TRACK CHANGES interviews people working for decarbonisation, nature repair, and a less polluted and wasteful world. Their insights can help us achieve change in our own working lives. The podcast is hosted by Murray Griffin, from climate and sustainability communications and content consultancy Earthed.au. It includes regular chats with Mark Tilly, AsIa Pacific editor for Carbon Pulse and Biodiversity Pulse.
Wed, December 18, 2024
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.
Sun, December 15, 2024
“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 e
Thu, December 05, 2024
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 o
Thu, November 21, 2024
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:
Wed, November 20, 2024
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 clim
Mon, November 18, 2024
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 Aust
Fri, November 15, 2024
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 confer
Tue, November 12, 2024
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!
Trailer · Mon, November 04, 2024
Track Changes COP29 trailer. The 29th UN climate change summit in Azerbaijan, running from November 11 to 22, will be a crucial event, as the world attempts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. Track Changes will be doing special COP29 episodes. Tune in!
Tue, October 29, 2024
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 ja
S1 E2 · Tue, October 22, 2024
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 .
S1 E1 · Mon, October 14, 2024
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 <a href= "https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/personnel-appointments/2024-09-18/ms-susan-brown-of-switzerland-assistan
Fri, October 11, 2024
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 giv
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