Invested In Climate

Saving Nature through System Change with Rare, Ep #105

Feb 11, 2025

Brett Jenks, CEO of Rare, a nonprofit dedicated to conservation and climate action, discusses the looming threat of the sixth mass extinction linked to climate change. He shares insights on the impact of community engagement in areas like rural Costa Rica, where local champions lead conservation efforts. Jenks emphasizes the power of cultural shifts and collective action, noting how behavioral changes driven by social dynamics can foster sustainability. The conversation underscores the importance of unity among stakeholders to tackle the impending biodiversity crisis.

49:11

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Episode guests

Brett Jenks

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The current biodiversity crisis represents the sixth mass extinction, with projections indicating that one in three species may face extinction by century's end if climate goals are unmet.

Rare emphasizes the importance of understanding human behavior and community engagement to drive effective conservation efforts and inspire local actions for sustainable practices.

Deep dives

The Urgency of Biodiversity Loss

Climate change is closely linked to the ongoing biodiversity crisis, with the current era being referred to as the sixth mass extinction. Estimates suggest that if climate goals such as those outlined in the Paris Agreement are not met, one in three species could face extinction by the end of the century. This sobering statistic highlights the need for increased public awareness and action regarding the significant risks that biodiversity loss poses not only to ecosystems but to human survival as well. It emphasizes the importance of engaging various stakeholders in finding solutions to mitigate these effects.

Intro

4min

Impact of Generosity and Resilience in Rural Costa Rica

2min

Empowering Conservation Through Community Engagement

31min

Cultural Shifts in Environmental Conservation

6min

Exploring Climate Awareness and Behavioral Change Across Nations

3min

Collaborative Action for Environmental Challenges

3min

Many experts today say we’re in the midst of the 6th mass extinction, a relatively short period of time when a high percentage of biodiversity dies out. To be clear, we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of species and an extinction event bigger than anything our planet has seen for over 65 million years when dinosaurs walked the earth. A recent study in the journal, Science, looked at 30 years of research across hundreds of species and showed the close link between climate change and biodiversity loss. It projects that if we can achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, 1 in 50 species will go extinct by the end of the century. Meanwhile, if current emission trends continue, mass extinction could claim as many as 1 in 3 species on Earth.

Sorry to start with such sobering data, but the threat to biodiversity is not talked about enough and the stakes need to be known.

There is, of course, hope and it lies with people like Brett Jenks. Brett is the CEO of a global conservation and climate change nonprofit called Rare. They’ve been around for 50 years, work in 60 different countries, and yet, are often behind the scenes. Rare has helped save species and ecosystems, and through that work have learned that their approach can contribute to systemic change. For them, it all begins with understanding people and how to change our behavior. I spoke with Brett about his background, Rare’s approach and impact, their conservation efforts, and how they’re working upstream to change finance, policy, and culture.

Despite the stakes and the difficult challenge we face, I found this conversation to be quite inspiring and I certainly learned a ton from Brett. Enjoy.

Resources Mentioned

Rare

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Invested In Climate

Saving Nature through System Change with Rare, Ep #105

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Urgency of Biodiversity Loss

Rare’s Human-Centric Conservation Approach

Innovative Strategies in Marine Conservation

The Role of Culture in Climate Action

Resources Mentioned

Connect with Brett Jenks

Connect with Jason Rissman

Keep up with Invested In Climate

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