Global Shark Conservation Sees Historic Regulatory Breakthroughs

Global Shark Conservation Sees Historic Regulatory Breakthroughs

Author: The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas August 3, 2026 Duration: 16:23
After decades of facing severe overfishing and cultural stigma, global shark populations are finally rebounding thanks to strict new international trade bans and expanding marine sanctuaries. Emma Varvaloucas, Executive Director of The Progress Network, shares how much our views and treatment of sharks have shifted over the last century and why there’s reason for optimism. Plus: a team of 23 students in the Netherlands successfully engineered the world's first fully solar-powered ambulance to deliver off-grid medical care, Indigenous youth are reclaiming traditional face tattooing to preserve their cultural heritage, and robust conservation programs have helped two wildlife species in America bounce back from the brink of extinction.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgSubscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetworkFollow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrkFollow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/

It’s easy to feel that everything is falling apart, but what if the dominant narrative of decline is missing a crucial piece of the story? What Could Go Right? asks that question directly, offering a necessary counterpoint to the daily drumbeat of crises. Hosted by The Progress Network’s Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas, this podcast operates from a simple but radical premise: while the problems are real, so is the human capacity for ingenuity and constructive change. Each episode brings together a diverse group of thinkers, from scientists and activists to policymakers and cultural commentators, for conversations that go beyond diagnosing issues to exploring tangible solutions and underreported advances. You’ll hear nuanced discussions on everything from climate technology and economic innovation to the reshaping of governance and culture, all grounded in a realistic sense of possibility. This isn’t about blind optimism; it’s about engaged, evidence-based hope. Tuning in means joining a community that believes understanding what’s working is just as important as understanding what’s broken. If you’re weary of doomscrolling and looking for substantive dialogue that charts a path forward, this is the podcast for you.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

What Could Go Right?
Podcast Episodes
The World Map You Grew Up With Is Wrong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:59
Maps have distorted the true size of the African continent for 500 years, but a new UN resolution is changing that. Progress Network Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas examines this historic shift toward a more accurate…
AI Was Supposed to Destroy Jobs. Here's What Actually Happened [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:50
There’s been a lot of doom and gloom around artificial intelligence taking our jobs. Even founders of AI companies like Sam Altman have said that many jobs will go poof and disappear. But is the AI job apocalypse all hyp…
Why We Can't Picture a Good Future Anymore | With Ari Wallach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:28
Are we trapped in a cultural doom loop that forces us to fear the future instead of dreaming of a better one? In this episode, futurist Ari Wallach joins host Zachary Karabell to examine why modern society defaults to sh…
Introducing: The Ongoing Transformation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:31
This week, we want to share a podcast from our friends at Issues in Science & Technology. It’s called The Ongoing Transformation and it looks at how science and society are continually transforming each other. From count…