This year's El Niño has officially crossed the threshold into "Super El Niño" territory, and some forecasts now predict temperature anomalies so extreme that scientists say there's no existing category for it.

In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with Dr. Stephanie Roe, WWF's Global Climate and Energy Lead Scientist, to break down what's driving this historic event and what it could mean for the months ahead. Stephanie explains the science behind El Niño, why this year's event is on track to be the strongest ever recorded, and how a warming planet is raising the baseline for every future cycle. She also shares which ecosystems are most at risk during this cycle, from coral reefs still recovering from the worst bleaching event on record, to the anchovy fishery off the coast of Peru, to the Amazon rainforest, which scientists warn could be pushed toward a dangerous tipping point. And Seth and Stephanie discuss how countries and communities can prepare for what's ahead.

Links for More Info:

Dr. Stephanie Roe bio

Chapters:

0:00 Cold open

0:23 Intro

1:47 What is El Niño?

4:08 The history behind the name

4:57 How El Niño affects global weather

6:39 Timing: what to expect through 2027

9:40 What makes this a "Super" El Niño

14:25 Is climate change making El Niño stronger?

16:38 Ecosystems at risk: coral reefs, Peru fishery, the Amazon

21:00 How to prepare for extreme weather

23:30 Inside the next IPCC assessment

28:28 What's giving Stephanie hope

30:54 Closing thoughts

WWF's 2026 Living Planet Report finds that monitored wildlife populations have declined by an average of 73% since 1970. In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with Dr. Rebecca Shaw, WWF's Chief Scientist and editor-in-chief of this year's report, to unpack what that number really means — and why, despite the sobering data, this year's report is subtitled "The Science of Hope."

Rebecca explains how the Living Planet Index works, why a global average can hide real bright spots (nearly half of all monitored populations are actually stable or increasing), and how species like tigers, bluefin tuna, Southern African elephants, and green sea turtles have rebounded thanks to decades of coordinated, global effort. She also introduces the report's concept of "positive tipping points" — using the global renewable energy transition as a real-world example of a system that has already tipped toward self-sustaining change — and explains why food systems and finance are still in an earlier "enabling phase," with tipping points potentially just years away.

Links for More Info:

Dr. Rebecca Shaw bio

2026 Living Planet Report

Chapters:

0:00 Teaser

0:42 Intro

2:19 What is the Living Planet Report?

3:57 This year's topline number: a 73% decline

6:12 Why "The Science of Hope"?

8:37 The green sea turtle recovery story

15:21 What are positive tipping points?

19:20 Renewable energy: a tipping point already underway

22:50 Food and finance: the next systems to tip

25:32 The $1.3 trillion nature finance gap

28:31 Why 2030 matters

31:23 Closing thoughts

Last week, WWF hosted its first-ever Panda House, a full day of panel sessions during Climate Week NYC — the annual gathering timed to coincide with the UN General Assembly, where leaders from across the climate and conservation world come together to debate ideas and push for action.

In this special recap episode, host Seth Larson and WWF's Sarah Wilson bring you inside Panda House, with a series of short conversations recorded live between panel sessions. The day's discussions spanned carbon markets, tropical forest protection, and ocean conservation, but one theme ran through the day: finance. In other words, how do we raise the funds required to conserve nature at scale?

In this episode you'll hear from:

• Andrew Deutz, WWF's Managing Director of Global Policy and Partnerships, about the newly released Financing Nature 2026 report that WWF co-released with The Nature Conservancy and the Paulson Institute;
• Stephanie Cappa, WWF's Director of Policy and Government Affairs, about the Tropical Forest Forever Facility; and
• John Morton, WWF's Executive Managing Director for Nature Finance & Investment, about carbon markets, how Climate Week has changed over the years, and what gives him hope for the future.

Together, these conversations offer a snapshot of where the nature finance conversation stands today, and what it will take to close the gap between what's being spent and what's actually needed.

Links for More Info:

REPORT: Financing Nature 2026

Andrew Deutz bio

Stephanie Cappa bio

John Morton bio

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:04 Andrew Deutz on the Financing Nature 2026 report

4:23 Stephanie Cappa on the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)

8:06 John Morton on carbon markets and more

11:52 Outro