Climate Confident

• Why Civil Disobedience Matters in the Climate Fight - Jonathon Porritt

  Send me a messageIn 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.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers: 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.ContactIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on Twitter/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. CreditsMusic credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper

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• Big Tech Emissions and the Truth About Corporate Climate Pledges

  Send me a messageIn 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.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers: 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.ContactIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on Twitter/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. CreditsMusic credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper

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• Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation: Constraining Supply is The Missing Link in Global Climate Policy

  Send me a messageIn 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.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers: 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.ContactIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on Twitter/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. CreditsMusic credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper

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• Jarand Rystad on Renewables, The Global Energy Transition, and the Race to Net Zero

  Send me a messageIn 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.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers: 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.ContactIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on Twitter/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. CreditsMusic credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper

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• How Norsepower’s Rotor Sails Are Slashing Shipping Emissions by Up to 50%

  Send me a messageShipping 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.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers: 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.ContactIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on Twitter/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. CreditsMusic credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper

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