Planet Pulse Pacific

Amy Steel is a climate adaptation expert and PhD candidate with Adrift Lab at Curtin University, Western Australia. With over a decade of experience advising on decarbonisation and climate resilience, Amy is now focused on a vital question: should humans intervene to help ecosystems on the verge of collapse—and if so, how, where, and when?

Amy's research centres on the Yowli (otherwise known as Flesh-footed Shearwaters) breeding on islands in the Recherche Archipelago off Kepa Kurl, Esperance. These seabirds face increasing and worsening threats from lightning-ignited wildfires during their peak breeding season, impacted by climate change. Working with the Esperance Tjaltjraak Rangers, Amy is exploring how Wudjari cultural burning can protect these fragile habitats. Amy also reflects on moving from high-level strategy to hands-on fieldwork, the importance of Indigenous knowledge, and what it means to protect ecosystems in a rapidly changing climate.

In this episode, we discuss:
Amy’s diverse background and what led her from leadership roles in climate strategy to research
The long-term impacts of heat stroke that ended her competitive netball career and influenced her path
Joining the Adrift Lab team and what inspired her to undertake a PhD
Why islands and seabirds like the Yowli are critical indicators of ecosystem health
The increasing severity of wildfires and extreme weather, and their impacts on vulnerable species
Whether seabirds and other wildlife can adapt to human-driven climate change, and if natural checks and balances are breaking down
The ethical and ecological questions around human intervention in collapsing ecosystems
Working closely with the Esperance Tjaltjraak Rangers, and the role of Wudjari cultural burning in ecosystem resilience
The importance of place-based policy and honouring Indigenous knowledge in climate responses
How to communicate climate and conservation issues effectively, and create lasting change within communities
Staying motivated in advocacy through collaboration and community action
The role of athletes in climate conversations, and how to stay safe while being active in a changing climate
What gives Amy hope as an environmental researcher
To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

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Christelle Bakhache is a climber, conservationist, Lagoped ambassador, and Nature Sports Project Manager at Asters, the Conservatory of Natural Spaces in Haute-Savoie, France. With a background in environmental science and fieldwork that includes time with global organisations like WWF, Christelle brings a deep, practical understanding of conservation to her current work protecting some of France’s most fragile alpine environments.
Christelle works where outdoor adventure and environmental protection meet. She focuses on making sure that people can still enjoy the mountains without causing lasting harm to the ecosystems that make these places so special. Whether it’s shaping policy, supporting grassroots projects, or helping athletes think differently about their impact, she’s passionate about finding practical ways to balance human presence in these special and unique environments.
In this conversation, Christelle shares how her love for wild spaces fuels her mission, what she’s witnessing firsthand in the face of climate change, and how outdoor athletes and everyday adventurers alike can reduce their impact. She also reflects on her personal journey—blending exploration, advocacy, and a commitment to low-impact living to pursue a more sustainable future.
In this episode, we discuss:
Christelle’s path into conservation and her drive to protect the natural world
Life and work in Haute-Savoie, and how the region shapes her environmental outlook
Her role at Asters and their mission to safeguard mountain biodiversity
The rapid and visible impacts of climate change in the European Alps
Conservation wins, persistent challenges, and reasons for hope
The hidden environmental toll of large-scale sporting events
What genuinely low-impact outdoor events could look like
Sustainable training and travel tips for athletes and adventurers
Practical ways we can all reduce our footprint in nature
The influence of individual athletes and institutions advocating for change
Christelle’s year of travelling simply and living with intention
Steps toward becoming a more thoughtful, respectful presence in the outdoors
To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

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Joseph Boctor is a PhD researcher at Murdoch University’s Bioplastics Innovation Hub and a passionate advocate for sustainable environmental solutions. Originally from Egypt, Joseph’s work is driven by a personal mission to address the growing plastic pollution crisis in the Nile River and other regions where waste management and recycling systems are underdeveloped or ineffective.
At the Bioplastics Innovation Hub — a collaborative initiative between Murdoch University, CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and industry partners — Joseph’s research focuses on developing innovative ways to break down plastics in environments where traditional approaches fall short. With expertise in chemical sciences and biotechnology, he’s helping pioneer next-generation strategies for plastic degradation and sustainable materials.
Together with the team at the Hub, Joseph is contributing to Australia’s efforts to rethink the plastic lifecycle, to create a cleaner, more resilient future for ecosystems around the world.
In this episode, we discuss:
Joseph’s background and what sparked his passion for tackling plastic pollution
The shocking scale of plastic waste in the Nile River and its broader implications
The two sides to the plastic problem—beginning and end of life strategies
His lead authorship on the paper “Microplastics and nanoplastics: fate, transport, and governance from agricultural soil to food webs and humans”
Why micro- and nanoplastics are so concerning, and how their size makes them nearly impossible to escape
From soil to salad: How micro and nanoplastics enter agricultural soils and what that could mean for our health
The urgent need for regulation and standardised risk assessments of plastics in food webs
Packaging solutions that don’t leave a legacy: The groundbreaking work of the Bioplastics Innovation Hub
Australia’s love affair with plastic, and the alarming statistics behind our consumption
Joseph’s lead authorship on the review “Nature’s Plastic Predators: A Comprehensive and Bibliometric Review of Plastivore Insects”
The intriguing insects that can feed on plastics—and how they could revolutionise waste management
The Hub’s Smart Sprays Project and its potential to transform the agricultural industry
Practical steps we can take as consumers to reduce our plastic footprint and avoid contamination
To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

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Gareth Hughes is a former Member of Parliament, political commentator, author, and passionate advocate for economic transformation. With a decade of experience in Parliament representing the Green Party, Gareth held key roles including Party Whip, strategist, and Chair of the Social Services and Community Select Committee. Before his time in politics, Gareth led climate campaigns with Greenpeace, helping to drive awareness and action on critical environmental issues.
Gareth now serves as Director of WEAll Aotearoa Wellbeing Economy Alliance, a Te Tiriti-led, non-partisan ‘think and do’ tank focused on reimagining Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy to prioritise the wellbeing of people and te taiao (the natural world). Through research, advocacy, and coalition-building, the WEAll Aotearoa team are helping to shape a future where thriving communities and ecosystems are at the heart of economic decision-making.
In this episode, we discuss:
Gareth’s journey from climate activism to Parliament to economic systems change
How his personal and political experiences shaped a deep commitment to systemic economic change
Why the current economic model is failing—and why change is urgent
What a well-being economy really means (and what it’s not)
Challenging common myths about economic growth and prosperity
Why Aotearoa needs an economy that works for everyone, within planetary boundaries
The mission and work of WEAll Aotearoa—empowering communities, policymakers, and businesses to co-create change
The Wellbeing Economy Alliance—a global movement, now in 19 countries
Tools and frameworks for action, including the Wellbeing Economy Policy Design Guide
Business as a force for good
Gareth’s nationwide listening tour—hearing how everyday New Zealanders want the economy to work
Barriers to shifting the system, and how we can overcome them
What success could look like, and Gareth’s message of hope and action
How you can support WEAll Aotearoa and get involved in the movement
Gareth offers a hopeful, grounded, and inspiring conversation about how we can reimagine the economy to truly serve both people and the planet.
To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

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Dr Catherine Knight is an award-winning author, environmental historian, and policy expert with extensive experience in both strategic and operational environmental governance. Currently working in strategic policy in the government sector, Catherine is also an Honorary Research Associate at Massey University’s School of People, Environment and Planning. Her writing on wellbeing, post-growth economics, and environmental policy frequently appears on platforms such as Newsroom, The Spinoff, and Substack.
Catherine has authored several acclaimed books exploring the relationships between people, nature, and politics, including Nature and Wellbeing in Aotearoa, which we explored with her in a previous podcast episode. Her latest work, An Uncommon Land, is her most personal to date, tracing Aotearoa’s environmental and social history through the lens of her own ancestors. It explores powerful themes like enclosure, colonisation, and the gradual denaturing of landscapes.
In this episode:
Her background in policy and current work beyond authorship
Auckland’s lost tram network and the role of holistic city design
Rethinking the economy to serve both people and planet
What inspired Catherine to write An Uncommon Land
The personal journey of understanding her ancestors to shape present-day insights
The vulnerability of writing a deeply personal book
The concept of The Commons—its historical significance and near-erasure in modern Aotearoa
Debunking the myth of the "tragedy of the commons"
How the shift to enclosure and private property continues to shape society today
The enduring systems of war, colonisation, and environmental degradation—and their modern parallels
Our complicity in an economy driven by exploitation and consumption
How New Zealand’s celebrated progress has often depended on the extraction of resources and environmental destruction
Envisioning alternative futures: post-growth models, food security, and land as a shared inheritance
Why we must redirect public investment toward collective wellbeing
What Catherine and her daughter learned from travelling together in the process of researching this book.
To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee or becoming a member of Athletes for Nature.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, subscribe to this podcast, and share this episode with your friends and family.