“I think it’s not just up to one person, everyone needs to know about this, realise what’s really going on. You know, you don’t need to be a scientist to be in. Even in Fiji, ask any local people in any village, they’ll tell you. Climate change is real.”

“The question is what’s more important – the environment or the economics? We can live without the economics but the environment, we need it. It sustains us in multiple ways.”

This episode of the humans at work podcast features a thought-provoking conversation with Johnny Singh, Marine Biologist at the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji. 

Johnny is the first Fijian marine biologist employed at the resort and talks about his passion for all things nature.  From running a kid’s educational programme to grow budding ecologists, to coral nurseries and mangrove replanting, its clear that Johnny is an example of the kind of care for biodiversity and balance between humans and nature so often characterised by island-based communities.

Johnny and I talk about:

• Sparking motivation and interest in young people
• Sustainable design of buildings, using local and renewable materials
• Impacts of climate change on coral and actions to regenerate and protect future coral
• How Fijians are adapting to current (and planning for future) climate change impact
• Food insecurity – in the sea and on land
• The importance of nature in feeling (and keeping us) alive and healthy
• The reality of climate change on the weather and life in a nation like Fiji
• Why people in power aren’t taking the action they can to change the direction of climate change
• Marine biology as a profession
• The importance of storytelling in Fijian culture.

Note: Jules travelled to the Jean-Michel Resort Fiji as a paying guest.  The recording of this podcast was made possible by the management of the resort and generosity of Johnny himself. 

Resources and Links:

To learn more about Johnny:

Follow him on LinkedIn

For more information the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji: https://www.fijiresort.com/

To understand more about how the Jean-Michel Cousteau resort focuses on sustainability: https://www.fijiresort.com/sustainability/ 

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