TRACK CHANGES - chats with climate change and sustainability experts

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 Aus...

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 Kafi...

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 ...

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...

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...

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 L...

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 m...

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 decarbonis...

“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 requir...

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...

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 in...

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, tra...

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.

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.

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 ...

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 almos...

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 fo...

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 g...

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 o...