Climate Swings

Few people understand the green shift taking place in the corporate world better than Joel Makower. Joel is co-founder and chairman of Trellis Group, formerly known as GreenBiz, a news, content, and events company sitting at the intersection of business, technology, and sustainability. His decades of experience in this space have been marked by a number of unexpected swings, from his beginnings as a workplace health reporter, to becoming one of the first journalists to cover corporate sustainability, to his current diverse slate of projects, including one helping the music industry go green. His opinions on what it means to have a green job, among other topics, are thought-provoking, to say the least.

How can and should the mainstream media cover climate change? My guest today is Peter Prengaman, global climate and environmental news director at the Associated Press. In today's fractured and fast-changing news landscape, climate is usually the top story only during times of extreme weather. But its role in our lives is so fundamental, media organizations have no choice but to make more space for it in their reporting, even if they don't necessarily call it "climate". As head of the climate desk at one of the world's top news outlets, Peter's insights into this topic—in terms of both his own swing into climate, as well as bigger questions around climate and media—are well worth a listen.

In climate, sometimes we want to take a soft approach, and sometimes we want to "bang people’s heads together". Such is the mission of Jess Brown, my guest on today’s episode. Jess is the co-founder and partner at The Action Exchange, a Sydney-based consultancy that helps its clients engage and deepen relationships with institutional customers, investors, and other critical stakeholders on a variety of topics, climate chief among them. Jess is a former colleague of mine from The Economist Group and traces her evolution from an events manager to a corporate whisperer of sorts, discussing the ins and outs of corporate sustainability and how she sees the evolution of corporate climate action in Australia, Asia-Pacific and around the world.

How do you tell the story of the energy transition to audiences tired of the same old messages? On today’s episode, I’m speaking with Mel Adamson. Mel is the founder of climate-tech marketing firm Alder & Co. Mel and I discuss the evolving role of climate change in energy marketing, the importance of brand values, and where marketing fits in the climate-tech sector more broadly. Mel emphasizes that people in the climate workforce need to make and seize their own opportunities and explains why she foresees growing demand for soft skills in this space. She also highlights the importance of creativity in climate marketing, advocating for a shift away from traditional “green” messaging toward something more like…humor?

How do you build a climate career centered on bringing people together? Host Michael Gold interviews Susan Kish, a seasoned climate consultant and former banker, about her journey into the climate sector. Susan shares her experiences in establishing impactful climate events, the evolution of clean-tech investment, and the importance of in-person gatherings in driving change. She discusses the setbacks faced during the 2008 financial crisis, her work with Bloomberg New Energy Finance, and the importance of building relationships with industry incumbents. Susan emphasizes the need for optimism, resilience, and curiosity in the climate field, and reflects on her desire to be remembered for accelerating change.

How do you talk to local communities about climate and the work needed to make change? Host Michael Gold speaks with Jennifer Diggins, vice president of public affairs at 8 Rivers, who shares her journey from Capitol Hill to the private sector, discussing her experiences in the steel industry, lithium sector, and climate deep-tech. She emphasizes the importance of community engagement in climate technology and the evolving conversation around climate awareness, particularly within conservative circles. Jennifer also highlights the need for more women in the energy sector and the significance of building consensus around climate solutions.

In this episode of Climate Swings, host Michael Gold speaks with Angel Hsu, an associate professor of public policy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. They discuss Angel's journey into climate science, her academic path, and the importance of data in evaluating climate policies. The conversation explores the evolution of climate-change awareness, the role of sub-national governments in climate action, and the challenges of bridging the gap between science and policy. Angel shares insights from her work at the Data-Driven Envirolab and her engagement with global climate bodies like the IPCC. The episode concludes with a focus on inspiring the next generation to take action against climate change.

What is Climate Swings? Hosted by Michael Gold, it focuses on the professional evolution of individuals in the climate sector. In this intro episode, I share my personal journey from journalism to climate advocacy, inspired by the concept of Tarzan Economics, which emphasizes the need for individuals to "swing" their careers in response to the climate crisis. The podcast aims to inspire listeners to make their own climate swings and provides insights into the challenges and opportunities within the climate field. It is promoted through a partnership with climate learning and action platform Terra.do.