Mongabay Documents Planetary Health from the Frontlines

In commemoration of 10 years since the Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet report launched the field of Planetary Health, we are spotlighting member organizations driving this movement worldwide. We begin this journey with Mongabay, a global environmental news platform that has documented how deforestation, climate disruption, biodiversity loss, and chemical pollution fuel health crises—covering air and water pollution in rural India, pesticide poisoning in Brazil, the rising health costs of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa, and zoonotic spillover risks from deforestation across the tropics. Their reporting often amplifies frontline voices, such as the Uru-eu-wau-wau Indigenous community in Brazil, whose community-driven health protocols prevented COVID-19 from entering their territory. Their story was later featured in a National Geographic documentary. 

Now, Mongabay is planning to deepen its commitment with the launch of a dedicated Pollutants Desk. The Desk will investigate the health impacts of plastics, industrial chemicals, pesticides, and other often-overlooked contaminants. This new focus will track how pollutants move through air, water, soil, and food systems; expose the industries and policies that enable them; and spotlight community-led solutions. By translating science into compelling narratives, Mongabay aims to hold polluters accountable, influence policy, and equip decision-makers and citizens alike with the knowledge needed to protect both people and the planet. Explore their reporting at Mongabay.