On April 14, 2022, Bright Award winners Maria Azhunova (2020) and India Logan-Riley (2021) were honored with an award presentation followed by a panel discussion with the two winners. Joining them were Brook Thompson, an Indigenous leader and Stanford graduate student, and Greg Dalton, Climate One podcast, who moderated the panel.

The panel discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities around implementing Indigenous conservation approaches around the world, outlining a path forward that incorporates Indigenous rights and knowledge. With climate changes already causing devastating impacts, and with over 80% of the world’s biodiversity occurring on Indigenous lands, respecting and reviving Indigenous conservation practices will be critical for protecting future ecosystem health and mitigating climate impacts.