To protect our planet - meeting the global ‘30 by 30’ target of safeguarding 30% of oceans by 2030 is crucial. But that will not be possible without effective enforcement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing - or IUU fishing - accounts for one of every five wild-caught fish. In fact, experts estimate that between 10 to 26 million tons of IUU-caught fish is taken out of our oceans each year, which equates to nearly 20 percent of the global reported catch.

This is contributing to the decline of certain species, which affects not just small-scale fishers, who make up 90% of the world's fishing workforce, but also jeopardises the survival of other marine species that depend on these fish species.

It has since been close to two years since the historic High Seas Treaty was signed in New York, a treaty that would allow the establishment of MPAs and other conservation efforts on the high seas - ocean areas that exist outside national borders and have previously never had a legal mechanism to cover them.

Yet, many countries struggle to make these protections a reality, even with the establishment of the High Seas Treaty.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Meaghan Brosnan, CEO of WildAid - a global non-profit organisation that is scaling marine enforcement to end illegal fishing and strengthen ocean conservation - shares her perspectives.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leatherback sea turtles are classified by the IUCN as Vulnerable on a global level, but their subpopulation in the Western Pacific are faring far worse than others. According to scientists, that population has declined to just 1,400 breeding adults, leaving them critically endangered.

At the forefront of those efforts is The Nature Conservancy, which is partnering with the Solomon Islands government to gather data from critical nesting beaches in Isabel Province, with funding from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

And although strict gender roles dictate much of Melanesian culture, TNC is slowly shifting the tides at Solomon Islands through the recruitment of women rangers.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Pete Waldie, Solomon Islands Program Director of The Nature Conservancy shares his first-hand insights.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: The Nature Conservancy
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the last three decades, deforestation has led to a 40% reduction in forest cover in Indonesia.

Mangroves, one of the most essential ecosystems for coastal communities, have taken the fall in particular, with excessive logging activities reducing the seawater-tolerant species along coastlines. Scientists say, the consequences of that could be dire as mangroves provide shelter, food and improve water nutrient levels for marine life.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Dr Gretchen Coffman, Wetland Restoration Ecologist & Senior Lecturer, NUS, who is leading community-based restoration and research efforts within the mangrove ecosystems around Lombok, Indonesia, shares her insights.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: NUS
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ocean holds clues to past civilisations and cultures, provides a rich resource for new medicines and treatments, but more importantly, is home to millions of undiscovered species. Ocean scientists around the world have been seeking to unlock its secrets, but only just over 20% of the ocean floor is mapped. What lives, feeds and breeds down there in the icy depths remains a huge mystery.

Large-scale extraction of ocean species like cod, herring, tuna, swordfish and halibut, has brought the collapse of these wild populations by about 90% in just the last few decades.

But, a new wave of understanding about why the ocean matters is bringing a glimmer of hope.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Dr Sylvia Earle, Founder of Mission Blue & National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence - who has dedicated her life to explore, study and protect the oceans - shares first-hand insights on her dives into the deep blue and why exploration is an important step in educating the masses.

She also dives into what she’s hoping to achieve when she leads Ocean Geographic’s BIG ACE Expedition to ground-zero of the climate crisis: the Arctic, in line with her 90th birthday next year (2025).

Special thanks to Ocean Geographic.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: Michael Aw / Ocean Geographic
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you use your things for what they are worth before throwing it out?

With a lot more focus placed on fighting the effects of climate change, the pace at which we’re using our planet’s resources has also come into the spotlight. According to the World Economic Forum, high-income countries use about six times more materials per capita and are responsible for 10 times more climate impacts per capita than low-income countries.

So, how can overconsumption be curbed more effectively? And are you underconsuming what you have?

On this episode of Climate Connections, Cheang Kok Chung, Executive Director, Singapore Environment Council and Michelle Lee, Associate Professor of Marketing (Education), Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University weigh in on how attitudes towards consumption are changing, and what consumers and businesses can do to play their part.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: Earth.com, pixabay & its talented community of contributors
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vultures are often misunderstood and feared as they are often pictured tearing the remains from rotting carcasses. But as nature’s critical clean-up crew, vultures play a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of ecosystems and are intrinsically linked to human health. Evolved to be scavengers, they curb the spread of dangerous diseases like anthrax and cholera by consuming fresh carcasses riddled with potential pathogens and bacteria.

Poisoned, poached, electrocuted and edged out of their habitat, vultures are no safer above ground than on it. These highly intelligent birds are treading a very thin line between existence and extinction.

However, the Cambodia Vulture Working Group’s recent report reveals significant progress in the conservation of three Critically Endangered vulture species: the White-rumped Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture, and Red-headed Vulture. In June 2023, the Minimum Population Estimate was recorded at 132 vultures across the three species, marking a stabilising trend after years of decline.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Oliver Gray-Read, Technical Advisor at NatureLife Cambodia, who has vultures deeply intertwined into the work he does, particularly in Cambodia - where the group has re-introduced the “vulture restaurant” initiative, which helps provide Cambodia’s vulture population with supplementary food to mitigate food shortages and allows for accurate population monitoring.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: NatureLife Cambodia
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every Atlantic hurricane that formed this year had higher wind speeds because of climate change. In fact, scientists found that the extra juice from warmer-than-average ocean temperatures pushed seven storms at least one category higher than they would have been without the influence of climate change.

That’s according to a recent study by researchers from the climate science and communications nonprofit Climate Central, warning of the dangers of intensifying hurricanes in a warmer world.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, Kerry Emanuel, who pioneered potential intensity measurements shares his insights on storm strength that he predicted would happen over 30 years ago, and worries that scientists like him have.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar
Photo credits: NASA
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coral reefs have long been regarded as one of the earliest and most significant ecological casualties of global warming. And as ocean temperatures continue to rise, mass bleaching and die-offs have gone from being rare to a somewhat regular occurrence.

Aside from climatic changes, human activities are no doubt damaging reefs beyond repair. Overfishing, pollution and coastal development are at the top of the list of chronic stressors. And meanwhile, reefs are also dredged or sandblasted for their limestone or to improve access and navigational safety in some areas.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Vriko Yu, CEO of Archireef shares her personal story of witnessing the disappearance of a small patch of coral community in just two months during her research project and how that led to the founding of her climate tech venture that’s working to restore fragile marine ecosystems by using 3D printing technology and some good old-fashioned terracotta.

Archireef, which was founded in 2020, made the Forbes 100 To Watch List in 2023. Vriko was also recognised as a Top Innovator at the 2023 World Economic Forum in Davos.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: Archireef
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.