TRACK CHANGES - chats with climate change and sustainability experts

In June 2026 the ISO Net Zero Aligned Organisations Standard was released for public comment, after a lengthy consensus-based process building on the 2022 ISO Net Zero Guidelines. In this pod episode, Kurt Winter joins us to unpack 5 key aspects to the Net Zero Aligned Organisations Standard; from transition planning, linking to global net zero, and pathways, we dive into the detail underpinning the standard. Kurt Winter was a member on the Australian Standards Committee and was subsequently nominated to the international working group, involved in the consensus process behind the standard's evolution. ISO Release Information: https://www.iso.org/news/2026/06/standard-for-net-zero-alignment Consultation at: https://comment.standards.org.au/

In this panel-pod, three guests discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the reformed Safeguard Mechanism - Australia's main policy for cutting industrial greenhouse gas emissions.  You'll hear how their views of the Safeguard have evolved, their thoughts on the policy's strengths and weaknesses, and their suggestions on how it could be improved. Joining the panel are Tejesh Kashyap, policy and research officer with Beyond Zero Emissions, Grace Tully, principal decarbonisation and industry consultant with Anthesis, and Kurt Winter, director of corporate transition with the Carbon Market Institute.   

In this bonus episode, we take the Track Changes roving mic to Sustainability Business Live, Australia's largest corporate sustainability event. The conference component of Sustainability Business Live featured speakers including Matt Kean, chair of the Climate Change Authority, electrification guru Dr Saul Griffith, Dr Matthew Bell, global head of sustainability consultancy Anthesis, Ronni Kahn AO, founder of OzHarvest, and Freya Williams, chief strategy officer with Revolt. The trade show featured businesses specialising in everything from energy efficiency to professional services, to green finance and investment. We asked sustainability professionals attending the event to tell us the most important thing they've learned in their sustainability careers so far. The answers were fascinating and diverse. Enjoy! (Thanks to Craig, Blandina and the Stirling Media team for organising and hosting Sustainability Business Live. Thanks also to event major sponsor Anthesis for your support.) If you're enjoying the Track Changes podcast, check out our associate podcast called Earthed.  Earthed is a weekly round-up of climate, nature and sustainability news from around Australia.

The Track Changes science and technology division has invented the dejargonator - and Carbon Pulse Asia Pacific editor Mark Tilly has bravely agreed to test it out! We put this episode together because we enjoy hearing climate and environment professionals talking plainly about what they know. And we like hearing them explain difficult concepts (like carbon markets). Mark is a terrific communicator - no surprise given he's an excellent climate and nature journalist. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In these times, we need to celebrate the wins - and that's what we've done in this 'open mic' episode! It's a mix of short audio clips from contributors, and street vox pops - and it's about success in all its forms. Some of the things you'll hear about are individual actions, some are larger scale programs, and one is a mighty initiative that left Franziska and I almost awestruck.  Anyway, enjoy this upbeat episode - big thanks to participants, including our people on the street!  If you like this episode, please share it with a friend, a colleague or your network. And please give us some stars - it helps put our pod in front of other listeners! Track Changes is brought to you by Earthed, and is co-hosted by Murray Griffin and Franziska Curran - and thanks as always to Sophie Sideris and Earthed news co-founder Chris Dansie. 

What has shaped Türkiye's approach to climate change? In this episode, ClientEarth's Gizem Koç chats to us about recent changes in Türkiye's climate law and policy, and the drivers of those changes (including the EU's Green Deal). In the lead-up to the UN's COP31 climate summit - which will be hosted by Türkiye - Gizem also talks about environmental litigation in Türkiye, the role of non-government organisations and provincial governments, as well as the nation's approach to international negotiations.  You can find out more about Client Earth here https://www.clientearth.org.  Also, in the pod, Gizem mentions Turkiye's Directorate of Climate Change. You can find its website here https://iklim.gov.tr/en/

If you like Track Changes, please rate us and review us on your pod platform, so more people hear about our show!  In this episode, leading international climate barrister Harj Narulla calls UN climate summits a "big, messy jamboree", and talks about why we need them, and why they aren't enough. Harj - who represented the Solomon Islands in a landmark climate change case before the International Court of Justice - chats about: the importance of smaller groups of industries or governments that are prepared to be more ambitious.  how the international Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative is 'shifting the conversation'.   key climate litigation trends to watch. why the International Court of Justice opinion didn't get pulled into the COP30 climate summit negotiating bubble. and why climate reparations is an important, emerging concept.  Whether you're a climate summit newbie or a summit wonk, if you're interested in what it takes to achieve stronger international climate change action then there's plenty in this chat to enjoy!

We've got some real heavyweights talking about cutting CO2 and methane emissions from heavy industry - Margi Johnson (Australian Aluminium Council), Ben McGarry (Aurecon), and Trent Hawkins (ERM). They're a very talented crew, each with hands-on experience, and each with a deep knowledge of 'big picture' factors that influence business decision-making on cutting emissions that cause climate change. And they cover some fascinating ground - sometimes agreeing and sometimes disagreeing. What are big emitters doing to decarbonise, and what needs to happen for them to do more? What should emerge from the Safeguard review (Australia's main policy for cutting emissions from heavy industry)? Tune in to find out! And if you enjoy this episode, please rate us and share the episode with colleagues!

An update on what to expect from Australian states and territories on the climate change, sustainability, and waste management front in 2026. Which state has an approach to climate change and sustainability that would make great fodder for a standalone true crime podcast? Which one has an approach that would make for a great wellness podcast?  Which state isn't reviewing its framework environment law, even through its Auditor-General has said it is necessary? How many coordinator-generals does it take to decarbonise an economy? And where did hosts Dr Franziska Curran and Murray Griffin respectively spend their holidays? You'll hear a reference in this episode to the novel 'I want everything' by Dominic Rivera. Check it out!  And you'll also hear a reference to the 1960s pop song 'Una Lacrima Sul Viso', by 1960s Italian hearthrob crooner Bobby Solo. Check out the video version on YouTube! Enjoy!  

Net zero or real zero? This 'open mic' episode features short audio clips from a range of people, giving their views. Then podcast hosts Dr Franziska Curran and Murray Griffin weigh in with their views. Is one concept a misguided fantasy, and the other our best hope? Or are both concepts useful? Tune in to find out!  If you like this episode, don't forget to rate it on your favourite pod platform and share it with friends/colleagues! 

Featuring a chat with Carbon Pulse North America editor Allison Gacad, and Carbon Pulse Asia Pacific editor Mark Tilly. Allison and Mark discuss the highs and lows of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, and chat about what they'd like to see from the Turkiye-Australia-Pacific COP31. Can next year's TAPCOP stare down the fossil fuel interests that managed to keep a fossil phasedown out of the COP30 formal outcomes document?  Allison also talks about the billions of dollars raised for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, and Mark chats about one of the best acronyms to come out of the UNFCCC in quite a while - BAM - the Belem Action Mechanism. Enjoy!

The world's newest environmental treaty will protect the high seas - those parts of the ocean that belong to no nation. These marine waters extend over about half the planet. This ambitious treaty recently won the world's most prestigious environmental prize - the Earthshot prize for reviving our oceans. The prize was accepted on behalf of the treaty by the director of the High Seas Alliance - Rebecca Hubbard.  In this episode, Track Changes hosts Franziska and Murray do a virtual 'trip' to Rio to recreate that well-deserved prize-winning moment at the 2025 Earthshot prizes. And then we chat with Rebecca, who explains how the treaty was developed and what it will do.  It's an inspiring episode - enjoy! 

The proposed Melanesian Ocean Reserve is an ambitious proposal to protect more than six million square kilometres of incredibly biodiverse ocean, centred on the waters of Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. In this episode, we talk to globally renowned politician Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's Climate Change and Environment Minister, who is playing a leading role in bringing the Reserve into being. Ralph was a leading figure in securing UN General Assembly support to seek an International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the climate change obligations of nation states. And he is now spearheading efforts to make that landmark ICJ opinion the baseline for policy-making and decision-making on climate change. Enjoy the episode!

Will the UN COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, be a success? Will it be a COP that explicitly aims for 'Tropical Forests Forever' and tacitly leaves the world in a 'fossil fuels forever' mindset? Or will it be a COP where there is action across the board? And what is likely to happen on the crucial issue of providing finance to developing countries to help them reduce emissions and adapt to climate change and disruption? In this episode, two senior journalists from the Carbon Pulse news service - Allison Gacad and Mark Tilly - share their insights about this make-or-break COP.

It's important to face up to the destructive nature of the Queensland LNP's so-called energy roadmap, and related LNP moves that make it much harder for renewable energy projects to get assessed, let alone approved.  The LNP has gone rogue on energy, barely maintaining any pretence of treating the renewables sector fairly. And if there is to be an energy transition in Queensland, it will be despite the LNP state government, not because of it. In this special episode, Queensland Opposition Leader Steven Miles discusses the LNP's roadmap, and talks about what it means for the state, and for the nation.  

Some industry groups have for years succeeded in undermining effective climate policies. And there's no sign of them stopping. In this episode, Christian Downie discusses his impressive work on how these industry associations operate - and his findings on the eye-watering amounts of money they spend. Plus we do a deep dive on some of them - including the Australian Energy Producers, and the Minerals Council of Australia. And we also discuss Manufacturing Australia's current fossil gas campaign. Christian is a Professor in the School of Regulation and Global Governance at the Australian National University, and he's also director of the ANU's Governing Energy Transitions Lab. As well as teaching at ANU, he's taught at the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics. Christian has also been an advisor to several government departments, and he's co-edited a new book called Climate Obstruction - A Global Assessment. And particularly relevant to today's chat, he has a strong research interest in how some business associations have stymied good climate policy. Enjoy!  

The most feasible short-term approach to decarbonising commercial shipping is not green ammonia or green methanol - and definitely not LNG - it's wind, says Andrew Dickson. Andrew has worked on big solar, hydrogen and wind projects, and he reckons high-tech wind assisted shipping propulsion is the easiest place to start. That's because scaling green maritime fuels - while it needs to be done - is so complex and will take such a long time. With wind, there's no fuel supply (bunkering) issues, no dangerous substances, no complex new crew training requirements, and it's retrofittable. And it can result in a meaningful cut in emissions. (And no, it's not a deck covered in turbines, and it's not your standard sail). And a bonus chat with Carbon Pulse Asia Pacific editor Mark Tilly, who gives a policy perspective on cutting maritime emissions, with the goal of net zero by 2050.  Co-hosted by Murray Griffin and Dr Franziska Curran.

A panel-pod on the scourge of climate disinformation and misinformation - "the firehose of falsehoods" as one panellist poetically puts it! We need to understand which groups are running climate change disinformation and misinformation campaigns -  and who is funding them - if we are to make progress. "We don't need to change the minds of everyone in society to get climate action - we just need to activate enough people!"  Featuring three people involved in a landmark new book called Climate Obstruction - A Global Assessment - out from Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/climate-obstruction-9780197787144?cc=au&lang=en& Timmons Roberts is a co-editor of the book, and Melissa Aronczyk and John Cook are two of the many contributors to it. Tune in (and read the book too - it's terrific!) Track Changes is a podcast for those active in the climate and sustainability bubble, and for the bubble curious. It features chats with climate and sustainability experts, and it's presented by Melbourne-based communications advisor - and former climate journalist - Murray Griffin.

Tony Chappel, chief executive of the NSW EPA, talks about the authority's groundbreaking new proposals to help make sure NSW meets its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. Tony talks about the steps the NSW EPA will take to ensure large emitters cut carbon pollution, and to make sure these companies tell the public what they emit and what they're doing about it. And he talks about how the NSW proposals differ from federal emissions reduction legislation, and how the two regulatory regimes will interact. You can find the proposed NSW greenhouse gas guidance materials at https://yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au/climate-change-licensee-requirements.  Then, Carbon Pulse North America editor Allison Gacad has some great insights to share on what the US EPA achieved under the Obama and Biden Administrations, and what has happened under the Trump Administration. She'll also talk about how US states are responding to the Trump Administration rollbacks.

A wide-ranging interview with Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta. The President talks about climate change, the country's oil and gas reserves, and the nation's support for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative. And he also talks about inequities in the global financial system, as well as his expectations for this year's UN 'COP30' climate summit, and next year's 'COP31' summit. You can find out more about the President on his official website https://ramoshorta.com/. You can find out more about Rai Matak here https://pollinationgroup.com/rai-matak/.

In this episode, Productivity Commissioner Barry Sterland chats about the Commission's new, interim clean energy and net zero report - and he touches on the other major new Commission report he has co-authored, on tax and regulatory reform. Tune in to hear what this very productive Productivity Commissioner - who is one of Australia's top climate and economic policy experts - has to say about the electricity market, environmental approvals, large emitters, carbon credits, and housing resilience! You can find the Commission's report at https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/net-zero/interim. Here at Track Changes we love feedback! Email your comments, episode suggestions etc to [email protected]. And if you like the episode, please rate it, and share it with colleagues - it helps us grow into a bigger, better podcast - thanks for tuning in! 

This episode is a 'road trip' around Australia in the 'Track Changes' classic ute exploring what states and territories are doing (or undoing) on climate change and sustainability! And it includes stopover chats with SA Deputy Premier Susan Close, The Next Economy chief executive Lizzie Webb, and Jarrod Leak, chief executive of the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity.  Buckle up and find out which state seems to have embraced 'a future delayed in Australia'! Hear about a back-from-the-dead climate bill! Learn which regional city could soon be known for 'flying whales'!  Here at Track Changes we love feedback! Email your comments, episode suggestions etc to [email protected]. And if you like the episode please rate it, and share it with colleagues - it helps us grow into a bigger, better podcast - thanks for tuning in! Useful links: A2EP has a huge range of resources for businesses on existing and emerging energy technologies - https://www.a2ep.org.au.  The Next Economy has some great reports on its work with regional communities - https://nexteconomy.com.au.  Details on South Australia's Biodiversity Act are here https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/biodiversity/biodiversity-act. 

The three talented and insightful climate change activists/energy experts in this panel episode can see right through oil and gas industry spin - and that's because each of them used to work for a fossil fuel company. You'll hear from Lindsey Gulden (formerly of Exxon, now with US-based Leg Up Data), Greg Bourne (ex-BP and now a Climate Council councillor after stints heading environment group WWF Australia and chairing the Australian Renewable Energy Agency), and Alex Hillman (ex-Woodside and now with the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility).  They share their unique insights into how fossil companies really think and operate. Find out: How the messaging from oil and gas companies differs from reality. How these companies have changed in recent years. Key steps to achieving a fossil fuel phase-down, even if these businesses refuse to willingly transition. Here at Track Changes we love feedback! Email your comments, episode suggestions etc to [email protected]. And if you like the episode please rate it, and share it with colleagues - it helps us grow into a bigger, better podcast - thanks for tuning in!

Around the world, national governments - and sometimes state governments - operate emissions trading schemes that apply to businesses emitting large amounts of dangerous greenhouse gas. Australia's program is called the Safeguard Mechanism, and it covers just over 200 factories, mines, and fossil fuel power stations. Is the Safeguard tough enough? Should it be expanded to cover more sites? What will happen to the Safeguard when Australia decides on a 2035 national emissions reduction pledge? In this episode, I chat to three Safeguard experts - Thomas Hodson and Grace Tully, both of consultancy Anthesis, and Dr Franziska Curran, an academic and consultant. After that, I chat with Mark Tilly, Asia Pacific editor with online climate change and nature news services Carbon Pulse and Biodiversity Pulse, about what Australia's stunning federal election result - which delivered a landslide victory for Labor - means for climate change and nature policy.  Tune in to hear from this awesome foursome - Grace, Thomas, Franziska, and Mark!    

Where should climate activists focus their attention now, in these difficult and frightening times? How can we make fossil fuel companies stop polluting, when they show no signs of doing so? And what changes are making it easier for activists to gain traction?  In this episode, we hear from Bill McKibben and Kafia Ahmed, who have years of activism experience and are deep thinkers about these issues.  And we hear about their efforts to bring together and maximise the impact of a  70-million strong pool of potential activists who have been overlooked for too long. Bill and Kafia talk about dealing with misinformation campaigns, the need for incentives to encourage big polluters to cut their emissions, and the need for strong punitive measures for big polluters who don't stop polluting.  And they discuss why so many companies have said they'll do the right thing on climate change, but have then backtracked.  As Bill puts it: 'these guys operate out of fear, so one of the jobs of movements is to strike enough fear into them that they do the right thing'.  Bill and Kafia also talk about Third Act, founded by Bill a few years ago, and headed by Kafia, which brings Americans aged over 60 into the climate change and social justice activism fold.  As Kafia says, the members of Third Act aren't interested in just putting their feet up. "It's all about putting your feet on the ground and stomping towards justice."  Or, as Bill puts it, Third Act members aren't fighting for their future. But they are fighting for their legacy. Bill is a hero in the climate movement, and one of the most influential figures in climate change activism. He is a prolific author on climate change, and played a key role in founding 350.org, the first global grassroots climate organisation. He has also played a leadership role in global fossil fuel divestment campaigns. More recently Bill founded Third Act, which has grown to a network of more than 70,000 Americans in just a few years. Kafia Ahmed is the chief executive of Third Act, and for almost 20 years she has been organising in communities on issues including climate change, housing, racial justice, immigration, gender-based violence, and prison reform. Kafia has worked extensively in both the US and East Africa. You can find out about Third Act here https://thirdact.org.  Bill and Kafia are currently closely involved in launching a major day of celebration of clean energy on September 21, called Sun Day. You can find more details here https://www.sunday.earth.

A hybrid episode based on the findings of a survey of 1,800 practitioners by specialist ESG recruitment agency Talent Nation. There's some fascinating insights into trends in the ESG sector in this episode. For example: People are more likely to stay put in their jobs than in the previous year or two, with the exception of early career professionals. Very few early career professionals consider they are paid adequately. Women are paying a 'loyalty penalty', with women that have been in their jobs for a long time likely to be paid significantly less than their male peers. Three years ago 80% of sustainability managers had more than 10 years experience, compared to just under 60% this year. The speed with which many sustainability professionals are being promoted does raise burnout risks, particularly for professionals that have not had sufficient mentoring, or that work alone or in a small team. This episode comprises an interview with Talent Nation founder and chief executive Richard Evans, and highlights from a webinar jointly hosted by Richard and Talent Nation principal recruitment consultant Claire Black.  You can find out more about Talent Nation and obtain a copy of the survey report at https://talentnation.com.au. 

Yes, we do need carbon credits to successfully fight climate change. Despite what some say, there's no evidence that we can raise sufficient finance to successfully fight climate change without using them. And there's no way to fully decarbonise at speed without bringing them into play.  However, those involved in their creation, purchase, or use need to follow what is now well-established guidance on doing so with integrity. And they need to use them for the right purposes.  This episode on carbon credits features Michaela Morris, the newly-appointed chief executive of Tasman Environmental Markets, known as TEM, which provides carbon offsetting solutions in Australia and across the Asia-Pacific. Michaela previously worked in a senior executive role at the prestigious Climateworks thinktank, and before that worked as a senior climate and sustainability consultant, assisting major companies with their decarbonisation and sustainability efforts.  Michaela talks about perceptions of carbon credits, outlines problems with the concept of "real zero", discusses how to wisely choose and use carbon credits, and chats about 'scope 3' emissions. Michaela stresses the need for companies that are contemplating using credits to have science-based emissions reduction targets in place, as well as credible transition plans. And she advises companies not to "net off" their use of carbon credits against their residual emissions in their reporting, describing it as counter-productive.  In addition, she lists four purposes for which carbon credit use is legitimate:  dealing with residual emissions. going voluntarily above and beyond your target operational emissions reductions in any given year. investing in CO2 removal. smoothing your decarbonisation trajectory, while staying within your carbon budget.  You can find out more about TEM at https://www.tasmanenvironmental.com.au and you can find out about its new TEM Online Enterprise service at https://www.tasmanenvironmental.com.au/solutions/marketplace-solutions/ 

Could Australia's future as a renewable energy superpower encompass providing Direct Air Capture services to major international companies? Find out in this chat with two direct air capture (DAC) experts - Julian Turecek, chief executive of Australian start-up AspiraDAC, and Professor Deanna D'Alessandro, director of Sydney University's Net Zero Institute. Find out how DAC works, the state of play, and when the technology is likely to be ready for large-scale deployment. You can find out more about AspiraDAC here https://www.aspiradac.com There's more on the Net Zero Institute here https://www.sydney.edu.au/net-zero-institute/ You can find out more about the Direct Air Capture Coalition here https://daccoalition.org

Three fab guests for this new episode - talking about the use of drones to protect the environment and fight climate change! James Schultz is the co-founder and chief executive of GreenCollar, Australia's largest provider of nature-based carbon abatement. Cam Baker is co-founder and chief executive of NZ-based EnvicoTech, a global drone company. And Joss Crawford is executive director of operations with EPA Victoria.  Drones with LiDAR, drones with buckets, drones with heat sensors, and drones that drop seed and baits. Drones that can catch crooks, and drones that empower communities. Drones that help put the 'big' in big data. Tune in to find out more!  Also, Joss mentions this excellent, non-drone-related project in our chat: https://www.monash.edu/mada/news/2021/new-tramlab-toolkits-provide-a-route-to-womens-safety-on-public-transport.  Oh, and just because it's so good, and it's sort of relevant, here is a fantastic drone display from  the 2023 UN Climate Ambition summit! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drbWlcyU8tU 

In this episode, I run through upcoming climate and sustainability developments in each Australian jurisdiction. There's a lot happening on climate, biodiversity and waste! As well providing a detailed outline of legislative and policy developments, I allocate a word or phrase that in some way captures the performance of each jurisdiction. Find out why I've called one state "the comfort zone", why another state has earned a "show me the money" tag because of its work on financial incentives and disincentives, and why one jurisdiction is showing clear signs of "regulatory capture". There is a reference in this episode to a blog post on Western Australia's appallingly bad Pilbara Environmental Offsets Fund. You can find that post here https://earthed.au/how-things-are-done-in-australias-most-nature-negative-state.  Plus Mark Tilly, Asia Pacific editor of Carbon Pulse and Biodiversity Pulse, chats about international developments in 2025. Get set for a wild ride as the world grapples with the new US Administration!

There is no doubt that we have the means and the knowledge to rapidly decarbonise, reach net zero, and become net negative. But success is not guaranteed.  If we falter over the coming years, could geoengineering through solar radiation modification be a last chance option? Might we reach the point where we need to cool the planet, to give us a bit more breathing space while we decarbonise? Is it possible, or is it too dangerous? Would it undermine efforts to rapidly decarbonise? Would the benefits outweigh the risks, taking into account the harm already being done due to global heating? How would the world decide whether to deploy solar radiation modification (SRM), or even whether to conduct research? Who would make these decisions and what would the guardrails be? These questions are terrifying to contemplate. But so is the prospect of temperature rise beyond 1.5 degrees.  Not surprisingly, there are deep divisions among the scientific community. Some scientists - including high-profile climate scientist James Hansen - consider our current situation is so dire that there should be a rigorous, rapid scientific assessment of the feasibility and impacts of SRM approaches. There are other scientists who are resolutely opposed to SRM, and consider it a dangerous distraction from a focus on decarbonisation and greenhouse gas drawdown.  In this episode, I talk to Janos Pasztor who for seven years worked with the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative, which took neither a pro- or anti- approach to SRM, instead focusing on governance issues around solar radiation management.  He also talks about a new report on SRM issued by the EU Commission's top scientific advisory body.  Janos's previous roles include UN Assistant Secretary General for Climate Change and senior advisor on climate change to then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, in the lead-up to the 2015 Paris climate COP that led to the Paris Agreement. He has also held senior executive roles with environment group WWF International, the UN Environment Programme (known as UNEP), and with the secretariat to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Discover more on the various views on SRM: The Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative (operating from 2016 to 2023) https://c2g2.net Solar radiation modification - a report published in December 2024, by the EU Commission's Group of Chief Scientific Advisors. https://scientificadvice.eu/advice/solar-radiation-modification/ SAPEA evidence review report - solar radiation modification, also published in December 2024 https://portal-cdn.scnat.ch/asset/3af0316d-c0f2-5ca6-b543-c9bdba33baa5/srmerr.pdf 'Impact of solar geoengineering on temperature-attributable mortality', also published in December 2024, https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2401801121?af=R 'Safeguarding the polar regions from dangerous geoengineering' (November 2024) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385550908_Safeguarding_the_polar_regions_from_dangerous_geoengineering 'An open letter regarding research on reflecting sunlight to reduce the risks of climate change,' (February 2023), signed by more than 100 physical and biological scientists studying climate and climate impacts, including James Hansen https://climate-intervention-research-letter.org

"We are not getting to net zero, we are not going to meet our climate goals, unless we deal with the emissions associated with international trade." Emma Aisbett. A double-header episode, firstly covering climate change and international trade, then an update efforts to better manage a key threat to Australia's biodiversity. Preventing catastrophic climate change requires a new approach to international trade. But the World Trade Organisation has struggled to step up. What is being done to ensure trade policy doesn't stand in the way of climate change action, but is instead supportive of it? And what more can be done? In this episode, you'll hear from climate and trade expert Emma Aisbett, Associate Professor at the Australian National University School of Law. Emma has a bachelor of chemical engineering (UNSW), a masters degree in environmental change and management (Oxford University), and a PhD in economics (UC Berkeley). Her current research centres on trade-related climate policy and international green industrial policy, and she has some intriguing things to say, covering issues including carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs) and guarantee of origin schemes. Then, it's a change of topic. You'll hear from Mark Tilly, Asia Pacific editor of Carbon Pulse and Biodiversity Pulse about one of the biggest threats to Australia's biodiversity, and what's being done about it. Feral cats in Australia kill over 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs, and 1.1 billion invertebrates each year. Predation by cats is a recognised threat to over 200 nationally threatened species, and 37 listed migratory species.  Mark gives us an update on the latest efforts by federal, state and territory environment ministers to deal with this threat. Discover more: Papers that Emma has recently contributed to include: ·      Eight principles to design certification for embedded emissions in major export products. https://policybrief.anu.edu.au/eight-principles-to-design-certification-for-embedded-emissions-in-major-export-products/ ·      Principles for embedded emissions accounting to support trade-related climate policy. https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/publications/principles-for-embedded-emissions-accounting-to-support-trade-rel You can find out more about Australia's efforts to deal with feral cats here https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/invasive-species/feral-animals-australia/feral-cats.  And you can find out more about Carbon Pulse and Biodiversity Pulse here https://carbon-pulse.com.  

In this episode, find out from Evan Stamatiou what has prompted the Global South to become more enthusiastic about carbon markets. And hear his thoughts on the COP 'beehive', as well as on the importance of COP-complementary action, as demonstrated by regional leaders such as Singapore.  And for all you wonks out there who think you understand the Paris Agreement's Article 6 international cooperation provisions, chances are you don't! That's because you've focused on Article 6.2 (country to country trading) and 6.4 (a centralised crediting scheme under UN supervision), and overlooked the importance of the Agreement's 'non-market' Article 6.8 cooperation measure!  Article 6.8 superfan Emily Gerrard explains its significant potential, and describes the likely impact of what was achieved at Baku on Article 6.  Plus Mark Tilly gives an overview of the COP, discusses the quality of the COP's Article 6 decisions, and describes the COP's most surprising speech. Was this the finance COP or the nothing-much-but-finance COP? Did the COP's presidential problem turn out to be not so much the US President-elect, but the Azerbaijani COP presidency? For answers to all these questions and more, tune in here!  For more of Evan's reflections on COP, check out his LinkedIn posts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-stamatiou-8916b115/. To read Emily's analysis of Article 6, check out here posts here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-gerrard/. And for comprehensive international carbon and biodiversity news, check out Carbon Pulse and Biodiversity Pulse: https://carbon-pulse.com.  Explore related COP29 Track Changes episodes: Carbon markets and climate finance - an interview with Peter Castellas of Climate Zeitgeist. COP29 mix-tape - the COP from 'A' to 'J' (conference vox pops from the delegates pavilion). COP29: Richie Merzian - from climate negotiator to clean energy advocate. COP29: Leaders of today and tomorrow (Three speakers at the leaders segment that kicked off COP29 - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the UN's chief  climate scientist Jim Skea, and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley - followed by two leaders of tomorrow - Toni Kemel Soalablai and Charlie Bevis - who are both involved in the Youth Negotiators Academy. COP29: Damaged but not lost - an interview with WWF's Kesaya Baba.   

This COP29 episode is a chat with Peter Castellas, chief executive of Climate Zeitgeist. Peter founded Climate Zeitgeist to catalyse investment in business solutions that address climate change. Its activities include the annual Climate Investor Forum, which connects investors and climate change solutions providers. Peter talks about the COP, with a strong focus on progress being made on rules for carbon markets, which are a key instrument that enables climate change cooperation between countries and companies.  These rules are being established under what's known as Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Article 6 comprises two parts. Article 6.2 provides for market-based exchanges of emissions abatement between countries. And article 6.4 provides for a UN-administered carbon market.  Explore related Track Changes episodes: COP29: A surprise, a superfan, and Singapore (reflections on COP from Evan Stamatiou of Climate Risk Management, Emily Gerrard of Comhar Group, and Mark Tilly of Carbon Pulse).  COP29 mix-tape - the COP from 'A' to 'J' (conference vox pops from the delegates pavilion). Richie Merzian - from climate negotiator to clean energy advocate. Leaders of today and tomorrow (Three speakers at the leaders segment that kicked off the COP - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the UN's chief  climate scientist Jim Skea, and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley - followed by two leaders of tomorrow - Toni Kemel Soalablai and Charlie Bevis - who are both involved in the Youth Negotiators Academy. COP29: Damaged but not lost - an interview with WWF's Kesaya Baba, and Mark Tilly of Carbon Pulse. 

Vox pops are journalism's equivalent of bungee jumping - you take a leap forward and hope for the best!  I wandered the corridors of the large area allocated for organisation and country pavilions at COP29, asking representatives about their work, and about their focus at the COP. You'll hear from people working on issues including health, adaptation, risk communication, solar energy, transition planning, carbon markets, infrastructure planning, the business response, methane mitigation, and more.  And you'll hear from people based in countries and regions including Bangladesh, Switzerland, the Horn of Africa, Sweden, Pacific island nations, India, and South Korea.  It was a particular honour to talk to Ghana's lead negotiator, Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah. Ghana is a very active member of the V20, which is a coalition of 70 climate-vulnerable developing countries.  It was a thrill to record these interview snippets, and I hope you enjoy listening to them! (Oh, and one more piece of jargon you will hear - 'Article 6' refers to a part of the Paris Agreement that deals with international cooperation, especially through markets).

Richie Merzian is currently the chief executive of Australia's Clean Energy Investor Group, which represents investors in the clean energy transition. He is also a former member of Australia's negotiating team, so he can talk about the COP from both sides of the fence.  In this wide-ranging episode Richie explains how the negotiations operate, and describes what clean energy investors can bring to the table.  We also discuss whether the world would be better off with the US out of the negotiations for the next few years, and the potential impact of the G20 leaders summit.   Richie highlights how Australia's experiences with renewables deployment can help other countries that are on the same path. And he emphasises the potential value of Australia and the Pacific hosting COP31 in 2026.  It's a wide-ranging episode, and that's because my guest has a wide range of expertise. Tune in for some great insights!

This episode is a two-parter - the first part featuring leaders of today, and the second featuring leaders of tomorrow.  First up, you'll hear from three speakers at the leaders segment that kicked off COP29 - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the UN's chief  climate scientist Jim Skea, and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley.  (I'm a big fan of Prime Minister Mottley, and you'll understand why when you hear what she has to say about climate finance.) Then you'll hear from two leaders of tomorrow - Toni Kemel Soalablai and Charlie Bevis - who are both involved in the Youth Negotiators Academy. You will be amazed at what the Academy has achieved in a very short space of time. You'll also be fascinated with what Toni and Charlie have to say when I asked how different these negotiations would be, if it wasn't a conference of the parties, but was instead a conference of the parties' youth.

The episode features Kesaya Baba, who is heading up WWF Australia's delegation to the COP, and Mark Tilly, Asia Pacific editor of Carbon Pulse. There's excellent comments and insights from both. Yes, Trump's election win has damaged the mood of the COP, and the damage might extend beyond the atmospherics to some key issues that are the focus of the negotiations, as Mark explains.  But not everything is about Trump. Progress can still be made. Others could step up. And, as Kesaya says, limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees is not a lost cause.  Oh, and thanks to podcasting news service PodNews for listing Track Changes as a new and noteworthy podcast! 

Australia's big emitters must play their part in the push to net zero. But how effective is the national policy designed to rein in their emissions, known as the reformed Safeguard Mechanism?  Safeguard experts Thomas Hodgson and Dr Franziska Curran of sustainability consultancy Anthesis Group score and dissect the scheme, and suggest ways it could be improved.  Find out where the "magic" lies in the Safeguard, which bits are almost flawless, and what might make it better. Plus, Mark Tilly, Asia Pacific editor of Carbon Pulse and Biodiversity Pulse, gives an overview of the state of play in Australia's carbon credit market, and uses a rather magnificent locomotive-and-railtracks analogy. Want to know more? Find out about the Safeguard here https://cer.gov.au/schemes/safeguard-mechanism Find out about Anthesis Group here https://www.anthesisgroup.com/au/ Find out about Carbon Pulse here https://carbon-pulse.com It's an almost jargon free episode! But there are a few terms that you might not be familiar with, which get a very brief mention: NGER - Australia's government-run emissions and energy reporting scheme, which applies to all large emitters. ACCU scheme - the Australian Carbon Credit Unit scheme, formerly known as the Emissions Reduction Fund, or ERF. TEBA - trade-exposed baseline adjusted. (The term for a less onerous emissions reduction requirement that is granted to a facility to protect its international competitiveness - it's the scariest bit of jargon in the episode, but is only used once to make an important point!)

Coverage of the AltProteins 24 conference, hosted by the Australian/NZ Food Frontier think-tank. Includes comments from food's $1 billion man - Dr Andy Jarvis, director of the Bezos Earth Fund's 'Future of Food' program, which has committed $1 billion to help transform food and agricultural systems to support healthy lives, without degrading the planet. Plus vox pops from conference delegates, and an interview with Food Frontier founder and Chair Thomas King.  Episode mentions: Find out more about Food Frontier here https://www.foodfrontier.org. Learn about the Bezos Earth Fund 'Future of Food' program here https://www.bezosearthfund.org/our-programs/future-of-food. 

An interview with international advocacy and diplomacy expert Susan Brown, who is shortly taking up the post of UNDP Assistant Administrator, and Director of its External Affairs and Advocacy Bureau.  Speaking in a personal capacity, Susan describes how international sustainability/sustainable development negotiations are evolving, and discusses what it takes to have a positive impact on negotiating processes. Susan provides some great insights into negotiation dynamics, and into the changing expectations of ministers and diplomats. An unmissable interview for anyone interested in understanding what it takes to develop and deliver ambitious and effective international sustainability/sustainable development treaties that are fit-for-purpose to deal with multiple, complex global challenges.  (You can read about Susan's UNDP appointment here https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/personnel-appointments/2024-09-18/ms-susan-brown-of-switzerland-assistant-administrator-and-director-bureau-for-external-relations-and-advocacy-of-the-united-nations-development-programme- )  

We're all on the same planet, but we're not all on the same page.  In fact, really, I think this is the critical decade in more than one way. Yes, it's definitely the critical decade in terms of being the last chance to rescue our climate, our natural environment, and our wellbeing. But it's the critical decade in another way, too. Many people working in climate change and sustainability operate within a soup of criticism - mostly coming from people who blatantly ignore the great challenges that we face.   Amidst all the noise, it can sometimes be hard to hear what people are actually saying, and to understand what they're doing.  That's a problem. Because there's some amazing people out there, working to make the world cleaner, greener, and better.  I'm inspired by them, and they give me hope for the future. They've all got important insights to share, insights that can help us have more of an impact in our own working lives.  In this podcast series called Track Changes I talk to some of those people. Some working in decarbonisation, some in nature repair, and some fighting pollution and waste. I also chat regularly with Mark Tilly, the AsIa Pacific senior editor for international news services Carbon Pulse and Biodiversity Pulse.  My name's Murray Griffin from climate and sustainability communications and content consultancy Earthed, and I like to listen to and learn from people who are making changes for the better. I hope you'll follow Track Changes to hear what these people have got to say.  And if you've got any questions, or interview suggestions, you can reach me at my day job email address, which is [email protected].