In this episode, we talk with Professor Harriet Bulkely about the effectiveness of different approaches to climate governance and the possibility of a green recovery. Climate governance is particularly complex because of the need for urgency, yet as with any governance, it needs buy-in. She contrasts climate action at the city level vs. national and multi-national efforts and talks about top-down vs. bottom-up approaches, and in particular on the power of cities and communities adopting climate ...
Dec 09, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 111
In this episode, we discuss the social and ecological impact of so-called renewable energy, and how to actually think about the impact of its development, with Dr. Alexander Dunlap. Dr. Dunlap says a more accurate term for industrial-scale renewable energy is Fossil Fuel+, because of the intense hydrocarbon extraction and mineral extraction required, and the complex and large supply webs required to make the large technological apparatuses involved in these projects. He identifies and discusses ...
Nov 27, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 110
In today's interview with writer Andri Snær Magnason, we explore Andri's use of his writing talent as a force for activism. One of Andri's focuses is to use language to make clear scientific concepts which can often feel foreign and unrelatable, while also invoking time intimacy to bridge the emotional gap we often feel toward future generations. He calls this time intimacy, where we can feel a connection across the generations who are intimate to us, our grandparents and future grandchildren, t...
Nov 15, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 109
In this interview with Dr. Arran Stibbe, we discuss ecolinguistics, or how language influences the way we treat the environment. Through a number of examples, he explains the great power of words to construct the concepts and values of our world. Stories influence how we think and talk and act. For instance the set of concepts in neoliberalism tell a story about the economy and impact how we view and value growth. This view is entrenched in our culture and therefore our language. Fortunately, Ec...
Oct 30, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 108
In this episode, we meet with Dr. Joel Bakan to discuss the growing sustainability focus of multinational corporations. He is a professor of law at the University of British Columbia, and a legal scholar and commentator. A former Rhodes Scholar and law clerk to Chief Justice Brian Dickson of the Supreme Court of Canada, Bakan has law degrees from Oxford, Dalhousie, and Harvard. His critically acclaimed book, The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power (Free Press, 2004) was pub...
Oct 18, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 107
In this episode we talk with Danny Dorling, social geographer and Professor of Geography, about his views on many topics, much of which relates to large changes we see in society, and what things are slowing down. Through examining data, Danny aims to address arguments which are often very political. We have a real short-termism that prevents us from looking at the future, and from learning from the past. One area he has looked at is the increasing inequality in places like the UK, where 10 mill...
Oct 12, 2020•56 min•Ep. 106
In this episode, we talk with Roman Krznaric about the necessity of overcoming our society's short-termism and discounting of future generations. Roman argues we need to see beyond the immediacy of the pandemic that we're in and recognize the challenges and injustices that we are passing on from one generation to the next if we do nothing. It's challenging, however, when addressing these long term injustices; it requires thinking about them for sometimes decades or centuries ahead. But with COVI...
Sep 29, 2020•55 min•Ep. 105
In this episode, we dive into understanding denialism and justice dimensions that are gaining visibility with Professor Kari Norgaard. She talks about how we collectively experience and shape things as a society, and how denialism pertains to the various interconnected issues and movements of our time. Dr Norgaard has been reflecting on how the COVID-19 pandemic has brought various issues to more of a public light. She has been focused on climate change and racial inequality for a long time, and...
Sep 19, 2020•39 min•Ep. 104
In this episode, Professor Frances Fox Piven talks about this unique moment in United States history in which there is an extensive social movement against fascism. While brought to life by a revulsion and anger at police brutality against African American people, it also carries a host of grievances related to the strength of neoliberalism in the United States. Frances talks about the many ways in which collective action and popular power manifest; not just through strikes or the withholding of...
Sep 11, 2020•49 min•Ep. 103
In this episode we dive into a discussion with Rob Nixon on climate change denialism, the difficulty of understanding and drawing attention to "slow violence," and in particular, the power of social media and using story and image to to translate scientific knowledge into powerful currents that catalyze social sentiment and action. As Rob discusses the dangers of the science denialism permeating a very significant minority in the U.S., he mentions the importance of the upcoming November election...
Aug 31, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 102
In this episode, we talk with Eric Holthaus about his outlook for the future with climate change. Although our circumstances are certainly dire and much damage has already been done, Eric maintains hope that with collective and focussed radical action to overcome our systemic problems, we can move forward and enact transformative change to stop temperature rise exceeding 1.5 degrees.Three ideas that bring him hope are in a Citizens’ Assembly model, where citizens are called together to problem s...
Aug 25, 2020•43 min•Ep. 101
In this, the 100th episode of the Sustainability Agenda, we speak to Dr. Anne Poelina an indigenous Australian academic and human and earth rights activist. Dr. Poelina explains her role as a “Yimardoowarra marnin,” which, translated from the Nyikina language, means “a woman who belongs to the Martuwarra River,” in Western Australia. Dr. Poelina discusses what she calls “first law,” the Aboriginal peoples’ customary law covering the rules for living in coexistence with nature, the rules of condu...
Aug 17, 2020•58 min•Ep. 100
In this episode we meet with Dr. Rebecca Henderson to discuss her ideas on how to reimagine capitalism, ideas at the heart of the new book, Reimagining Capitalism in a World in Fire. This is a wide-ranging spirited discussion, assessing the state of the corporation today, identifying key shortcomings–oligopolies, excessive pay, power, share buybacks –particularly in the United States—as well as the key role of investors -and the importance of shareholder primacy. Rebecca believes there is enormo...
Aug 06, 2020•58 min•Ep. 99
In today’s episode we talk with Rutger Bregman about the ideas underlying his thought-provoking new book, Humankind. Rutger Bregman is a historian and author. He has published five books on history, philosophy, and economics. His books Humankind (2020) and Utopia for Realists (2017) were both New York Times Bestsellers and have been translated in more than 40 languages. Rutger has twice been nominated for the prestigious European Press Prize for his work at The Correspondent. He lives in Holland...
Jul 26, 2020•52 min•Ep. 98
In this episode, we meet for the second time with Jeremy Lent and discuss the present time with COVID-19. Jeremy identifies how this disruption in our normal lives is a critical time to recognize and begin implementing solutions for some of the deep structural problems exposed. Jeremy builds on the ideas discussed in his first appearance on The Sustainability Agenda, focussing on patterns of ecological systems should be applied to human society-and introducing some of the new ideas he is explori...
Jul 14, 2020•51 min•Ep. 97
Geoff is Director of the Centre for Global Political Economy, Simon Fraser University in Canada- his teaching and research concern the politics and political economy of capitalism. Geoff the author of several books most recently Climate Leviathan: A Political Theory of Our Planetary Future, written with Joel Wainright, a explores the challenges global climate change poses to the contemporary geopolitical order. In this broad ranging interview, Geoff shares his views on some important recent tren...
Jun 30, 2020•54 min•Ep. 96
In this episode, we meet with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, an atmospheric scientist who focuses on projecting and communicating tangible, local effects of climate change to increase people’s willingness to act now. Dealing with time lags, is one of our biggest challenges as humans; if we can’t see the impacts of our actions today, we’re unwilling to act. While we’ve seen a temporary drop in carbon emissions from COVID-19, and also general progress in adopting clean energy and carbon pricing, we have a ...
Jun 17, 2020•45 min•Ep. 95
In today’s episode, we discuss Earth System science and tipping points with Will Steffen. We often hear about tipping points in relation to climate change–the dangers of arctic ice melt, sea level rise and the 2-2.5 degrees C temperature threshold beyond which things become catastrophic. What we don’t always realize is the complexity of system dynamics. Will talks about the likelihood of a tipping cascade, when one tipping point kicks off a series of others. He also draws parallels between COVID...
Jun 09, 2020•47 min•Ep. 94
In this episode we speak with Eva Gladek, founder and CEO of Metabolic, and a leader in the space of circular economies. She talks about the importance of resilience especially in times of crisis as we’re experiencing now with COVID-19. Eva talks about the importance of taking a systems approach to the problems we are now facing–outlining key elements of this approach–at the heart of the book that she is currently completing. Eva highlights the critical importance of circular approaches to busin...
May 28, 2020•46 min•Ep. 93
In this interview, we talk with renowned Indian social activist Medha Patkar. She speaks about many of the social and environmental issues facing India for which she has been a leader and champion in fighting injustice with peaceful protests and marches. This includes dam and watershed projects which displace populations while also devastating farmland. Medha Patkar is the founder member of the 35 years old people’s movement called Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA). NBA has been engaged in a struggle...
May 18, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 92
In today’s episode, we speak with Professor Ioannis Ioannou on business sustainability four years after his first interview for this podcast. Professor Ioannou gives an overview of the progress that has been made over this time. He argues that sustainability is the mother of all disruptions–and as it is a domain where companies lack necessary experience and knowledge and skills, some iconic brands are heading for the corporate graveyard. He also discusses his recent research that shows that comp...
Apr 27, 2020•57 min•Ep. 91
In today’s episode we speak with John Dennis Liu on the large-scale disruption of ecosystems caused by human activity and the approach we must take to ecological restoration. Everyone likes to focus on CO2, but that’s just one greenhouse gas indicator of an egregious problem. We need to shift our focus from placing too much value in material things and abiotic approaches like renewable energy to focus on climate regulation and restoring symbiotic relationships between living systems, starting wi...
Apr 05, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 90
In this episode we speak with Naomi Klein, renowned author and activist on the state of crisis we’re in and the hope provided by Green New Deals. We’ve made a lot of progress in lifting the importance of climate change in the progressive political agenda, but Naomi explains that we can’t just apply a narrow, technocratic solution. We need a solution that puts social, racial and gender justice at the center. She describes the power of a science-justice-guided approach, and the danger of a hierarc...
Mar 23, 2020•40 min•Ep. 89
Today we speak with Dr. Mike Hulme about climate change from an enlightening perspective that encompasses the relationship between science and policy, science and culture, the politics of climate change, and the possibilities for action in the world. Mike claims we are beyond “stopping” climate change, we must be pragmatic and scale back to simply trying to avoid most egregious problems. We must not rely on artificial, one-size-fits all deadlines put into place regarding a specific number of deg...
Mar 04, 2020•53 min•Ep. 88
Today we speak with Dr. Keir Milburn about the ongoing shift of young people to the left in the UK. In this interview, Keir notes how the material interests of older people are aligned with the performance of the financial sector and real estate whereas younger people are less tied to such measures and more invested in public and social good. Keir argues that we need to find a way to get people with many different views to want to work toward the same thing. We have no time to wait and we must m...
Feb 14, 2020•59 min•Ep. 87
In today’s episode with Professor Colin Mayer, we look at the role of corporations in society. Colin believes that corporations must evolve from a focus on profit maximisation to embrace purposeful goals as being positive contributors to society. Ultimately, this is should be enforced by law and performance measured using principles for purposeful business. While Colin is hopeful about the growing momentum building, he recognises that we have a long way to go. Professor Colin Mayer is the Peter ...
Jan 29, 2020•46 min•Ep. 86
Today we talk about the expectations and outcomes of the COP 25 climate summit with Professor Maisa Rojas, COP 25 scientific coordinator. Professor Rojas hopes that this will be be a time for mobilization and turning scientific reports into action. However, she acknowledges the large social and political hurdles remaining, and that getting people to change their values is not as straightforward. Professor Rojas also talks about the importance of science communications and the role of scientists ...
Jan 17, 2020•43 min•Ep. 85
Described by the New York Times as “arguably the most important intellectual alive,” Noam Chomsky is a pioneering American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called “the father of modern linguistics”, Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy and one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. Chomsky has been a hugely influential figure in the international anti-war movement –and an unrelenting critic of international ...
Dec 27, 2019•32 min•Ep. 84
In this wide-ranging interview, Nate highlights the vital, and oft-overlooked, role that a systems synthesis plays in our understanding of the human predicament. Integrating human behavior, energy, money, economy, ecology into the story that brought humans to this point – is the only way we can make sense of future paths, according to Hagens. He paints a picture of a society deeply dependent upon the massive productivity of fossil carbon and hydrocarbons rich energy sources- “in some ways capita...
Dec 11, 2019•55 min•Ep. 83
We are living in a very vulnerable, unprecedented situation–an ecological crisis which is as social as it is environmental. The way we look at technology and economic systems, and the way we interact as social beings in a globalized world is often as if they are separate from nature, but in reality they’re inextricably intertwined. Today we speak with Unai Pascual, an ecological economist, on the human disconnect with nature, the importance of ecological services, and the need to broaden our foc...
Nov 26, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 82
