Carbon data is no longer just something companies report. Increasingly, it may decide whether products can be sold at all.

In this episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Stephen Jamieson, Chief Marketing Officer for SAP Sustainability, to explore why sustainability is moving from the ESG report into the systems businesses use to run supply chains, finance, product compliance, and AI-enabled decisions. We get into what this means for climate tech, decarbonisation, policy, emissions reduction, net zero, and the wider energy transition.

You’ll hear why product carbon footprints, digital product passports, CBAM, ESPR, and Scope 3 reporting are pushing companies towards far more granular, decision-grade climate data. Stephen explains why relying on averages will not be enough when carbon insights start shaping market access, investor confidence, supply chain resilience, and commercial competitiveness.

We also dig into AI’s double edge. AI agents could change the economics of sustainability by scaling product-level analysis across thousands of items, but only if carbon, water, recycled content, and other sustainability factors are embedded in core business decisions. Otherwise, AI may simply optimise the wrong things faster. 

Listen now to hear how Stephen Jamieson and SAP Sustainability are helping move climate data from reporting theatre into real-world business action.

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• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
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• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Streetlights sound boring. Until the grid fails and they’re the only lights left on.

In this episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Liam Ryan, CEO of Streetleaf, a climate tech company rethinking one of the most overlooked pieces of public infrastructure: the streetlight. And yes, I know. Streetlights. Hardly the sexiest corner of the energy transition. But this conversation quickly becomes about something much bigger: resilience, decarbonisation, public safety, emissions reduction, and how we build communities that keep functioning as extreme weather puts more pressure on the grid.

You’ll hear why the real cost of streetlighting often isn’t the electricity at all. It’s trenching, wiring, maintenance, utility control, copper theft, repair delays, and infrastructure that can take far too long to fix. Liam explains how solar-plus-battery streetlights can avoid much of that mess while helping cities, developers, and communities move closer to net zero.

We dig into how Streetleaf’s lights performed during hurricanes, why three to five days of battery backup matters, how monitoring changes maintenance, and why policy can help but won’t replace cost and performance. You might be shocked to learn that in some cases, utilities can delay streetlight repairs for months while the customer keeps paying. Delightful system design, if your goal is public frustration.

This is a practical episode about climate tech that works in the real world: faster installs, fewer wires, lower emissions, better uptime, and infrastructure that earns its keep when conditions get ugly.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Liam Ryan and Streetleaf are helping turn streetlights into part of the climate resilience toolkit.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
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• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if better buildings are one of the most practical climate resilience tools we already have?

In this episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Darren Macri, Co-CEO of Wythe Windows and rising president of the Passive House Network. We talk about why passive house is not just a building standard, but a practical climate tech pathway for decarbonisation, emissions reduction, energy security, healthier homes, and a more resilient built environment.

You’ll hear why buildings can cut heating loads by up to 90% through airtightness, better insulation, mechanical ventilation, thermal bridge-free design, and high-performance windows. We dig into how this shifts passive house from a niche green design idea into something far more urgent: infrastructure that helps people stay safe during outages, heatwaves, storms, and fires.

You might be interested to learn how leaky buildings can make wildfire damage worse, how poor windows contribute to mould, noise, asthma, and energy poverty, and why retrofitting existing building stock may matter even more than making new builds cleaner. Darren also explains why adoption is often blocked less by technology than by training, policy, codes, business habits, and fragmented construction practices. Imagine that: the physics works, but humans still need meetings.

We also cover affordability, net zero, the energy transition, local manufacturing, and why better buildings can reduce bills while improving comfort and health.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Darren Macri and Wythe Windows are helping turn passive house into real-world climate action.

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• Cecilia Skarupa
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• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Jet fuel isn’t just dirty. It is astonishingly good at its job. That is what makes aviation decarbonisation so hard.

In this episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Dan Sutton, co-founder and CEO of Syntholene Energy, a climate tech company working on clean, drop-in synthetic aviation fuel, or eSAF. We talk about one of the thorniest challenges in the energy transition: how to cut emissions from aviation without pretending long-haul flight can simply be electrified into submission.

You’ll hear why synthetic fuel has struggled to scale, why hydrogen cost is often the defining economic bottleneck, and how Syntholene is betting that geothermal heat, solid oxide electrolysis, and captured carbon can shift the maths. We also dig into why cheap, baseload clean energy matters far more than glossy net zero pledges. Funny how physics remains stubbornly unimpressed by marketing decks.

Dan also makes the case that fossil fuels carry a supply chain risk we still underprice: political volatility, fragile routes, and exposure to regions that can quickly turn energy security into an economic headache. We explore mandates, project finance, policy, the role of Iceland’s geothermal resources, and whether synthetic aviation fuel can become cost-competitive without relying forever on subsidies.

This is a practical, challenging conversation about climate tech, emissions reduction, aviation, infrastructure, and what it will really take to make clean fuels commercially credible.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Dan Sutton and Syntholene Energy are tackling one of the hardest problems in decarbonisation.

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• Cecilia Skarupa
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• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Concrete alone accounts for around 7-8% of global emissions. So what happens when the real climate problem in buildings is no longer just energy, but the materials themselves?

In this episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Alexander Sexsmith, architect and founder of Sexsmith Architects, to unpack what regenerative architecture means when stripped of the fluff. We look at the climate challenge hiding in plain sight across the built environment: embodied carbon, toxic materials, weak resilience, and the fact that standard construction often performs badly when fire, water, and heat hit. If we’re serious about decarbonisation, net zero, and the energy transition, this matters now.

You’ll hear why cleaner grids are changing the climate maths for buildings, and why materials like concrete, petrochemical foams, and conventional drywall deserve a lot more scrutiny. We dig into how fast-grown bio-based materials such as hemp, straw, and cork could cut emissions reduction timelines, improve indoor air quality, and strengthen resilience. And you might be shocked to learn that some of the materials people still dismiss as fringe are already proving themselves on fire performance and commercial-scale construction.

We also get into the harder bit: scale. Cost, code, skills, supply, consumer awareness, and policy all matter. Because climate tech alone won’t fix construction unless markets, standards, and incentives move with it.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Alexander Sexsmith and Sexsmith Architects are rethinking climate tech, decarbonisation, policy, and resilient design in the race to cut emissions from the built environment.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if one of the most effective climate tech moves in hospitality isn’t flashy at all, but simply wasting less food with far better data?

In this episode, I’m joined by Olaf van der Veen, co-founder of Orbisk, to unpack a climate tech story that sits right at the intersection of decarbonisation, operational control, and the energy transition. We talk about food waste, but this is bigger than leftovers. It’s about hidden system failure, margin pressure, emissions reduction, and why cutting waste may be one of the most practical net zero levers available to commercial kitchens right now.

You’ll hear why food waste in restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, and corporate dining is often less about bad habits and more about broken forecasting, poor process design, and weak visibility. We dig into how Orbisk uses AI, computer vision, and IoT to show kitchens exactly what is being wasted, when, and why, and how that turns a vague sustainability ambition into something measurable and fixable. You might be shocked to learn how often the real losses happen before food ever reaches a plate.

We also get into the harder-edged business case: why food waste is pure bottom-line loss, why economics still drive most action faster than policy, and how the smartest operators are linking profitability and sustainability instead of pretending they sit on opposite sides of the ledger. No fluff. No green gloss. Just real-world climate solutions that cut costs, improve control, and reduce emissions.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Olaf van der Veen and Orbisk are turning food waste into a serious climate tech and decarbonisation opportunity.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Heat is becoming a business risk in plain sight. And if cooling demand is set to soar, the energy transition has a problem most people still aren’t talking about.

In this episode, I’m joined by Rob Atkin, co-founder and CEO of Pirta, a climate tech company developing passive cooling coatings and additives. We dig into a part of decarbonisation and the energy transition that gets far too little attention: how we keep buildings, warehouses, data centres, and infrastructure cool in a warming world without driving up electricity demand, emissions, and cost. 

You’ll hear why Rob says “sustainability doesn’t sell itself”, and why that blunt truth matters for every founder, policymaker, and business leader chasing net zero. We dig into how Pirta is trying to turn passive cooling from clever materials science into something customers will actually buy, deploy, and scale. And you might be surprised to learn that air conditioning already accounts for about 15% of global electricity demand, with that figure set to triple by 2050. 

We also get into the hidden role of titanium dioxide, why reducing it matters for emissions reduction, and where passive cooling could have the biggest impact first, from affordable housing to warehouses to AI-era data centres. 

One of the sharpest insights in this conversation is that some climate solutions win not because they sound noble, but because, as Rob puts it, “a paint’s not gonna break down.” Grimly practical. Exactly the point. 

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Rob Atkin and Pirta are pushing climate tech towards real-world adoption.

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I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if fossil fuels aren’t just polluting, but a standing threat to economic stability?
This episode makes the case that the energy transition is now as much about security and cost as it is about climate.

In this solo Climate Confident+ episode, I dig into a brutal truth too many policymakers and business leaders still avoid: fossil fuels don’t merely drive emissions, they drive volatility, fragility, and geopolitical risk. At a moment when war, price shocks, and supply disruption are once again rattling global markets, I unpack why this matters for climate tech, decarbonisation, and the wider energy transition.

You’ll hear why fossil dependence acts like “instability in a bottle”, and why renewables, storage, EVs, heat pumps, and grid upgrades are increasingly the smarter response, not just environmentally, but economically. We dig into how fuel shocks ripple through inflation, trade, competitiveness, and public finances. And you might be shocked to learn just how much fossil import dependence is still costing countries, businesses, and households, even before you count the pollution, health damage, and wider social harm.

This is also a clear-eyed episode. I’m not pretending renewables solve everything by magic. We need grids, storage, flexibility, better policy, and faster deployment. But that’s precisely the point: those are infrastructure challenges we can solve. Perpetual exposure to volatile fossil fuels is not a strategy. It’s a liability.

🎙️ Listen now to hear why climate tech, policy, and electrification are becoming central to real-world decarbonisation, energy security, net zero, and long-term emissions reduction.

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Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

What if voluntary carbon markets are either a vital climate tool... or a polished excuse to delay real decarbonisation?

In this episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Dr Jennifer Jenkins, Chief Science Officer at Rubicon Carbon, to unpack one of the most contested questions in climate tech and net zero strategy: what role, if any, should voluntary carbon markets play in real-world emissions reduction? At a time when companies are under pressure to decarbonise, prove integrity, and navigate fast-moving policy shifts, this debate matters more than ever.

We dig into why some firms see carbon credits as a practical way to close the gap between ambition and operational reality, and why others see them as a dangerous distraction. You’ll hear why quality, additionality, MRV, and long-term offtake agreements are becoming central to the future of the market, and why high-integrity supply may be far tighter than many buyers realise.

Jennifer also explains how buyers like Microsoft are shaping demand, how voluntary and compliance markets may be starting to converge, and why policy tools like CBAM could reshape the market faster than most people expect. You might be shocked to learn that one of the clearest ways to think about this space is as outsourced mitigation, a framing that makes the economics easier to grasp, but also exposes the credibility problem at the heart of the whole system.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Jennifer Jenkins and Rubicon Carbon see the future of decarbonisation, climate tech, policy, and net zero.

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I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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AI may be booming, but the real bottleneck to it's growth may be turbines. And if firm power can’t scale fast enough, parts of the energy transition hit a wall.

In this episode, I’m joined by Brad Hartwig, Co-founder and CEO of Arbor Energy, to unpack a part of the climate tech and energy transition story that gets far too little attention: the physical machinery needed to deliver reliable, round-the-clock power. Arbor is developing modular supercritical CO2 turbines with integrated carbon capture, aimed at tackling one of the hardest problems in decarbonisation: how to provide firm, scalable electricity while still driving emissions reduction and keeping net zero in view.

We dig into why turbine shortages are becoming a serious constraint on hyperscale data centres, utilities, and industrial electrification, and you’ll hear why Brad believes this is now a critical choke point for both AI infrastructure and climate progress. You might be surprised to learn how stretched the traditional turbine supply chain has become, and why legacy manufacturers may be structurally mismatched to meet the moment.

We also get into oxy-combustion, methane leakage, biomass, carbon sequestration, long-duration storage, and the awkward reality that wind, solar, batteries, and grid expansion, while essential, may still leave gaps when it comes to firm power. This is a grounded conversation about climate tech, policy, energy transition strategy, and what serious infrastructure thinking looks like when the easy slogans run out.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Brad Hartwig and Arbor Energy are rethinking firm power for a faster, tougher, more honest climate transition.

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I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

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• Ben Gross
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• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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War doesn’t just kill people. It also blows up energy security, drives up emissions, and exposes fossil fuels for the liability they’ve always been.

In this first Climate Confident+ bonus episode, available exclusively to subscribers, I unpack the unnecessary, illegal, and profoundly ill-advised war being waged by the US and Israel on Iran, and why its fallout matters far beyond the battlefield. This is not just a military crisis. It is an energy transition, climate tech, decarbonisation, and policy story with real consequences for emissions reduction, net zero, inflation, and industrial resilience. In this episode, I look at how attacks on energy infrastructure and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz have once again exposed the fragility of fossil-fuelled “energy security”. 

You’ll hear why fossil dependence is no longer a security strategy, but geopolitical exposure. I dig into how roughly $88.7bn was burned in the first 17 days of the conflict, and why the Pentagon’s reported $200bn request to Congress shows just how grotesque the opportunity cost has become. We also dig into the emissions impact, including how gas shortages in India are already pushing parts of the economy back towards coal, kerosene, and biomass. And crucially, I lay out why electrification, renewables, storage, and stronger grids are now central to real energy security.

Climate Confident+ is just €5, and gives you regular access to in-depth, timely analysis like this.

🎙️ Subscribe and listen now to hear why the clean energy transition is no longer just a climate imperative, but a resilience strategy.

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• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if one of the biggest climate problems in our buildings isn’t power generation, but the fact we’re still burning fuel in the basement?

In this episode, I’m joined by Dan Yates, CEO of Dandelion Energy, to unpack why geothermal may be one of the most overlooked tools in climate tech today, and why building decarbonisation deserves far more attention in the wider energy transition debate. If we’re serious about net zero and real emissions reduction, we need to stop treating heating as a side issue. 

Dan lays out a blunt truth: heating and cooling account for the vast majority of emissions from buildings, yet much of the conversation still fixates on EVs, solar, and batteries. You’ll hear why some forms of electrification can create a nasty unintended consequence by driving winter peak demand through the roof, and why geothermal flips that logic on its head. We dig into how ground-source systems can cut energy use, slash peak load, and potentially reduce the need for expensive new grid infrastructure. 

You might be shocked to learn that this isn’t just an HVAC story. It’s a grid story. A policy story. A housing story. We also get into cost, leasing, incentives, data, and why Dan believes geothermal should be seen as distributed infrastructure hiding in plain sight. If you want a clearer view of what practical climate action looks like beyond the usual talking points, this one’s worth your time. 

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Dan Yates and Dandelion Energy are pushing a smarter, more strategic path to decarbonisation.

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I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

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• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if the real barrier to climate action isn’t a lack of science, but a lack of pressure? And what happens when climate risk collides with political instability, fossil fuel dependence, and public anger in real time?

In this episode, I’m joined by Professor Dana Fisher of American University, author of Saving Ourselves and one of the sharpest thinkers on climate activism, policy, and public mobilisation. We get into what she calls apocalyptic optimism: being brutally honest about the scale of the climate crisis, the democratic backsliding around it, and the need to act anyway. Because the stakes now are painfully clear. Emissions are still rising, climate impacts are becoming impossible to ignore, and the push for decarbonisation is being slowed by vested interests just as the cost of delay keeps rising.

You’ll hear why Dana argues that science is necessary but insufficient for decision-making, and why public pressure is so often the real driver of climate policy, decarbonisation, and net zero progress. We dig into how repression can backfire, why climate shocks can shift public opinion, and why attempts to slow climate action may end up intensifying the response instead.

We also explore why this conversation feels especially urgent now. As conflict, energy insecurity, and policy disruption expose the fragility of fossil fuel dependence, the case for clean energy starts to look less like idealism and more like common sense. From balcony solar to broader questions of power, protest, and public pressure, this episode looks at why the energy transition is about far more than technology. It’s about resilience, accountability, and who gets heard when the system is under strain.

Dana's newsletter is at: https://danarfisher.com/apocalyptic-optimist/
And you can find her TED talk at: https://go.ted.com/danarfisher 

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Dana Fisher reframes climate action, public pressure, and the real forces that move decarbonisation forward.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
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• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

What if the biggest climate lever in fashion isn’t better materials, but simply wearing clothes longer?

The fashion industry accounts for roughly 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of industrial water pollution. In this episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Phoebe Tan, co-founder of Taelor, a menswear rental subscription service using AI-driven styling and real-world garment data to rethink how we consume clothing. The challenge isn’t just fabric choice. It’s overproduction, underutilisation, and a system optimised for churn instead of longevity.

We dig into how rental models can increase garment utilisation and reduce emissions by extending lifecycle wear. You’ll hear why durability data, wear rates, damage rates, wash cycles, may be more powerful than sustainability marketing. Phoebe explains how Taelor feeds performance insights back to brands, effectively becoming a live testing lab for quality and circularity. And we explore a hard truth: convenience often drives behaviour change faster than climate messaging ever will.

If net zero requires rethinking consumption systems, fashion is a revealing case study. This isn’t about trends. It’s about utilisation density, supply chain feedback loops, and whether circular fashion can scale beyond a niche audience.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Phoebe Tan and Taelor are challenging overproduction and pushing practical decarbonisation in climate tech and the energy transition.

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Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

Coal produces 4,000–8,000x more waste per MWh than wind.
But you can’t take a photo of CO₂, so we ignore it.

In this episode, I’m joined by climate futurist and long-term decarbonisation modeller Michael Barnard. We cut through headlines to examine where the energy transition is actually heading - from electrification and maritime shipping to mass timber, industrial relocation, and grid efficiency. The stakes? Whether we build a cheaper, cleaner energy system, or cling to fossil-era assumptions.

You’ll hear why electrifying everything could cut primary energy demand by up to half.
We dig into how 40% of global shipping may simply disappear as fossil fuel trade declines.
And you might be shocked to learn why solar panels and wind turbines create thousands of times less waste per MWh than coal, yet attract far more outrage.

We also explore how cheap renewables are reshaping industrial geography, why Spain’s sunshine could outcompete former gas hubs, and how making electricity cheaper than fossil fuels changes everything.

Interestingly, Seville’s iconic wooden “Setas” isn’t just architecture, it’s proof that mass timber can replace steel and concrete at scale, locking carbon into buildings instead of the atmosphere.

This is climate tech grounded in physics, economics, and human behaviour, not hype.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Michael Barnard reframes decarbonisation, net zero, and the real trajectory of the energy transition.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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AI’s energy demand isn’t a future problem. It’s straining grids today. And most companies aren’t ready.

In this episode, I’m joined by Beatrice Clark, Vice President of Sustainability and Social Impact at Turtle and Hughes, a North American electrical distributor and systems integrator working at the sharp edge of the energy transition. We unpack what surging AI and data centre growth means for infrastructure, resilience, and real-world decarbonisation - not in theory, but on the ground.

You’ll hear why energy demand from AI is now “on the tip of everybody’s tongue”, and how utilities and independent producers are scrambling to keep up. We dig into the tension between diesel reliability and microgrid ambition, and why hybrid redundancy may be the uncomfortable truth of the transition. You might be surprised to learn how fleet electrification looks when you’re moving heavy loads across unpredictable routes. It’s not ideology. It’s maths, logistics, and physics.

We also explore double materiality, Scope 3 collaboration, and why sustainability only works when it strengthens operational performance. Net zero isn’t achieved in PowerPoint. It’s delivered through infrastructure, policy, and accountability across the value chain.

If you care about climate tech, grid transformation, emissions reduction, and what decarbonisation actually looks like inside energy-intensive businesses, this conversation cuts through the noise.

Listen now to hear how Beatrice Clark and Turtle and Hughes are navigating the hard realities of the energy transition.

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• Ben Gross
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• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if the biggest mistake in climate action is that we’re still designing buildings for a climate that no longer exists?

In this episode of the Climate Confident Podcast, I’m joined by David Sellers, principal architect at Hawaii Offgrid Architecture & Engineering. David designs net-zero and off-grid buildings on Maui, not as an experiment, but because the climate he’s designing for is already shifting. Faster than most regulations, models, or assumptions can keep up.

Buildings account for a huge share of global emissions, energy demand, and climate risk. Get the design wrong today, and we lock in higher emissions, higher costs, and lower resilience for decades. This conversation is about how to stop doing that.

We dig into why designing with historical climate data is quietly undermining net zero goals, and why buildings completed today will spend most of their lives in a climate no human has experienced before. David explains how shifting wind patterns, rising temperatures, water scarcity, and fire risk are already breaking “best practice” design rules.

You’ll hear why off-grid no longer means uncomfortable or compromised, and how advances in solar, batteries, heat pumps, and building envelopes have changed the economics completely. We also talk about fire-resistant construction after the Lahaina fires, reusing waste surfboard foam to create ultra-insulated building blocks, and why resilience that only the wealthy can afford isn’t resilience at all.

This is a grounded, experience-driven look at climate tech, decarbonisation, and the energy transition, without the fantasy timelines or glossy nonsense.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how David Sellers is rethinking buildings for a future climate we can no longer ignore.

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• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Heating cities by opening windows is not a joke. It’s how many buildings still control temperature in winter, and it’s a climate disaster hiding in plain sight.

In this episode, I’m joined by Drew Maggio, Technical Director at Highmark Building Efficiency, to unpack why buildings are one of the biggest, most underestimated levers in the climate transition, especially in dense cities like New York.

Buildings account for roughly 70% of New York City’s emissions, yet much of the stock was designed for an era of cheap fossil fuels, crude controls, and worst-case thinking. Drew works at the sharp end of fixing that. We talk about what actually breaks when you try to electrify old buildings, and why bad assumptions, not bad technology, are slowing progress.

You’ll hear why oversizing heat pumps for rare freezing days drives up costs and kills projects. We dig into how treating heat as a resource, not waste, unlocks massive gains, from wastewater heat recovery to capturing subway heat that currently just bakes tunnels to 100º F. And you might be surprised by how much energy can be recovered before it ever leaves a building.

We also get into Local Law 97, New York’s landmark building emissions regulation, and why it’s forcing real-world change instead of glossy pledges. This is a grounded, practical conversation about decarbonisation, climate tech, policy, and the uncomfortable reality that many “heritage” systems are simply uncontrolled systems we’ve tolerated for too long.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how to turn building decarbonisation from a compliance headache into a genuine climate solution.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
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• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Europe is drowning in cheap clean power, and still wasting it.
The problem isn’t renewables. It’s what happens when the grid can’t cope with abundance.

In this episode of the Climate Confident Podcast, I’m joined by Oonagh O’Grady, Vice President of International Origination at Hydrostor, a global leader in long-duration energy storage. We dig into one of the most under-discussed blockers of the energy transition: what happens after wind and solar scale, but before the grid is ready.

Oonagh explains why short-duration batteries, while essential, aren’t enough once renewables reach 40–50% of the system. We unpack why grids are hitting curtailment, negative pricing, and instability, and why eight to twenty-four hours of long-duration energy storage is fast becoming the backbone of a reliable, net-zero power system.

You’ll hear why advanced compressed air energy storage can deliver fossil-free, utility-scale flexibility for decades, how it compares with batteries and pumped hydro on cost and performance, and why inertia and grid stability are suddenly back in the spotlight after recent European outages. We also get into the policy side: what leading regions like California, Australia, and the UK are getting right, and what Europe must do now if it wants secure, affordable, decarbonised electricity in the 2030s.

This is a grounded, evidence-led conversation about climate tech that actually works at scale - and a reminder that without long-duration storage, the energy transition stalls just when it should be accelerating.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Hydrostor and long-duration energy storage can unlock the next phase of the energy transition.

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• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Europe doesn’t have a clean energy problem. It has a grid problem.
Solar is cheap. Batteries are scaling. Demand is exploding. The system in the middle is cracking.

In this episode, I’m joined by Rob Stait, Managing Director of Alight’s behind-the-meter business, to unpack why the energy transition is now being held back less by technology and more by infrastructure, regulation, and outdated thinking. Alight develops and owns onsite solar and battery systems for large energy users across Europe, using long-term PPAs to lock in savings, cut emissions, and build resilience.

We dig into why waiting for cheaper solar or batteries is often the wrong call, and why businesses that move early gain a structural advantage. You’ll hear how behind-the-meter solar and battery storage bypass grid bottlenecks entirely, why blaming renewables for blackouts misses the real issue, and how decentralised generation is reshaping energy security, affordability, and decarbonisation all at once.

We also explore the uncomfortable reality facing Europe’s grids, the growing role of data centres and electrification, and why microgrids are starting to look less like an edge case and more like the logical endgame of the energy transition. This is a grounded conversation about climate tech that works, emissions reduction that scales, and why net zero will be built through economics as much as policy.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Rob Stait and Alight Energy are helping turn clean energy from a grid liability into a competitive advantage.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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8% of global emissions come from the material we barely talk about.
Concrete. Cement. The literal foundations of modern life, and one of the hardest climate problems we face.

In this episode, I’m joined by Ana Luisa Vaz, VP of Product at Paebbl, to unpack why construction is such a stubborn emissions hotspot, and what it would take to genuinely change that.

Ana explains why cement emits CO₂ by design, not by accident. Half its emissions come from chemistry, not fuel. You can electrify kilns and still be stuck with the carbon. That’s why Paebbl is taking a different path: using accelerated mineralisation to turn captured CO₂ into a cement substitute, permanently locking carbon into concrete itself.

We dig into what “permanence” really means in carbon removal, why performance matters more than good intentions, and how conservative industries like construction can adopt new materials without compromising safety. You’ll hear how Paebbl can already replace up to 30% of cement today, why cost curves matter more than green premiums, and how digital tools, sensors, and models are accelerating learning in an industry that usually moves at a glacial pace.

We also explore the role of policy, public procurement, and cities, the uncomfortable changes the sector needs to unlearn, and whether carbon-negative construction is a realistic goal this century, or just another climate promise that collapses under scrutiny.

This is a conversation about climate tech that lives in the physical world. Hard to abate. Harder to ignore.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Ana Luisa Vaz and Paebbl are rethinking concrete, permanence, and what real decarbonisation looks like at scale.

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I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if the biggest barrier to decarbonising buildings isn’t technology, cost, or ambition - but sheer complexity?

The built environment produces nearly 40% of global emissions, yet we still make low-carbon construction harder than it needs to be.

In this episode, I’m joined by Tommy Linstroth, founder of Green Badger, to unpack why construction remains one of the most overlooked climate battlegrounds, and why that’s a mistake. We dig into LEED v5, embodied carbon, and the growing gap between climate ambition and what actually happens on building sites. The stakes are huge: buildings lock in emissions for decades, sometimes centuries.

You’ll hear why builders aren’t resisting sustainability, they’re drowning in shifting standards, paperwork, and fragmented data. We explore how LEED has evolved, why carbon now sits at the centre of green building standards, and how decisions made at the design stage quietly determine emissions for the next 100 years. Tommy also explains why third-party verification matters, how “build to code” often means “barely legal”, and why retrofitting existing buildings may be the hardest climate challenge nobody likes talking about.

We also dig into where genuine momentum is emerging - from falling renewable costs to better data and smarter software, and how climate tech, including AI, could finally make the low-carbon choice the easy choice. If net zero, emissions reduction, and the energy transition are serious goals, then construction can’t stay a side quest.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Tommy Linstroth and Green Badger are helping turn sustainable building from a compliance headache into real-world climate action.

Kismet: Golf tournaments can book venues out to 2049, yet many organisations still can’t map a credible path to 2040 climate targets. The problem isn’t foresight, it’s priorities.

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I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Most companies say they’re tackling Scope 3. Then they rely on averages and hope for the best. That’s not decarbonisation. That’s denial with spreadsheets.

In this episode, I’m joined by Paul Byrnes, CEO of Mavarick AI, to dig into one of the most stubborn blockers to real emissions reduction: bad data across global supply chains. Paul brings a rare mix to the table. Deep manufacturing roots, serious machine learning expertise, and a refreshingly low tolerance for AI theatre. We focus squarely on the climate challenge that keeps executives awake at night. How to cut Scope 3 emissions when suppliers are overloaded, data is unreliable, and margins are thin.

You’ll hear why most Scope 3 programmes stall before they deliver a single tonne of abatement. We dig into how spend-based accounting can introduce error rates of up to 40%, masking risk instead of revealing it. And why primary supplier data is fast becoming table stakes for any credible net zero strategy.

We also unpack where AI genuinely helps emissions reduction, and where it doesn’t. From cleaning contaminated data sets, to identifying real decarbonisation levers with financial and environmental ROI, this conversation is about using technology to move from reporting to action.

You might be surprised to learn why supplier engagement only works when there’s a clear win for suppliers themselves, and why emissions reduction scales fastest when it also improves cost, efficiency, or resilience. No greenwash. No magic bullets. Just physics, data, and incentives aligned.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Paul Byrnes and Mavarick AI are helping manufacturers turn Scope 3 ambition into real, measurable emissions reduction.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
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• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if the biggest lever for food-system decarbonisation isn’t factories or fleets, but soil you’ll never see on a corporate balance sheet?

In this episode, I’m joined by Rhyannon Galea and Kristjan Luha from eAgronom to unpack one of the hardest climate problems to solve: Scope 3 emissions in food and agriculture.

This conversation was originally recorded for my Resilient Supply Chain podcast and I’m republishing it here because it cuts straight to the heart of real-world climate action. Most food companies have 70–95% of their emissions sitting on farms they don’t own or control, while those same farms are increasingly exposed to climate shocks. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

You’ll hear why regenerative agriculture is less about ideology and more about resilience, profitability, and physics. We dig into how practices like reduced tillage and cover cropping can rebuild soil carbon, improve water retention, and cut emissions without wrecking yields.

We also get into the messy reality of data. Why averages and estimates won’t get companies to net zero, and how credible primary farm data changes everything. From satellite verification to machine-level data capture, this episode explores what trustworthy emissions data actually looks like on the ground.

You might be surprised by the incentive structures that work best with farmers, and why carbon credits alone are often the wrong starting point. We talk knowledge transfer, practice-based payments, and why 2030 is only “five harvests away” if you’re serious about emissions reduction in food systems.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how eAgronom is helping turn Scope 3 ambition into measurable climate action across Europe’s farms.

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• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if the fastest way to decarbonise shipping isn’t a shiny new fuel, but the waste it’s already throwing away?

Shipping moves 90% of global trade, yet it’s still one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. In this episode, I’m joined by Nicholas Ball, CEO and founder of XFuel, to unpack why cost, physics, and adoption matter more than climate theatre when cutting emissions at scale.

Nicholas leads a company turning difficult waste streams, including oily residues from ships themselves, into fully compliant drop-in fuels for shipping and aviation. These fuels work in existing engines, use existing infrastructure, and can deliver up to 85% lifecycle emissions reductions without charging shipowners three to five times more than fossil fuels. That last point matters. A lot.

We dig into why shipping is so price-sensitive, why infrastructure uncertainty is paralysing fuel decisions, and why waiting for perfect solutions risks locking in higher emissions for decades. You’ll hear why XFuel focuses on waste-based and recycled carbon fuels, how lifecycle emissions are verified under EU rules, and why “drop-in” isn’t a marketing term, it’s the difference between pilots and adoption.

We also tackle hydrogen head-on. Why it’s massively inefficient as a fuel. Why scarce renewable electricity should be used to decarbonise grids and industry first. And why electrification should happen everywhere it can, with fuels reserved for sectors that genuinely have no alternative.

If you care about climate tech that actually scales, real-world decarbonisation, and cutting emissions in sectors that don’t have easy answers, this conversation matters.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Nicholas Ball and XFuel are pushing practical climate solutions into one of the toughest corners of the energy transition.

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• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if the clean energy transition depended on potato-sized rocks four miles under the Pacific, and we’ve barely started talking about it?

In this episode I’m joined by Oliver Gunasekara, CEO and co-founder of Impossible Metals, to tackle one of the most uncomfortable truths in climate tech: there is no net zero without mining. We dig into how deep sea polymetallic nodules, AI-driven underwater robots and smarter policy could reshape the energy transition, emissions reduction, and even the geopolitical balance with China.

You’ll hear why 84% of global mining today is still for fossil fuels – and what happens to decarbonisation when ore grades on land collapse to 0.2% while nodules sit at the 4% level. We get into how autonomous robots can hover above the seabed, detect and avoid life, and selectively collect nodules, and why the choice of mining technology matters as much as the decision to mine at all.

We also explore the hard politics: critical minerals as a strategic vulnerability, the West’s dependence on Chinese processing, and why delaying decisions on deep sea mining could mean more rainforest lost, higher battery prices, and a slower energy transition. Kismet: the market for nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese is on track to hit $1 trillion a year by 2035 – and we’re still arguing about whether mining “counts” as climate tech.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Oliver and Impossible Metals are trying to square the circle: scaling climate tech and critical minerals without trashing the planet in the process.

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And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What happens when solar stops being just “cheap” and becomes game-changingly efficient as well, pushing past 30% and reshaping global power economics?

In this episode, I sit down with Aaron Thurlow, a 25-year solar veteran and commercial lead at Caelux, to unpack how perovskite-silicon tandem modules could transform not just clean energy - but the resilience, cost base, and strategic footing of every organisation betting on electrification. With AI, manufacturing, and data centres driving power demand through the roof, the timing couldn’t be more critical.

You’ll hear how silicon, after 50 years of slow gains, is suddenly getting a step-change boost - not from exotic space tech, but from a thin layer of perovskites that can add 5–6 efficiency points in a single leap. We break down why this matters for utility-scale projects, residential economics, and global supply chain risk as manufacturing begins to regionalise.

You might be surprised to learn how close this is to reality: Caelux has already shipped its first commercial product, with more deployments planned in 2026. And Aaron explains why this shift could help companies bridge policy uncertainty, lower project costs, and even change the global balance of energy independence.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Caelux is redefining the future of efficient, resilient, sustainable energy systems — and why it matters for your supply chain.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
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• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if the real disruption in solar isn’t the technology — but the business model behind it?

This week I’m joined by Scott Therien, Director of Strategic Partnerships at REC Solar, to unpack one of the most important, and least discussed, shifts in the energy transition: the move from one-off construction projects to long-term, risk-bearing power-purchase agreements. It’s a change that’s quietly reshaping who owns energy infrastructure, who carries the financial risk, and how quickly commercial sectors can decarbonise.

In this episode, you’ll hear why the old “buy a solar system and hope it performs” mindset is being replaced by something far more aligned - developers putting up the capital, carrying the downside, and only winning when the customer wins. We dig into how solar-plus-storage now beats diesel on cost and resilience in many markets, why procurement processes often sabotage their own climate goals, and what separates successful projects from expensive disappointments. You might be surprised to learn how much hinges not on panels or batteries, but on load profiles, tariff structures, and whether an organisation actually knows what it wants.

We also explore the future: a post-ITC world, the rise of data centres as demand engines, and unexpected benefits like agrivoltaics, including sheep producing better wool under solar arrays. It’s a vivid reminder that decarbonisation isn’t just an engineering exercise; it’s a systems shift.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Scott and REC Solar are reshaping real-world decarbonisation through smarter ownership, smarter incentives, and smarter design.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
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• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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What if cutting emissions isn’t enough, and never was?

And what if the real lever we’ve been ignoring is regeneration, not reduction?

This week I’m joined by Chad Frischmann, co-creator of Project Drawdown and founder of Regenerative Intelligence, for a conversation that goes right to the core of what the climate movement keeps getting wrong. We dig into why stopping global warming requires more than technology, pledges, or net-zero spreadsheets. It demands a full systems shift that places life, human and non-human, at the centre of every decision.

You’ll hear how Chad went from studying the history of propaganda at Oxford to mapping the most comprehensive catalogue of climate solutions ever assembled. We uncover why today’s climate discourse has become strangely timid, how a tiny group of entrenched interests is still steering the global response, and why he believes we’re entering the “death throes” of the old extractive economy.

You might be surprised to learn that regeneration isn’t just about soils or forests. Chad makes the case for regenerative energy systems, regenerative supply chains, regenerative finance, and explains how each one creates cascading benefits that ripple far beyond emissions. We explore food systems, supergrids, biodiversity, justice, and the uncomfortable truth that climate “risk” is no longer risk at all… it’s reality.

If you want a fresh, hopeful, deeply practical frame for the climate transition, this episode delivers it.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Chad Frischmann is reimagining the future of climate action through regeneration, not simply reduction.

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• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
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• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Most people never think about industrial heat. Yet half of all manufacturing emissions come from it. My guest this week, Addison Stark, CEO and co-founder of AtmosZero, is on a mission to electrify one of the dirtiest, most overlooked pieces of infrastructure on Earth: the steam boiler.

In this episode, Addison and I uncover how a technology unchanged since the 1860s can finally go clean. We talk about the hidden carbon footprint of steam, why “waste heat recovery” can actually slow progress, and how heat-pump boilers can cut industrial energy use in half while delivering zero-emission steam. You’ll hear how his team’s first installation at a Colorado brewery is already brewing beer with carbon-free heat, proof that decarbonisation doesn’t have to mean disruption.

We also explore the bigger picture: how electrified heat could transform everything from food and pharma to chemicals and cosmetics, why Europe’s gas crisis is accelerating the shift, and what policy tweaks could make clean steam the default everywhere.

If you’ve ever wondered how to decarbonise the “hard-to-abate” sectors, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how AtmosZero is re-engineering industrial heat for a zero-carbon future.

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What if business, not politics, held the real key to ending the climate crisis?

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Rinaldo Brutoco, founder and CEO of the World Business Academy, to explore a radical but beautifully simple idea: that stakeholder capitalism - where companies serve people and planet, not just shareholders, can actually outperform the old profit-only model. Rinaldo’s been proving it for decades, from helping shut down a dangerous nuclear plant in California to showing how responsible companies consistently beat the market.

You’ll hear how he believes we can replace 100% of fossil fuels in California within ten years, at lower cost than maintaining the current grid. We unpack why distributed microgrids could end blackouts and wildfires, how geothermal energy is finally having its moment, and why green hydrogen, done right, could power the next industrial era. You might be surprised by Rinaldo’s blunt take on corporate inertia, his optimism about AI as a tool for truth (not hype), and his warning that business must act now or face a market collapse of its own making.

This is one of those wide-ranging, perspective-shifting conversations that’ll make you rethink who’s really steering the energy transition, and why it has to be the private sector leading the charge.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Rinaldo Brutoco and the World Business Academy are redefining what profitable climate leadership looks like.

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What if upgrading your home to be climate-friendly was as simple as scanning it with your phone?

In this week’s episode of the Climate Confident Podcast, I talk with Grant Gunnison, founder and CEO of Zero Homes - a former NASA and MIT engineer who’s now tackling one of climate tech’s toughest challenges: decarbonising existing homes. His company uses smartphone scans and digital twins to design fully-scoped, permit-ready electrification plans - no site visit, no clipboard, no chaos.

You’ll hear how Grant’s team is cutting out the “truck rolls” that make home upgrades expensive and slow, saving homeowners money while helping contractors stay profitable. We dig into why electrifying 60 million U.S. homes is both an engineering nightmare and a golden opportunity, and how technology, not policy alone, can finally make it scale.

We also unpack the human side: what really motivates homeowners to switch to heat pumps, why induction cooking is a secret health win, and how removing the awkwardness of having strangers poke around your home can actually accelerate climate action.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Zero Homes is reshaping the future of home electrification - making sustainable living smarter, faster, and far more comfortable.

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In this week’s episode of Climate Confident, I sat down with Johanna Wolfson, co-founder and general partner at Azolla Ventures, to talk about how we can rethink climate-tech investing - not as a game of chasing returns, but as a mission to fund what truly matters.

Johanna’s firm takes a bold approach using catalytic capital, money that embraces higher risk to bring breakthrough technologies from lab to market. We explored why that matters right now, as parts of the venture community hesitate just when the planet has, as she put it, “negative time to spare.”

We dug into the uncomfortable truth: the pull of the “returns-first” mindset is still powerful, even in climate investing. But Johanna makes a compelling case for impact-first capital that can back ideas others won’t touch, from gigaton-scale carbon removal to early-stage innovations in shipping, geothermal, and bioplastics.

She also flagged two blind spots investors urgently need to address: methane and nitrous oxide, gases far more potent than CO₂ yet largely ignored - and the coming wave of adaptation and resilience tech as climate impacts intensify.

This conversation will make you think differently about where climate capital flows, who it serves, and what true impact investing looks like in a world that can’t afford to wait.

🎧 Listen now to hear how Azolla Ventures is rewriting the rules of climate finance, and why the next frontier may be investing in resilience itself.

Keywords: climate tech investing, catalytic capital, climate finance, venture capital, methane reduction, resilience technology, impact investing, Azolla Ventures, gigaton-scale emissions reduction, Climate Confident podcast

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In this week’s episode of Climate Confident, I sat down with Christopher Carrick, founder and CTO of Lignin Industries, to explore a game-changing innovation in the fight against plastic pollution, turning waste from the paper industry into carbon-negative bioplastics.

Christopher’s story starts in his kitchen, where curiosity (and a Star Wars ice-cube tray) led to a breakthrough: modifying lignin, the brown polymer in wood, so it can be melted, shaped, and blended into everyday plastics like polypropylene, polyethylene, and ABS. The result? Materials that can replace up to 40 percent of fossil plastics, perform just as well, and even smell faintly of forest.

We unpacked how this process works, why recyclability and stability are critical, and how Lignin’s bioplastics outperform many “green” alternatives by avoiding thermal degradation during recycling. Christopher also explains why regulation — not technology — is now the biggest bottleneck in decarbonising the plastics sector.

What struck me most is the scale of impact possible here. Plastics are one of the hardest sectors to clean up, yet Lignin’s approach shows that circularity, chemistry, and creativity can combine to make fossil-free materials commercially viable.

We also touched on scalability, partnerships, and the hope Christopher finds in consumers — the moment someone holds one of their wood-scented bags and realises that sustainability can feel good too.

🎧 Listen in to hear how lignin could transform the global plastics market — and why the future might just smell like trees.

👉 Available now on climateconfidentpodcast.com and all major podcast platforms.

Keywords: bioplastics, lignin, sustainable materials, circular economy, plastic recycling, decarbonisation, climate innovation, fossil-free plastics

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In this week’s episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Sherie Nelson, Senior Director of Responsibility & Wellness at Elior North America, a food service company serving millions of meals daily across schools, hospitals, universities, and businesses. Sherie sits at the fascinating intersection of nutrition, sustainability, and systems change - proving that what’s good for people is, quite literally, good for the planet.

We discuss how Elior has cut food waste by 64% since 2022, rolled out data-driven carbon tracking across thousands of kitchens, and committed to making 50% of all new menus meatless by 2025. Sherie explains how her team is re-engineering menus to be both craveable and climate-friendly, and why naming and presentation matter just as much as emissions data when driving behaviour change.

From plant-forward menu design and sustainable packaging to the hard truths of scalability and regulation, Sherie offers a masterclass in how large-scale food operations can reduce emissions without compromising on flavour or health.

If you’ve ever wondered how the global food service industry can help deliver on climate goals, or how data and diet can work together to cut emissions at scale, this episode is a must-listen.

Listen now to learn why the future of sustainable dining starts with the choices we make, and the stories we tell, on every plate.

#Sustainability #ClimateAction #FoodSystems #NetZero #PlantBased #CircularEconomy #ClimateConfident

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In this week’s episode of the Climate Confident Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Gary Yohe, one of the world’s leading climate economists, long-time IPCC author, and a member of the Nobel Peace Prize, winning IPCC team of 2007. Gary has spent over four decades shaping how we understand climate change, not just as an environmental issue, but as a fundamental risk management challenge.

We explore his powerful framework: abate, adapt, or suffer. These are, he argues, the only three choices humanity has left, and crucially, some level of suffering is now unavoidable. Mitigation slows the pace of warming, adaptation reduces impacts, but neither can eliminate all risks. The insurance crisis unfolding in California and beyond shows what happens when climate risks become uninsurable, raising the threat of financial instability on a global scale.

Gary also reminds us that climate decisions must be iterative. Policies cannot be fixed for 100 years; they must evolve as science, technology, and risk tolerance change. He illustrates this with striking examples, from New York’s evacuation planning after Hurricane Sandy to San Francisco’s flexible approach to sea-level rise.

Yet, despite the scale of the challenge, Gary insists on hope, not blind optimism, but the conviction, as Václav Havel wrote, that action makes sense regardless of outcome. It’s this perspective that has kept him, and many others, working relentlessly on solutions for over 40 years.

If you want to understand why climate change is ultimately a risk management problem, why insurance, finance, and resilience are inseparable, and why hope is a strategy we can’t do without, this episode is essential listening.

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• Roger Arnold

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In this week’s episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Emily Wilkinson, Principal Research Fellow at ODI Global and Director of the Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI), to explore one of the most pressing and least discussed frontlines of the climate crisis: small island developing states (SIDS).

These 39 nations, scattered across the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean, contribute less than 1% of global emissions yet face the most existential threats, from rising seas and saltwater intrusion to increasingly frequent Category 5 hurricanes. Emily explains why Dominica’s 2017 disaster, damage equivalent to 226% of its GDP, was a turning point, sparking its bold ambition to become the world’s first climate-resilient nation.

We also dive into the financial side of resilience. Emily outlines groundbreaking tools such as climate-resilient debt clauses, debt-for-nature swaps, and pooled insurance schemes, innovations that give vulnerable economies breathing space after disasters. She shares examples of islands turning challenges into opportunities, like converting invasive sargassum seaweed into clean biogas, deploying floating solar in lagoons, and tapping geothermal energy beneath volcanic islands.

We discuss the Bridgetown Initiative spearheaded by Mia Mottley, which is reshaping global climate finance debates, and how small island leaders are punching above their weight on the international stage.

If you want to understand why SIDS are both the most vulnerable and the most innovative actors in the climate fight, and what their experiments can teach the rest of us, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Listen now to hear how small islands are rewriting the rules of resilience.

Also check out Emily's podcast - Small Islands, Big Picture

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And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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When people think about tackling the climate crisis, they often talk about energy, food, or transport. But what about money? In this week’s episode of Climate Confident, I sat down with Scott Ryan, founder and CEO of Investature, to unpack one of the biggest blind spots in corporate climate strategies, the financial supply chain.

Scott argues that pensions, retirement savings, and even our everyday bank accounts may be the largest single drivers of greenhouse gas emissions for many organisations, often dwarfing their direct operations and traditional Scope 3 supply chains. He explained how most retirement funds are still heavily invested in fossil fuels and high-pollution industries, even though those assets will almost certainly become stranded as the world pushes for net zero.

The numbers are staggering. Globally, pensions account for over $100 trillion. Redirecting just 1% of that towards climate solutions would close a third of the climate finance gap, enough to massively accelerate the transition in energy, mobility, agriculture, and adaptation. Yet most companies and individuals remain unaware of the scale of this leverage.

We explored why financial supply chains have been overlooked in frameworks like TCFD and GRI, and why leading employers are now beginning to integrate sustainable retirement options into their benefits. Scott also shared practical steps individuals can take, such as shifting to green banks, exploring climate-positive ETFs, or pushing employers to offer sustainable pension plans.

This is not just about risk management; it’s about turning finance into a genuine engine for climate solutions. If you’ve ever wondered how your savings could work for or against the planet, this episode will give you a fresh lens on climate action.

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• Anita Krajnc
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• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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In this week’s episode of the Climate Confident podcast I sat down with one of the true veterans of climate activism, Jonathon Porritt. For over five decades Jonathon has been a leading voice on sustainability, from his early days in the Green Party and Friends of the Earth to his most recent book Love, Anger, and Betrayal.

We explored what he calls the “science–politics gap” - the dangerous disconnect between what climate science tells us and how slowly politicians respond. Jonathon was clear: unless that gap is narrowed, our prospects as a species are in serious jeopardy. We also delved into why he believes civil disobedience is a legitimate and necessary part of climate action. Through movements like Extinction Rebellion, Insulate Britain, and Just Stop Oil, he sees a moral urgency that traditional policy advocacy alone has failed to achieve.

Jonathon also warned of the erosion of fundamental rights in the UK, freedom of speech and protest, and how the policing of nonviolent direct action has edged dangerously close to authoritarianism. He highlighted the corrosive influence of fossil fuel money on politics and media, and why he believes only a reckoning in the financial system, particularly the insurance sector, might finally force systemic change.

Yet despite the anger, Jonathon remains hopeful. Not with shallow optimism, but with what he calls “authentic hopefulness”: the belief that through compassion, community, and radical honesty we can still shape a better, more liveable world.

This is a powerful conversation about truth, courage, and the future of climate activism. Don’t miss it.

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In this episode of the Climate Confident Podcast, I sit down with Tom Day from the NewClimate Institute to unpack one of the thorniest issues in corporate climate action: credibility. Over the past few years, big tech companies and multinationals have rolled out bold net zero pledges, but how much of it is substance, and how much is smoke and mirrors?

Tom argues that offsets, once seen as a solution, have become a dangerous distraction. Instead of reducing their own emissions, too many firms hide behind carbon credits and creative accounting. We discuss why greenhouse gas accounting, while essential, is riddled with blind spots and loopholes that allow companies to look greener on paper than they are in reality.

The conversation digs into the tech sector specifically, where energy demand from data centres and AI is skyrocketing. While firms like Google and Microsoft have pushed promising practices such as 24/7 renewable matching, others continue to claim progress by buying certificates far removed from the grids they actually use. We also ask the tough question: should software and cloud services that help fossil fuel companies extract oil and gas more efficiently really count as climate leadership?

From supply chain decarbonisation and product circularity to the future role of carbon removals, Tom challenges us to demand more transparency and honesty from corporate climate strategies. If we want tech, and business at large, to play a meaningful role in a 1.5°C world, we need to move beyond glossy PR and focus on genuine transitions.

The Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor 2025 that Tom referenced in the episode is available here.

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And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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In this replay episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I revisit one of the most urgent and eye-opening conversations I’ve hosted - my conversation with Tzeporah Berman, Chair and Founder of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.

We dig into the uncomfortable truth: while governments champion renewables and set emissions targets, fossil fuel exploration and extraction are still expanding at a pace that locks in climate chaos. Tzeporah explains why climate policy has largely ignored the supply side of the equation, how subsidies distort markets, and why the Paris Agreement doesn’t even mention fossil fuels. Her insight is blunt, what we build today will be what we use tomorrow.

Tzeporah outlines the vision for a Fossil Fuel Treaty, modelled on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, that could create international rules to phase out production fairly and equitably. We explore the role of debt-for-renewables swaps for the Global South, how equity must be baked into any transition, and why simply building “the good stuff” without constraining “the bad stuff” will never deliver climate safety.

We also discuss how to shift public perception, challenge the fossil industry’s greenwashing, and confront the false comfort of net zero targets. Tzeporah makes it clear: action is the antidote to despair, and citizens have more power than they think.

This is not just a debate about emissions, but about survival, justice, and reshaping the rules of the global economy. If you care about ending fossil fuel expansion, ensuring a just transition, and accelerating real climate solutions, this episode is essential listening.

👉 Tune in now, and let’s rethink what true climate leadership means.

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And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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In this week’s replay episode of the Climate Confident Podcast, I bring back one of my favourite conversations from earlier this year - my discussion with Jarand Rystad, founder and CEO of Rystad Energy, about the global energy transition and whether we’re truly moving fast enough to meet climate targets.

Jarand makes a compelling case that the shift to renewables isn’t just about climate, it’s driven by the simple economics of cheaper, better technologies. Solar, wind, and batteries are already beating fossil fuels on cost, and countries like China are proving just how fast this transition can accelerate. In fact, they’ve already hit their 2030 renewable targets six years early, while the US risks ceding leadership in the technologies of the future.

We explore the three pillars of decarbonisation - clean electricity, widespread electrification, and tackling the “last 20%” of hard-to-abate emissions through hydrogen, CCS, and sustainable fuels. Jarand also dives into the overlooked challenges: from aviation’s limited options to land-use pressures, long-duration storage, and the politics that can either speed us up or hold us back.

One of my favourite takeaways? The transition isn’t a question of if, but how fast. Policy choices, investment in disruptive technologies, and global competition will decide whether we land closer to 2°C or push down towards 1.5°C of warming.

If you missed this episode the first time round, now’s the time to catch up. And if you did hear it before, I promise - it’s well worth a second listen.

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And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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Shipping moves 90% of global trade – and yet it’s one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. In this episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Heikki Pöntynen, CEO of Finnish cleantech pioneer Norsepower, to explore a solution that’s both elegantly simple and radically effective: modern rotor sails.

Heikki explains how Norsepower has revived and re-engineered the century-old Flettner rotor to deliver real-world fuel savings of 5–25%, with some transatlantic routes targeting a staggering 50% reduction. We dig into the physics of the Magnus effect, why side winds are a ship’s best friend, and how AI-driven automation ensures crews get maximum performance with minimal effort.

We also discuss why retrofits dominate current adoption, the growing trend of building “rotor sail ready” vessels, and how stricter IMO regulations are shortening payback times to as little as one year. Heikki shares insights on compatibility with biofuels and electric ships, and why wind propulsion will be a common sight by 2040.

This isn’t about prototypes or pilot projects – these sails are already cutting CO₂ at scale, with 26,000 tonnes saved to date. If you want to understand a proven, scalable technology that can help shipping hit net zero by 2050, this conversation will change how you see the horizon.

Listen now to learn how wind, engineering, and smart regulation could reshape maritime decarbonisation.

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And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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In this episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Chris Moyer, President of Echo Communications Advisors, to unpack the tension at the heart of today’s clean energy movement: how do we keep momentum when federal politics try to slam the brakes?

Chris has spent nearly 20 years advising senators, campaigns, and climate leaders on shaping public narratives that drive real policy change. He brings insider perspective on what’s happening behind the headlines in Washington, and why it matters even if you’re far outside the Beltway.

We explore:

• How startups and states are stepping up where federal government is stepping back
• Why reframing messages around “jobs,” “energy dominance,” and “winning the future” is essential, even if it feels uncomfortable
• What’s behind geothermal’s global resurgence
• How permitting delays are silently throttling the clean energy transition
• The role of corporate advocacy, and where it’s falling short

This one’s for anyone navigating climate action in turbulent political waters, whether you're based in the US or watching its influence ripple globally.

🎧 Listen now to hear why smart messaging is becoming just as critical as smart technology.

#CleanEnergy #ClimatePolicy #GeothermalEnergy #EnergyTransition #ClimateCommunication #NetZero #PermittingReform #Greenwashing #ClimateFatigue

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• Roger Arnold

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In this episode of Climate Confident, I spoke with Ori Shaashua, Co-founder and CCO of Gigablue, a marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) company taking a radically scalable approach to the carbon challenge.

Gigablue’s MCFS (Marine Carbon Fixation and Sequestration) method taps into the ocean’s natural carbon cycle by cultivating phytoplankton in floating substrates and using gravity, not high-energy processes, to sink captured CO₂ to deep-sea sediment for thousands of years. It’s a low-energy, high-durability method that’s already secured the largest ocean carbon removal offtake to date.

We unpack why mCDR matters, how it compares to nature-based and tech-heavy CDR approaches, and what makes ocean deserts, like those off the coast of New Zealand, ideal sites for safe and measurable sequestration. Ori also outlines their scale-up pathway: from kiloton removals today to multi-megaton capacity by 2029, and potentially gigaton-level by 2035.

We dive into the mechanics of traceability, the real costs of permanence, and why MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) is the make-or-break for CDR credibility. Ori also pulls no punches on what’s holding back progress: delayed regulation, weak compliance markets, and over-reliance on short-term carbon offsets.

If your company is thinking seriously about durable net zero strategies, or wondering how ocean-based carbon removal fits into the climate tech landscape, this episode delivers real insight.

🎧 Listen now to learn how Gigablue is pushing marine CDR from pilot to planetary scale.

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Is climate doomism stopping us from acting? In this episode, I speak with climate economist Michael Jakob, author of The Case Against Climate Doom, about why despair is not just unhelpful, it’s inaccurate.

We explore the real economic tipping points that are accelerating decarbonisation: plummeting costs for solar, wind, storage, and EVs. Michael argues that the shift to clean tech isn’t about idealism, it’s about basic economics. When renewables are cheaper and more reliable, adoption becomes inevitable.

We dig into the role of carbon pricing, the importance of framing climate action around opportunity, not sacrific, and the political realities holding back faster policy change. Michael also shares examples from countries like Ethiopia and Vietnam, where rapid transitions are already underway.

We talk about the limitations of international climate negotiations, the growing role of culture in shaping climate awareness, and why fear alone doesn’t drive actio, agency does.

If you’re working in business, policy, or sustainability, this conversation offers a critical reframing: the future is still in our hands, and in many places, it’s already arriving faster than expected.

🎧 Listen in to learn:

• Why clean energy economics is turning the tide
• What governments and markets are getting right
• How to communicate climate risk without paralysing your audience

🔗 Check out Michael’s book (available free) at ct-economics.net

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In this episode of Climate Confident, I sat down with Kanika Chandaria, Climate Lead at Agreena, to explore one of the most overlooked yet high-impact climate solutions: soil.

We talked about why regenerative agriculture is gaining traction, not just as a nature-based solution, but as a scalable, economically viable climate strategy. Kanika broke down how soil has the potential to sequester 2–5 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually, making it a key lever for companies aiming to meet net zero targets.

We also got into the challenges: from the financial barriers facing farmers to the complexity of MRV (measurement, reporting, and verification) for soil carbon. Kanika explained how Agreena combines satellite imagery, AI, and selective soil sampling to deliver robust data at scale, data that’s now being used not just for carbon markets, but to inform sustainable loans and supply chain initiatives.

We examined the growing role of the private sector in climate action, especially as policy delays continue in the EU and US. And we discussed the importance of interoperability, why regenerative farming solutions need to work across carbon markets, food systems, and financial products.

If you’re a business leader thinking seriously about decarbonisation, soil carbon may be the high-impact tool you’ve been missing.

🎧 Listen now and find out why soil is emerging as the next frontier in climate strategy.

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Most climate policies focus on cutting emissions. But what if the real issue is what’s being left off the table, fossil fuel production itself?

In this week’s episode of Climate Confident, I speak with Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, about why global climate goals are doomed if we keep expanding fossil fuel supply while trying to cut demand.

Tzeporah explains how the Paris Agreement never once mentions the words “oil,” “gas,” or “coal”, despite 86% of emissions coming directly from them. She lays out the case for a global treaty to phase out fossil fuel production, how countries like Colombia are already stepping up, and why we need a just transition framework that includes debt relief and international cooperation.

We discuss:

• Why fossil fuel expansion continues despite climate pledges
• The $7 trillion in annual subsidies distorting energy markets
• The role of Global South nations and equity in the energy transition
• How “net zero” has been weaponised as a delay tactic
• And why renewables alone won’t solve the crisis unless we stop digging the hole deeper

This is a frank look at what it really takes to deliver on climate targets, and why we can’t keep ignoring the supply side of the problem.

🔗 Learn more at fossilfueltreaty.org

🎧 Listen and subscribe at climateconfidentpodcast.com

#climatepolicy #fossilfuels #justtransition #energytransition #climateconfident #carbonemissions #netzero #sustainability #supplysideclimatepolicy

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Most people don’t think about carbon emissions when they think about the internet—let alone digital advertising. But here’s the kicker: the ad tech ecosystem is responsible for roughly the same emissions as the global aviation sector. Yes, really.

In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I spoke with Frank Maguire, SVP of Product Marketing & Sustainability at Equativ (formerly Sharethrough), about the often-overlooked climate impact of digital ads. We broke down how every impression, bid, and page refresh contributes to a complex, energy-intensive infrastructure—and what’s actually being done to clean it up.

Frank shared how programmatic advertising works, why the auction-based model generates such high emissions, and what’s being done to make ad delivery more efficient. We explored GreenPMPs (Private Marketplaces) that strip out high-emission inventory while improving performance, the role of AI in optimising and complicating emissions, and why industry collaboration is key.

We also discussed how regulation like the EU’s CSRD is pushing companies to measure and act on their digital carbon footprint—and why that matters for brands, platforms, and consumers alike.

If you’ve ever wondered how something as invisible as online ads can have a tangible climate impact—or how business can respond—this episode unpacks it all.

Listen now to learn how the ad tech world is confronting its emissions problem, and what it means for sustainability in digital infrastructure.

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I sat down with Stuart Thompson, President of ABB Electrification Service, to unpack one of the most overlooked but critical fronts in the climate transition: industrial decarbonisation.

Industry accounts for around a quarter of global energy-related carbon emissions, and much of that stems from outdated infrastructure, unreliable grids, and a historic reliance on cheap fossil fuels. Stuart leads a $1.4 billion division with 5,000 engineers working across 50 countries to modernise that very infrastructure, and in this conversation, he shared exactly what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change.

We explored:

• Why energy security, cost, and carbon goals often pull in different directions
• How modernising old assets can cut both emissions and costs - without ripping everything out
• Why battery storage “as-a-service” is taking off, especially when paired with AI for energy optimisation
• The role of the circular economy in electrification, from recycling components to extending asset life
• What’s holding companies back (hint: underinvestment and inertia), and how ABB is helping them move faster

If you’re a business leader navigating energy volatility, emissions targets, and infrastructure risk, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at how to align climate goals with operational needs.

Listen now to hear why electrification isn’t just about new tech  - it’s about rethinking ownership models, resilience, and risk.

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Hi folks, Tom Raftery here.

Just dropping into your feed to let you know there’s no new Climate Confident episode this week - I’m taking a short break to recharge and get ready for some brilliant conversations I’ve got lined up in the coming weeks.

But don’t worry, the podcast will be back next Wednesday at 7am CEST, as always, with another inspiring story of climate action and innovation.

In the meantime, if you’re missing your climate fix, remember there’s a massive back catalogue of over 220 episodes to explore, from cutting-edge carbon removal tech to climate policy deep dives, it’s all there and ready for you to binge.

And if you’ve been getting value from the show, consider supporting the podcast. For as little as €3 or $3 a month, you can help keep Climate Confident independent. You’ll find the link to become a supporter below.

Thanks so much for listening — and I’ll see you next week!

👉 Explore past episodes: https://www.climateconfidentpodcast.com

👉 Support the podcast: Support Climate Confident

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And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I sit down with Ciaran Flanagan, who leads Siemens’ Global Data Centre business, to unpack the evolving role of data centres in our energy and climate systems.

We dig into the data centre’s journey from a “sausage machine” of power-hungry servers to a potential hero in grid stability and renewable energy adoption. Ciaran shares how data centres in Ireland, despite consuming up to 20% of national electricity, are driving economic growth and pioneering greener practices.

We explore why digital twins are more than a buzzword, enabling smarter design and cutting resource waste. Ciaran also explains how AI’s explosive demand pressures the grid while offering real-time energy optimisations to make data centres more sustainable.

Key highlights:

• The role of data centres as catalysts for renewable energy growth
• How digital twin technology can cut construction emissions and energy use
• AI’s double-edged impact on data centre sustainability
• The regulatory shift pushing data centre operators to report and reduce emissions

We also touch on the often-overlooked economic benefits of data centres, from direct jobs to the broader tech ecosystem.

The report I referred to in the podcast is available here.

Listen in to learn how the data centre industry is pivoting from climate problem to climate solution.

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I sit down with Sangeeta Waldron, a communications professional and author of What Will Your Legacy Be?, to explore how our personal choices and narratives shape the climate fight.

We cover a lot of ground. Sangeeta shares how her time in the Himalayas revealed the harsh realities of climate change and sparked her lifelong commitment. We also dig into how indigenous knowledge can fill crucial gaps in scientific data, and how personal actions and systemic change go hand in hand.

A standout point for me was Sangeeta’s insistence that our climate legacy starts much earlier than we think – as soon as we’re old enough to make informed decisions. She also challenges us to rethink the role of media in the climate debate, exposing the risks of misinformation and greenwashing.

Another highlight? The idea that hope and optimism, not just grief, can drive climate action. I found this especially relevant in a world flooded with doomsday narratives.

We wrap up with a powerful reminder: even small daily actions can add up. As Sangeeta puts it, reconnecting with nature - even briefly - is a simple but potent step.

Tune in to hear how storytelling, personal responsibility and collective will can move the needle on climate. And let me know your thoughts, are you seeing the same challenges and solutions in your corner of the climate conversation?

Connect with Sangeeta on:

• LinkedIn
• Bluesky
• Instagram
• Threads

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I’m joined by Angel Hsu, associate professor at UNC Chapel Hill and founder of the Data-Driven EnviroLab. We dive deep into how AI can be used to combat climate misinformation and bring real accountability to climate pledges.

Angel and her team have built two domain-specific AI tools, ChatNetZero and ChatNDC, designed to help policymakers, researchers, and business leaders navigate the chaos of climate targets, national climate plans, and net zero claims. Unlike generic chatbots, which often hallucinate facts or pull from questionable sources, these tools are trained on verified, climate-specific datasets and come with built-in safeguards against misinformation.

We also unpack why generic AI tools like ChatGPT fall short in this space, how climate policy is lagging behind AI innovation, and what it’ll take to close that gap. Angel shares insights from her work with the Net Zero Tracker, the IPCC, and her current NSF-backed initiative to boost AI integrity in climate mitigation.

If you’re in policy, sustainability, or just trying to make sense of what’s greenwashing and what’s not, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

Listen now to learn:

• Why domain-specific AI beats generic models in climate accuracy
• How ChatNetZero flags weak net zero targets
• What policymakers can do today to use AI responsibly
• Why transparency in data, and in AI, is non-negotiable

For more, about Angel, and her team's work, visit https://datadrivenlab.org/

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In this week's episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I’m joined by Bryan Parkes, Head of Innovation Acceleration at Zespri, the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit. Bryan shares how Zespri is taking a bold, practical approach to climate resilience through its Zespri ZAG Innovation Fund - an annual US$2 million commitment to agricultural innovation funding.

We dig into why Zespri is using a venture clienting model—not venture capital—to attract global solutions for the kiwifruit industry. Instead of taking equity, they offer grants and technical support to agri-tech startups, making it easier to pilot and apply new ideas quickly.

From using moth-inspired biosensors to detect rot early, to field trials of biochar for long-term carbon storage and soil health, Bryan outlines how they’re making sustainable agriculture grants work in the real world. We also discuss how this work aligns with Zespri’s ambition to become carbon positive by 2035, and how many of the solutions being tested could be transferable across other crops and food systems.

If you’re involved in agri-tech, sustainability, or food innovation, this conversation offers deep insights into one of the most hands-on approaches to funding for agri-tech startups. It’s a look into a funding model that prioritises environmental sustainability grants and scalable impact over PR hype.

Keywords: Zespri ZAG Innovation Fund, agricultural innovation funding, sustainable agriculture grants, kiwifruit industry innovation, climate resilience funding, funding for agri-tech startups, environmental sustainability grants, agri-tech funding opportunities, Innovation Fund, agritech support.

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How do we scale nature-based carbon removal without greenwashing or over-promising? That’s exactly what I explore in this episode with Lisett Luik, co-founder of Arbonics.

We all know forests are powerful carbon sinks. But turning that into credible, measurable climate action is harder than it sounds. Lisett shares how Arbonics is using satellite data, digital twins, and over 50 layers of land analysis to help landowners across Europe grow new forests or manage existing ones for long-term carbon storage, without defaulting to clear-cutting or monoculture plantations.

We discuss the difference between planting trees and restoring ecosystems, how continuous cover forestry can deliver carbon and timber, and why Europe’s underused farmland holds massive potential for afforestation. Lisett also tackles the big issue of trust in carbon markets - explaining how dynamic baselines, data transparency, and strong EU regulations are helping improve the integrity of nature-based carbon credits.

If you work in sustainability, forestry, or carbon markets, or you just want to understand the real role of nature-based solutions alongside tech like direct air capture, this episode is for you.

Listen now to learn how technology and nature can work together to deliver scalable, high-quality carbon removal.

Find out more at https://arbonics.com, and connect with Lisett on Bluesky here.

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I spoke with Laura Miranda Perez, Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer at Oxford PV, about one of the most important developments in solar tech today: perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells.

We unpacked how Oxford PV’s approach improves solar panel efficiency from the typical 20–22% to over 30%, and why that matters not just for land use, but also for grid capacity, system costs, and the speed of global decarbonisation. Laura also explained how tandem cells work, why silicon has hit a performance ceiling, and how perovskite offers a new path forward.

We dug into the real-world implications:

• Why higher efficiency panels lower the cost of electricity, not just hardware
• How tandem solar can reduce emissions by 20% or more, even compared to conventional solar
• What’s holding Europe back in solar manufacturing, despite strong deployment figures
• Why utilities, not just residential customers, are driving early demand for Oxford PV’s tech

Laura also addressed common misconceptions about solar, including whether it works in cloudy weather and the overblown concerns about solar panel waste.

If you’re working in clean energy, manufacturing, or just curious about where solar is headed, this is a must-listen conversation.

🔗 More on Oxford PV: https://www.oxfordpv.com

Listen and subscribe at https://www.climateconfidentpodcast.com

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• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I speak with Alexei Beltyukov, co-founder of Universal Fuel Technologies, about a new approach to producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), using a process they call flexiforming.

Unlike traditional methods like HEFA or Fischer–Tropsch, flexiforming allows producers to use a much wider range of feedstocks, from mixed alcohols to naphtas and renewable waste streams, and turn them into jet fuel, renewable diesel, or chemicals. This flexibility is critical as SAF demand surges, especially with EU mandates requiring a rising share of SAF in jet fuel starting in 2025.

We explore:

• Why SAF is the only viable decarbonisation path for long-haul aviation (for now)
• What sets flexiforming apart from conventional SAF production
• How current SAF mandates and incentives (EU vs. US) shape supply and pricing
• Why scaling SAF requires compatibility with existing refinery infrastructure
• The role consumer awareness might play in driving airline demand

Alexei also makes the case for slow but steady growth in SAF adoption, pointing to its current double-digit annual growth and comparing its trajectory to that of electric vehicles 10 years ago.

If you're working in energy, fuels, aviation, or sustainability policy, or you’re just trying to understand how we decarbonise one of the hardest-to-abate sectors, this episode offers a clear, grounded perspective.

🔗 Listen now and learn more at climateconfidentpodcast.com

#sustainableaviationfuel #SAF #decarbonisation #aviation #cleantech #climatechange #renewablefuels #energytransition #climateconfident #podcast

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In this episode of Climate Confident, I speak with Alice Chun, inventor of the world’s first inflatable, origami-inspired solar light and founder of Solight Design. Alice shares how a career in material technology and a deeply personal experience with her son’s asthma led her to tackle energy poverty, disaster relief, and carbon emissions with a single, deceptively simple product: the SolarPuff™.

We discuss the staggering health and environmental toll of kerosene lighting, especially in off-grid and disaster-affected communities — and how collapsible, durable solar lanterns are not only cleaner and safer, but can also act as tools for education, safety, and psychological recovery.

Alice walks us through the practical design choices (like sailcloth and origami folds) that make the lights lightweight, shippable, and long-lasting. She also unpacks her field experiences from Haiti to Ukraine, why she insists on personally delivering lights, and the complex balance of running a mission-driven company that also needs to survive commercially.

Key takeaways:

• Why light access is essential for disaster resilience and safety
• How solar design can scale through beauty, durability, and function
• The unexpected link between solar tech and trauma recovery in children
• What business models can sustain social impact in climate tech

For more, visit https://solight-design.com or head to climateconfidentpodcast.com.

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• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I spoke with Ryan Schermerhorn, a US-based patent attorney who’s been helping clean tech innovators navigate the IP maze - until recently with the help of a now-suspended fast-track programme.

We discussed the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program, which allowed inventors of emissions-reducing technologies to get patents approved in months rather than years, at no cost. Ryan explained how it worked, why it was a big deal for clean tech startups, and how it quietly disappeared earlier this year following a political shift.

We also unpacked what this means for innovators now. Ryan shared practical alternatives - like using international patent offices with similar climate fast-track schemes and leveraging the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) to speed things up globally.

We also covered the balance between IP protection and open innovation, why patents still matter in the climate crisis, and how to protect ideas early without blowing the budget.

If you're working in climate tech, clean energy, or emissions monitoring and need to protect or scale your innovation, this episode is for you.

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• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I sat down with John Sturman, Managing Director at NatPower UK, to dig deep into the realities of grid decarbonisation and energy transition at nation scale.

John pulled back the curtain on how NatPower is scaling up battery storage and renewable projects not just in the UK, but across the globe. From developing Europe’s largest battery storage pipeline to pioneering power solutions for maritime decarbonisation, this conversation gets into the detail of what's needed to hit net zero — and what’s holding us back.

We discussed:

• Why the UK is currently one of the strongest global markets for battery storage
• The urgent grid reform needed to meet the UK’s 2030 clean power targets
• How long-duration battery storage could replace gas peaker plants sooner than expected
• The overlooked challenge (and opportunity) of decarbonising the shipping industry
• Why AI will be essential to balancing increasingly complex power grids
• And why empowering communities is critical to speeding up the clean energy build-out

John didn’t shy away from naming the bottlenecks — planning delays, outdated infrastructure, and regulatory barriers — but he also laid out practical fixes that could unlock faster deployment of clean power.

If you’re serious about understanding the mechanics behind the transition to a net zero grid, this is one you don’t want to miss.

Listen now and get climate confident.

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Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on LinkedIn. 

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In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I sat down with Faustine Delasalle, CEO of the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), to delve into the real challenges, and opportunities, of decarbonising heavy industry and transport.

Faustine and I explored the current state of industrial decarbonisation, including the progress made over the last five to six years in proving that sectors like steel, cement, and shipping can transition to low-carbon alternatives. But as she points out, technical feasibility doesn’t always translate into financial viability. The sticking point? Making green industrial projects bankable.

We discussed the role of the so-called "green premium" (or dirty discount), why demand signals are crucial, and how the current lack of buyers at scale is stalling momentum. Faustine makes a strong case for the combination of policy mandates and targeted subsidies to unlock investment - drawing comparisons with the growth trajectories of solar and electric vehicles.

A key takeaway from our chat: the path to scaling green hydrogen could start with ammonia, which Faustine sees as the first domino in the next industrial revolution. We also looked at which regions are moving fastest, what’s holding others back, and why emerging economies might play a central role in the coming decade.

If you're in policymaking, finance, or industry, and serious about accelerating climate action, this is one to tune into.

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Sign up to Climate Confident+ for deep dive analysis of the major climate and energy stories of the day.

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Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

Contact
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on LinkedIn. 

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sandhya Sabapathy, Global Head of Environment and Net Zero at Entain, about the evolving role of sustainability in business – and what it truly takes to make climate action effective, strategic, and inclusive.

We discussed how sustainability has moved from the sidelines to the boardroom, driven not only by regulation but by clear commercial logic. Sandhya pointed to examples like IKEA – reducing emissions by 24% while growing revenue by 30% – as proof that climate strategy and profitability can go hand in hand.

We explored the growing influence of mandatory ESG reporting, the shift of climate accountability to audit committees, and how these trends are forcing businesses to be more transparent, not just more ambitious.

Sandhya also reflected on how to avoid burnout in purpose-driven work, why inclusivity leads to more resilient climate solutions, and the critical need to include marginalised voices in the climate conversation.

Listen in to hear why manufacturing might be further ahead on sustainability than you’d think, what we can learn from companies like Philip Morris (yes, really), and how even small actions can build corporate momentum for meaningful change.

Whether you’re leading a sustainability team, looking to influence from within, or just starting your climate journey – there’s something here for you.

🎧 Tune in now to learn, question, and push the dial forward.

#ClimateAction #SustainabilityLeadership #ESG #NetZero #CorporateSustainability #ClimateConfidentPodcast

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Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

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If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on LinkedIn. 

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

In this episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Chris Doherty, CEO of Joulen, to discuss how data, AI, and battery storage are changing the way homes and businesses interact with renewable energy. With energy costs fluctuating and grid constraints becoming more of a challenge, the role of smart energy management has never been more important.

Chris explains how virtual power plants (VPPs) allow households and small businesses to collectively act as a large-scale power provider, reducing costs and generating income. We explore how AI-driven algorithms optimise energy use, ensuring that people buy low and sell high—maximising savings and revenue.

We also break down the regulatory barriers that prevent wider adoption of decentralised energy and discuss what governments can do to speed up the transition. From Germany’s success in residential battery storage to the UK’s evolving energy market, we look at how different countries are tackling these challenges.

Other key topics:

• Why EVs with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology could replace home batteries
• How energy storage can help stabilise the grid and reduce investment in new infrastructure
• The financial incentives needed to scale solar and battery adoption in homes and businesses
• The growing role of demand-side management in balancing electricity supply

If you’re wondering how to make the most of your renewable energy system—or how policy can unlock wider adoption—this episode has you covered.

📩 Get in touch: tomraftery@outlook.com
💡 Follow for more insights on the clean energy transition.

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Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

Contact
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on LinkedIn. 

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

In this episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Jenny Morgan, author of Cancel Culture in Climate, to explore how public shaming and polarisation are holding back real progress on climate solutions.

We already have the tools and technologies needed to reduce emissions, yet fear of criticism—whether from activists, media, or the public—often paralyses businesses and leaders. Jenny explains how cancel culture leads to three major pitfalls:

• Greenwashing – Overstating sustainability efforts to avoid backlash.
• Greenhushing – Staying silent about genuine climate initiatives to escape scrutiny.
• Green recanting – Companies reversing climate commitments due to heightened pressure.

Rather than tearing down imperfect efforts, Jenny advocates for empathetic accountability—holding organisations to account while keeping the door open for progress. We discuss how companies like Patagonia and Allbirds have embraced transparency over perfection, and how social media can be both a force for good and a major obstacle to climate communication.

Key takeaways:
✔ Why fear of being “called out” prevents meaningful climate action.
✔ How businesses can regain trust after sustainability missteps.
✔ Practical strategies to foster productive climate conversations.

Tune in to rethink how we approach climate accountability—and why working with people is more effective than working against them.

🔗 Listen now and subscribe in your favourite podcast app.

Sign up to Climate Confident+ for deep dive analysis of the major climate and energy stories of the day.

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Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

• Anita Krajnc
• Cecilia Skarupa
• Ben Gross
• Jerry Sweeney
• Andreas Werner
• Stephen Carroll
• Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

Contact
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on LinkedIn. 

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

In this episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Puja Balachander, CEO and co-founder of UpGreen, to explore how commercial landlords and asset managers can accelerate energy efficiency retrofits while keeping costs down.

Buildings account for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, yet many remain inefficient due to financial and logistical barriers. UpGreen tackles this by reducing upfront retrofit costs and enabling landlords to recapture savings from tenants, turning sustainability upgrades into a viable business strategy.

We discuss:

• Why 87% of UK commercial buildings must undergo energy upgrades within the next five years to meet regulations.
• How UpGreen's model cuts retrofit costs by up to 80% while recovering 60% of expenses through tenant savings.
• The hidden inefficiencies preventing widespread adoption of energy retrofits, despite their cost-effectiveness.
• The challenges of scaling retrofits across different markets, from the UK’s public energy performance data to Germany’s fragmented regulations.
• The future of retrofits beyond energy efficiency, including climate adaptation measures for flood and heat resilience.

This episode offers practical insights for commercial landlords, sustainability professionals, and policymakers looking to unlock the full potential of building decarbonisation.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to Climate Confident to stay ahead of the latest sustainability trends.