The Green Hour

💬 “If people don’t see the issue, they don’t know about it.”

In episode 5 of our Concordia Summit Series, we sit down with Krista Krieger, Executive Director of Empowers Africa, to discuss how her organization connects donors to high-impact conservation and community projects across Africa — and why transparency, storytelling, and local empowerment are at the heart of their mission.

👉 What you’ll hear:

- How Empowers Africa bridges global philanthropy with grassroots action

- Why being “all female run and female governed” shapes their approach to impact

- The power of film in driving awareness, including their short documentaries now streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime

- How accountability and on-the-ground visits ensure funds reach the people and projects that need them most

This episode was recorded at the 15th Annual Concordia Summit in New York City. ________________________________________

About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

🌎 Website: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

🎥 Watch on YouTube:

🎥 Watch more from the Summit Series ’25: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyjdkjacNUyEFCys09rl4OiibZgERPLdB&si=ySf_InkdxFu0qsZ3

“You can’t build a clean energy future if you abandon the communities that powered the old one.”

In episode 4 of our Concordia Summit Series, we sit down with Dr. Joseph Curtin, VP of Energy Transitions at The Rockefeller Foundation, to explore the future of the global carbon market — and why we need it to deliver on real decarbonization, not just accounting wins.

👉 What you’ll hear:

• A deep dive into the rise — and fall — of trust in the voluntary carbon market, and what it takes to rebuild credibility.
• An explanation of the pioneering concept of the “energy transition credit” — how retiring a coal plant, replacing it with dispatchable clean power, and engaging the workforce gives us a new model.
• Why a “just transition” isn’t optional — how lives, communities, and supply chains matter just as much as emissions numbers.
• The role that philanthropies, standards bodies, and national governments must play to make this work.
• Short- vs. long-term economics of making coal to clean conversions viable.

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About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

🌎 Website: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

🎥 Watch the episode: https://youtu.be/bh9wrW6jbXc?si=yFqfpIrUzxE3l6md

🎥 Watch more from the Summit Series ’25: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyjdkjacNUyEFCys09rl4OiibZgERPLdB&si=bNFWs0XdLSYN5Ava

“The environmental solutions that last are the ones that improve people’s lives right away.”

LIVE from the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Amanda Leland, Executive Director of the Environmental Defense Fund, to discuss her new book, Sea Change: Unlikely Allies and a Success Story of Oceanic Proportions.

Sea Change tells the powerful true story of how fishermen, scientists, and environmentalists came together to save collapsing fisheries and restore abundance to the oceans. The book reveals how collaboration and trust transformed former adversaries into allies for sustainability. Through real-life stories like that of “Buddy” Guindon, it shows that even the most divided groups can find common ground when livelihoods and the planet are on the line. Sea Change is both a call to action and a reminder that hope—and change—can start with a single conversation.

📖 Get your copy today: https://www.torreyhouse.org/sea-change ________________________________________

About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

🌎 Website: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

YouTube:

🎥 Watch more from the Summit Series ’25: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyjdkjacNUyEFCys09rl4OiibZgERPLdB&si=kADV54T6xZ7YNLJo

How can humanity restore its broken relationship with nature? 🌍

In Episode 2 of The Summit Series ‘25, we sit down with Tim Christophersen, VP of Climate Action at Salesforce, to discuss his new book, Generation Restoration: How to Fix Our Relationship Crisis with Mother Nature.

With a foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall, this book explores how individuals, companies, and communities can move from exploitation to regeneration—transforming the way we live, build, and grow on this planet.

Through science, storytelling, and real-world examples, Generation Restoration reveals how restoring ecosystems is not just an environmental necessity but a profound opportunity to heal our economies, communities, and ourselves. It’s a call to action for anyone ready to reimagine humanity’s role as a regenerative force on Earth.

📖 Get your copy today: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Generatio... ________________________________________

About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

WEBSITE: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/8PL0fXOLLUs?si=mm3SvIUCjA6q7uSA

🎥 Watch more from The Summit Series ‘25: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyjdkjacNUyEFCys09rl4OiibZgERPLdB&si=St4eDtDENb4Ax5YH

LIVE from the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Matthew Swift, Co-founder and CEO of Concordia. In this episode, Matt Swift reflects on the 15th Annual Concordia Summit, the platform’s evolution as a hub for cross-sector collaboration, and the rising urgency of environmental solutions in today’s global agenda.

He also unveils the creation of Concordia’s Amazonas Summit, an initiative dedicated to protecting the Amazon Rainforest and advancing sustainable development across the region.

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About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

WEBSITE: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/sAWfU7M3ZRE?si=j_gBwfwrBkSsrXe8

CHECK OUT LAST YEAR'S SUMMIT SERIES: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyjdkjacNUyGkKA5MJSZYItJKTJppQh0B&si=SWrsYtOFYZJ5WMya

Episode 6 | The Road to COP30 – A Series with The Nature Conservancy

In the final episode of our six-part Road to COP30 series, The Green Hour Podcast sits down with two leaders from The Nature Conservancy:

• Beatriz Granziera, Senior International Climate Policy Advisor
• Julio Giraldo, Carbon Markets Lead, Latin America

🎧 In this episode, we explore:

• How carbon markets channel private sector resources into nature and communities
• Why transparency and monitoring are critical for high-quality carbon credits
• The Nature Conservancy’s approach to ensuring integrity and impact in carbon markets
• Lessons from Chile’s REDD+ project on protecting ecosystems at scale

➡️ Subscribe to The Green Hour Podcast and follow the full Road to COP30 series for more in-depth conversations with global sustainability leaders. ________________________________________

About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental nonprofit organization that works to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Founded in 1951 in the United States, TNC partners with local communities, governments, and private businesses to protect biodiversity and address climate change through various methods, including land purchases, conservation easements, and the promotion of sustainable practices.

Important Links

The Nature Conservancy website: https://www.nature.org/en-us/

The Green Hour Podcast website: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

Episode 5 | The Road to COP30 – A Series with The Nature Conservancy

In the fifth episode of our six-part Road to COP30 series, The Green Hour Podcast sits down with three conservation leaders from The Nature Conservancy:

• Galo Medina – Program Director, Ecuador
• Fernanda Bortolotto – Climate Policy Specialist, Brazil
• Carolina Polania – Community-Based Conservation Specialist, Colombia

🎧 In this episode, we explore:

• Indigenous guardianship of biodiversity and their role in halting deforestation
• The funding gap: why Indigenous organizations receive less than 1% of climate finance
• Policy reforms and the push for Indigenous participation in global climate decisions
• Ecuador’s Amazon BioCorridor Program, co-designed with Indigenous communities to blend science and traditional knowledge
• Innovative financing tools like nature bonds to address climate, biodiversity, and debt crises simultaneously

Note: This episode was recorded prior to the Ecuadorian National Environmental Authority’s transition to the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

➡️ Subscribe to The Green Hour Podcast and follow the full Road to COP30 series for more in-depth conversations with global sustainability leaders. ________________________________________

About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental nonprofit organization that works to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Founded in 1951 in the United States, TNC partners with local communities, governments, and private businesses to protect biodiversity and address climate change through various methods, including land purchases, conservation easements, and the promotion of sustainable practices.

Important Links

The Nature Conservancy website: https://www.nature.org/en-us/

The Green Hour Podcast website: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

[In Portuguese]

Episódio 4 | O Caminho para a COP30 – Uma Série com a The Nature Conservancy

No quarto episódio da nossa série de seis partes, conversamos com Lisa Ferguson, Diretora de Economias Regenerativas e Finanças Comunitárias da The Nature Conservancy, e Juliana Simões, Gerente Adjunta de Estratégia para Povos Indígenas e Comunidades Locais.

🎧 Neste episódio, exploramos:

- Como a sociobioeconomia oferece um caminho de desenvolvimento justo e sustentável para a Amazônia

- O papel de diversas cadeias de valor — do açaí à castanha-do-pará — na proteção da biodiversidade e no fomento de economias locais prósperas

- O Plano de Bioeconomia pioneiro do Pará e seu potencial para se tornar um modelo global de desenvolvimento inclusivo e baseado na natureza

- Por que empoderar povos indígenas e comunidades locais é essencial para escalar soluções sustentáveis ​​na Amazônia

➡️ Assine o Podcast The Green Hour e acompanhe a série completa "Caminho para a COP30" para conversas mais aprofundadas com líderes globais em sustentabilidade.

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Sobre o Podcast The Green Hour

O Podcast The Green Hour é uma plataforma global que conecta líderes em sustentabilidade dos setores público, privado e sem fins lucrativos para compartilhar insights sobre soluções sustentáveis. Com uma audiência crescente em seis continentes, o The Green Hour continua na vanguarda das discussões globais sobre ação ambiental.

Sobre a The Nature Conservancy

A The Nature Conservancy (TNC) é uma organização ambiental global sem fins lucrativos que trabalha para conservar as terras e águas das quais toda a vida depende. Fundada em 1951 nos Estados Unidos, a TNC faz parcerias com comunidades locais, governos e empresas privadas para proteger a biodiversidade e combater as mudanças climáticas por meio de diversos métodos, incluindo aquisição de terras, servidões de conservação e promoção de práticas sustentáveis.

Links importantes

Site da Nature Conservancy: https://www.nature.org/en-us/

Site do Podcast Green Hour: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

Episode 4 | The Road to COP30 – A Series with The Nature Conservancy

In the fourth episode of our six-part series, we sit down with Lisa Ferguson, Director of Regenerative Economies & Community Finance for The Nature Conservancy, and Juliana Simões, Deputy Manager, Indigenous People & Local Community Strategy.

🎧 In this episode, we explore:

- How the socio-bioeconomy offers a just and sustainable development pathway for the Amazon

- The role of diverse value chains—from açaí to Brazil nuts—in protecting biodiversity while fueling thriving local economies

- Pará’s pioneering Bioeconomy Plan and its potential to become a global model of inclusive, nature-based development

- Why empowering Indigenous peoples and local communities is essential to scaling sustainable solutions in the Amazon

➡️ Subscribe to The Green Hour Podcast and follow the full Road to COP30 series for more in-depth conversations with global sustainability leaders. ________________________________________

About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental nonprofit organization that works to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Founded in 1951 in the United States, TNC partners with local communities, governments, and private businesses to protect biodiversity and address climate change through various methods, including land purchases, conservation easements, and the promotion of sustainable practices.

Important Links

The Nature Conservancy website: https://www.nature.org/en-us/

The Green Hour Podcast website: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/

Episode 3 | The Road to COP30 – A Series with The Nature Conservancy

Freshwater is the Amazon’s lifeblood—nourishing millions of people, sustaining diverse fisheries, and regulating global climate patterns. Yet these critical ecosystems are under mounting pressure from deforestation, pollution, and climate change.

In this third episode of our six-part series, we sit down with Flavia Rocha Loures, Global Freshwater Policy Advisor for The Nature Conservancy, and Fernanda Silva, Amazon Freshwater Fisheries Scientist.

🎧 In this episode, we explore:

- Why Amazon freshwater ecosystems are central to food security, cultural identity, and climate resilience

- The threats facing rivers, lakes, and fisheries across the region

- Policy and science-driven solutions that can safeguard these waters for generations to come

➡️ Subscribe to The Green Hour Podcast and follow the full Road to COP30 series for more in-depth conversations with global sustainability leaders. ________________________________________

About The Green Hour Podcast

The Green Hour Podcast is a global platform that connects sustainability leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share insights on sustainable solutions. With a growing audience across six continents, The Green Hour continues to be at the forefront of global conversations on environmental action.

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental nonprofit organization that works to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Founded in 1951 in the United States, TNC partners with local communities, governments, and private businesses to protect biodiversity and address climate change through various methods, including land purchases, conservation easements, and the promotion of sustainable practices.

Important Links

The Nature Conservancy website: https://www.nature.org/en-us/

The Green Hour Podcast website: https://thegreenhourpodcast.com/