This episode looks at the concept of the bioeconomy and its potential to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation

It examines the progress being made in scaling up the availability and use of these technologies, highlighting both global trends and region-specific developments. 

Biobased technologies include processes, products and systems derived from renewable biological resources such as biomass, agricultural residues and algae that can be sustainably replenished over time.

Accelerating technological innovation and policy momentum is driving growth in biomass utilization and biogenic carbon solutions, sustainable land use and advanced biobased materials.

The global bioeconomy is valued at an estimated $4–5 trillion, with the potential to grow to $30 trillion by 2050, positioning it as a cornerstone of the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient, and sustainable future.

Realizing this potential will require targeted action across technology, finance, and effective governance and policy.

Join Daya Pandey, Francis X Johnson, Alex Godoy-Faundez and Debora Ley, lead authors of the 2025 Climate Technology Progress Report in a broad discussion of the bioeconomy.

In this episode of the ClimateTech Podcast, we explore how clean cooking—especially electric cooking powered by renewables—is emerging as a powerful climate solution with wide-reaching benefits for health, gender equality, and sustainable development.

We delve into why clean cooking is now a national priority in Uganda, the numerous co-benefits, barriers to scale, including affordability, access, and awareness, and how carbon markets and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement can unlock new financing pathways.

Guests:

• Herbert Abigaba, Head of the Clean Cooking Unit, Ministry of Energy, Uganda
• Ruth Akiiki Komuntale, Managing Director, ECOCA East Africa
• Ben Jeffreys, Managing Director, ATEC
• Sandra Cavalieri, Clean Cooking Lead, Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

For more insights, check out the report Business and Financing Models for PV-Supported Clean Cooking.

Or check out the SOLCO Partnership - a multi-stakeholder ecosystem catalyzing the transition to solar-powered electric cooking or hybrid e-cooking in last mile communities across the globe, and the Global Electric Cooking Coalition (GeCCo) - a collaboration of eCooking advocates seeking to significantly scale up access to electric cooking solutions across the world.

In this episode of the ClimateTech Podcast, we explore how waste—often seen as a challenge—can become a powerful resource for clean energy and local development across Africa.
We dive into the growing waste crisis, how waste-to-energy solutions can reduce pollution, cut emissions, and create jobs, practical innovations in refugee settings and informal waste collection, and look at lessons from the SESA project on capacity building, peer learning, and inclusive planning.

Guests:

• Guglielmo Mazzà, CEO and Co-founder of ReFuse, a Lebanese social enterprise focused on integrated solid waste management
• Claudia Schröder, Senior Professional Officer for Climate Change, Energy & Resilience at ICLEI Africa

Explore the SESA Toolbox for practical, replicable energy solutions here: https://toolbox.sesa-euafrica.eu/

More information on the Sunny project can be found here: https://sunny-project.eu/

In this episode of the ClimateTech Podcast, we explore the untapped potential of biogas as a renewable energy solution— looking at experiences from Brazil and research from Africa. From household systems to industrial-scale applications, biogas offers a powerful way to reduce emissions, improve waste management, and support energy access.

Guests:

• Yuri Schmitke, President of the Brazilian Association of Waste Energy Recovery (ABREN), who shares insights from Brazil’s national biogas strategy and upcoming biomethane mandate.
• Dr. Solomon Eghosa Uhunamure, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Cape Town, who brings a research-based perspective on biogas adoption in South Africa.

This episode is produced through the Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA) project, funded by the European Union.

Explore the SESA Toolbox for practical, replicable energy solutions here: https://toolbox.sesa-euafrica.eu/

List of Solomon´s publications and research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Solomon-Uhunamure

Publications available through ABREN: https://abren.org.br/downloads/

In this episode, we look at nature-based solutions and how we can overcome the barriers to scale and implement them in growing cities. The guests present several societal and biodiversity co-benefits resulting implementing nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and resilience in cities.  We delve into policies, regulations, and the need for enhanced capacity and peer-to-peer knowledge transfer between cities of the global south.

Guests:

• Julia Rocha Romero, Advisor – Nature-based Solutions, UNEP-CCC
• Gabriel Dias Mangolini Neves, Environmental Engineer, Municipality of Campinas, Brazil
• Monalisa Sen, Associate Director, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, South Asia

Links to reports and cases mentioned in the episode:

• Enabling Future-Ready Urbanization in Fast-Growing Cities with Nature-based Solutions
• Business Models for Financing Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Climate Action
• Linear parks in Campinas, Brazil
• Canal restoration in Kochi, India

In this episode, we look at investing in urban climate resilience with Nature-Based Solutions through innovative business models, and a new publication with examples on how to develop them: Business Models for Financing Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Climate Action.

We delve into real-world examples, how to speak the language of private sector stakeholders, underused financing sources, and the importance of data and analysis.

Guests:

• Dora Almassy, nature-based solutions assessment expertSolutions
• Najma Mohamed, Head of nature-based solutions, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre
• Vanesa Rodriguez Osuna, Net-Zero Sector Track Lead, UNEP Finance Initiative

In this episode, we talk about climate technology in cities, and about implementing green solutions in an urban context. We look at overall issues, challenges and opportunities, and look closer at what we can learn from Thailand on governance for the water sector specifically.

Guests:
-Pakamas Thinphanga, project director at Thailand Environment institute, specializing in urban climate resilience –engaging with local communities and governments
-Blanche Ting, Energy Advisor at UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre and editor of the Climate Technology Progress Report.

The episode references the Climate Technology Progress Report, which can be found here: https://unepccc.org/climate-technology-progress-reports/

And a recent webinar on governing urban systems transition, which can be found here: https://unepccc.org/events/governing-urban-systems-transition-how-to-meet-the-needs-for-climate-technology-transfer/

In this episode, we talk about the Adaptation Gap, more specifically the adaptation finance gap.

Joined by the authors of the finance chapter of UNEPs 2023 Adaptation Gap Report, we delve into the big numbers, go beyond them, and try to show what the adaptation finance gap actually means and what we can do about it.

The report shows an adaptation finance gap of 194 to 366 billion dollars - numbers that can seem almost surreal.

But, bridging the adaptation gap is not just about reaching the right amount of billions in finance, its also about how we spend the money, about equity, and about gender and social inclusion aspects.

As the report and the guests make clear, emissions reductions are urgently needed. Slow and insufficient climate adaptation is stretching the limits of our ability to cope with climate change, increasing loss and damage in the future.

Guests:

• Paul Watkiss, Director of the research consultancy Paul Watkiss Associates
• Dipesh Chapagain, Senior Research Associate at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security.
• Georgia Savvidou, research associate at Stockholm Environment Institute and PhD researcher at Chalmers University of Technology.
• Blanche Butera, climate adaptation specialist at Paul Watkiss Associates. Based in Rwanda
• Pieter Pauw, senior researcher at the Eindhoven University of Technology

Download the 2023 UNEP Adaptation Gap Report here: https://www.unep.org/resources/adaptation-gap-report-2023

In this episode we talk about carbon markets, and emissions trading under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
We look at Pakistan and the country's experiences, potential and needs when it comes to using Article 6 to both implement NDCs and raise climate finance and ambitions.

The guests discuss why carbon markets can be crucial and why Pakistan in particular is interested in using Article 6.
We also talk about what the barriers for using Article 6 and how the Supporting Preparedness for Article 6 Cooperation (or simply 'SPAR6C') programme can help Pakistan overcome them.

Guests:

• Dr Saima Shafique, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination of Pakistan, UNFCCC focal point and focal point for the SPAR6C Programme
• Karen Olsen, UNEP carbon market coordinator
• Xianli Zhu, Article 6 lead for UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre in Pakistan.

What is a climate advisory institution, why are they important when it comes to climate policy and action, and what can we learn from Costa Rica when it comes to setting one up?

In this special transparency episode of the ClimateTech podcast we take a look at the how and why of climate advisory institutions, and look at how Costa Rica, has broadened the definition of data to improve climate action with the support of the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT).

Guests:
- Ana Lucía Moya Mora, CBIT coordinator, Costa Rica
- William Billy Holness, CBIT Regional Portfolio Manager for UNEP in the LAC region
- Per Wretlind, CBIT Coordinator at UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre

Read more about CBIT here:
https://www.cbitplatform.org/