Eco-Business Podcast

Joining the Eco-Business to discuss how the sport can reach the net zero finishing line in just six years is Mercedes F1’s head of sustainability, Alice Ashpitel. Tune in as we discuss: Why an earth sciences graduate chose to work in F1 What has been driving down Mercedes F1’s emissions? How sustainable is sustainable aviation fuel? Is sustainability accepted in F1 culture? Which solutions are missing to decarbonise F1? The elephant in the room: logistics and travel Fossil fuels sponsorship and reputational risk Is F1’s net zero by 2030 goal realistic? Will Formula E make Formula 1 obsolete?

Goumbook launched a regional oceans network that brought discussions on the blue economy to the forefront at the last COP summit. Founder Tatiana Abella tells the Eco-Business Podcast why healthy oceans are important for the Middle East.

Environmental disclosure non-profit CDP was founded on this premise: “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” 23 years on, this theory that increased environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures would lead investors and other stakeholders to reward companies with strong sustainability performance, and punish those who lagged, has gained widespread market acceptance. However, evidence to support this dominant theory of change has been mixed, with global emissions continuing to climb alongside corporate disclosure rates over the last two decades. But why hasn't more corporate disclosures led to emissions reductions? Tune in to the Eco-Business Podcast with environmental disclosure non-profit's CEO Sherry Madera as we discuss: - Why rising disclosures has not led to more ambitious climate action - How to bring up the rate of credible transition plan disclosures - Criticism of the new CDP questionnaire - CDP's "much stronger strategy" for Asia post-restructuring - Will we see further consolidation of ESG ratings and data providers? - Is the "ESG party" is over?

Voluntary carbon markets have been in existence for over three decades, and the industry could well be set for future growth despite a recent bump in the road. But its potential to combat climate change may never be fully realised without a rethink of some key mechanisms, industry veteran David Antonioli believes. The founding chief executive of Verra, the world’s largest carbon credit certifier, sees at least two key areas where change is needed. First, the market should adopt an “end game” for emissions-saving initiatives to become economically viable without carbon financing. Someone will need to define the “positive tipping point” at which this happens in each sector – be it sustainable agriculture, reforestation, or clean energy – rally participants towards the goal, and then disallow the sale of carbon credits thereafter. Second, Antonioli thinks that project approval rules should be simplified to help initiatives get going faster. This means approvals should be based on simple lists of eligible activities, instead of complex mathematics, PhD-length reports and multiple rounds of checks that are currently required. Antonioli shared these ideas in a recent series of reports published by his advisory firm Transition Finance. He had earlier spent 15 years at Verra, and had helped mainstream many of the carbon market rules used today. He was also in the hot seat last year when Verra was accused of having rules that allowed developers to massively oversell forest carbon credits – a charge Antonioli rebutted prior to his leaving last summer. How would Antonioli’s ideas work, and will the market accept them, given that its participants are still polarised on issues of integrity, scrutiny and the worth of carbon offsetting? Tune in as we discuss: - How the idea of a “new paradigm” for carbon markets came about - Who has the authority to define positive tipping points for various sustainability sectors - The unique circumstances surrounding nature-based projects - Whether the market will accept a push for efficiency, given its hunger for scrutiny - Antonioli’s next steps

Eco-anxiety is a healthy psychological response, says 24-year-old activist Clover Hogan. The founder of nonprofit Force of Nature tells the Eco-Business Podcast how to respond to anxiety in a world that is “numb” to the climate crisis. Tune in as we discuss: The birth of a climate activist Does the future look like a techno utopia or a dying planet? Real versus “shiny” climate solutions How to communicate climate chaos to children Is climate anxiety hurting fertility? The media and climate storytelling How does Big Oil internalise climate anxiety?