How is the Council progressing with Te Tāruke ā Tāwhiri, Auckland’s Climate Plan? In the three years since it was ratified, we’ve had Covid, a change in council, and now a change of government. Will it survive and how much progress has been made? We check in with its architects, councillor Richard Hills, chair of the Planning, Environment and Parks committee; and Parin Rafei-Thompson, head of climate innovation and sustainability at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.

Sustainability’s elevation into corporate strategy suggests it’s on its way to becoming integral to New Zealand businesses. But why are businesses writing sustainability strategies? What do they look like? And how often do they translate into real action?

For answers, Ross Inglis talked with Vanessa Thompson from Auckland-based sustainability strategy specialists Go Well Consulting.

The future of farming may be indoors. With eroding coastlines, droughts and unpredictable downpours, farming may be better done in controlled, indoor environments. Better for GHGs emissions too. We know that’s already happening for tomatoes and leafy greens – but what about large scale crops like wheat or fruits or sheep and dairy?

Darryn Keiller is the founder of Way Beyond, a company specialising in data and management of such indoor farms – and he joined Vincent.

How does change happen? And what can we learn from political and community leaders? Vincent hosted a live event during the Auckland Climate Festival to learn how three experienced climate leaders crossed the chasm from intention to action:

 ●     Sophie Hansford - School Strike 4 Climate founder and Kapiti Coast District Councillor

●      James Shaw - Minister of Climate Change

●      Alec Tang, partner Sustainable Value, KPMG

What does climate change mean for investing - is it a disaster, creating havoc due to storms and ecosystem collapse and ultimately stranded assets? Or is there an upside, as companies discover new tech, new markets and new ways of working? It's probably both!

Vincent spoke with Shannen Barns (Mindful Money), Rohan MacMahon (Climate VC Fund) and Darcy Unago (NZ Everyday Investor) for a seminar during this month’s Auckland Climate Festival.

Commercial property is more polluting that you might imagine. Twenty percent of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the property sector. What will it take to reduce those emissions? Scott McKenzie, CEO of Tauranga-based property investment firm PMG Funds, has a plan.

Andrew Caseley is outgoing CEO of EECA, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority. He arrived in 2017 to launch a refreshed strategy and resigns as that piece of work concludes.

Back then Judith Collins was Minster of Energy, there were 6000 EVs on the road and Bruno Mars was top of the pops. What’s changed since then, how is New Zealand progressing towards a renewable energy system, and how many points of 10 does Andrew give himself for his time as CEO?

Cornell Tukiri is the senior Māori advisor for Tataki Auckland United and also for Climate Connect Aotearoa – a climate action accelerator by Tataki Auckland Unlimited. Cornell recently launched He Kete Mātauranga, a resource for climate and community leaders to learn more about Māori approaches to climate change and regenerative practices. A photojournalist and highly competent interviewer himself, Cornell was in the hot seat to talk about his work and the kaupapa of He Kete Mātauranga.

Next month is the biggest event on the  corporate climate calendar, the Climate Change + Business conference by Environmental Defence Society, the Sustainable Business Council and Climate Leaders Coalition.

You could say it’s the CCBC by the EDS and SBC and the CLC. On the agenda are the ETS, the TCFD and of course IPCC by UNFCCC. To explain all those Cs, I’m joined by Rebecca Lowe, head of communications at SBC and Antonia Burbidge head of climate and nature.