Environmental journalism drives real change: how mongabay’s investigations protected communities and exposed corruption in 2025

While many media outlets chase clicks and pageviews, environmental news organization Mongabay measures success differently—by the tangible impact its journalism creates on the ground. As 2025 comes to a close, the organization’s investigative reporting has sparked government action, empowered marginalized communities, and provided crucial evidence for law enforcement across multiple continents.

Mongabay’s most significant impact this year came through amplifying Indigenous voices and exposing threats to their communities. A groundbreaking investigation by Mongabay Latam uncovered 67 illegal airstrips carved into Peru’s Amazon rainforest for drug trafficking, revealing how this criminal activity drives both deforestation and escalating violence against local Indigenous groups. The story gained national attention when picked up by major news outlets, bringing unprecedented visibility to often-overlooked community struggles. Similar coverage highlighted Indigenous-led conservation efforts, from protecting biodiversity corridors in Colombia to defending Mexican mangroves against industrial development.

The organization’s reporting also served as powerful evidence for law enforcement and policymakers. An analysis commissioned by Mongabay exposed illegal timber laundering connected to two carbon credit projects in Brazil’s Amazon, leading to federal police indictments of those identified in the investigation. Meanwhile, their probe into Brazil’s government purchasing shark meat for schools and hospitals prompted Congressional members to call for parliamentary action.

Beyond immediate policy impacts, Mongabay’s work is shaping the next generation of conservationists. The platform’s educational content has been adopted by conservation organizations and academic institutions, including partnerships with the Lemur Conservation Network and the use of their great ape census reporting as training material for conservation stakeholders in the Democratic Republic of Congo.