Tag: Climate Confident

Cans of beer with cardboard holding them together instead of plastic rings
Climate Confident

Closing the Loop: Unveiling the Potential of a Circular Economy with SAP’s Stephen Jamieson

In the continuous quest to spread the word about sustainability and inspire climate confidence, in today’s episode of the Climate Confident podcast I spoke with Stephen Jamieson, the Global Head of Circular Economy Solutions at SAP. We delved into the intriguing world of the circular economy, a concept that’s becoming increasingly crucial in our fight against climate change.

Stephen painted a vivid picture of our current global economy – one that is shockingly only 7.3% circular. To grasp the gravity of this, imagine that a staggering 93 gigatons of materials are extracted each year, most of which are mishandled, resulting in detrimental environmental impacts. From contributing to 90% of the world’s biodiversity loss to 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the way we manage materials today is cause for serious concern.

What stood out during our chat was the enormity of the problem, but also the potential solutions at our fingertips. It’s not just about waste reduction; it’s a broader climate change story. One significant revelation was that we’re ingesting a credit card size amount of plastic each week, which is an alarming testament to our current practices.

Stephen brought into focus the substantial role of businesses in promoting circularity, saying, “80% of sustainability impact is baked in at design time.” In essence, companies need to integrate sustainability from the design stage itself, and technologies can aid in streamlining this process. He shared an encouraging story about Henkel, a consumer goods company that swiftly adapted to Spain’s plastic packaging tax requirements, highlighting the power of digital transformation in the circular economy.

A significant part of our conversation centered around Extended Producer Responsibility regulations and the impact they have on shifting the cost of downstream waste management. Jamieson mentioned that the cost, which is currently shouldered by local authorities, would soon be handled by the production system, marking a considerable shift in incentive.

There’s a strong sense of urgency in our chat, but also a ray of hope. The circular economy holds the key to unlocking a sustainable future, and it’s evident that we are on the right track, but the journey has just begun.

Want to hear more about Stephen’s insights and why people often liken his voice to that a certain famous actor? Tune into this episode of the Climate Confident podcast and join the conversation. Let’s drive the change together!

You can listen to the full episode here. Your feedback and ideas are always appreciated, so feel free to drop a comment below. And remember, every small step towards sustainability counts!

Follow the podcast in your podcast app of choice, so you don’t miss any future episodes packed with insightful discussions on climate change, sustainability, and technology.

Finally, if you value receiving weekly actionable insights on sustainability and climate, you can always sign up to be a Supporter of the podcast for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.

And remember to stay #ClimateConfident!

Full disclosure – SAP sponsored this episode of the podcast

Cadiz sunset at the beach
Climate Change

The Ocean Nation: A Bold Solution for a Brighter Climate Future

In the latest episode of my Climate Confident podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Willis about the idea of bestowing nationhood and what steps we can take to make it a reality. As someone who has dedicated their life to tackling the challenges of climate change, Steve’s insights and perspectives on this topic were truly enlightening.

One of the things that stood out to me about our conversation was the emphasis Steve placed on the power of public discussion and imagination in driving change. He believes that by encouraging people to imagine a future where the ocean is treated as a nation, with its own laws and governance, we can start to build momentum towards making that vision a reality.

Steve also talked about the importance of public awareness in driving this change. He was involved in writing and producing positive outcome climate fiction short stories to inspire people to imagine a future where we can solve the climate crisis, and hopes to turn those stories into a Netflix series, or similar to reach a wider audience and help build a narrative around the idea of ocean nationhood.

Another aspect of our conversation that was particularly interesting was Steve’s discussion of TRIZ, a process for inventive problem solving that he and his team use in their work. This process involves imagining the ideal outcome and working backwards to determine the first steps necessary to get there. By using this process, Steve believes that we can overcome the challenges and obstacles that might stand in the way of creating an ocean nation.

While Steve is quick to emphasize that this idea of ocean nationhood is not about declaring independence unilaterally, he does believe that it has the potential to be a powerful solution to the challenges facing our oceans today. He believes that by inviting people to join the conversation and explore the possibilities, we can start to build a groundswell of support and momentum towards making this vision a reality.

If you’re interested in learning more about this exciting and innovative idea, I highly encourage you to listen to the episode and check out the links in the show notes. You can also connect with Steve on LinkedIn and explore the resources available on the green stories link.

At the end of the day, the idea of ocean nationhood is about imagining a better future for our oceans and taking the necessary steps to make that future a reality. By coming together and exploring this idea, I believe that we can make a real difference in the fight against climate change and ensure a healthy and sustainable future for our oceans and our planet.

So, join this exciting journey of exploration and discovery! Listen to the podcast episode, engage with Steve and the community, and let’s see where this idea of ocean nationhood can take us

Finally, don’t forget to follow the Climate Confident podcast for weekly inspiring stories and remember, if you value receiving weekly actionable insights on sustainability and climate, you can always sign up to be a Supporter of the podcast for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.

Photo of water with snow capped Alaskan mountain in the background
Climate Change

Writing for Change: Stories to Transform the Climate Crisis

I’m proud to present the latest episode of my Climate Confident podcast, where I had the pleasure of speaking with two prominent voices in the fight against climate change: Professor Denise Baden and Steve Willis.

Denise is a Professor of Sustainable Business at the University of Southampton and the mastermind behind the Green Stories project, which is all about writing climate solutions into stories that can reach a wider audience. Meanwhile, Steve is the Director of Herculean Climate Solutions and the co-producer of “No More Fairy Tales: Stories to Save Our Planet” an anthology of 24 stories that present positive and engaging solutions to the climate crisis.

The authors took a unique approach to addressing the lack of positive stories in the climate fiction genre by using three questions to evaluate potential solutions: Does it work? Can it produce a million tons? And is it negative emissions? These solutions are then illustrated through entertaining stories that include powerful kernels of scientific truth.

Denise, who was the editor of these stories, talked about the challenge of managing perspectives from various renowned writers (Kim Stanley Robinson, Paolo Bacigalupi, Andrew Dana Hudson, and more), experts, including engineers, ecologists, and social scientists. She highlighted the concept of “social science fiction” as a safe space for exploring more systemic solutions that can be difficult to discuss in a political environment.

Steve talked about the power of fiction and storytelling to raise awareness of transformative solutions. He compared the idea of saving the planet to saving the Titanic and the use of a holodeck to write a program of what the future could look like. The conversation also touched upon the comparison between the utopian world of Star Trek and the current world, and the goal to achieve the former within the time and effort required.

Denise talked about the need for a shift from the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP) metric to a Wellbeing Index or Happy Planet Index, as well as the importance of long-term decision making that falls outside the electoral cycle. She mentioned the use of citizen assemblies and personal carbon allowances as topics explored in their stories. Steve talked about the idea of making the ocean an independent state in order to solve its problems and how this idea has been incorporated into his anthology about the future. He also discussed the potential for planting sea grass, kelp, and other ocean vegetation, and the lack of awareness around the ocean.

The authors have big dreams for the future of their project, including turning the stories into a Netflix series and focusing on refreezing the Arctic as a crucial step in fixing the climate crisis. They hope that these stories will inspire people to take action and make a positive difference in the world.

So if you’re looking for a podcast that’s both informative and entertaining, then look no further! Listen to the latest episode of Climate Confident and discover the inspiring work of Professor Denise Baden and Steve Willis. They’re making a difference, and so can you!

Finally, don’t forget to follow the Climate Confident podcast for weekly inspiring stories and remember, if you value receiving weekly actionable insights on sustainability and climate, you can always sign up to be a Supporter of the podcast for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.

Photo Credit Bureau of Ocean Energy on Flickr