(48) "Why Facts Don’t Save Nature—But Stories Do" with Celina Chien and Victoria Duthil

A UNESCO World Heritage site in the Indian Ocean and home to over 400 endemic species, the Aldabra Atoll, is on the brink of destruction. A proposed luxury development has threatened its fragile ecosystem, and despite scientific arguments and official interventions, nothing has stopped the Seychelloix government from proceeding with this project. Nothing seemed to get their attention. In the end, it wasn’t data or diplomacy that began turning the tide for Aldabra, it was storytelling.

Today’s guests, Celina Chien, conservationist, journalist, and founder of Overstories, and Victoria Duthil, a Seyhelloix scientist-turned-advocate dedicated to protecting her home’s biodiversity have both been instrumental in the Friends of Aldabra movement, which has harnessed the power of narratives to inspire action.

In this new podcast episode, we’re exploring the intersection of storytelling, culture, and conservation. How often have cold facts failed to move you, yet a story changed everything? Why does that happen? How can you use storytelling as a force for change? And how can young, powerful voices shape the future of conservation?

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