In this episode of Green Shift, we ask the hard questions behind Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), sustainable finance, and carbon disclosure with Professor Ben Charoenwong of INSEAD. His research digs into how markets, data, and politics shape what we call “sustainability” — and why the biggest challenge may not be money, but misaligned incentives and bad measurement.

From greenwashing and carbon taxes to the role of sovereign wealth funds and banks in Asia’s energy transition, this wide-ranging conversation breaks down:

✅ Why the number one predictor of ESG scores is size, not sustainability

✅ How politics and policy distort what counts as “green”

✅ Why disclosure and rule of law matter more than PR

✅ And how the real challenge isn’t an abundance of capital — it’s allocation.

🎙️ Hosted by David Austin, with co-hosts Dr. Victor Nian and Dini Sandys from the Centre for Strategic Energy and Resources (CSER).

#GreenShift #SustainableFinance #ESG #Greenwashing #ClimateFinance #EnergyTransition #Singapore #INSEAD #CSER

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At the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), sustainability by design isn’t a slogan — it’s a mission.

In this episode of Green Shift, hosts David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian speak with Ms. Corinna Choong, Chief Sustainability Officer and pioneer staff member at SUTD, about how the university is using design, technology, and research to drive sustainability impact — from AI-powered urban planning to biodiversity mapping and nature-based cooling on campus.

Ms Choong also reflects on how thoughtful design can transform Southeast Asia’s cities — citing examples from Bangkok and Malaysia that illustrate how architecture, materials, and community planning can all contribute to resilience and decarbonisation.

In this episode:

🌳 What “sustainability by design” means at SUTD

🤖 How AI, robotics, and research are reshaping urban systems

🏙️ Singapore’s role as a living lab for the region

💡 Real-world examples of sustainable design across Southeast Asia

💰 Breaking down barriers in green finance and policy

👩‍🎓 Advice for young innovators leading the next generation of change

🎧 Listen, learn, and be inspired to design boldly, act locally, and collaborate regionally.

#Sustainability #DesignThinking #GreenShift #Singapore #SUTD #EnergyTransition #SoutheastAsia #ClimateAction #UrbanDesign #Innovation #AI #SmartCities

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Can Singapore Achieve 24/7 Carbon-Free Electricity? | Green Shift Podcast with Transition Zero

Singapore is exploring how to power the future—clean, round the clock. 🌞⚡🌙

In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin and co-host Dr. Victor Nian speak with Isabella Suarez, Policy Analyst at Transition Zero, about their new report on 24/7 Carbon-Free Electricity (CFE).

They discuss:

🔹 How renewable energy certificates (RECs) and hourly matching actually work

🔹 Why the shift from annual to hourly carbon accounting matters

🔹 The role of batteries, interconnectors, and data transparency in Asia’s clean energy future

🔹 What it will take for Singapore to hit its 2050 net-zero target

Transition Zero’s research shows how modeling, transparency, and smart policy design can help countries decarbonize efficiently—without breaking the system.

🔗 Learn about their webinar here: https://www.transitionzero.org/events/singapore-cfe

🎧 Tune in to learn how 24/7 carbon-free energy could reshape Southeast Asia’s power markets and what it means for companies, policymakers, and investors.

#GreenShift #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #Singapore #TransitionZero #CarbonFreeElectricity #CleanEnergy #NetZero #CSER #VictorNian #DavidAustin

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🌏 Carbon Capture in Indonesia: Governance, Technology, and the Path to Net Zero | Green Shift Podcast

Description:

Indonesia is the first country in ASEAN to introduce national carbon capture and storage (CCS) regulations — but can it turn ambition into action?

In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin and co-host Dr. Victor Nian (Founding Co-Chair, Centre for Strategic Energy and Resources) sit down with James Balzer, strategic foresight practitioner and CSER affiliated expert, to unpack Indonesia’s emerging CCS landscape.

They explore:

🔹 How carbon capture actually works — and why it matters for developing economies

🔹 The governance challenges slowing CCS adoption in Indonesia

🔹 Lessons from the Gundih CCS project and Presidential Regulation No. 14 (2024)

🔹 The role of markets, regulation, and public trust in the just energy transition

Whether you’re a policymaker, researcher, or sustainability advocate, this deep dive offers a rare look at how climate governance, regulation, and real-world politics intersect in Southeast Asia’s energy future.

To register for James' Workshop: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/workshop-diagnosing-governance-dysfunctions-in-ccs-regulation-in-indonesia-tickets-1814712426719

Find James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-balzer/

#EnergyTransition #CCS #CarbonCapture #Indonesia #ClimatePolicy #NetZero #Sustainability #GreenShiftPodcast #CSER #JustEnergyTransition

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Is the world's petro-powerhouse going green? 🌱

In this episode of Green Shift, we sit down with Dr. Aisha Al-Sarihi, a leading expert on environmental policy, to unpack the dramatic sustainability shift happening across the Gulf region. From Oman's net-zero pledge to massive investments in green hydrogen, the story is changing faster than you think.

We explore:

⚡️ Why Gulf nations like Oman and the UAE are aggressively pivoting to renewables and a circular economy.

💧 The real strategy behind Oman's bid to become a global green hydrogen superpower.

🤝 The surprising and powerful alliance forming between the Gulf and Southeast Asia—and what it means for the future of clean energy.

💸 The role of massive sovereign wealth funds in financing a global green future.

This isn't just about phasing out oil; it's about a multi-trillion dollar economic transformation. Join the conversation as we look beyond the headlines to the real policies, partnerships, and people driving the Green Transition in the heart of the energy world.

#GreenShift #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #GulfCountries #Oman #Hydrogen #RenewableEnergy #ASEAN #ClimateAction #NetZero #CleanEnergyFuture #MiddleEast

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🌍 Green Shift Podcast | Green Fuels with Clarence Woo

In this episode of Green Shift, David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian sit down with Clarence Woo, Managing Director of the Global Centre for Green Fuels, to explore the critical role of biofuels and green fuels in Asia’s energy transition.

We unpack key questions:

What counts as a green fuel?

Why is ethanol such an important piece of the puzzle?

How do concepts like carbon intensity, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and drop-in fuels fit into the future of transport?

What policies and technologies are shaping Southeast Asia’s green energy journey?

From fraudulent feedstocks to food-vs-fuel debates, Clarence provides a deep dive into the opportunities and challenges of making fuels sustainable, affordable, and scalable.

🔑 Highlights:

00:00 – Intro: What are green fuels?

05:00 – Clarence Woo on founding the Global Centre for Green Fuels

08:30 – Why ethanol matters for Asia’s transport sector

14:00 – Food vs. fuel: myths and realities

20:00 – Sustainability criteria for biofuels

25:00 – Effective policies in Asia

30:00 – SAF & maritime biofuels

35:00 – Governance and the ecosystem approach

36:30 – Final thoughts: what most people don’t know about ethanol

🎙️ About Green Shift

Green Shift is a podcast about Asia’s path to a sustainable economy. Hosted by David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian, it brings you stories, insights, and conversations with leaders driving the transition to net zero.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on sustainability, climate, and the future of energy.

#GreenShift #Podcast #GreenFuels #Biofuels #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #Ethanol #SAF

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Steel is everywhere — from buildings and cars to wind turbines and solar panels — but it’s also one of the world’s biggest carbon emitters. So how do we decarbonize an industry that makes up 7–11% of global emissions?

In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin is joined by co-hosts Dr. Victor Nian (CSER) and Jordan Kronen, along with special guest Hasliza Omar, PhD candidate in energy security at the University of New South Wales. Together, they dive into:

🔹 What green steel really means — and how it’s made

🔹 The role of hydrogen (green, gray, pink… the whole rainbow!)

🔹 Why nuclear could be a game-changer for industrial heat

🔹 The geopolitics of high-grade iron ore and hydrogen supply

🔹 Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) and what they mean for Asia

🔹 The opportunities — and pitfalls — for Southeast Asia in building a green steel ecosystem

Hasliza also shares her vision of a “green corridor” future where nations cooperate across resources, technology, and finance to power a low-carbon world.

🎧 Whether you’re interested in climate tech, industrial policy, or the geopolitics of energy, this episode connects the dots on one of the hardest — and most important — sectors to decarbonize.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro – The hydrogen rainbow

03:00 How steel is made: traditional vs. green steel

06:00 Green hydrogen explained

09:00 Nuclear’s role in industrial decarbonization

18:00 Why steel is crucial to climate goals

20:00 Geopolitics of high-grade iron ore

23:00 Australia’s hydrogen dilemma

24:00 CBAM and green steel trade

27:00 Asia’s unique challenges and opportunities

35:00 Policy advice for Southeast Asia

39:00 Utopian vs. realistic futures

42:00 Closing thoughts

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In this episode of Green Shift, we sit down with Dr. Mary Ann Franco, Senior Consultant and Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia at Aquatera and a global network expert at the Centre for Strategic Energy and Resources (CSER). Dr. Franco shares her insights from years of research and fieldwork on how off-grid and island communities in Southeast Asia adopt renewable energy.

We explore the misconceptions about “easy” renewable adoption, the social and cultural dimensions that often determine whether projects succeed or fail, and the importance of building not just hardware and software, but what she calls “orgware”—the community structures that keep projects running in the long term.

From karaoke nights powered by diesel gensets to the role of women as household energy managers, this conversation uncovers the human side of energy transition and why community-led approaches are critical for lasting impact.

Show Notes

🎙️ Guest: Dr. Mary Ann Franco, Senior Consultant & Regional Coordinator (Southeast Asia) at Aquatera, and CSER Global Expert

🌱 Topics Covered:

What daily life really looks like in off-grid island communities

Why renewable energy projects often fail without social buy-in

The role of women and inclusion in sustainable energy adoption

How to move from “donation projects” to durable community energy solutions

The concept of orgware—and why it’s the missing piece in many energy projects

🔗 Here are the links to the projects Dr. Franco mentioned:

Rural Energy Hub: https://www.braeruralenergyhub.com/

https://communityenergy.scot/projects/rural-energy-hubs/

https://www.aquatera.co.uk/news/brae-rural-energy-hub-secures-significant-funding-boosting-its-community-impact

Ayrton POWERE Project: https://www.ukri.org/news/projects-funded-to-propel-low-carbon-energy-transition/

EC10 Wave-Powered Microgrid in Thailand: https://www.offshore-energy.biz/innovate-uk-grants-1-9-million-for-wave-energy-project-in-thailand/

#RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #SoutheastAsia #Sustainability #GreenShiftPodcast

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In this episode of Green Shift, we welcome Paul Murphy—nuclear energy veteran and founder of Murphy Energy & Infrastructure Consulting—for a candid conversation about the future of energy.

Paul breaks down the total system cost of different energy sources, explains why baseload power matters, and challenges common assumptions about renewables and nuclear. With co-hosts Dr. Victor Nian and Jordan Kronen, this episode goes beyond the headlines to tackle the real math behind the energy transition.

🔋 Topics we cover:

What "total system cost" really means

Why LCOE alone can mislead

The case for nuclear in Asia

Grid realities and backup power

Debunking common critiques of nuclear

Listen if you're curious about:

How to balance clean energy, cost, and reliability

What hyperscalers are signaling about future power needs

Whether renewables can truly stand alone

📌 Green Shift is a podcast that makes sense of sustainability—especially from an Asian perspective.

🧠 Hosted by:

Jordan Kronen (guest host)

Dr. Victor Nian (CSER)

🎙️ Guest: Paul Murphy

Subscribe for future episodes and follow us for deeper dives.

Read the policy brief on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) here: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/ca134fed-3c95-42d1-bf19-decdd72df6d1/downloads/66be7022-ba09-45d0-b2b6-339a0ddd8ba6/CSER_PB6_SG-MY%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Cooperation_Web.pdf?ver=1752843377572

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Singapore says it will reach net zero by 2050—but how will it get there?

In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin sits down with climate policy expert Melissa Low to unpack Singapore’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), its emissions trajectory, and the risks of relying too heavily on carbon offsets or carbon capture.

We discuss:

• What NDCs are and why they matter under the Paris Agreement
• Singapore’s peak emissions goal and 2035 reduction target
• Why the word “contribution” (not “commitment”) matters
• The difference between good and bad carbon credits
• Why carbon capture is a major stretch in Singapore’s context
• How international collaboration could support national goals

🎙️ Guest:

Melissa Low, Research Fellow, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Subscribe to Green Shift for more stories from Asia’s frontlines of climate transformation.

#GreenShift #ClimatePolicy #Singapore #NetZero #Sustainability #MelissaLow

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