The three talented and insightful climate change activists/energy experts in this panel episode can see right through oil and gas industry spin - and that's because each of them used to work for a fossil fuel company. You'll hear from Lindsey Gulden (formerly of Exxon, now with US-based Leg Up Data), Greg Bourne (ex-BP and now a Climate Council councillor after stints heading environment group WWF Australia and chairing the Australian Renewable Energy Agency), and Alex Hillman (ex-Woodside and n...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Around the world, national governments - and sometimes state governments - operate emissions trading schemes that apply to businesses emitting large amounts of dangerous greenhouse gas. Australia's program is called the Safeguard Mechanism, and it covers just over 200 factories, mines, and fossil fuel power stations. Is the Safeguard tough enough? Should it be expanded to cover more sites? What will happen to the Safeguard when Australia decides on a 2035 national emissions reduction pledge? In ...
May 25, 2025•1 hr 29 min
Where should climate activists focus their attention now, in these difficult and frightening times? How can we make fossil fuel companies stop polluting, when they show no signs of doing so? And what changes are making it easier for activists to gain traction? In this episode, we hear from Bill McKibben and Kafia Ahmed, who have years of activism experience and are deep thinkers about these issues. And we hear about their efforts to bring together and maximise the impact of a 70-million strong p...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 8 min
A hybrid episode based on the findings of a survey of 1,800 practitioners by specialist ESG recruitment agency Talent Nation. There's some fascinating insights into trends in the ESG sector in this episode. For example: People are more likely to stay put in their jobs than in the previous year or two, with the exception of early career professionals. Very few early career professionals consider they are paid adequately. Women are paying a 'loyalty penalty', with women that have been in their job...
Apr 09, 2025•51 min
Yes, we do need carbon credits to successfully fight climate change. Despite what some say, there's no evidence that we can raise sufficient finance to successfully fight climate change without using them. And there's no way to fully decarbonise at speed without bringing them into play. However, those involved in their creation, purchase, or use need to follow what is now well-established guidance on doing so with integrity. And they need to use them for the right purposes. This episode on carbo...
Mar 23, 2025•53 min
Could Australia's future as a renewable energy superpower encompass providing Direct Air Capture services to major international companies? Find out in this chat with two direct air capture (DAC) experts - Julian Turecek, chief executive of Australian start-up AspiraDAC, and Professor Deanna D'Alessandro, director of Sydney University's Net Zero Institute. Find out how DAC works, the state of play, and when the technology is likely to be ready for large-scale deployment. You can find out more ab...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 1 min
Three fab guests for this new episode - talking about the use of drones to protect the environment and fight climate change! James Schultz is the co-founder and chief executive of GreenCollar, Australia's largest provider of nature-based carbon abatement. Cam Baker is co-founder and chief executive of NZ-based EnvicoTech, a global drone company. And Joss Crawford is executive director of operations with EPA Victoria. Drones with LiDAR, drones with buckets, drones with heat sensors, and drones th...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 4 min
In this episode, I run through upcoming climate and sustainability developments in each Australian jurisdiction. There's a lot happening on climate, biodiversity and waste! As well providing a detailed outline of legislative and policy developments, I allocate a word or phrase that in some way captures the performance of each jurisdiction. Find out why I've called one state "the comfort zone", why another state has earned a "show me the money" tag because of its work on financial incentives and ...
Feb 03, 2025•58 min
There is no doubt that we have the means and the knowledge to rapidly decarbonise, reach net zero, and become net negative. But success is not guaranteed. If we falter over the coming years, could geoengineering through solar radiation modification be a last chance option? Might we reach the point where we need to cool the planet, to give us a bit more breathing space while we decarbonise? Is it possible, or is it too dangerous? Would it undermine efforts to rapidly decarbonise? Would the benefi...
Dec 18, 2024•57 min•Ep. 10
“We are not getting to net zero, we are not going to meet our climate goals, unless we deal with the emissions associated with international trade.” Emma Aisbett. A double-header episode, firstly covering climate change and international trade, then an update efforts to better manage a key threat to Australia's biodiversity. Preventing catastrophic climate change requires a new approach to international trade. But the World Trade Organisation has struggled to step up. What is being done to ensur...
Dec 15, 2024•53 min
In this episode, find out from Evan Stamatiou what has prompted the Global South to become more enthusiastic about carbon markets. And hear his thoughts on the COP 'beehive', as well as on the importance of COP-complementary action, as demonstrated by regional leaders such as Singapore. And for all you wonks out there who think you understand the Paris Agreement's Article 6 international cooperation provisions, chances are you don't! That's because you've focused on Article 6.2 (country to count...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr 4 min
This COP29 episode is a chat with Peter Castellas, chief executive of Climate Zeitgeist. Peter founded Climate Zeitgeist to catalyse investment in business solutions that address climate change. Its activities include the annual Climate Investor Forum, which connects investors and climate change solutions providers. Peter talks about the COP, with a strong focus on progress being made on rules for carbon markets, which are a key instrument that enables climate change cooperation between countrie...
Nov 21, 2024•27 min
Vox pops are journalism's equivalent of bungee jumping - you take a leap forward and hope for the best! I wandered the corridors of the large area allocated for organisation and country pavilions at COP29, asking representatives about their work, and about their focus at the COP. You'll hear from people working on issues including health, adaptation, risk communication, solar energy, transition planning, carbon markets, infrastructure planning, the business response, methane mitigation, and more...
Nov 20, 2024•36 min
Richie Merzian is currently the chief executive of Australia's Clean Energy Investor Group, which represents investors in the clean energy transition. He is also a former member of Australia's negotiating team, so he can talk about the COP from both sides of the fence. In this wide-ranging episode Richie explains how the negotiations operate, and describes what clean energy investors can bring to the table. We also discuss whether the world would be better off with the US out of the negotiations...
Nov 18, 2024•39 min
This episode is a two-parter - the first part featuring leaders of today, and the second featuring leaders of tomorrow. First up, you'll hear from three speakers at the leaders segment that kicked off COP29 - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the UN's chief climate scientist Jim Skea, and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley. (I'm a big fan of Prime Minister Mottley, and you'll understand why when you hear what she has to say about climate finance.) Then you'll hear from two leaders ...
Nov 15, 2024•49 min
The episode features Kesaya Baba, who is heading up WWF Australia's delegation to the COP, and Mark Tilly, Asia Pacific editor of Carbon Pulse. There's excellent comments and insights from both. Yes, Trump's election win has damaged the mood of the COP, and the damage might extend beyond the atmospherics to some key issues that are the focus of the negotiations, as Mark explains. But not everything is about Trump. Progress can still be made. Others could step up. And, as Kesaya says, limiting te...
Nov 12, 2024•45 min
Australia's big emitters must play their part in the push to net zero. But how effective is the national policy designed to rein in their emissions, known as the reformed Safeguard Mechanism? Safeguard experts Thomas Hodgson and Dr Franziska Curran of sustainability consultancy Anthesis Group score and dissect the scheme, and suggest ways it could be improved. Find out where the "magic" lies in the Safeguard, which bits are almost flawless, and what might make it better. Plus, Mark Tilly, Asia P...
Oct 29, 2024•42 min
Coverage of the AltProteins 24 conference, hosted by the Australian/NZ Food Frontier think-tank. Includes comments from food's $1 billion man - Dr Andy Jarvis, director of the Bezos Earth Fund's 'Future of Food' program, which has committed $1 billion to help transform food and agricultural systems to support healthy lives, without degrading the planet. Plus vox pops from conference delegates, and an interview with Food Frontier founder and Chair Thomas King. Episode mentions: Find out more abou...
Oct 22, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 2
An interview with international advocacy and diplomacy expert Susan Brown, who is shortly taking up the post of UNDP Assistant Administrator, and Director of its External Affairs and Advocacy Bureau. Speaking in a personal capacity, Susan describes how international sustainability/sustainable development negotiations are evolving, and discusses what it takes to have a positive impact on negotiating processes. Susan provides some great insights into negotiation dynamics, and into the changing exp...
Oct 14, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 1
We're all on the same planet, but we're not all on the same page. In fact, really, I think this is the critical decade in more than one way. Yes, it's definitely the critical decade in terms of being the last chance to rescue our climate, our natural environment, and our wellbeing. But it's the critical decade in another way, too. Many people working in climate change and sustainability operate within a soup of criticism - mostly coming from people who blatantly ignore the great challenges that ...
Oct 11, 2024•2 min
