Mongabay is excited to introduce the Mongabay Newscast, our very own bi-weekly podcast featuring all the latest news and inspiration from nature’s frontline.
Every episode, we’ll feature the top environmental science and conservation news on Mongabay, as well as invite guests on to the show to speak about the most important stories and issues from the past two weeks.
We also want to directly answer questions from you, Mongabay’s readers — but this being our first episode, we don’t have any questions to answer yet. If you’ve got a question, send it to submissions@mongabay.com and we’ll get you an answer on the next episode of the Mongabay Newscast.
On this first episode (available via Stitcher, TuneIn, iTunes, Google Play, and RSS), which we’re releasing today, I was joined by Mongabay editor Rebecca Kessler, who discussed the impacts of the Barro Blanco Dam in Panama on the local indigenous communities, biodiversity, and the wider watershed. Mongabay has been covering this 28-MW hydroelectric project for the past three years, and sent Colombian journalist Camilo Mejia Giraldo to Panama to cover protests and negotiations around the project. The indigenous Ngäbe and Buglé indigenous groups maintain that they were not properly consulted about the project, yet the reservoir is currently filling in as the dam undergoes a “test flooding.”
If you want to read more about any of this episode’s top news, here are all the stories that were discussed:
- Rainforest destruction rises in the Brazilian Amazon
- IUCN to create new category of membership for Indigenous peoples’ organizations
- Indonesian government to investigate Korean palm oil giant over burning in Papua
- 657 pangolins found wrapped in plastic, hidden in freezers
- Scientists catch boa constrictor eating a howler monkey (photos)
Hope you enjoy the podcast! If you do, or if you simply value independent environmental journalism, we’d be remiss not to remind you that Mongabay’s nonprofit reporting is supported by grants and donations — and in September 2016, all donations are being matched by an anonymous donor! Go to mongabay.com/donate to help us bring you many more stories like the ones we’re discussing on the podcast today, and your donation will be doubled.
Transcript
Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.A transcript has not been created for this podcast.