PODCAST · news
The Week in Sustainability
by Sustain.Life
Stay up to date with the latest in sustainability news. Sustain.Life is now part of Workiva! Each week, our sustainability team offers commentary about the week’s most pressing issues and stories in sustainability and ESG. For the full video archive, visit our YouTube Playlist.
Episodes
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Final episode: 2024 in Review and Beyond // The Week in Sustainability #113
This final episode of The Week in Sustainability reflects on two impactful years of insights, from groundbreaking regulations like the EU’s CSRD and ISSB standards to climate science milestones and natural disasters reshaping the corporate sustainability landscape. We explore key moments…
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Breaking Down COP29 // The Week in Sustainability #112
The Week in Sustainability November 18–22, 2024 This week: We dive into the highlights, controversies, and challenges of COP29 in Azerbaijan. While ambitious climate commitments were announced, such as the UN's 81% emissions reduction target by 2035 and Indonesia’s plans for net zero by 2060,...
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State-Level Wins for Climate // The Week in Sustainability #111
The Week in Sustainability November 11–15, 2024 This week: After the 2024 U.S. election, several states took significant climate action despite federal uncertainties. Washington voters upheld the Climate Commitment Act, ensuring funding for carbon reduction projects, while California approved a…
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California’s Climate Shift Through Education & Policy // The Week in Sustainability #108
This week: Covers two major climate-related developments in California. The University of California, San Diego has introduced a mandatory climate-focused course for all students, signaling the growing importance of climate education across all fields of study. The episode also explores...
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COP29 Countdown: Climate Action and Finance at a Crossroads // The Week in Sustainability #109
This week: Dives into two major reports spotlighting the urgency of climate action as COP29 approaches. Despite national pledges, current trajectories fall significantly short of the 43% emissions reduction scientists say is needed by 2030—an alarming gap with drastic implications. Additionally,...
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2024 Election Impact on Climate Policy & EMEA Amplify // The Week in Sustainability #110
This week: Covers the potential impacts of the 2024 U.S. presidential election on climate policy, with anticipated rollbacks under a second Trump administration, including possible withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and increased fossil fuel production. However, strong state-level policies,...
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Washington's Climate Battle: The Fight to Save Emissions Caps // The Week in Sustainability #107
The Week in Sustainability October 14–18, 2024 This week: We focused on the Climate Commitment Act in Washington State and the push to repeal it during this upcoming election. Launched in 2023 this legislation targets major business emitters, aiming to significantly reduce emissions and align…
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Rising Storms: Climate Change and Hurricane Impact // The Week in Sustainability #106
The Week in Sustainability October 7–11, 2024 This week: This episode explores the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes, focusing on recent storms Helene and Milton– examining how climate change is fueling stronger storms through warmer ocean temperatures and rising sea levels…
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2024 Climate Week Recap // The Week in Sustainability #105
The Week in Sustainability September 30 – October 4, 2024 This week: Our team covers three important climate updates. We begin with the introduction of the Task Force on Inequality and Socially Related Financial Disclosures (TISFD), aimed at helping companies disclose socially related financial...
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Earth’s Climate History: New Phanerozoic Insights // The Week in Sustainability #104
In this week’s episode of The Week in Sustainability, we explore groundbreaking research that reconstructs Earth's surface temperatures over the past 500 million years. The study reveals that the Phanerozoic eon, dating back to the Cambrian explosion, was much hotter than previously thought,...
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Navigating Scope 3: Estée Lauder's Path to Carbon Reduction // The Week in Sustainability x ESG Talk #103
The Week in Sustainability x ESG Talk September 16–20, 2024 This week: In the fourth and final episode of the ESG Talk Climate Week series, Nancy Mahon, chief sustainability officer of the Estée Lauder Companies, joins host Alyssa Zucker to discuss the company’s approach to Scope 3 measurement…
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Scope 2 Challenges: SBTi and Swiss Steel on Decarbonization // The Week in Sustainability x ESG Talk #102
In the third installment of ESG Talk’s Climate Week series, Frank Koch, CEO of Swiss Steel Group, and Alberto Carrillo Pineda, CTO of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), join Mandi McReynolds to discuss long-term decarbonization strategies, the steel industry's commitment to sustainable...
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Decarbonizing Flight: Delta's Approach to Scope 1 Emissions // The Week in Sustainability x ESG Talk #101
In the second episode of the ESG Talk Climate Week series, Amelia DeLuca, Delta Air Lines’ chief sustainability officer, speaks with Andie Wood about Delta Air Lines’ strategies for reducing its direct carbon emissions and efforts to increase sustainable aviation fuel production within the…
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The Fundamentals of Carbon Accounting // The Week in Sustainability x ESG Talk #100
In this special Climate Week episode, ESG Talk and The Week in Sustainability team up to demystify greenhouse gas emissions. Join us as hosts Steve Soter, Andie Wood, and Alyssa Zucker kick off a four-part series focused on practical solutions for carbon accounting, management, and achieving...
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Extreme weather and climate change // The Week in Sustainability #99
This week: – Recent extreme weather events in North America underscore the growing need for cities to adopt robust climate resilience strategies, including infrastructure upgrades and comprehensive climate risk assessments. –Attribution science is increasingly vital in understanding how climate...
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Post-Chevron: judicial impact on U.S. climate policy // The Week in Sustainability #98
This week: – Shift in power dynamics: The Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Chevron Doctrine significantly alters the balance of power between federal agencies and the judiciary, granting courts more authority to interpret laws and potentially limiting the ability of agencies like the EPA...
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Biden’s climate legacy and Harris’s future vision // The Week in Sustainability #97
– Biden’s climate legacy: President Biden’s administration has invested $4.3 billion in EPA grants to combat climate change, reduce pollution, and promote environmental justice, alongside significant climate legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act. However, his policies, including the…
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CDP report unpacks scope 3 in your supply chain // The Week in Sustainability #96
Significant impact: Scope 3 emissions in supply chains are 26 times higher than direct operational emissions, highlighting the need for companies to address upstream emissions alongside Scopes 1 and 2. – Challenges and gaps: Only 15% of companies have set targets for upstream Scope 3 emissions…
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Wildfires rage & climate compliance // The Week in Sustainability #95
This week: –Kern County wildfires: Recent wildfires in Kern County caused major evacuations and extensive damage, highlighting the urgent need for climate action as extreme heat and dry conditions fuel more frequent and severe fires. –Climate regulation landscape: The SEC’s new climate-risk...
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Workers in extreme heat & Hurricane Beryl’s impact // The Week in Sustainability #94
– Federal rule to protect workers from extreme heat: President Biden announced a rule to protect 36 million outdoor and partially indoor workers. The rule requires employers to implement Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Plans with measures like water provision, rest breaks, and shaded areas....
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The impact of overturning Chevron Deference // The Week in Sustainability #93
This week, our team breaks down the Supreme Court’s decision that redefined how federal agencies interpret environmental laws, emphasizing Chevron’s deference. This legal principle, which requires courts to defer to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes, has sparked debates over regulatory...
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Revolutionizing carbon accounting // The Week in Sustainability #92
–We’re thrilled to announce that Sustain.Life has been acquired by Workiva, the leading cloud platform for assured integrated reporting! –The acquisition paves the way for the launch of Workiva Carbon, a groundbreaking platform designed to streamline the measurement, management, and reporting of...
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Green hydrogen revolution & solar surge // The Week in Sustainability #91
Green hydrogen in Europe: TotalEnergies and Air Products have formed a 15-year partnership to supply green hydrogen to TotalEnergies' European refineries, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 5 million tonnes annually by 2030, highlighting a significant step in Europe's clean energy...
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Key updates to the 2024 CDP Questionnaire // The Week in Sustainability #90
We have a special episode for you this week. With the release of the 2024 CDP questionnaire, we thought it would be helpful to share an abbreviated version of a recent webinar to help you prepare for your 2024 submission. The 2024 CDP questionnaire has arrived, and reporting season is underway....
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Record heat and rising turbulence // The Week in Sustainability #89
Last year, the global average person experienced 26 more days of abnormally high heat due to climate change, significantly impacting vulnerable populations and prompting cities to adopt heat action plans despite the unreliable relief from natural climate patterns like La Niña. Additionally,...
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California's new budget fuels climate action // The Week in Sustainability #88
California’s recent budget approval to fund the implementation of SB climate package bills signifies a monumental stride in climate accountability. With $22 million allocated, California must enforce legislation like SB 253 and SB 261, solidifying its position as a leader in environmental...
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Decarbonizing higher education with AArete // The Week in Sustainability #87
This week: We sat down with AArete, who supports higher education institutions in leveraging data to enhance sustainability and profitability. Universities face unique challenges due to their non-profit status, focusing on long-term impact rather than short-term financial returns. Effective...
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ESRS-ISSB interoperability & CDP's alignment // The Week in Sustainability #86
This week: – The interoperability guidance released by ESRS and ISSB standards, aiming to streamline reporting efforts across different sustainability reporting frameworks. – The release of the new CDP's 2024 reporting questionnaire, highlighting its alignment with various reporting standards and...
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EPA & EU drive decarbonization // The Week in Sustainability #85
The U.S. and E.U. are taking decisive regulatory steps towards decarbonization, emphasizing cleaner energy and tighter pollution controls. In the U.S., the EPA’s new power plant regulations prioritize environmental safeguards, while the E.U.’s Net Zero Industry Act promotes decarbonization...
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Climate homicide theory & $38 trillion climate loss // The Week in Sustainability #84
A recent study predicts a $38 trillion annual loss by 2049 due to climate change, disproportionately affecting poorer nations and regions like the southeastern United States and southern Europe. Meanwhile, legal scholars are proposing to hold oil companies accountable for climate-related deaths,...
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Earth Day with CRG Restaurant Group // The Week in Sustainability #83
Today is Earth Day, and with this special episode, we sat down with Ali Cammisa, senior director of sustainability at CRG Restaurant Group. CRG’s commitment to integrating sustainable practices, like composting programs, reflects a broader movement within the restaurant industry. Through...
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The energy impact of the solar eclipse // The Week in Sustainability #82
The Week in Sustainability April 8–12, 2024 This week: Our team dived into three crucial sustainability topics: –The influence of financed emissions on businesses –The importance of external assurance in emissions reporting –The grid challenges brought on by a recent solar eclipse This eclipse...
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Decoding Scope 3: Unlocking your supply chain emissions program
In this episode of The Week in Sustainability, we chat with Gehry Oatey, manager of ESG data and analytics at leading plumbing manufacturer Oatey. We cover the often-daunting challenges surrounding scope 3 emissions—indirect emissions that occur across a company’s entire value chain, including…
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Compliance with the SEC’s climate disclosure rule
As we continue to unpack the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) final Climate Disclosure rule, we look to bring you interesting expert perspectives. This week, we’re joined by special guest Mallory Thomas, a risk advisory partner at Baker Tilly, a leading advisory CPA firm, who…
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IEA report explains why emissions increased in 2023 // The Week in Sustainability #78
–We discuss the release of the IEA 2023 report, highlighting the modest success in curbing CO2 emissions through clean energy growth despite challenges posed by weather patterns and the pandemic. The report emphasizes record emissions decline in advanced economies driven by clean energy...
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The SEC’s new climate disclosure rule passes // The Week in Sustainability #77
As predicted, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved the long-awaited climate disclosure rule this week. The impact? Now, thousands of public companies will be required to disclose material scope 1 and 2 emissions. The disclosure law marks a significant milestone in corporate…
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Building your ESG baseline inventory – MERZ Aesthetics // The Week in Sustainability #76
– Our team sat down with MERZ Aesthetics to discuss learnings from Global ESG Project Manager Molly Bonas, who spearheaded the company's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) baseline inventory. During this discussion, she unveils challenges and insights crucial for a successful...
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Key takeaways: Verdantix Climate Summit // The Week in Sustainability #75
–After attending The Verdantix Climate Summit, our team reflects on dynamic conversations surrounding climate disclosure, pathways to net-zero, decarbonization challenges, emission boundary definitions, corporate incentives, and the strategic leverage of regulations for fostering sustainable...
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CDP scores & China's sustainability reporting guidelines // The Week in Sustainability #74
This week: – CDP's 2023 reporting cycle showcases global leaders in environmental transparency, with only 2% of respondents achieving the coveted 'A-list' status, underscoring the growing importance of comprehensive sustainability disclosure. – China's new sustainability guidelines mandate...
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California's role in climate regulation expansion // The Week in Sustainability #73
In the ongoing push for environmental accountability and transparency, state-level legislative efforts for climate disclosure are gaining traction across the United States. California, known for its leadership in environmental legislation, stands at the forefront with recent comprehensive…
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Regulations forge ahead & CSRD updates // The Week in Sustainability #72
In recent sustainability reporting updates, all eyes are on the Corporate Sustainable Reporting Directive (CSRD) issued by the European Union. This directive, evolving from the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), has encountered a two-year delay, prompting organizations worldwide to…
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Davos WEF 2024: sustainability, AI, & global partnership // The Week in Sustainability #71
In the aftermath of the prestigious World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland—a gathering that brings together global leaders, business executives, policymakers, and experts from various fields—numerous insights have surfaced, setting the stage for a transformative year in sustainability. Davos…
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Retail resilience and sustainability at NRF // The Week in Sustainability #70
he NRF Big Show Conference 2024, a landmark event across the retail industry, concluded this week in New York City. This year, we decided to attend, and to our surprise, the conference took an unexpected yet critical turn towards sustainability, signaling a significant shift in the industry's...
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Australia's climate shift: impact and corporate evolution // The Week in Sustainability #69
Australia is making significant strides in climate action, with the anticipated mandate for climate disclosure by 2024 marking a new era of environmental accountability. This legislative change is a global trend towards greater transparency and responsibility in addressing climate challenges. Key...
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2023 in review: The Climate and ESG landscape // The Week in Sustainability #67
Every year, we like to pause to reflect on the progress made in the sustainability and ESG space. 2023 was no exception, emerging as a landmark period of transformation and growth. This year, there have been significant strides in regulations and the interoperability of sustainability reporting.…
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2024 sustainability trends & predictions // The Week in Sustainability #68
s we leave an exciting 2023, it’s time to enter a new year. Without a doubt, the sustainability sector is witnessing transformative trends and predictions reshaping how businesses operate and consumers engage. This week, we discuss our thoughts as we enter 2024 and provide an in-depth look at…
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COP28 takeaways: Fossil fuels and climate pledges // The Week in Sustainability #66
The 28th annual Conference of the Parties (COP28), hosted by the United Nations, wrapped this week. It marked a significant shift in the climate change dialogue. The event brought together over 100 country delegations, climate scientists, business leaders, activists, indigenous peoples, and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Stay up to date with the latest in sustainability news.
Sustain.Life is now part of Workiva! Each week, our sustainability team offers commentary about the week’s most pressing issues and stories in sustainability and ESG.
For the full video archive, visit our YouTube Playlist.
HOSTED BY
Sustain.Life
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Week in Sustainability have?
The Week in Sustainability currently has 86 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Week in Sustainability about?
Stay up to date with the latest in sustainability news. Sustain.Life is now part of Workiva! Each week, our sustainability team offers commentary about the week’s most pressing issues and stories in sustainability and ESG. For the full video archive, visit our YouTube Playlist.
How often does The Week in Sustainability release new episodes?
The Week in Sustainability has 86 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Week in Sustainability?
You can listen to The Week in Sustainability on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Week in Sustainability?
The Week in Sustainability is created and hosted by Sustain.Life.
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