Vanessa Hauc: “Noticias Telemundo Has Been Reporting On The Importance Of Connecting Better With The Planet For Over 15 Years”

The launch of AHORA: Planeta Tierra is part of a commitment by Noticias Telemundo, which for more than 15 years “has been reporting on our experiences about the importance of relating better to our planet, and we have done so through different initiatives,” explains Vanessa Hauc, host of the program, a journalist who has dedicated much of her career to environmental topics.

Hauc is a co-founder of Sachamama, or Madre Selva, a nonprofit organization that works to inspire, empower, and educate the Latino community on climate issues and promote sustainable attitudes, behaviors, and lifestyles.

Hauc explains that Noticias Telemundo first launched Alerta Verde about 18 years ago, and now it is Planeta Tierra, “our investigative guide to the environment, and the AHORA: Planeta Tierra program is an enhancement of this message, especially at a time when we feel it is critical to have conversations in the world that really matter. We are going through many changes at the country and planet level, and all the decisions made at the government level directly impact us, our families, priorities, and our planet.”

Hauc emphasizes that at such a transformative moment for the U.S., “it was essential to have a space where people could understand the health of the planet, how it is changing, understand the science in a very simple and direct way, and understand how the climate changes we are experiencing affect them personally. But more than anything, beyond all of this, the reality of our planet, now we care a lot about and have a strong focus on solutions because we know that although our planet is changing at a much faster pace than scientists had projected for years, we also know that solutions are being developed and launched exponentially. In all our programs, we have the reality of our planet, what is happening now, the latest scientific studies, but we also have several segments, one called Planeta En Acción, which is precisely about the good news of how the planet is advancing.”

SHOWING SOLUTIONS

Hauc states that AHORA: Planeta Tierra also opens a space to show solutions, referring to battles in courts to protect rivers, seas, and air quality “to prevent the emission of carbon dioxide that is causing this crisis. We are also in many places in Latin America talking with innovators, entrepreneurs who are creating and implementing sustainable life models that are good for humans, biodiversity, ecosystems, and the planet. That is part of what makes it an informative platform.”

She explains that in addition to keeping the audience informed about the environmental news of the week, “they will also leave with a great dose of inspiration and motivation, understanding that we are going through tough planetary processes, but at the same time, people already have the technology and resources, and we are moving in the direction we need to go.”

THE FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSCAST IN SPANISH ON STREAMING

AHORA: Planeta Tierra is the first environmental newscast in Spanish on streaming.

Hauc mentions that “now more than ever, we need media that are committed to this topic and can explain to our audience, to the citizens of the world, how our planet is changing, and how and why not? Because we often hear about hurricanes and wildfires in the news and talk about them. But why are these fires happening? Why are the fires getting stronger and harder to extinguish? Because the drought is causing these fires, because hurricanes are getting stronger and turning into mega-hurricanes within hours, when that didn’t happen years ago? Using science to explain to our audience and show them here are the solutions. In this moment, as our planet is going through all these changes, platforms like these are needed.”

Hauc points out that she has received support from Telemundo and NBCUniversal to spread these topics 100%. “The fact that we have a 30-minute program on our streaming channel is proof that there is a real commitment. And I believe that our leadership understands what is happening on our planet,” she said.

She added that the main role of the media is to inform the community about issues that directly affect them: the issue of climate change “is something that profoundly affects us. In fact, Latinos are among the most vulnerable communities to climate change in the U.S. and Latin America,” she stated.

She recalled that they have scientist and educator Carlos Robles, a meteorologist, who understands how climate change is affecting the entire country and explains it very clearly on the program.

Another topic addressed on AHORA: Planeta Tierra is plastic. “A new report just came out about plastic pollution, and it’s a very central issue we see all the time, but this is an interesting report from a nonprofit organization called Oceana, which reveals what’s going on. Coca-Cola, which will be the world’s largest producer of plastic by 2030, is going to produce 600,000 tons of plastic waste in just five years. We spoke with the organization behind this research and also with Coca-Cola about what they are doing,” she mentioned.

They will also show a report on the solutions being implemented. “We’re going to Peru, to an eco-bank, which is the first eco-bank we’ve seen in Latin America, where young people and children recycle materials and can exchange them for school supplies – notebooks, pencils – bicycles, toys, whatever they want. That kind of wonderful story, creating a bank for children, is very nice,” she said.

Vanessa Hauc with former President of Colombia, Iván Duque, at the climate plenary of The Future of the Amazon