Climate360° : a changing climate's impact & brilliant people making a difference

The Roadblocks Aren't Technical. They're Political.

A warming planet will impact our lives in unpredictable and far-reaching ways. The actions we take, to both mitigate and adapt, are equally diverse and complex. Yet no territory is more central to the task at hand than the urgent need to transition away from the polluting, carbon-intensive technologies of the fossil fuel age toward clean energy. That is the focus of our third series of conversations on Climate 360. Our first guest is a powerful and uncompromising voice for that transition. Saul Griffith is an MIT-trained engineer, founder of Rewiring Australia and Rewiring America, recipient of the MacArthur "Genius Grant", and the author of The Big Switch — a blueprint for electrifying Australia from the power grid to the family car. He is, in short, a force of nature.  Notably, Griffith now spends less time in the lab than he once did. While there is important work still to be done, improving clean energy technologies, driving down costs, expanding their reach, Griffith argues that the big challenges are no longer primarily technical. Policy is the battleground now, not the lab. Which may be a good thing, because politics is ultimately answerable to the electorate. To you and me. Without underestimating the scale of what lies ahead, Griffith is clear about how much agency ordinary people hold. How we spend our money, who we vote for, what products we support, and what we choose to be informed by — all of it has the potential to move the dial on climate action, and on how quickly we can complete the transition to clean energy. Learn more about Saul's work by subscribing to https://energyandstuff.substack.com [https://energyandstuff.substack.com] , or his podcast The Shameless Plug or visit his website rewiringaustralia.org . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climate360.substack.com [https://climate360.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Climate and You, a conversation with Bronwyn Gresham, CEO of Psychology for a Safe Climate

There is a growing connection between anxiety and an increased engagement with the changing climate. In this episode of Climate360°, hosts Andrew Mackenzie and Sam Redston sit down with Bronwyn Gresham — clinical psychologist and CEO of Psychology for a Safe Climate — to explore what’s really going on beneath the surface when we engage with the climate crisis. Bronwyn unpacks the full spectrum of climate emotions: anxiety, ecological grief, guilt, and burnout — and explains why the familiar advice of “just take action” isn’t enough on its own. She shares a three-part framework for climate mental health (regenerative action, self-care, and emotional engagement) and makes the case for Climate Cafés as a thoughtful and transformative capacity-building tool for the community.If you've ever felt the weight of the climate news cycle — or wondered how to hold hope and despair at the same time — this one's for you.Visit https://www.psychologyforasafeclimate.org [https://www.psychologyforasafeclimate.org] to learn more about their work, how to join a Climate Cafe and a growing library of resources that are available to support your mental wellbeing. See you at a Climate Cafe near you soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climate360.substack.com [https://climate360.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Putting Research to Work

In the most recent Climate Change Performance Index (2025), Australia has dropped two ranks to 52nd place. But a recent emboldening of Federal government may see that negative trend reverse. This interview unpacks Australia’s current climate policy platform, and while being a long way from perfect, the positive changes occurring in Australia’s performance. We will look at how research can help inform good policy, and what policy levers look likely to deliver best outcomes Climateworks is taking on the transition to net zero emissions. They guide decisions from government, companies and institutions that can reduce emissions at the scale and pace needed during this critical decade. Anna heads the Australian Country Context team which takes an outward facing approach to enhance Climateworks’ understanding of the political and economic landscape. Anna focuses on influencing policy and investment, and managing relationships with senior stakeholders. Her role includes building our ability to partner with stakeholders and funders, supporting external partners to engage across the full range of our work and ensuring our teams make the most of opportunities to create systems change. Prior to Climateworks, Anna was Assistant Director at the Climate Change Authority. She also worked on climate policy, including as Director of the Climate Action Network Australia and in the Victorian Government. Anna’s climate policy expertise builds on her policy roles in the UK government on environment and sustainable development. She also has experience in international development – including working in Latin America – and in urban conservation. Anna holds a Masters in Forestry and Land Use from Oxford University and a Bachelor in Ecological Science (Ecology Hons) from Edinburgh University. She also completed post-graduate modules in Urban Regeneration at the University of London. Find Anna’s work in The Conversation [https://theconversation.com/profiles/anna-malos-424945] Find Anna’s work on Researchgate [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anna_Malos2] About Climate360  Climate360 is a podcast series that will take a broad view of how climate impacts our whole world. It is an initiative of Sam Redston and Andrew Mackenzie.  Over the weeks and months ahead we will explore how climate impacts health, economics, politics, science, farming, manufacturing and everything else. We will explore the challenges of a changing climate, while throwing a light on a rich community of innovators and activists, professionals and academics, makers and motivators, who are leading the way in how we might respond to our changing climate.  We acknowledge that we work and create on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung and Boon Wurrung People of the Eastern Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to their Elders, past and present. Always was. Always will be.  www.climate360.com.au [http://www.climate360.com.au] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climate360.substack.com [https://climate360.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Local Heros

All across Australia there are communities taking climate action into their own hands. One example is in rural Victoria, where Totally Renewable Yakandanah [https://totallyrenewableyack.org.au] (TRY) is a 100% volunteer run community group with “the lofty goal of powering this small Victorian town with 100% renewable energy, giving resilience, savings, lower emissions and showing that it can be done”. We talk to Juliette Milbank and Matthew Charles-Jones of TRY, about the challenges involved in the energy transition, the scale of the opportunity, and where they are on their journey. About Climate360º Climate360º [http://www.climate360.com.au]is a podcast series that will take a broad view of how climate impacts our whole world. It is an initiative of Sam Redston and Andrew Mackenzie. www.climate360.com.au [http://www.climate360.com.au] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climate360.substack.com [https://climate360.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Cleaning up the market.

In the blame game of who is doing most, or least, corporations are not typically showered in climate glory. While some large companies are taking meaningful steps to decarbonise, there is also growing criticisms of greenwashing and climate tokenism. The Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility [http://www.accr.org.au] (ACCR) is a major player in shining a spotlight on the good and the bad. We speak to ACCR executive director Brynn O’Brien about the important (and tireless) job of share activism and holding business to account. Brynn O’Brien is Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR), a research and shareholder advocacy organisation. The ACCR uses their expertise in shareholder strategy to enable institutional investors to escalate their engagements with major, heavy-emitting listed companies in their portfolios. Brynn has deep expertise in corporate governance, active ownership and international law, combining a sharp understanding of markets with a commitment to systemic change. An experienced lawyer and strategist, Brynn has led the ACCR since 2017, growing the organisation from a small advocacy initiative into a respected and globally connected force for corporate accountability and investor action on climate. The ACCR research team undertakes in-depth research into the climate transition plans of companies in our portfolio, contextualised with the latest climate science, to assist institutional capital to understand investment risks and opportunities during the energy transition. Brynn holds degrees in Medical Science and Law from the University of Technology Sydney, a Master of Laws from Columbia University, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Visit their website www.accr.org.au [http://www.accr.org.au] About Climate360º Climate360º [http://www.climate360.com.au]is a podcast series that will take a broad view of how climate impacts our whole world. It is an initiative of Sam Redston and Andrew Mackenzie. www.climate360.com.au [http://www.climate360.com.au] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climate360.substack.com [https://climate360.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]