What does it mean to reach for a dream? 18 months ago Leon Koning, a keen cyclist, got to know Mark Slats. Slats was training to complete 10 Ironman triathlons in 10 days. He needed a training buddy as he prepared, and Leon agreed to help. As they trained, the two decided on their next…
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A wave of change has swept through the world of coral reef science, as scientists develop new ways to collect, collate and analyse data. The reefs are vital to the health of the planet, and humanity: while they cover only 0.2% of the seafloor, they support at least 25% of marine species. And they play…
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Olga Nefedova’s career has taken her from the oilfields of Western Siberia, and across continents, to the most senior roles of Fugro, via a role at famed management consultants McKinsey. Along the way, she has developed an approach to strategy that fosters a childlike delight in fearless experimentation and the ‘heart filling joy’ of problem…
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We will all bear the brunt of climate change without a rapid transition to renewables. But as we move through the energy transition, communities hosting new power generation facilities will see the landscape around them change. To ensure that the benefits of the energy transition are shared by all, the Scottish government worked with wind…
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One day, taking a gearbox out of a vehicle in the middle of the night as a 17-year-old apprentice automotive engineer Helen West had a flash of realisation: “I can’t be doing this when I’m 30!” Today, Helen is global director, marine asset integrity, at Fugro. In this episode, she shares how she plans and…
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The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has a 100 year history of mapping the world’s oceans. John Nyberg, technical director, explains how the organisation’s role in understanding our oceans is evolving. Now, rather than just recording ocean depths for mariners, the organisation is setting standards for how we record environmental data. In Italy, this approach is…
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TreVaughn Ellis is a recent graduate of American University, and winner of the Scott A. Bass Outstanding Scholarship Award. During his studies, he interned as a researcher with the National Marine Fisheries Service, part of NOAA, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in Alaska. In this episode, he describes his research in Alaska, where…
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Young people have the most to lose from climate change, but are not given a voice or a vote in how the crisis is tackled. In this episode, Jon Baston-Pitt speaks to three young women, Raina Ivanova, Chloe McKenna and Paula Garcia Rodriguez, who are taking action to make sure their voices—and those of their…
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In this Planet Beyond episode hosted by Jon Baston-Pitt, experts Irina Mirkina from UNICEF, Marek Kowalkiewicz from QUT Business School, and Pawel Michalak from Fugro discuss the future of AI and its wide-ranging impact on society. Beyond just language models, like ChatGPT, they highlight its role in disaster management, climate modelling, and decision-making processes. In…
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In this Planet Beyond Shortcast, host Jon Baston-Pitt delves into the environmental costs that come along with the transformative potential of AI. Training and serving AI models requires vast amounts of energy, and water used in cooling server farms. Jon is joined by Merouane Debbah, AI researcher, professor at Khalifa University and senior advisor at…
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In this final episode of our International Partnering Forum miniseries, we explore how the dynamic American offshore wind industry is attracting a passionate and diverse workforce of young professionals eager to tackle climate change and make a difference. Jon Baston-Pitt is joined by Samantha Mullen from RWE, Sarah Schwitzer from PEAK Wind, and Darcy Caja…
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At night on May 24, 2024, a devastating landslide hit the village of Yambali, in Papua New Guinea. It took a week for rescuers to just reach the site, with heavy rain, poor roads, and ongoing conflict hindering access. The same factors have made the scale of the devastation hard to assess, but reports suggest…
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The Planet Beyond team has been recording live from the International Partnering Forum (IPF) 2024 in New Orleans. In this episode, host Jon Baston-Pitt is joined by three prominent women leaders in the offshore wind industry in the Americas: Liz Burdock from Oceantic Network, Jennifer Cullen from Vineyard Wind, and Celine Gerson from Fugro. The…
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In this episode of Planet Beyond, host Jon Baston-Pitt speaks with Richmond Quarcoo, founder and director of Plastic Punch. Richmond shares the origins of Plastic Punch, which began after discovering sea turtles tangled in plastic waste along the beaches in Ghana. The organisation uses citizen science to address marine litter and inspire behavioural change. One…
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How will innovation impact the future of the offshore industry? In this fourth episode of the Planet Beyond IPF mini-series, recorded live at the IPF conference in New Orleans, we discuss the cutting-edge innovations shaping the burgeoning offshore wind industry in the US. Jon Baston-Pitt is joined by guests Deanne Hargrave of Atlantic Shores Offshore…
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How can we map, model and analyse the impacts of climate change and mitigation actions on oceans and coasts around the world? In this episode, a supplement to Planet Beyond’s Ocean Decade miniseries, Jon Baston-Pitt talks to leading marine scientists about the development of ocean forecasting, and the more recent development of The Digital Twins…
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Every challenge is an opportunity for growth: that’s a key takeaway from Ross MacFarlane and Hidayat Alizada. Both of our interviewees have achieved personal sporting success, while supporting good causes. Ross, Remote Operations Centre Manager at Fugro in Dubai, shares insights into resilience and determination. He discusses his passion for triathlons and marathons, overcoming setbacks…
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The SKAO, or Square Kilometre Array Observatory, will allow scientists to peer through time into the universe’s distant past. Its telescope arrays in South Africa and Australia, along with its HQ at Jodrell Bank in the UK, have been designed to capture a picture of the universe as the first galaxies formed, the so-called ‘epoch…
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What will be the future of our planet? Dakota Peebler, an 18-year-old leader in ocean conservation, emphasises the crucial role of collective youth action in shaping a better future for our planet. Dakota, co-founder of Heirs To Our Ocean, shares her incredible journey from childhood fascination to leading a movement for ocean preservation. She discusses…
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In a little over a week, Planet Beyond will be recording live at the UN Ocean Decade conference in Barcelona. In the run up to the event, we’re considering the value of oceans. In our last episode, we looked at the value of the ocean as a way to store carbon and mitigate the effects…
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We need to manage our coast lines to reduce the impact of climate change. But coastal areas, and mangroves in particular, also offer one of the most effective naturebased mechanisms for capturing carbon. At COP 28 in the UAE last November, the importance of the oceans to climate change was a key focus, and the…
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As we travel through the energy transition, we must rapidly develop new forms of propulsion that reduce or eliminate carbon emissions. This has been a key driver of research and development at vessel builder SEA-KIT International. Jon Baston-Pitt first spoke to SEA-KIT CEO Ben Simpson almost two years ago, for Episode 16 of the Planet…
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Paul Lawrie has had an impressive career as a golf pro, with 19 professional wins to his name. But he was a latecomer to the game. He only focussed on golf once he had accepted he wasn’t going to make it as a professional footballer. The secret to his success was the hard work of…
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Daniela Taliana is geoscience manager at Fugro in Italy. Like our host, Jon, she has a passion for rocks. But in this episode she tells us about another passion: for art. Daniela is president of the volunteer arts association, Spazi all’Arte, or ‘Spaces for Art’, which seeks to foster collaborative and inclusive public art in…
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