Eco-Business Podcast

Philippines must link energy and environmental issues as Asean chair

As the Philippines gears up to lead the Southeast Asian bloc next year, Departmet of Energy director Michael Sinocruz says the government will push offshore wind power to bolster cross-border renewable energy trade, while protecting marine life impacted by structures. An Asean bloc must be formed at COPs to drive such initiatives.

What to expect on climate finance and justice at COP30

Countries are gathering once again for the annual United Nation’s annual climate conference, known as COP. This year’s COP30 host, Brazil, has pledged to focus on topics that range from boosting climate finance, adopting new adaptation goals, updating national climate targets, and launching a fund to protect forests that is the first of its kind. But all this is happening against a backdrop of the United States, one of the world’s largest historical emitters, pulling out of the Paris Agreement. Can the rest of the world maintain momentum on climate action through COP, and who are experts looking to for climate action today? Eco-Business spoke to two veteran COP attendees who have spent decades on the ground supporting the work of negotiators and communicating what’s happening to the public and press: ▸Meenakshi Raman, head of programmes at Third World Network ▸Ani Dasgupta, chief executive officer at the World Resources Institute Tune in as we discuss: ▸The key climate finance issues at COP30 ▸The US’ next steps after leaving the Paris Agreement ▸How civil society can be heard at COP ▸What needs to be achieved on adaptation

Asean must learn how to 'flex' on global finance and sustainability standards: policy expert

The region has been historically underrepresented in leadership at global standard setters like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The region has been historically underrepresented in leadership at global standard setters like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Sharath Martin, who holds positions in global accounting body ACCA and WWF-Malaysia, tells the Eco-Business Podcast what must change. Tune in as we discuss: The reasons behind Asean's lack of leadership at global financial and sustainability standard setters The region's strengths and challenges  The need to price in nature and biodiversity Whether the consensus-driven Asean Way is still relevant How Asean's mindset needs to shift

Refill fountains may not reduce waste: L'Occitane sustainability chief Venisa Chu

One of the biggest challenges facing Venisa Chu, Asia Pacific sustainability director for L'Occitane Group, is living up to the cosmetics giant's circular economy ambitions. Tune in as we discuss: How Venisa Chu started out in sustainability The hardest sustainability target to achieve How to persuade suppliers to get on board with sustainability Is being a B Corp an advantage in Asia? The impact of the ESG backlash Where sustainability sits in the corporate structure Is re-fill working? Advice for aspiring sustainability practitioners Managing burnout

Resilience has limits: ICSC's Kairos dela Cruz on flood control corruption in the Philippines

The public backlash has been intense for the ongoing probe on the flood control scandal facing the Philippines. On this podcast, Angelo Kairos dela Cruz, executive director of nonprofit Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), talks about how so-called Filipino resilience has been "trivialised" and often been used as an "excuse" for developers to dodge accountability for substandard projects.