I know it’s wintertime for many of you, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore how cities around the world are heating up and how air conditioning is a growing contributor to climate change. 

Air conditioning is responsible for about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Today, about 20% of electricity used in buildings and about 10% of global electricity use comes from operating air conditioners. With cities heating up and more people able to afford this technology, air conditioning emissions are expected to double by 2030 and triple by 2050.

To understand this problem and some promising solutions, I sat down with Matthias Roth and Ran Roth. Matthias is a Professor of Geography and Urban Climatology at the University of Singapore. Ran is the Founder of Sensibo, a startup that’s using data and AI to improve the efficiency of air conditioners around the world. No family relation between the two Roths, but a shared interest in how cities are heating up and what we can do about it. We talk about urban heat islands, how cities are responding, the growth of air conditioning, Sensibo’s solution to making them smarter and more efficient, what else needs attention, and much more. Wherever you are, warm up and stay cool with this episode. Enjoy. 

• [03:25] Matthias’ background & focus
• [05:10] Ran’s background & insights into his work
• [07:13] The impact of a heating planet on cities
• [10:28] Why cities heat up more than their surroundings
• [12:36] How cities are tackling urban heat challenges
• [14:20] Unpacking air conditioners' impact on climate
• [17:48] Sensibo's solution to growing AC issues
• [20:42] Sensibo's customers & scale
• [21:52] Impact metrics - saving energy on a large scale
• [23:35] The global rise in demand for air conditioning
• [25:24] Sensibo's role in curbing AC's environmental impact
• [27:54] Sensibo’s unique features - geofencing and more
• [29:32] The crucial role of AI in Sensibo's vision
• [31:22] High-tech excitement & limitations
• [36:12] Identifying gaps in current climate discussions

• University of Singapore
• Sensibo 

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We all know that companies around the world are working to reduce their emissions and, hopefully, achieve net zero. But what does it take to set up a sustainability program? What are the steps in the process? What are the considerations along the way? And who are the partners one might work with? 

Most of this work happens behind closed doors, but sharing insights from corporate sustainability journeys can accelerate progress.  

That’s why Atlassian, a technology company with a real commitment to addressing climate change, decided to open up their own process and share what they learned in a really clear and straightforward playbook.

To learn more, I sat down with Atlassian Chief Sustainability Officer, Jess Hyman. Full disclosure: Jess is a member of NationSwell, the executive membership network and advisory, where I get to support impact and sustainability leaders like Jess. In today’s conversation, we walk step-by-step through Atlassian’s sustainability journey – from getting started, building internal buy-in, finding the right vendors, partners, and reporting protocols for reducing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, to reporting on progress as well as setbacks, and much more. 

Whether or not you’re a corporate sustainability leader, this episode will help you understand what companies around the world are actually doing to address climate change. Enjoy.

• [3:03] Jess’ background & path to sustainability work
• [4:21] Jess’ work at Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) & what she learned
• [6:09] What is Atlassian & their core products
• [6:44] Why Atlassian decided to share their sustainability journey
• [8:34] The process of going to leadership to develop the report
• [9:57] What is a materiality assessment & learnings
• [11:57] Atlassian’s sustainability goals, what it took to develop & share them
• [13:55] Sustaining internal collaboration
• [16:15] Atlassian’s goal to reach net zero by 2040
• [18:15] Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions & how they show up for Atlassian
• [19:30] The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approval process
• [22:00] Learnings around decarbonizing buildings
• [23:40] What are Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs) 
• [25:51] Engaging suppliers to reduce emissions
• [28:37] Transparency, accountability & reporting
• [30:21] Addressing Work-From-Home (WFH) electricity
• [31:49] What is the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA)
• [34:24] What are residual emissions & how is Atlassian dealing with them
• [36:00] The quality of offsets
• [37:06] Reporting protocols & learnings
• [38:56] Building executive buy-in for uncomfortable levels of ambition

• Atlassian
• Atlassian Sustainability Report
• Atlassian’s Climate Story & Guide: Don’t #@!% the Planet
• Atlassian Team Playbook
• RE100
• Science Based Targets initiative
• Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance
• Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
• Business for Social Responsibility

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What do you think of when you think about advertising and its role in climate change? I’ll confess the first thing that comes to mind is the fossil fuel industry’s multi-billion dollar campaign to discredit climate science, deliberately confuse the public, and delay climate action. 

But, of course, like every industry, advertising has a role to play in accelerating climate progress. Advertising creatives have storytelling skills that can help distill complex information, shift attitudes, and accelerate the adoption of climate solutions. At a more basic level, the narratives that capture our attention and gain currency in our collecting thinking play a powerful role in influencing corporate agenda, policymaking, and voters. So don’t count advertising out. 

Today, I’m joined by Blake Harrop, President of Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam. Whether or not you know it, you’re familiar with Wieden+Kennedy’s work. They’re a small creative firm with a big reputation, and they’ve been doing some genuinely interesting climate-related work. In our conversation, we talk big picture about the advertising industry and how it needs to evolve, and also what we can all learn from European countries’ effective climate communication. We also get specific and talk about some of Wieden+Kennedy’s recent projects and how they demonstrate advertising’s potential as a climate ally. 

Lot’s to learn about and ponder if you listen with an open mind. Here we go. 

• [3:19] Wieden+Kennedy history & what it's known for
• [4:32] Why does advertising matter?
• [7:22] Should we be lauding the ad industry?
• [8:55] How the ad industry rewards success & opportunity to change perception
• [10:28] Wieden+Kennedy as a B Corp & what it means for their commitment to climate
• [13:06] Would Wieden+Kennedy work with fossil fuel companies in the future?
• [15:10] Working with Fortescue Future Industries & Google in Germany
• [19:16] Working with Orsted (Fmr. DONG Energy) & Corona
• [25:31] The pros & cons of sustainability as a selling point
• [30:10] Lessons on communicating climate change
• [33:23] The importance & urgency of climate action
• [36:22] Nuclear energy as a dream campaign from a climate perspective
• [39:43] A role for all of us to be advertisers for climate engagement

• Wieden+Kennedy
• B Lab
• Clean Creatives Pledge
• W+K & Fortescue Future Industries: The Power of Now
• W+K & Google DE: Every Decision Counts
• W+K & Ørsted: The Power of Wind
• W+K & Ørsted: Hello to a Better Future
• W+K & Corona: Oceans Week
• W+K & Corona: The Fish
• An Inconvenient Truth
• Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

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It feels fitting to start 2024 talking about the big numbers, the big climate financing gaps we face and ways to fill them. 

We know that addressing the climate crisis requires trillions of dollars of investment. It’ll need to come from government, corporations, and big finance, but there’s another stakeholder with an important contribution. Private philanthropic foundations have important roles to play too, particularly in helping communities that might otherwise be left behind and in using philanthropic capital as a catalyst. By de-risking investments and taking concessionary returns, philanthropy can unlock hundreds of billions of dollars of needed investment. 

Today, we’re joined by Elizabeth Yee, who oversees Rockefeller Foundation’s global programs, including its recent $1 billion commitment to climate change. I’ve gotten to work with the Rockefeller Foundation in a variety of partnerships over the years, and I’ve been impressed by how they recognize their ability to take a lead and help accelerate fields. Of course, it’s interesting to remember the Foundation was initially funded by Standard Oil founder John D Rockefeller, something that Liz and I discuss in our conversation. In recent years, the Foundation has demonstrated real commitment to climate leadership. And even in the weeks following this interview, the Foundation announced that it will pursue a net-zero emissions target for its $6 billion endowment, making it the largest private US foundation to pursue a net-zero endowment to date. 

Liz and I talk about the Foundation’s history in climate philanthropy, two different programs with billion-dollar plus commitments, how it works to catalyze other funding, the intersections of energy, food, health and economic opportunity and much, much more. Lots to learn and think about in this one. Here we go.

• [3:43] Elizabeth's background and history working on climate, along with her current role
• [7:15] Key elements of the Rockefeller Foundation's Climate Commitment 
• [9:23] The Foundation's divestment from fossil fuels in its endowment and details about the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet
• [12:23] Reasons behind the significant commitment to climate and the timing of such a commitment
• [13:58] Overview of the billion-dollar commitment, including the main pillars and distribution across different climate priorities
• [16:35] The theory of change behind the Foundation's climate initiatives
• [19:36] The types of partners needed for the success of the initiatives
• [21:17] Influencing ideas and narratives
• [22:43] Selection process and priorities for initial grantees.
• [25:07] Grantees: Climate Mayors, C40, and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network
• [27:12] Insights into the Invest in Our Future Initiative and its significance
• [28:22] Grantees: Makerere University School of Public Health and University of the West Indies
• [30:32] Success for the foundation in committing significant resources to climate
• [32:00] The message for other investors or foundations considering a similar commitment
• [33:27] Elizabeth's outlook and hopefulness despite the existing financing gaps

• Rockefeller Foundation
• Press Release: The Rockefeller Foundation Commits Over USD 1 Billion To Advance Climate Solutions
• Rockefeller Foundation: 100 Resilient Cities
• Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet
• IKEA Foundation
• Bezos Earth Fund
• Press Release: The Rockefeller Foundation Announces Over USD 11 Million Towards Climate Solutions
• Climate Mayors
• C40
• Urban Sustainability Directors Network
• Invest in Our Future

• Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn

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Happy New Year. It is the beginning of 2024 and I am excited to work along side you to achieve a greater future for our planet.

On this preview episode I give you a glimpse into the upcoming topics of 2024.

There’s a lot we can learn from nature. Processes that happen in nature keep resources in flow, by-products are used and contribute to the health of the ecosystem and there is no waste. Fallen leaves enrich the soil, photosynthesis produces oxygen for animals to breathe, and microorganisms decompose methane and carbon dioxide and produce PHP. 

Oh, not so familiar with that last example? Well, it’s an important one to know about if you care about removing greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere or producing a sustainable replacement for plastics. Today we’re joined by an entrepreneur who for 20 years has been working to harness this natural process to combat climate change, Mark Herrema, founder of Newlight. We talk about how Mark got into this space, how NewLight’s technology works, its impact and business potential, insights to the broader carbon removal space, and much more. Lots to learn in this one. Enjoy!

• [3:19] Mark's journey to founding Newlight
• [6:44] Newlight & the problem it’s aiming to solve 
• [8:33] Overview of the air carbon production process
• [11:19] Characteristics & applications of air carbon
• [13:00] Newlight's business model & revenue sources
• [14:24] Products, partnerships, & insights into sales & growth
• [15:44] Utilizing protein byproducts of air carbon
• [17:00] Newlight's vision for reducing greenhouse gases
• [18:59] Thoughts on the emerging carbon market & its potential
• [21:00] Key challenges in the carbon reduction space
• [23:26] Regulatory environment, public investments & support programs
• [24:35] Newlight's future plans, challenges & scaling strategies
• [26:29] Aspirations for research in carbon capture & negative products

• Newlight

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As we all feel the impacts of climate change more and more each year, the need to invest in climate resilience becomes more and more clear. The World Bank estimates that by 2050, there’ll be more than 1 billion climate refugees.

It’s not about choosing between solutions to dramatically cut emissions and investments that help communities prepare for and bounce back from climate events – we need them both to limit human suffering as well as geopolitical risks of destabilization caused by climate change. 

Today, we’re joined by two leaders working to advance climate resilience. Nate Matthews is the CEO of the Global Resilience Partnership, an organization that supports research, policy and innovation to advance the world’s resilience ecosystem. And Joshua Amponsem is the founder of the Green Africa Youth Organization and a Director of the Youth Climate Justice Fund. 

In this conversation, we talk about the state of the climate resilience field, inspiring examples of innovation, the case for investing in resilience, how young people, startups and big companies are all contributing, how resilience will be present at the upcoming COP28 conference and much more. Lots to learn and think about in this one. Here we go. 

• [3:23] Nate's background & role
• [4:27] Joshua's background & role
• [6:20] Understanding climate resilience & its significance
• [8:17] Exploring the distinctions between resilience & adaptation
• [9:29] Joshua's perspective on the need for more resilience
• [11:58] Resilience efforts in the community & success stories
• [16:29] Identifying challenges & gaps in building resilience
• [20:15] Introduction to GRP & its role in addressing community needs
• [22:10] The potential impact of insufficient investment on mitigation efforts
• [23:30] Advocacy for investing in resilience
• [26:09] The investment case for supporting resilience efforts
• [30:50] Overview of the Resilient Agriculture Innovations Challenge
• [33:22] AI's role in resilience & innovations showcased in the challenge
• [34:51] Exciting & encouraging innovations in the current moment
• [38:41] Results and outcomes from the open innovation challenge
• [40:30] Resilience's presence at COP & goals for the upcoming year

• Global Resilience Partnership
• Green Africa Youth Organization
• Youth Climate Justice Fund
• CGIAR
• Global Center on Adaptation

• Connect with Nathanial on LinkedIn
• Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn

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This episode focuses on impact investing and the particular approach of an impact investing firm based in Chicago named Impact Engine. Now that I’ve said the word impact four times, I should probably unpack the jargon. This class of investing aims to create direct, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. It’s related to, but distinct from ESG investing, which doesn’t necessarily have specific impact goals so much as it aims to avoid harm or risk by considering environmental, social and governance factors. Global impact investing has surpassed $1 trillion annually, and a top focus area is climate. According to a recent report by the Global Impact Investing Network, 74% of impact investors invest in climate action. So I was thrilled to zoom into the approach of one firm and learn about their climate investing strategy. 

Today we’re joined by Impact Engine’s Partner & Chief Investment Officer Priya Parrish, as well as Chris Wu, a Vice President who leads their environmental sustainability investments. We talk about Impact Engine’s history, approach and investment thesis, it’s portfolio of investments in climate funds and private companies – from food tech to mobility to energy efficiency, how they see the climate investment space today and what they see coming next year. Lots of great insights in this peek into the impact investing world. Enjoy. 

• [4:06] Priya & Chris’ background, roles & how they came to do the work they're doing.
• [5:01] What is Impact Engine & what sets it apart
• [8:11] Impact Engine's client base
• [8:47] Partnership with Alliance Bernstein & its significance
• [10:58] Impact Engine’s investment thesis in climate explained
• [12:01] Assessing the current market for climate investors
• [13:43] Overview of invested funds & key criteria
• [18:16] Utilizing an impact side letter & impact metrics reporting
• [20:10] Relationships with larger venture & private equity funds
• [21:05] The motivations behind direct investments in companies
• [22:18] Spotlight on selected startups & their significance
• [23:27] Insights on the food waste startup space & future investment prospects
• [24:51] The goals & potential impact of Market Wagon
• [26:24] Circuit’s impact & business potential
• [29:19] Brightcore Energy's role in energy efficiency & its importance in climate transition
• [30:59] Unique qualities of Brightcore Energy's team
• [32:11] Updates on Brightcore Energy's progress
• [33:50] Economic rationale behind the investment in Brightcore Energy
• [34:34] Identifying major opportunity drivers for climate tech in the upcoming year
• [38:00] Addressing blind spots and gaps in climate impact areas in the year ahead

• Impact Engine
• Alliance Bernstein
• Market Wagon
• Circuit
• Brightcore Energy
• Afresh
• Full Harvest
• Matsmart
• Acre
• Bloom Equity

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• Connect with Chris on LinkedIn

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When it comes to big companies’ sustainability commitments, I’ve long been impressed by Salesforce. They made sustainability a core company value and pledged to put the full power of their business behind protecting the planet. Hold your skepticism for a minute – this is more than just big promises. They achieved net zero residual emissions and transitioned to 100% renewable energy for their operations back in 2021. They’re part of an effort to plant one trillion trees, and they’ve integrated helping other companies accelerate their own sustainability efforts into their core business through their Net Zero Cloud product. There’s much more too and I won’t try to capture it all, but central to their approach has also been leveraging their financial capital to accelerate climate progress. And that’s what we’ll focus on in this episode. 

Today we’re joined by Salesforce’s SVP of Philanthropy Naomi Morenzoni and the Partner of Salesforce Venture Impact Fund Claudine Emeott. We talk about Salesforce’s history and strategy for using philanthropy and impact investing together to address climate change, some examples of recent investments and partnerships, how philanthropy can help derisk investments and bring more dollars to the table, how AI could be a game changer for climate and much more. Lots to learn and think about in this one. Here we go.

• [4:10] Naomi's role and objectives at Salesforce 
• [4:50] Claudine's introduction and background 
• [5:53] Launch and evolution of the Salesforce Venture Impact Fund 
• [7:24] Evolution and approach to nonprofit support at Salesforce 
• [9:33] Solving problems through philanthropy and impact investing 
• [11:56] Example of Pano AI and its alignment with the fund 
• [14:07] Investment in WeaveGrid 
• [15:34] Leveraging Salesforce technology and market presence for portfolio companies
• [18:12] Philanthropic commitments and frameworks for impact evaluation 
• [18:12] Contrasting focus areas between Naomi and Claudine 
• [21:38] The state of climate philanthropy and the need for increased support 
• [23:33] Introduction and purpose of the playbook 
• [25:41] Financial instruments for climate initiatives and Salesforce's experience 
• [26:38] Levers for climate finance
• [28:53] Five tips for readers to embark on their climate finance journey 
• [30:37] $8.3 million in grants to climate justice and conservation organizations 
• [33:45] Prospects for commitments to biodiversity and conservation 
• [35:03] Partnerships and initiatives in climate justice 
• [37:41] Supporting diverse teams in climate initiatives 
• [40:26] Impact of AI on climate efforts 
• [44:05] Current challenges in their work 
• [45:50] Lessons from Salesforce's ambitious climate initiatives

• Salesforce: Environmental Sustainability
• Salesforce Venture Impact Fund
• Salesforce & Climate Policy Initiative: The Corporate Climate Finance Playbook
• Climate Policy Initiative
• Elemental Excelerator
• Pano AI
• WeaveGrid
• The Nature Conservancy
• The Ocean Foundation
• New Energy Nexus
• RE-volv
• Global Forest Generation
• GreenWave
• Island Conservation
• Rainforest Connection

• Connect with Naomi on LinkedIn
• Connect with Claudine on LinkedIn

• On LinkedIn
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Today we’re joined by three team members of Braemar Energy Ventures, ESG Head Lori Collins, Partner Don Tappan, a Co-Founder and Managing Partner Bill Lese. I was excited to talk to the Braemar team because their firm has been investing in energy companies for over 20 years and have backed some early category-defining pioneers like ChargePoint and EnerNOC. Since they’re investing in a wide range of companies driving the energy transition, they bring broad insights to today’s climate tech opportunities as well historical lessons from the clean tech 1.0 years. We dive deep into three of their investments, offering insights to the carbon transformation market, applying AI to upgrade the grid and last but definitely not least, nuclear fusion. We talk about the trends in those spaces, why Braemar made the bets that they did, the ESG and impact considerations of their portfolio companies and much more. Enjoy.

• [2:25] Lori’s role & work at Braemar
• [3:42] Don’s role & work at Braemar
• [4:20] Bill’s story & founding of Braemar
• [5:39] How is Braemar different today in talking about the energy transition
• [7:29] Learnings from the clean tech 1.0 years
• [9:00] Braemar’s investment thesis
• [11:13] Learnings over a decade of investing in the space 
• [12:35] ESG & impact both internally & with a portfolio
• [13:30] Helping portfolio companies reduce emissions & remove carbon 
• [15:03] Profit pools & what spaces are seen as offering the best investment opportunities
• [17:54] CarbonFree & why Braemar invested
• [19:55] The state of the carbon transformation market & its future
• [23:27] Utilidata & why Braemar invested
• [26:36] AI for the grid
• [30:45] General Fusion
• [35:54] The timeframe for fusion
• [38:47] Predictions for the climate tech space in 2024 & what needs more attention

• Braemar Energy Ventures
• ChargePoint
• EnerNOC
• CarbonFree
• Utilidata
• General Fusion

• Connect with Lori on LinkedIn
• Connect with Don on LinkedIn
• Connect with Bill on LinkedIn

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