All Things Sustainable

The UN's annual Climate Change Conference of the Parties takes place in Antalya, Türkiye Nov. 9-20, and in this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast we explore what to expect.   COP31 will draw an estimated 100,000 participants from around the world, including heads of state, scientists, civil society representatives and business leaders. To understand how conversations about financing climate action and sustainable development will unfold, we talk to Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy on Financing Sustainable Development.  Mahmoud's career as an economist and finance leader includes roles as Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund, Senior Vice President at the World Bank Group, and UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for his home country of Egypt at COP27.  In the episode, Mahmoud points to an estimated $4 trillion annual financing gap that must be closed to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, largely related to investment in infrastructure. And he outlines barriers to mobilizing more private sector investment to address that gap — including by building pipelines of bankable, investable projects.   "The capital is there," Mahmoud tells us in an interview at the Building Bridges Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. "What we need is basically these kind of projects aggregated in a way to attract the asset owners, asset managers and investors."  Explore S&P Global's COP31 Programming here: S&P Global at COP31 Türkiye   Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here: S&P Global Energy Horizons - The Sustainability Weekly  Further reading: COP31 preview: Key issues and signals to watch (subscription required)   Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.  Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).  This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST. 

In today's special bonus episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we hear how Norway's sovereign wealth fund — one of the world's largest asset owners — is creating a long-term investment strategy in the face of climate change, geopolitical conflict and other disruptions.  Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) manages the Norwegian government's pension fund and has about $2.2 trillion in assets under management. The fund has holdings in more than 7,000 companies and owns nearly 1.5% of all shares in the world's listed companies.   To understand how the fund wields that influence, we sit down with NBIM Chief Governance and Compliance Officer Carine Smith Ihenacho on the sidelines of the Building Bridges Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.   In the interview, she explains why NBIM seeks a steady, long-term approach from its portfolio companies, with credible targets and robust disclosures.   "We as investors want companies to really think long-term," Carine says. "The challenge for many companies is so many issues to deal with here and now."  We'll be back with more perspectives from the Building Bridges Summit with special episodes later this week. You can listen to all our interviews at the event here:   John Kerry makes the case for optimism and urgency ahead of COP31 | S&P Global   Sustainability leader Ma Jun unpacks China's green finance momentum, energy transition | S&P Global  Further reading:   For the world's largest companies, climate physical risks have a $1.2 trillion annual price tag by the 2050s | S&P Global   Ahead of COP16, corporate nature commitments remain rare | S&P Global  Companies around the world face risks from their reliance on nature | S&P Global  Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global  DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.  Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).  This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

In this special episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we sit down with The Earthshot Prize CEO Jason Knauf LVO for an interview recorded in front of an audience in New York City.   Jason worked with William Prince of Wales to launch The Earthshot Prize in 2020, with a mission to find and scale innovative solutions to the world's biggest environmental challenges by 2030. Each year, the organization selects 15 finalists and awards five of them £1 million each to help advance their work.  In the episode, we hear about the 2026 finalists, which include one of India's biggest three-wheeler manufacturers working to electrify transportation to improve air quality; an Argentinian startup using AI and thermal satellite imagery to detect wildfires; and a Danish company that transformed from one of Europe's most coal-intensive utilities into a global leader in offshore wind.   Jason outlines what to expect when The Earthshot Prize holds its annual awards night in Mumbai on Nov. 17. And he explains why affordability is key to making solutions scalable.  "We know people aren't going to pay more. And right now, in many countries, they couldn't even if they wanted to," he says. "So to succeed, we're going to have to work with the economy and with the trends that households are seeing and businesses are seeing and make sustainable products the best ones."  Further listening:   John Kerry makes the case for optimism and urgency ahead of COP31 | S&P Global  Tech giant NVIDIA talks AI's sustainability risks and opportunities | S&P Global  How retail giant IKEA built the business case for sustainability | S&P Global  Further reading:   The sustainability risks threatening AI's resilience narrative | S&P Global  The new tipping points playbook: The Earthshot Prize and the University of Exeter reveal how to make environmental repair unstoppable - The Earthshot Prize  Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.  Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).  This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ma Jun to discuss sustainable finance trends in China and beyond.   Dr. Ma is the former Chief Economist for China's central bank, the People's Bank of China, and was a lead architect of the country's first green finance guidelines and green bond standard. He also served as Co-Chair of the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group. Today, his roles include President of the Institute of Finance and Sustainability, a Beijing-based think tank; Chairman and President of the Hong Kong Green Finance Association; and Chairman of the Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI).  In the interview, Dr. Ma explains why sustainable finance has grown significantly in China and globally, and he highlights examples of how green technology can be scalable. In China, for example, he notes that 60% of car sales are electric vehicles.  "Fundamentally, I think the momentum is there because a lot of green activities have become economically viable," he says. "They are no longer slogans and for cosmetic PR reasons, but they are actually making money."  We also hear how geopolitical conflicts are impacting energy transition strategies. "Renewable energy is [the] ultimate form of energy security," Dr. Ma says. "The energy crisis gives a very strong reason for speeding up the development of the renewable sector, and therefore, finance has to follow."  We conducted this interview on the sidelines of the Building Bridges Summit in Geneva. Listen to our interview with Former US Secretary of State John Kerry at Building Bridges here: John Kerry makes the case for optimism and urgency ahead of COP31 | S&P Global  Further listening: How sustainable finance is evolving as investors rethink security and defense | S&P Global  Further reading: Dual pillars toward carbon peak in China's 15th Five-Year Plan: Energy security and green transition (Subscription required)  Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global  DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.  Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).  This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. 

In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we sit down with former US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the 7th annual Building Bridges conference in Geneva, Switzerland.   Secretary Kerry was a key architect of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and in 2021 he became the inaugural US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. In the interview, he discusses his role at previous UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties gatherings and his hopes for COP31, which will take place in Türkiye in November 2026.  He tells us why he remains optimistic despite the challenges facing planetary and ocean health and the likely overshoot of the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree C global warming limit.   At the same time, Secretary Kerry calls for greater speed and urgency in addressing climate change and decarbonizing the economy.   "We have to get the scale way up there," he says. "We're just not moving as fast as we know we can move."   Secretary Kerry says conflict in the Middle East has further solidified the business case for diversifying away from dependence on oil and gas to alternative energy sources. And he points to technologies that are already available to provide clean and abundant energy, even in some historically high-emitting sectors. He describes how Galvanize — the global asset manager where he serves as Co-Executive Chair — is incorporating these technologies into its investment strategy.   "What we recognize is that the economy has already made its own decision," he says. "The economy writ large is moving in the direction of this new energy base."   Listen to our podcast interview with Johan Rockström, the Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research who helped develop the Planetary Boundaries framework: What planetary health means for the private sector | S&P Global  Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global  DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.  Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).  This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.