ClimateBiz

It's the final episode of Climate Biz for the season! Join Denise and Shari as they discuss key developments in sustainability from the past year, such as:  - An increase in climate litigation globally. - The cost of politicizing ESG. - And the rise of the corporate Sustainability Officer.  If you enjoyed the show, please leave a star rating in your podcast app. Follow Denise Odaro on LinkedIn Follow Shari Friedman on LinkedIn Visit www.ifc.org/climatebiz for more information

In this episode, Denise and Shari have a conversation with Ashley Allen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Oatly, producer of oat-based dairy substitute products.  They discuss the origins of the company, Oatly's rapid growth in the US, plus they take a deep dive into their farming and sustainability practices.  For more information visit: www.ifc.org/climatebiz  www.oatly.com    

In this episode, Denise and Shari discuss the most interesting topics in climate and sustainability over the past month.  -  ESG: Environmental Social & Governance  - The Voluntary Carbon Market Initiative and Greenwashing -  The US Supreme Courts decision on the EPA.  Be sure to follow Climate Biz on your favorite podcast app so you can be alerted when a new episdoe is released.  Visit our website Climate Biz Podcast   

The question of how to be sustainable when you work in 170 countries with a 170 different sets of laws, rules, resources and cultures requires looking beyond the doors of your factory.  For Hewlett Packard, everything they do starts with three pillars: climate, human rights and digital equity, but Ellen Jackowski, HP's Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer, says that's just the start.  For HP to reach net zero by 2030 and reduce their absolute footprint by 50% they need buy-in across all aspects of their $50 billion dollar supply chain. That's what their Amplify Impact program is about. But even that won't do it. Jackowski believes that you need to work with municipalities to develop the type of green infrastructure that allows a company like HP to reduce their footprint. That's why they joined the Clean Energy Demand Initiative.

On this episode, Denise and Shari discuss some of the hottest news in climate finance and sustainability including: 01:26 Davos and the expansion of the First Movers Coalition 07:46 SEC seeks greater ESG transparency 16:18 Tesla's removal from the S&P 500 ESG Index

 Guided by the principles of people, planet, profit, and empathy, Kehkashan Basu and Steve Petterson are among the new generation of leaders trying to impact our future through better sustainable practices and investments.  Whether its by organizing activities in over 26 countries that have led to the planting tens of thousands of trees, thousands of mangroves, solar installations, as the 21-year old Basu has with her Green Hope foundation or by rethinking the rules of investment by including social and environmental triggers that reduce the cost of loans and choosing investments on the basis of social impact vs profit as  Petterson, founder of the National Social Value Fund does... These two youths are not only leading, but perhaps forging a new way in business and advocasy. 

On this episode, Denise and Shari discuss some of the hottest news in climate finance and sustainability including: 01:12 - Earth Day's Sour Tone 05:10 - An Old Solution Counters Methane Emissions  09:44 - Record Number of Climate Resolutions Find Mixed Response 16:58 - The Audience Question of the Month!

After speaking with the UN and COP26, Hugo and Nebula Award winning science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson stops by to speak with Denise and Shari about carbon coins, geoengineering, the role of central banks in solving a climate crisis, and the possibility of an optimistic future. Robinson's latest novel, Ministry for the Future, has garnered wide acclaim not just among readers of fiction, but in professional circles. The solutions he promotes have catalyzed discussions from think tanks to board rooms. Will Ministry change the future? One thing's for sure, Robinson's writings and predictions drawn from over twenty-five years of writing and research provides him with a depth of prescience few crystal balls can match. 

On this episode, Denise and Shari discuss some of the most important news stories in climate finance and sustainability including:   01:56      The Effect of the War in Ukraine on Food and Energy Insecurity 11:38      The New SEC Disclosure Guidelines 20:06      UN Environmental Committee Plastics Treaty Passed Unanimously 29:17      Audience Question featuring special guest expert Sam Burgess, Equity Analyst at Citibank: Defense as a Sustainability Strategy      

In life, we encounter many types of leaders: those who stir our imagination and ignite us to action; those who through their silent deeds provide an example to follow; and those who as teachers give us the tools we need to become leaders ourselves. On this very special episode of Climate Biz we're going to meet eight female climate leaders who are moving to meet today's challenges. 03:28- Leadership & the Philosophy of Business Sustainability 05:33- Leadership & Not Going it Alone 11:42- Leadership & Stepping Back to see the Big Picture 14:44- Leadership and Mission 17:22- Getting More Women Involved at a High Level

On this episode, Denise and Shari discuss some of the hottest news in climate finance and sustainability including: 01:25  -   Sustainability in the Winter Olympics and EV-powered Super Bowl ads 07:47  -   What sixty kettles worth of fusion power might mean  16:27  -   The impact of energy inflation on investing                 23:02  -   The audience question of the month!

Building back better is about more than supply chains, innovations,  and carbon. Fundamentally, it's about us. On this episode of Climate Biz, we're talking jobs and tackle how to create a "just transition" with Guy Ryder, Director general of the International Labour Organization. 2:47 -- What do we mean by Just Transition? 5:30 -- Energy Jobs and the Just Transition 6:47 -- Transitions in Geography 11:22 -- Supply Chain and Labor 14:00 -- Women and the Just Transition 16:42 -- Green Sprouts  19:58 -- Fairy Godmother's Wish

On our fourth annual Crystal Ball episode, we delve into seven  sustainable sectors to predict how they will fare in 2022:  Carbon Capture: 01:49 Recycling Plastics: 03:08 Batteries: 04:56 Hydrogen: 6:49 Green Building/Construction: 08:58 Agriculture: 10:24 Sustainability-Linked Bonds: 12:39    

Building back better is about more than supply chains, innovations,  and carbon. Fundamentally, it's about us. On this episode of Climate Biz, we're talking jobs and tackle how to create a "just transition" with Guy Ryder, Director general of the International Labour Organization. 2:47 -- What do we mean by Just Transition? 5:30 -- Energy Jobs and the Just Transition 6:47 -- Transitions in Geography 11:22 -- Supply Chain and Labor 14:00 -- Women and the Just Transition 16:42 -- Green Sprouts  19:58 -- Fairy Godmother's Wish    

Julia Hoggett, CEO of the London Stock Exchange was directly involved in the creation of the task force on climate-related financial disclosures and making them mandatory for premium listed companies in the UK. Going forward, she describes her three chief objectives to be: * Creating better ESG and climate disclosure and data * Growing the green economy * Supporting the just transition to a low carbon and net zero economy. But in doing so, Julia admits she and others may just have to reinvent the wheel.  

This month Denise and Shari tackle the latest news in blended finance, carbon pricing, and green fuel for aviation and shipping.

IFC Senior Vice President Stephanie von Friedeburg explains how COP26 impacts IFC's future strategy. Rivian IPO sparks huge interest, and billionaires Warren Buffet and Bill Gates go nuclear. All that, plus two listener questions with a Latin American flavor...

On this episode, Denise and Shari teeter on the edge of Outrage and Optimism as they discuss corporate disclosures, reporting transparency, policy pledges, and what follows COP26 with CDP founder and podcast host Paul Dickinson.   More...  

This month, hosts Denise Odaro and Shari Friedman take on electric vehicles, COP26, and the International Agencies Outlook! Plus, an audience question from New York City. Disclaimer: This episode was recorded on October 27, 2021. Due to a dynamic news cycle, details contained herein may not remain accurate.

One key to every net zero path is comprehensive reporting, but that can't happen if key variables are excluded. For example, if you're tracking emissions, it's important to track not only the amount of carbon in the air, but how much is being burned. Another factor may be fit. That is, are market actions matching what the science is telling us? Well... are they? Carbon Tracker's Mark Campanale joins Climate Biz to dish the dirt... or perhaps the carbon. More...

Join Shari and Denise as they dive into the biggest news in climate business over the last few months. They focus on the new IPCC report, major announcements at the UN General Assembly meeting, and wrap up with a conversation about the world's newest (and biggest) Direct Air Capture Plant: The Orca plant in Iceland. Podcast show page: www.ifc.org/climatebiz IPCC report: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/ Orca: https://climeworks.com/orca

In Season 4, Climate Biz will build upon the blueprints presented in episodes past in areas such as heating/cooling, cement, fashion, sustainability linked investing, so that together we can consider better practices, avoid past mistakes, and devise a pathway to Net Zero.     Listen in to get a head start and discover where financing is looking for solutions.   More...

Cement is often literally the foundation of our infrastructure. It's an essential product, but also a problematic one.  Globally, 8% of our carbon footprint comes from its production. Mahendra Singhi, CEO of India's Dalmia Cement is taking on the problem using a multi-pronged strategy he describes as “clean, green, and profitable.” But utilizing alternative energy, better mixes & biomass to reach net zero is not enough for Singhi. His true goal is for Dalmia to become a net negative carbon producer by 2040

Green bonds have become more than just fashionable and a new trend in sustainability-linked bonds. Globally, regulators aim to incentivize and elevate green bonds to become the gold standard for companies looking to raise money for climate-friendly projects. This move could make green bonds an essential part of every corporate wardrobe. Fittingly (pun intended), ClimateBiz spoke to two pioneers in the apparel industry, VF Corp and H&M to discuss their recent offerings.

When the first Green Bonds were issued in the late 2000s, no one imagined the demand to come. The first public offering was done by IFC and sold out in only a few hours. Since then, Green Bonds have grown from around $2.5 billion in 2012 over 270 billion  in 2020 with analysts projecting even further growth this year. Today, bonds are sought out as an investment option tool by pensions funds, insurers, and central banks, but according to Kidney Sean Kidney, CEO at the Climate Bonds Initiative and IFC's Treasurer John Gandolfo, their greatest potential may lie in their ability to change the terms of the debate.

It's one thing to fit all the puzzle pieces together when constructing your energy portfolio, but another to do so while trying to design a whole new picture at the same time. Rafael Mateo, CEO of Energy at Acciona, says growth in the renewable energy market requires flexibility, nimbleness, and the ability to keep an eye open for innovative technologies. ClimateBiz Host Shari Friedman caught up to him to discuss how the Spanish company is attempting to "look around the corner" in order to build capacity not only for today, but for the economy of the future.

Shari and Denise take you through their top 3 picks in sustainability trends for June 2021, starting with the latest IEA report on net-zero emissions pathways, then unraveling some gamechanging news from global oil majors, an update on the booming electric vehicle sector, and ending with an audience question on blended finance.  Podcast show page (www.ifc.org/climatebiz)

ClimateBiz hit the red carpet for the fifth annual Innovate4Climate conference. This year, over 8,000 delegates from more than 80 countries attended the World Bank Group's flagship climate event. That roster included a Who’s Who in Climate: Patricia Espinosa (Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change), Larry Fink (CEO, BlackRock,) and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Director-General, the World Trade Organization), and so many more.   The three day event is both a forward looking conference as well as a check on where things stand in sustainability, alternative energy, jobs, and policy. It really is the Oscars of the climate scene! Join Shari and Denise as they break it all down: from plans and problems to the best and worst dressed.    

The World Bank Group’s fifth annual Innovate4Climate (I4C) Conference runs from May 25th to May 27th. The event promises to bring together leaders focused on transformative and innovative action on climate change. Join ClimateBiz hosts Shari Friedman and Denise Odaro as they offer a quick peek at what's to come and then check out the conference site to see the schedule, lineup, and for free registration: https://www.innovate4climate.com/about.  

Sustainability Trends: Top 3 Picks for May 2021 Join Shari and Denise for the new and improved Sustainability Trends: Top 3 Picks for May 2021. They start off by checking in on where we are regarding global GHG emissions and what groups like IEA and the UN have to say. This month's picks: The US Climate Summit: Who made what kind of climate commitments, and what does it mean for the private sector? The net zero trend among investors and asset managers: What’s their process, Mark Carney’s new Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), do we have the required technologies to meet these goals, and the launch of Temasek and BlackRock’s new Decarbonization Partners climate tech fund. World's whitest paint: How does this simple technology match up with traditional air conditioners? The episode ends with another new segment: Questions from our listeners. Shari and Denise take Mike from New York’s question on plastics – what happens if plastic waste isn’t recycled and doesn’t go to a landfill? What is chemical recycling, and what’s pyrolysis? Podcast show page: ifc.org/climatebiz Felix Salmon/Axios article on the summit: A zero-carbon future is now the central thesis for most financial giants, Available at: https://www.axios.com/climate-summit-green-energy-investing-5b8c2c1e-3873-4345-b620-d0bc8b6f7de4.html

Words can inspire or rally the troops, but in the end, they must lead to action. On this episode of ClimateBiz, Shari and Denise speak about turning corporate commitments into results, and what's being done to mitigate the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss with the International Finance Corporation’s Makhtar Diop and the World Wildlife Fund’s Carter Roberts. We’ll explore habitat preservation, sustainable agriculture, the transmission of diseases, jazz, and much, much more.

Plastic. It's everywhere. And that's part of the problem. In our oceans alone, the equivalent of a truckload of plastic waste is dumped every minute. This impacts the food chain, livelihoods, and our health. What can be done? What is being done? ClimateBiz takes on the issue of marine plastic waste with Rob Kaplan, founder and CEO of circulate capital and IFCs Director and global head for climate for Vivek Pathek.

On this episode, ClimateBiz celebrates some women with a very green thumb indeed. Women in leadership roles have helped businesses become greener on multiple fronts. When it comes to profits, on average, gender balanced businesses yield 10-20% greater profits. And the success  isn't limited just to the bottom line, but can be seen on multiple fronts, including innovation, efficiency, policy, etc.

Are you cool?  No, I mean... do you have air conditioning? A refrigerator? A freezer? According to  the Economist Intelligence Unit, the cooling sector is expected to grow from $135 billion dollars in 2018 to approximately $170 billion in 2030. During this same period, the associated electrical energy costs are expected to triple. Focusing on more immediate concerns, cold chains have become increasingly important for vaccines and hospitals. ClimateBiz talks to Danfoss President of Climate Solutions, Jürgen Fischer about how to cool the world without warming the planet.

Happy New Year! Join Shari and Marcene as they unpack the first news roundup of 2021. Two big pieces of news from GM and the US with lots of other stories in between. 

Sorting through the tea leaves, Climate Biz Hosts Marcene Mitchell and Shari Friedman find out what's in store in 2021 from top IFC experts in wind, solar, green buildings, transportation, hydrogen, sustainable waste and much, much more....

The road to a green rebuild passes through all sectors—even traditional energy sectors like oil and gas. As we roll forward, it’s hard not to wonder what the future look will like for some of the biggest players in the field? One company looking into this question is Royal Dutch Shell. Director of Integrated Gas and New Energies for Royal Dutch Shell, Maarten Wetselaar, says that, when it comes to getting greener, electrifying as much as possible is a major part of the company's strategy, but in global terms its plan can be summed up as, "Avoid emissions,. If you can't avoid them, you need to reduce emissions, and (after) you reduce them as much as possible you offset (what remains) with carbon credits."  [Should this last part be, “and, once you’ve avoided them as much as possible, you offset the remaining with carbon credits.”?] Wetselaar joins Marcene and Shari to discuss Royal Dutch Shell’s vision to become a net-zero company by 2050.

For our last news roundup of 2020, join Marcene and Shari as they look back at the year, discuss recent corporate and national policy announcements, battery storage, and women in the board room!

In Part I, ClimateBiz spoke with the CEO of Standard Bank Group in South Africa. For Part II, ClimateBiz is bringing in another emerging markets voice – Parwati Surjaudaja, the CEO of OCBC NISP bank in Indonesia. Indonesia is a country of more than 268 million people spread across 17,000 islands and is especially vulnerable to climate change. OCBC NISP has been a leader in issuing green bonds and training its employees in green finance.

November news from Marcene & Shari covers climate risk, national net zero commitments, the new Biden Administration, Bezos, and EVs!  Correction: Mark Carney was formerly the Governor, not Chairman, of the Bank of England. 

Is it only a matter of time before climate risk disclosure is mandatory? Increasingly, government financial regulators are addressing climate change in the financial sector. Steven Rothstein of Ceres, a nonprofit that works with investors and companies to drive sustainability solutions, joined ClimateBiz to discuss the regulatory landscape in the US. Be sure to check out Ceres’ new report, Addressing Climate As a Systemic Risk: A Call to Action for U.S. Financial Regulators.  https://www.ceres.org/resources/reports/addressing-climate-systemic-risk

Tune in for the first news roundup of Season 3! Marcene Mitchell and Shari Friedman recap the past couple months, ranging from major corporate announcements to the latest EV. 

How is COVID impacting the outlook for green finance? And how can green finance be part of the recovery, especially in emerging markets? ClimateBiz caught up with Sim Tshabalala, CEO of Standard Bank Group, South Africa’s largest bank. He shared his views on how COVID is leading to unprecedented levels of public and private collaboration and green investment opportunities he sees in Nigeria, Togo, Senegal, and other locations in the region.

Welcome to Season 3 of ClimateBiz! This season we will focus on COVID-19 and its implications for climate-smart business, including initiatives from around the world about how we can build back better and more sustainably. For the first episode, ClimateBiz gets an insider’s look at the European Commission’s recovery package that is targeting hundreds of billions of Euros in climate investment. Joining the show are Frank Heemskerk, Secretary General of the European Roundtable for Industry, and Feike Sijbesma, Special Corona Envoy for The Netherlands and Honorary Chairman of Royal DSM. IFC COVID relief financing European Roundtable for Industry

How can we communicate climate change in a way that inspires action? And what are the implications for the private sector? Find out in this episode, featuring a conversation with Andy Revkin, one of America’s most honored and experienced environmental journalists and the founding director of the new Initiative on Communication and Sustainability at Columbia University's Earth Institute.

Tune in as Marcene Mitchell and Shari Friedman discuss the latest climate business news from June 2020, focusing on recent private sector announcements and an update on green stimulus plans.

Did you know that one pair of jeans produces as much greenhouse gas emissions as driving a car more than 80 miles? Transitioning the apparel industry to a low carbon future is a complex problem that involves a vast, interconnected global supply chain. In 2018, fashion stakeholders, including IFC, created the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action under the auspices of the United Nations. In this episode, Stefan Seidel, Head of Corporate Sustainability at PUMA and Chair of the Charter Steering Committee, and Laila Petrie, CEO of 2050 and Vice Chair of the Charter, discuss how the sustainability challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

You’ve heard about green buildings, but have you heard about net zero buildings? Arthaland, a pioneering developer of green buildings in the Philippines, joins ClimateBiz to discuss how their  Century Pacific Tower became the first EDGE-certified Zero Carbon building and how they used a green bond to finance this construction.

Tune in as Marcene Mitchell and Shari Friedman discuss the latest climate business news from May 2020, focusing on transport. www.ifc.org/climatebiz

BNP Paribas is France’s largest commercial bank. ClimateBiz interviewed Pierre Rousseau, Strategic Advisor in Sustainable Business, about how BNP Paribas is lowering its exposure to assets with climate risks and how it is building a green business in renewables, biodiversity, and more. They were an early supporter of the Paris Agreement as well as one of the first international banks to adoptive investment policies regarding coal, oil, and shale gas.

Generation Investment Management is an asset management company with an unusual philosophy – that incorporating social and environmental criteria creates better companies with better risk-adjusted investment results. Co-founder David Blood joined ClimateBiz to discuss how they make their investment decisions and how this kind of risk management is becoming mainstream. For more information about sustainability disclosure: - Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) https://www.fsb-tcfd.org/ - Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) https://www.sasb.org/