Best UNEP Podcasts (2024)

1
A few perspectives on UNEP's 6th Environment Assembly and its "OECPR" 34:19

9h ago34:19

34:19

In this episode Alice and Andre talked to Simon about the United Nations Environment Assembly, also known as UNEA, which is the decision-making body of the United Nations Environment Programme. UNEA takes place in Nairobi every second year and it is always preceded by the so-called OECPR, which stands for the Open-ended Committee of Permanent Repre…

1
AI, ESG and 1.5 Degrees: UNEP FI Reports at the Frontier of Climate Risk 37:48

13d ago37:48

37:48

Hear from David Carlin, Head of Risk at the UNEP Finance Initiative, as we dive into their latest reports covering the climate risk tool landscape, the use of AI in disclosures, and 1.5 degree warming scenarios. As the world’s leading authority on the environment, the United Nations Environment Programme (or UNEP), has a mission to inspire, inform,…

1
Accelerating the Transition: Reflections of a Shareholder Activist 31:42

5h ago31:42

31:42

Hear from Catherine Howarth OBE, CEO of ShareAction, as we dive into the world of shareholder activism and how it can be used to guide institutional investors towards sustainable behaviours. Moving away from fossil fuels is unambiguously the most crucial step in the transition to a sustainable net-zero world. And yet, governments and institutional …

1
The Psychology of Climate Change: How to Build Consensus through Communication 35:24

1M ago35:24

35:24

Hear from George Marshall, Author of “Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired To Ignore Climate Change,” as we dive into the psychology of climate change. If you follow this podcast, you probably already have a good understanding of the nature of climate change, the risks it poses and why we need to act decisively and with urgency. But …

1
Looking back on the career of emeritus IGES Executive Director, Hideyuki Mori 38:21

2M ago38:21

38:21

On this episode of About Sustainability…, Andre, Alice and Simon celebrate the contribution of an IGES legend, Mr Hideyuki Mori. Mori-san has been a leader at IGES for most of the institute’s history, following diverse experience at other institutions including the United Nations Environment Programme and Asian Development Bank. He retired last yea…

1
Five Times Faster: Ways to Accelerate the Transition to Net-Zero 38:00

2M ago38:00

38:00

Hear from Simon Sharpe, Director of Economics at the UNFCCC Climate Champions, as we explore three key problems that are impeding the transition to net-zero and how to address them. We know that reaching net zero emissions quickly enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change will be very challenging. But are we making it even more difficult …

1
The Inevitable Policy Response Forecast: Optimistic or Realistic? 34:12

3M ago34:12

34:12

Hear from Dr. Jakob Thomae, Project Director for the Inevitable Policy Response, as we discuss their latest forecast and what it means for the transition to net-zero. Scenario analysis is the natural tool for anyone wanting to understand how climate-related risks might evolve over coming decades. The vast majority of climate scenarios, regardless o…

1
EU Deforestation Directive: Overcoming Challenges in Supply Chain Transparency 36:18

4M ago36:18

36:18

Hear from Thomas Vaassen, Co-Founder and CEO of Meridia, to learn how the EU Deforestation Directive is changing the nature of data required across supply chains. Supply chains are becoming an ever-greater focus for risk professionals. Firms increasingly want to measure the carbon footprint of their suppliers, or better understand their resilience,…

1
About Climate Action (SDG 13): Framing Climate Change as a Security Issue and Outcomes of UNFCCC-COP28 57:55

4M ago57:55

57:55

On this episode of About Sustainability…, Alice and Erin were joined by Naoyuki OKANO and Nagisa SHIIBA, IGES experts working on Climate Adaptation. This episode, recorded in December 2023, offers a quick recap of what happened at COP28 in Dubai and then dives deep into the far-reaching impacts of climate change on human security. Hosted in Dubai, …

1
What We Learned About Climate Risk in 2023 40:57

5M ago40:57

40:57

Hear from Jo Paisley and Maxine Nelson of the GARP Risk Institute as they look back on key learnings from the latest season of the Climate Risk Podcast. As we head into 2024, Jo and Maxine look back at the past year of Climate Risk Podcasts, reviewing key learnings from our guests and discussing ongoing trends in climate risk management. From acade…

1
🔒 Housing as a Human Right 15:09

4M ago15:09

15:09

Subscriber-only episode The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many other international human rights treaties state that the right to housing under international human rights law is the right to live in peace, security and dignity. The violation of the right to housing is often experienced by marginalized and disadvantaged groups includin…

1
🔒 Rainforest Connection Uses AI to Protect the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest Biodiversity and Halt Illegal Logging 9:08

4M ago9:08

9:08

Subscriber-only episode I interviewed Bourhan Yassin, CEO of Rainforest Connection, a company that applies AI to acoustics for data insights to better inform conservation, preserve biodiversity, and protect the rainforests from illegal logging. They are currently working in 80 countries, including Brazil, where most of their work is happening. RFCx…

1
🔒 Paris Peace Forum, Interview with Justin Vaisse, Founder and Executive Director 17:18

4M ago17:18

17:18

Subscriber-only episode Seeking Common Ground in a World of Rivalry The organization led by Justin Vaisse, historian and diplomat, is supported by the French government and private sector sponsors, including Microsoft. There will be panels with AI companies and how they are engaging with governments, academics, and UN officials from Africa and Euro…

1
🔒 Steve MacFeely on Data Governance 11:51

4M ago11:51

11:51

Subscriber-only episode World Health Organisation in Davos 2024 Interview with Steve MacFeely, Director of Data and Analytics We spoke about the upcoming UN Statistics Commission meeting that begins on the 23rd of February, in New York. The heads of all international organizations and national statistical offices will discuss a wide range of issues…

1
🔒 European Space Agency Director-General Josef Aschbacher 29:08

4M ago29:08

29:08

Subscriber-only episode Josef Aschbacher, European Space Agency Director-General, on COP28 and the Agreement With UNEP to Monitor Climate Change Getting things done at COP28: Watch my interview with the European Space Agency Director-General Josef Aschbacher where we do a 360 degree on climate action and ESA Interview with the ESA Director-General …

1
🔒 Brazil: Interview with Brazilian Diplomat Camila Olsen 28:11

4M ago28:11

28:11

Subscriber-only episode Interview with Brazilian Diplomat Camila Olsen on Promoting Brazil Abroad and Attracting FDI Interview with Camila Olsen, Head of Trade, Investment, Agriculture and Energy Section at the Brazilian Embassy in Copenhagen Today I interviewed the Brazilian diplomat Camila Olsen, head of trade investment, agriculture and energy a…

1
Tackling plastic pollution: Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) updates 39:11

5M ago39:11

39:11

On this episode of About Sustainability…, Erin, Alice, and Simon were joined by Matthew Hengesbaugh and Chochoe Devaporihartakula, IGES experts working on plastic pollution. While plastics have been an indispensable part of modern life, plastic pollution has entered the public consciousness in recent years. It is an issue that most of us encounter …

1
The Power and Pitfalls of Models in Climate Risk Management 33:56

6M ago33:56

33:56

Hear from Dr. Erica Thompson, as we examine the modelling ecosystem and when we need to escape it to make real-world decisions. Climate science – like many areas of our lives, such as economics or public health – is based upon models. These models are often used to justify certain courses of action, such as investments in climate mitigation or adap…

1
Bridging the Gap between Climate Science and Risk Management 30:24

6M ago30:24

30:24

Hear from David Schimel and Pooja Khosla of Entelligent, as we explore the intersection of climate science and risk management. For over 30 years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, has reported on the future physical impacts of climate change, based on the best available science. But these predictions have tended to underplay …

1
TNFD and Beyond: An Introduction to Nature in Finance 35:34

7M ago35:34

35:34

Hear from Simon Zadek, Executive Director at NatureFinance and Senior Advisor to the TNFD, as we explore the growing intersection of nature and finance. With the recent release of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures Framework (TNFD), the idea of nature risk is now in the spotlight for many finance professionals. Even though some m…

1
The COP28 Survival Guide: How it Works and What to Expect 33:23

8M ago33:23

33:23

Hear from Nigel Topping, Former UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP26, as we set the scene for COP28 in Dubai. The COP, or Conference of Parties, is the annual convention of the signatories of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This is where all the high-level decision-making around the global transition t…

1
Dealing with Uncertainty in Scenario Analysis: Stochastic vs. Deterministic Approaches 37:36

8M ago37:36

37:36

Hear from Ron Dembo, Founder and CEO of riskthinking.ai, as we apply stochastic thinking to the challenge of climate scenario analysis. One of the most difficult aspects of managing climate risk is its inherent uncertainty. Because we can’t know with absolute confidence what our future climate, economy or society will look like, we therefore can’t …

1
License to Drill: What New Oil & Gas Extraction Means for the Energy Transition 26:34

9M ago26:34

26:34

Hear from Jane Stevensen of JS Global Advisory, as we examine the overall progress of the global energy transition. We always knew that the transition to net-zero wasn’t going to be smooth. Political realities must be considered, especially during a period of increased concern over energy security. A good recent example of political backsliding is …

1
🔒 Vint Cerf and Maria Ressa on the Internet Governance Forum 29:58

9M ago29:58

29:58

Subscriber-only episode UN Secretary General Calls for a Global AI Regulatory Agency These last couple of days have been quite busy on issues of AI and emerging tech governance at the UN and its agencies. We had the IGF meeting in Geneva with Maria Ressa and Vint Cerf, AI at the Security Council in New York, and the UN Human Rights High Commissione…

1
Climate Risk Taxonomies 101: A User Guide 30:22

10M ago30:22

30:22

Hear from Bob Buhr of the Imperial College Business School, as we explore ways of organizing the risks from climate change. A risk taxonomy is a key underpinning of enterprise risk management. Used by firms to create a common risk language, it underpins a range of activities, such as risk identification, risk appetite setting and risk horizon scann…

1
#31 | Reliving the Games World Journey with Matt Blair 1:37:46

10M ago1:37:46

1:37:46

Matt's links: https://www.facebook.com/mattblairmusic/ https://www.twitch.tv/mattblairuk https://twitter.com/themattblair Get ready to press play on a nostalgia-packed episode with the multi-talented Matt Blair, as we venture into the captivating world of gaming. Matt, revered for his comedy, film enthusiasm, and music, offers enthralling tales fro…

1
A life dedicated to the environment 59:05

11M ago59:05

59:05

It’s been a while since our last installment but today’s episode is a special interview with a long-serving member of IGES who has had a fascinating career, from which he just recently retired. Peter King has been based at IGES’s office in Bangkok, but has been mentor and advisor to many of us at IGES. In a wide-ranging discussion Alice, Shom, Simo…

1
Why Extreme Climate Physical Risks Are Closer Than You Might Think 32:50

11M ago32:50

32:50

Hear from Rohan Hamden, Co-Founder and CEO of XDI, as we examine how climate-related impacts are exceeding our models and why the need for adaptation has never been greater. Despite our best efforts to measure and model the physical risks from climate change, the impacts continue to outpace our expectations. Consequently, we are left dangerously un…

1
🔒 Tech Diplomacy in Switzerland 9:11

10M ago9:11

9:11

Subscriber-only episode We spoke with Swiss Ambassador Benedikt Wechsler, Head of Division for Digitalisation, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, to understand this new role and its priorities for 2023.By The UN Brief

1
#30 - Richard Waller | Singer, song writer, and gaming enthusiast 1:58:05

11M ago1:58:05

1:58:05

Richard "Rik" Waller is an English pop singer. After appearing as a contestant on the TV series Pop Idol, he had two UK top 40 hits with cover versions of "I Will Always Love You" and "(Something Inside) So Strong". We discuss his time in the spotlight for his music, his time on Pop Idol, as well as his extensive history of gaming knowledge! Detail…

1
The Future of the Carbon Markets Explained for Risk Professionals 35:27

12M ago35:27

35:27

Hear from Mike Azlen, Founder and CEO of Carbon Cap Management, as we explore the ever-changing carbon markets and the future of emissions trading. The carbon markets can be very confusing. Between offsets, credits, permits, and allowances, it can be hard to understand the many ways emissions can be traded, as well as the different mechanisms for p…

1
From Startup to Sustainability: Innovating For The Climate Emergency 33:06

1y ago33:06

33:06

Hear from Nicky Dee, Co-Founder of Carbon13, as we take a closer look at the climate startup ecosystem and how it’s changing the way we decarbonize. Many sectors, especially hard-to-abate ones such as steel and cement, are failing to align with a 1.5-degree world and still require fundamental change to become viable in a low carbon economy. Recogni…

1
🔒 Interview with Romain Trouble, Executive Director, Tara Ocean Foundation 10:36

1y ago10:36

10:36

By The UN Brief

1
🔒 Interview with Francesca Perucci, Assistant Director, UN Statistics Division 19:40

1y ago19:40

19:40

Subscriber-only episode I interviewed Francesca Perucci, Assistant Director, Statistics Division at the UN in New York, to speak about the UN World Data Forum. The 2023 Forum will take place in China, from 24 to 27 April, at the Hangzhou International Expo Center. Organisers are expecting government representatives, policymakers, private sector, da…

1
🔒 Diplomats Without Borders 14:20

1y ago14:20

14:20

By The UN Brief

1
🔒 Gary Marcus on AI - Twitter Spaces with Luis Lamb, MIT. 1:00:17

1y ago1:00:17

1:00:17

Subscriber-only episode Discussion on AI and the Google developer who believed AI was "sentient". We were joined by Dr. Luis Lamb, Gary Marcus, and special guests to clarify the state of AI, the hype around it and who it serves, and how far we still are from AGI. This Twitter Space took place in July 2023.…

1
🔒 ASG Christian Saunders, UN 13:42

1y ago13:42

13:42

Subscriber-only episode We interviewed Christian Saunders, Assistant Secretary General for the Office of the Special Coordinator for Improving the UN Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Mr. Saunders just came back from a visit to Colombia where he met with community leaders and UN officials based in the country. We discussed what are the mai…

1
🔒 Climate Change and the Loss and Damage Fund 17:24

1y ago17:24

17:24

Subscriber-only episode Interview with Bogolo J. Kenewendo, former Trade Minister of Botswana. She is a global economist with deep expertise in international trade and development with a particular focus on Pan-African development and a passion for accelerating digitization and innovation across the continent. As the Minister of Investment, Trade, …

1
🔒 UNICEF and Microsoft Deliver Learning Passport 17:59

1y ago17:59

17:59

By The UN Brief

1
🔒 UNHCR: Interview with Mark Manley 9:55

1y ago9:55

9:55

Subscriber-only episode UN Refugees Agency fundraiser Mark Manley on the success of the campaigns and the increase in number of private donors via their website.By The UN Brief

1
🔒 Interview with former Ambassador of The Netherlands, Karel de Beers 10:49

1y ago10:49

10:49

By The UN Brief

1
Powerful Risk Management: Insurance Foundations for High-Integrity Carbon Markets 36:19

1y ago36:19

36:19

Hear from Natalia Dorfman, CEO & Co-Founder of Kita, as we explore the potential role of insurance in boosting the integrity of the voluntary carbon market. The voluntary carbon market will likely be an important tool in the transition to net-zero. Even if the world stopped emitting today, enormous amounts of greenhouse gas would still need to be r…

1
SDG7: Affordable and Clean Energy 52:30

1y ago52:30

52:30

Our guest on this episode is Akihisa Kuriyama, a policy researcher in IGES’ Climate & Energy Unit. He joins us to talk about SDG7 on energy. We spoke about the relationship between energy and climate; what’s new about SDG 7 in the global discussion on energy; some of the barriers and challenges in achieving the goal; the possibilities of nuclear en…

1
Soil: An Invisible Crisis and Massive Climate Opportunity 36:26

1y ago36:26

36:26

Hear from Professor Jo Handelsman on the threats and opportunities that arise from soil – a vitally important resource that many of us take for granted and yet is at significant risk. Humans depend on soil for 95% of global food production, yet it is eroding at unsustainable rates. Climate change is making this worse, for example as rainstorms are …

1
Embedding Climate Within Risk Management: A Practitioner’s Guide 35:28

1y ago35:28

35:28

Hear from Chris Howland and Lars Popken of Deutsche Bank, as we delve into the complexities of incorporating climate risk within financial institutions. Measuring and managing the risks from climate change is often a challenge for many financial institutions, partly due to a lack of consistent data and analytical tools. As a result, many are still …

1
Balancing Mitigation and Adaptation: Insights for the Financial Sector 36:20

1+ y ago36:20

36:20

Hear from Dr. Nicola Ranger, Director of Climate and Environmental Analytics at the UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment (CGFI), as we discuss the importance of climate adaptation. When discussing humanity’s response to climate change, we often draw a dividing line between the competing priorities of mitigation and adaptation. Simply put, …

1
How Film and Television Are Adapting to Climate Change 32:12

1+ y ago32:12

32:12

Hear from Carys Taylor, Director of BAFTA’s albert programme, as we explore the issues of climate change and sustainability through the lens of film and television. The film and television sector may not have the biggest carbon footprint, but it still has an important role to play in the transition to net-zero. With 70% of the global population own…

1
Updates from the ongoing political and scientific processes to reduce plastic pollution 46:39

1+ y ago46:39

46:39

In this episode we met with Amila from IGES who shared the latest updates on international plastics governance. Among others, he described details on the international negotiations committee that was formed last year to define a legally binding instrument to curb plastic pollution. We heard who is on that committee and what they do when they meet. …

1
What We Learned About Climate Risk in 2022 33:41

1+ y ago33:41

33:41

Hear from Jo Paisley and Maxine Nelson of the GARP Risk Institute as they look back on key learnings from the latest season of the Climate Risk Podcast. As we head into 2023, Maxine and Jo once again join forces to review the latest season of Climate Risk Podcasts, gleaning key insights from each guest and discussing ongoing trends in climate risk …

1
🔒 Interview with Dr. James Green, Professor of Brazilian History and Culture at Brown University 10:37

1+ y ago10:37

10:37

Subscriber-only episode Interview on Brazil’s Transfer of Power and Democracy I interviewed Dr. James Green, Professor of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Brown University. He is the author of, among many other books on the political history of the region, "We Cannot Remain Silent: Opposition to the Brazilian Military Dictatorship in the Uni…

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