Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations

In this episode of Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations, host Richard Delevan sits down with Lisett Luik, co-founder of Arbonics, to explore the evolving landscape of voluntary carbon markets and the role of forests in combating climate change. Recorded shortly after the conclusion of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the conversation dives deep into the challenges and opportunities of nature-based solutions in carbon removal and how the Article 6 talks at COP might affect businesses like hers.

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Key Topics Covered:

• Arbonics' Mission: Lisett shares how Arbonics uses cutting-edge data analytics to empower landowners to grow stronger forests, sequester carbon, and enhance biodiversity. Discover how this Estonian startup is scaling solutions for a sustainable future.
• Nature-Based Solutions: Why forests are at the heart of climate mitigation efforts, with the potential to account for up to 30% of global carbon removal needs. Lisett explains how Arbonics ensures the integrity and scalability of its projects through rigorous data and certification.
• COP29 Reflections: A discussion on the outcomes of COP29, including the finalisation of Article 6 carbon market regulations and their implications for voluntary and compliance markets. Lisett highlights the progress made and the gaps that remain, particularly for smaller nations and nature-based solutions.
• The Path Forward for Carbon Markets: Insights into how the voluntary carbon market must evolve to ensure transparency, credibility, and accessibility. Lisett addresses common criticisms and discusses the importance of aligning market mechanisms with global climate goals.
• Lisett’s Journey: From her Estonian roots to a career in finance and forestry, Lisett’s personal story illustrates how passion and innovation can drive meaningful climate action.

Memorable Quote:

"Forests have layers of value beyond timber—carbon storage, biodiversity, and cultural significance. Landowners should be empowered to realise these layers for a sustainable future." – Lisett Luik

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• Website: wickedproblems.earth
• BlueSky: delevan.bsky.social
• Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform for more conversations on climate tech.

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China and the Global Climate Transition: Insights with Richard Delevan and Jeremy Wallace

In this episode of Wicked Problems, host Richard Delevan zooms out to understand the current climate action landscape as COP discussions progress in Baku. He is joined by Jeremy Wallace, a political scientist specialising in China's domestic politics and climate action, and the A. Doak Barnett Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins University. They discuss the intersection of U.S., China, and global climate politics, the economic realities of renewable energy, and address the complexities of international relationships as they influence climate policy. Wallace sheds light on the significant role China's entrepreneurs have played in the renewable energy sector, and offers a nuanced view that challenges common perceptions about China's state-driven strategies. The conversation also explores policy volatility, potential future scenarios, and the crucial importance of deployment and climate finance in the global energy transition.

00:00 Introduction and Current Events at COP in Baku

00:22 China's Role in the Global Energy Transition

00:44 Guest Introduction: Jeremy Wallace

00:59 The Intersection of U.S., China, and Climate Politics

02:35 Jeremy Wallace's Journey into Climate Studies

05:26 Trusting Data: China vs. U.S.

08:06 Policy Volatility in U.S. Environmental Politics

12:05 China's Strategic Bets on Renewable Energy

19:13 The Future of Global Climate Cooperation

25:08 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

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In this episode of Wicked Problems, host Richard Delevan discusses the outcomes and challenges of COP29 in Baku. Special guests, Tom Raftery from the Climate Confident podcast and Tim McDonnell from Semafor, join Richard for in-depth conversations about climate finance, fossil fuel discussions, adaptation needs, and the potential impacts of recent geopolitical events, including the reelection of Trump. Listen in for expert insights on the evolving landscape of global climate action and how it affects countries around the world.

00:00 Live from Baku

00:40 Intro

02:59 Tom Raftery, Climate Confident

40:52 Semafor's Tim McDonnell in Baku

01:06:18 Everybody Wants to Rule the World

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Well it’s been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon.1 

Hope you’re enjoying Trumpocalypse Day 8. How are you getting by?

Had such a great night2 catching up with The Heat and the Fury author Peter Schwartzstein early this week that this episode is even more delayed than I thought it’d be. Before a stop on his UK book tour we buttonholed him for a sidebar earlier this week at the top of the show.

For our main event I sat down with Pittsfield, MA’s finest, Dana Drugmand, a leading voice on US climate litigation, founder of Climate in the Courts and author of the One Earth Now Substack, to explore the potential for litigation to step in as a force for climate accountability and progress, especially under the new U.S. administration.

This conversation drops just days after the Dutch courts’ reversal of a landmark case against Shell—a decision that, while discouraging for some, also highlights the role of judicial action as a means of enforcing corporate climate responsibility. Dana brings her unique perspective on what the post-election legal landscape could mean for U.S. climate policy. As we confront a federal judiciary more conservative than ever, she warns that the courts could become either a last line of defense or a daunting obstacle for climate advocates.

One of our central topics was Project 2025, an ambitious agenda helmed by the Heritage Foundation, positioning itself to dismantle key climate policies. This agenda foresees cuts across agencies that have historically played central roles in regulating environmental impact, potentially downsizing the EPA and other scientific agencies like NOAA, while replacing civil servants with politically aligned appointees. Dana’s take is that while the federal stage may seem bleak, we shouldn’t underestimate the power of state-level litigation. States like California and Vermont are already mobilizing to hold major polluters accountable—efforts that could set national precedents, especially if cases reach the Supreme Court.

Our discussion also explored the Honolulu case, which could open the door to groundbreaking discoveries about oil companies’ historical actions on climate change. This case has the potential to bring to light internal documents that could shape public understanding and policy alike, much like the tobacco litigation of the 1990s did for public health.

For those who see these efforts as idealistic, Dana’s closing insights were clear: while federal barriers may grow, there’s also increasing resilience at the state and international levels. Vermont’s recent legislation, European legal frameworks, and global climate accords offer paths forward—if we can hold on to them.

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In this episode of Wicked Problems: Climate Tech Conversations, host Richard Delavan discusses the implications of Trump's presidential election win on US and global climate policy, specifically focusing on the upcoming COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The episode explores potential rollbacks of the Inflation Reduction Act's EV tax credits and the US's possible withdrawal from international climate treaties. Richard talks to Semafor Net Zero editor Tim McDonnell about the unpredictability of Trump's policies and their potential impact on climate initiatives. The discussion also covers the roles of China and Europe in the evolving climate landscape. Additionally, the episode features insights from New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the need for community building and grassroots organizing in response to these political changes.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:43 Welcome to Wicked Problems

00:51 COP 29 and the American Election

02:47 Interview with Tim McDonnell

06:18 Discussion on Climate Policy and Trump Administration

08:57 Future of Climate Negotiations

21:27 China's Role in Climate Action

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25:26 Closing Thoughts and AOC's Message

30:49 Final Remarks and Call to Action

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It’s been a long night. But I thought worth turning this morning’s note into a bit more of a rough and ready talk.

If you want the full thing with all the notes :

RICHARD DELEVAN

·

11:22

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With COP29 in a few days, all eyes turn to Baku, a city with a complex relationship to fossil fuels, where 125 years ago, nearly half the world’s oil was produced. Today, Azerbaijan finds itself hosting the world’s largest climate summit, a moment that exposes both the country's potential as a climate leader and the contradictions of its role as a petrostate. In this episode of Wicked Problems – Climate Tech Conversations, I sat down with Ruth Townend, Senior Research Fellow in Climate Diplomacy and Risk at Chatham House and host of their Climate Briefing podcast, who is also the lead author of Azerbaijan’s Climate Leadership Challenge – a timely report for your reading list before COP29 that examines Azerbaijan’s climate policy ambitions and the hurdles it faces as host.

Get more at wickedproblems.earth.

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For this haunted Wicked Problems – Climate Tech Conversations, Richard Delevan is joined by celebrated author Manda Scott, known for historical fiction, thrilling plots, and a gift for exploring deep-seated mythologies that shape human struggles.

In this Halloween/Samhain episode, Scott takes us through her latest novel, Any Human Power, a genre-bending work that interweaves climate, technology, politics, and mythology to probe our existential crises. Halloween, or Samhain in Celtic tradition, is when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest—a fitting setting for a discussion blending the metaphysical with the political. We dive into how stories, myths, and beliefs profoundly shape our understanding of climate change—and our responses to it.

Utopia, Dystopia… or Thrutopia?

Scott argues that we face more than climate change; we’re in a polycrisis—a web of interlinked existential threats that defy isolated solutions. Climate breakdown, economic disparity, and political polarization are all interwoven. Rather than focusing on dystopia, Scott introduces us to “Thrutopia,” stories that offer not only escape or survival but paths to reimagining governance, social structures, and our relationship with nature. In her view, we don’t need heroes; we need collective transformation.

The Role of Myth in Modern Crises

Mythologies shape how we interpret reality and help us frame complex issues in ways that feel tangible. Scott’s storytelling bridges the familiar with the visionary, drawing on Irish and Scottish influences that explore the liminal “between” spaces, echoing Samhain’s themes. As she explains, this space “between” worlds encourages us to imagine beyond the typical bounds of existence—a lens through which we can more fully grasp the challenges before us.

Changing Our Relationship with Power and Technology

Scott explores a key theme: the gap between technology’s potential and its often-destructive application. Drawing on Taiwan's Audrey Tang’s vision for tech as a unifying tool, Scott reimagines social media as something that builds communities, not conflict— essential for a sustainable future. Using insights from neuropsychology, she explains how power structures hijack our fears through “limbic system manipulation.” This, she argues, is not inevitable; it is simply a reflection of our system’s structural failures. Her work calls us to confront these flaws and envision a fundamentally different world.

Dive Deeper

Her two podcasts, Accidental Gods and Dreaming Awake, explore regenerative futures, mythology, and spiritual aspects of climate action. Her courses offer ways to reconnect with the “web of life” and sustainable change.

Among her influences are Ursula Le Guin’s ideas on human power, Kim Stanley Robinson’s climate fiction, and The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow, which reimagines human history and societal structures.

• Manda Scott’s novel, Any Human Power
• Podcasts: Accidental Gods and Dreaming Awake
• Courses: Thrutopia - Writing Our Way to a Future

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In this comprehensive episode of 'Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations,' host Richard Delevan talks with various experts, including Adam Bell from Stonehaven UK and Chris Slater, CEO of Oka. They explore significant shifts in UK energy policies, the role of carbon markets and their pivotal moment in a shift from voluntary towards compliance, and innovative investment strategies in climate projects. The episode underscores the dynamic interplay between government intervention and market forces, contrasting state-led infrastructure planning with Texas's libertarian energy model. Key discussions include the impact of emerging insurance frameworks on voluntary carbon markets, Singapore's pioneering carbon policies, insights from New York Climate Week, and the importance of tax measures for climate finance. Personal motivators and practical solutions for advancing carbon market effectiveness are also highlighted, providing listeners with actionable insights into the evolving landscape of climate policy and energy planning.

00:00 The End of 'Lawsonianism'

02:28 Stonehaven's Adam Bell: Miliband's Quiet Revolution

25:58 Chris Slater, founder of carbon insurer Oka

Adam's piece in Politics Home: https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/bolt-blue-inside-energy-revolution

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Host Richard Delevan is joined by Loes van Dijk, founder of Climate Court, to delve into the latest updates in climate litigation worldwide. This episode covers pivotal cases, such as the major complaint against BlackRock in France for misleading sustainability claims, lawsuits over misleading environmental impact ads, historic youth climate activism in Ontario, and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's renewed legal battle against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Additionally, it explores global legal battles from Australia to Guam, illustrating how transparency and accountability are shaping the future of environmental law and climate justice.

00:00 Introduction to Climate Justice

00:46 Welcome to Wicked Problems

01:13 Introducing Loes van Dijk and Climate Court

02:22 BlackRock's Controversial Investments

07:55 Greenwashing in the Airline Industry

09:12 Youth Activism in Ontario

11:28 Global Climate Litigation Trends

12:31 Environmental Law Cases Beyond Climate

14:06 Environmental Justice and the DoD Lawsuit

15:10 Climate Vulnerability and Legal Responsibility

17:28 OECD Complaint in the Netherlands

18:51 North Macedonia's Environmental Law Victory

20:05 Norway's Oil Field Controversy

22:32 Standing Rock and the Sioux Tribe's New Lawsuit

24:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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