Terra.do - Solve #climatechange

Akshay Makar is an experienced thought leader, innovator, and climate entrepreneur within the field of sustainability. Akshay is Founder and CEO of CLIMATENZA. Climatenza’s vision is to accelerate deployment of renewable energy technologies in industries to attain 100% clean future by 2050. Under his leadership, CLIMATENZA has become a global energy company with offices in India and Chile. The recipient of numerous awards, Akshay was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, as also one of the Top 25 Young Leaders by Young Sustainable Impact. Akshay is a 2019 Echoing Green Fellow and a One Young World #Lead2030 Challenge Winner.

In this podcast, Akshay talks about his journey and passion for renewables, his company Climatenza, setting up shop in Chile and what the future holds for concentrated solar technologies in the renewable energy space. 

Notes –

01:12 – Akshay’s interest and passion for renewable energy

03:09 – About Climatenza 

05:26 – The CST market 

07:03 – Net zero concept 

10:36 – Starting up in Chile 

14:40 – Impacts of Climatenza 

21:49 – Help from government

24:41 – Media awareness about CST

26:58 – Advice to entrepreneurs  

29:00 – Call to action 

Pankaj Bhatia is the Global Director of GHG Protocol and Deputy Director of the Climate Program at the World Resources Institute. Pankaj is one of the leading experts on the GHG Protocol standards and tools, particularly in the areas of corporate, Scope 3, mitigation action, and city accounting. He launched and led the three-year global process that involved more than 2,300 stakeholders to develop the new global GHG Protocol Scope 3 and Product Standards released in October 2011. Currently, he is leading the GHG Protocol team working to develop new global standards in the land sector which are expected to be released by 2022. In addition, he also oversees and supports WRI’s National Climate Action teams working across all its international offices in Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, and Mexico.

In this podcast, Pankaj talks about his journey, his work pertaining to GHG protocols at the WRI, emissions inventory, connections between Covid19 and emissions and accomplishing carbon neutrality. 

Notes –

01:19 – Pankaj’s starting point on his climate change journey 

03:03 – Pankaj’s role in developing GHG Protocol, Scope 3 and Product Standard

10:29 – Emissions inventory 

19:01 – Expectations from COP 26

22:17 – 2050 Pathways Platform

24:45 – Covid19 & emissions 

29:14 – WRI setting up new GHG protocols by 2022

36:24 – Carbon neutrality

41:06 – Call to action relates to political legacy of government leaderships 

Louise Mabulo is an award-winning chef, farmer, and entrepreneur. She is the Founder of The Cacao Project, a social venture aimed at equipping farmers for sustainable success. She is a featured honoree for Forbes Asia Under 30, is a Young Champion of the Earth under the United Nations Environment Program, Outstanding Farmer of the Year 2018, and a Friend Of Humanity Awardee under the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation. She has studied Economic Development and Social Entrepreneurship at Brown University, U.S.A. and the Watson Institute Philippines.

In this podcast, Louise talks about her journey, the Cacao Project, the challenges posed by COVID19 to her community within the context of food security, climate-smart agriculture in the provinces of Philippines and so much more. 

Notes –

01:09 – Louise’s climate journey 

03:23 – The Cacao Project

06:29 – Covid19’s impact 

07:42 – Climate change in the Philippines

09:07 – Climate smart agriculture in the Philippines

12:24 – Food security in the local community 

15:48 – Women in agriculture

21:01 – Using social media to spread awareness

22:47 – Politics and policy 

24:08 – Building empathy towards farmers

26:29 – Call to action - ‘Be the person that makes the world a better place’

Agnimitra Bachi graduated from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. Early in his education, he developed a taste for sustainability when he worked with the Center for Science and Environment on alternative building practices. His fascination for ‘simply beautiful’ designs took him to Sri Lanka where he worked with prominent Sri Lankan architect Anjalendran, in close proximity to Geoffrey Bawa’s works, to which he attributes much of his design sensibilities. Agnimitra is also a graphic designer, part time comedian, theatre enthusiast and co-founder of the BlackBox movement in Delhi. 

In this podcast, Agnimitra talks about his journey, his organisation Made in Earth, the challenges posed by COVID19, the importance of using earth in sustainable architecture and how to proactively engage in nurturing and adding to a green environment.

Notes –

01:13 – Agnimitra’s career arc 

04:08 – The basic tenets of Made in Earth and important projects 

15:32 – COVID19 and challenges 

19:49 – Younger generation’s interest in sustainable architecture 

25:27 – The effect of the construction industry and emissions 

28:52 – Green building certifications in India

31:49 – Green building practices 

34:55 – Media’s representation of sustainable architecture

41:06 – Call to action - proactively engage in nurturing and adding to a green environment.

Dr Debisi Araba is a public policy and strategy specialist and is currently the Managing Director at the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), the premier catalytic, multi-partner platform for food and agriculture transformation in Africa. He is a recognized thought leader across the African agricultural sector. Prior to joining the AGRF, he led the International Center for Tropical Agriculture - CIAT’s work in Africa as the Africa Region Director. He holds a MSc in Clean Technology from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, a Doctorate degree from Imperial College London and a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

In this podcast, Debisi talks about his journey, his organisation Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), the challenges posed by COVID19, the realities of climate-smart agriculture and what innovations we can expect in Africa in the near future. 

Notes –

01:31 – Debisi’s career arc and journey 

08:08 – All about AGRF and the challenges it is facing 

15:31 – Climate-smart agriculture

22:01 – The concept of ‘hidden hunger’ 

26:02 – AGRF’s 10th Summit 

29:44 – Women and agri businesses in Africa 

32:51 – Politics and policy 

35:36 – Covid19 and food security in Africa 

39:00 – Africa and its innovations

Rohan Arthur is a senior scientist and founding trustee of the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) in Karnataka, India. He heads NCF’s Oceans and Coasts program, an interdisciplinary group that works on a range of issues, including understanding human-wildlife interactions in aquatic environments. His research interests concern issues of conservation, particularly the implications of climate change for marine ecosystems, the rational management of marine systems and fisheries in India, and the interface between policy, traditional practices, and ecosystem management

In this podcast, Rohan talks about how the Nature Conservation Foundation got started, the role of coastal ecosystems & how climate change is impacting them, his work in the Lakshadweep islands and how climate refugees are going to be a reality in the near future. 

Notes –

03:18 – How Nature Conservation Foundation got started 

05:34 – Essential services provided by coastal ecosystems 

10:27 – How climate change is affecting coastal ecosystems

16:18 – National and State level plans to deal with coastal issues

23:51 – Prediction of coral bleaching

27:18 – Work in the Lakshadweep islands

36:38 – Building resilience 

42:50 – Empathy towards coastal communities

47:50 – The role of individual and collective action 

Chandra Bhushan is one of India’s foremost environment and climate change experts. He is the President & CEO of the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST). He was Deputy Director of Centre for Science and Environment from 2010-2019. He has researched, written and campaigned for issues ranging from climate change and energy transformation to rights of mining-affected people and industrial pollution. He was conferred with the ‘Ozone Partnership Award' for his contributions towards the framing of the Kigali Amendments to the Montreal Protocol by UNEP in 2017. 

In this podcast, Chandra Bhushan talks about his climate change journey, what the purpose behind starting iFOREST was, his personal involvement in the District Mineral Foundation, his thoughts about UNFCCC, COPs and the Montreal Protocol in international climate negotiations and how important it is to make a wholesale change to the economic system to tackle climate change. 

Notes –

01:12 – Chandra Bhushan’s climate change journey 

04:42 – Climate change in India 

10:18 – All about iFOREST

17:06 – EIA draft notification

21:17 – District Mineral Foundation 

27:15 – BASIC group of countries and politics 

31:31 – UNFCCC and failed processes 

38:53 – Kigali Amendments to the Montreal Protocol

42:45 – Tackling climate change 

Dr Maheswar Dhakal is Joint-Secretary and the Head of Climate Change Management Division at the Ministry of Forests and Environment in the Government of Nepal. He is also the UNFCCC Focal point for Nepal. He holds a Masters in Environmental Sciences and PhD in Forest Resources Economics from the University of Tsukuba, Japan. His research focuses on forest policy, economic valuation of forest products, protected area and conservation policies, and human-wildlife conflicts in Nepal.  

In this podcast, Dr Dhakal talks about the role the Nepali government is playing in its fight against climate change, the challenges around food security in Nepal, his expectations from COP 26 and the role of the media in presenting a climate change narrative to the people of Nepal.  

Notes –

01:05 – Dr Dhakal’s career arc

02:27 – Role of Nepali government in dealing with climate change 

09:42 – Kathmandu and pollution 

12:07 – Food security in Nepal

14:11 – Nepali government’s policies about wildlife crime 

16:44 – Sagarmatha Sambaad

19:06 – Expectations from COP26

21:15 – Media and climate change narratives

22:42 – Call to action 

Mitzi Jonelle Tan is 22 years old and she has been an activist since 2017. She graduated from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 2019. During her time in university, she was a student leader in several organizations and was also part of her college student council. Mitzi is the Convenor for Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP) which is an alliance of individuals and youth formations that advocates for immediate climate action led by the youth. 

In this podcast, Mitzi gives us tangible examples of what’s happening in the Philippines with climate change. She talks about the work that YACAP is doing and more. She ends with the hope that youth led collective action is needed to give voices to those people who have been marginalised and affected by climate change.  

Notes –

01:12 – Mitzi’s climate change journey 

05:19 – Climate change and the Philippines

06:36 – Governmental reaction to climate change 

12:16 – Ordinary Filipinos and climate change

15:51 – Using social media to create an impact 

19:33 – Covid19 and climate change

24:06 – Expectations from COP 26

27:40 – Call to action to unite together to combat climate change

Navroz K Dubash is a Professor at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). He works on climate change policy and governance, the political economy of energy and water, and the regulatory state in the developing world. Widely published in these areas, Navroz serves on the IPCC as a Coordinating Lead Author, Government of India advisory committees on climate change, energy and water policy, and the editorial boards of several international journals. In 2015, he was conferred the 12th T N Khoshoo Memorial Award for his work on climate change policy

In this podcast, Navroz takes us through some defining moments in his climate journey, gives us a taste on climate politics (both internationally and in the domestic sphere), talks us through the National and State Action plans, India and the COVID19 situation within the frames of climate change and leaves us with his hopes for a climate resilient India.  

Notes –

01:09 – Navroz’s climate change journey 

04:10 – Climate change and Indian politics 

17:01 – India’s CO2 emissions and connection to COVID lockdown

22:52 – India’s National & State level Action Plans 

31:57 – Climate change and COVID

42:13 – Informed climate activism 

46:22 – Expectations from COP 26

50:40 – Hopes for a climate resilient India