On today’s Sustainability In Your Ear episode, discover a transformative approach to rainforest conservation with Dr. Hannah Peck, Deputy Director and Policy Lead at Cool Earth. She brings a decade of experience in the rainforests of Peru and Papua New Guinea with Cool Earth’s innovative strategies that prioritize direct support over traditional carbon offset models. Cool Earth challenges the heavily promoted carbon offsets industry, arguing that they often serve as a smokescreen for continued emissions rather than a genuine solution to the climate crisis. Instead, the organization emphasizes reducing emissions at the source and investing in the people best prepared to protect nature: Indigenous communities. Cool Earth’s approach is based on unconditional cash transfers that free Indigenous communities to make decisions based on sustainable practices and forest conservation rather than economic necessity. The cash transfers reduce the incentive for activities that lead to deforestation, such as illegal logging or mining.
In 2023, Cool Earth launched a pioneering basic income pilot in the Amazon rainforest. They provide about $5 million a year in funding Indigenous communities, where every adult receives a regular income to meet their needs. This initiative aims to support long-term sustainability and forest conservation by enabling individuals to focus on preserving their environment rather than engaging in environmentally harmful economic activities. Hannah explains that Indigenous communities manage most of the remaining ecologically healthy rainforests. Cool Earth presents a compelling case for a more equitable and effective approach to combating climate change. To learn more about Cool Earth’s work and how you can support their mission, visit coolearth.org.
Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired on May 12, 2025.