Big philanthropic projects like the Protecting Our Planet Challenge usually capture the media spotlight, but how effective are these endeavors? Do they take into consideration the inextricable human rights considerations that experts and activists say need to be a part of the conversation?

On this episode of the Mongabay Newscast, Holly Jonas, global coordinator at the ICCA Consortium, and Michael Kavate, staff writer at the news outlet Inside Philanthropy, weigh in with expert advice for journalists or curious readers who want to learn more about the topic.

“I think what the public really needs is more critical and more in-depth coverage of the ideologies and the approaches behind their kinds of philanthropy, the billionaire pledges and so on, how they’re being rolled out in practice, where the funding’s actually going,” Jonas says.

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Banner image: Wallace’s Passage between Bam and Weigeo islands in Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Image by Rhett Ayers Butler/Mongabay.

Mike DiGirolamo is a host & associate producer for Mongabay based in Sydney. He co-hosts and edits the Mongabay Newscast. Find him on LinkedIn, Bluesky and Instagram.