Join our panel of experts during London Climate Action Week to discuss how the conservation of Javan rhinos and Sumatran rhinos in Indonesia is linked to climate action.
With both Javan and Sumatran rhinos each numbering fewer than 100 individuals, these iconic animals have become powerful indicators of ecosystem health and resilience.
This conversation explores how the fate of the world’s rarest rhinos reflects wider environmental pressures shaping natural ecosystems and human communities across the globe, and how ensuring their survival is a key tool in the fight against runaway climate change in one of the most biodiverse regions on earth.
Meet our speakers
Dr Jo Shaw – Chief Executive Officer, Save the Rhino International (SRI)
Jo leads Save the Rhino International, a conservation organisation focused on protecting rhino species in Africa and Asia. She has extensive experience in wildlife conservation strategy, fundraising, and international partnership building, with a particular emphasis on endangered megafauna and habitat protection.
Tom Owen-Edmunds – World Resources Institute (WRI)
Tom works on climate and environmental strategy at the World Resources Institute, focusing on nature-based solutions, forest landscapes, and the intersection of biodiversity conservation and climate policy. His work explores how protecting ecosystems can support both emissions reduction and climate resilience.
Dr Barney Long - Re:wild
Barney leads the global thematic programmes for Re:wild focusing on species recovery and protected area management. He has over thirty years experience working on Asian conservation challenges including efforts to recover the Sumatran and Javan rhino across their ranges.
Nicole Egna - Carbon Direct
Nicole is a conservation scientist and carbon markets expert who works at the intersection of environmental science and finance, helping organisations develop high-impact carbon removal strategies at Carbon Direct. Her career spans wildlife conservation, to building carbon data products at Bloomberg.
Hosted by Lydia Goedhuis - MD, Edge Group Conservation.
Please note: The views of our speakers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Royal Geographical Society.
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