’s action, become a member of Only One, where for as little as $9 per month, you can removing plastic from the ocean. 100% of your donation supports the work of Only One impact partners, including Sungai Watch. Sign up at www.only.one

In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Ian Urbina, founder and director of The Outlaw Ocean Project, author of The Outlaw Ocean, host of The Outlaw Ocean Podcast, and a long-time investigative reporter covering stories about human rights, environment and labor concerns at sea.

In the conversation, we discuss lawlessness at sea, the “maritime merry-go-round” that makes it hard to effectively prosecute crimes committed in the ocean, how overfishing is depleting the fish stocks of a small African country, and the investment of time and resources that goes into deep, investigative reporting.

You can find Ian on Twitter and Instagram, and learn more about The Outlaw Ocean Project on their website, YouTube, and their new podcast. 

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about the mission of The Outlaw Ocean Project
• Listen to the new Outlaw Ocean Podcast
• Ian’s investigative series The Outlaw Ocean for The New York Times
• Ian’s New Yorker article on the negative effects of fishmeal production in Gambia

In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Nick Nuttall, co-presenter and director at We Don't Have Time and the former head of communications at the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Nick is a global leader in climate communications and media who is working to elevate the dialogue to drive global action to address climate change.

In the conversation, we discuss announcements made at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, how the global climate convenings have evolved over the years, opportunities and financing needed to accelerate progress towards reaching climate goals, and how to accelerate awareness and action.

You can find Nick on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. You can learn more about We Don’t Have Time on their website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. 

In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Claire Christian, the executive director of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, who is leading the charge for marine protection in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica.

In the conversation, we discussed the range of fascinating Antarctic ecosystems, how changes in and around the continent will impact the entire ocean and planet, and the global campaign to secure three new marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean, which collectively, would represent the largest act of ocean protection in history.

You can find the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and on their website.

For this week’s action, join the campaign to protect Antarctica and deliver the largest act of ocean protection in history.

In this episode of Upwell, we chat with Shawn Heinrichs, a photographer, conservationist, Emmy-winning cinematographer, and cofounder of Only One.

In the conversation, Shawn talks about what has driven his own passion of the ocean, his favorite moments in the water, how storytelling can advance critical conservation work, and the global campaign to protect requiem sharks.

You can find Shawn on Instagram and Facebook.  For this week’s action, join the campaign to protect requiem sharks at CITES.