The Sustainability Agenda Fergal Byrne

In this compelling discussion, John Elkington, delves into his five-decade experience advocating for corporate responsibility and sustainability and discusses his latest book, "Tickling Sharks," which combines his personal memoir with a manifesto for future action. John reflects on the evolution of the sustainability agenda, highlighting significant milestones and challenges along the way. He recounts his early struggles to engage businesses in the environmental movement and the eventual widespread adoption of sustainability practices. Elkington addresses the current state of corporate sustainability, expressing concerns about the politicization of the agenda and the slow pace of change. Looking ahead, Elkington emphasizes the need for systemic change, urging businesses to adopt innovative approaches, underscoring the importance of resilience and regeneration, as well as collaboration with diverse stakeholders to create a sustainable and equitable future
Author, advisor and serial entrepreneur, John Elkington is a pioneer in the world of corporate responsibility and sustainable development. John has been at the forefront of sustainability thinking for five decades and is widely recognized as one of the founders of the global sustainability movement, He is credited with coining influential terms such as 'green growth,' 'triple bottom line,' and 'people, planet, and profit.” John is also co-founder of four environmental and sustainability businesses, and has served in over 70 boards and advisory boards. He is founder and chief pollinator of Volans, a future-focused business working at the intersection of sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation.  John is the author or co-author of some 20 books; his latest, Tickling Sharks, is a memoir of his pioneering work in developing and promoting corporate sustainability.

 

Eye-opening discussion with Guy Standing on the deteriorating conditions in our oceans…  the destruction of fragile ocean ecosystems, marine pollution, habitat destruction and destruction of coastal communities, driven by overfishing, corporate exploitation, lax regulatory enforcement, increasing extraction-- and growing sea commodification. His analysis is a powerful indictment of contemporary oceanic governance—and an impassioned call for new forms of ocean governance centred around the commons. First aired in August 2022.
 
Guy Standing is a Professorial Research Associate at SOAS University of London and a founding member and honorary co-president of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), a non-governmental organisation that promotes a basic income for all. He was a programme director in the UN's International Labour Organisation and has advised many international bodies and governments on social and economic policies. 
 
 

In this thought-provoking interview, Dale Jamieson, Professor of Environmental Studies and Philosophy at NYY, talks about the importance of environmental justice and discusses his recent thinking on the metaphysical challenges of climate change --the way a rapidly changing world unmoored from the traditional sources of meaning in our lives. He also explores the way that climate change interacts with our political institutions, with their inherent short-termism. At the heart of this discussion, Dale highlights the fundamental challenges that any person faces in life today, wherever they live, are: how should I live? How do I how do I go forward? This interview was first aired in March 2021.
 
Dale Jamieson is Professor of Environmental Studies and Philosophy at NYU, he also serves as a faculty affiliate for the NYU School of Law and as director of NYU's Animal Studies Initiative. Dale is a scholar of environmental ethics and animal rights, and an analyst of climate change discourse-he is an author and editor of various books including Reason in a Dark Time: Why the Struggle Against Climate Change Failed -- and What It Means for Our Future
 
 
 

A fascinating deep dive on impact investment with Sir Ronald Cohen, “the father of social investment.” This is a spirited discussion about Sir Ronald’s book, Impact, exploring his vision of how impact investing is reshaping capitalism to deliver a form of capitalism that can deal with the profound social and environmental challenges we are facing—issues which he is passionate about. Sir Ronald believes financial institutions are changing profoundly -and is hugely optimistic about the work being done today on measuring impact, notably the Harvard Business School IWA impact weighted accounts project—making the connection between market value and pollution explicit. This in turn brings Ronnie’s vision closer:  a world where investors can measure companies impact and “help change the behaviour of companies so that they bring solutions rather than creating or aggravating environmental and social problems.” This interview was first aired at the end of 2021.
 
Sir Ronald Cohen is Chairman of The Portland Trust and Bridges Ventures, amongst other roles, as a philanthropist, venture capitalist, private equity investor and social innovator over many decades. Sir Ronald was a founder of Apax Ventures, has been described as “the father of British venture capital” and “the father of social investment,” his latest book, Impact, Reshaping capitalism to drive real change, explores his vision of how impact investing is reshaping capitalism.

In this thought-provoking interview, Xander Dunlap argues that current environmental policies and "green" technologies are perpetuating ecological destruction under the guise of sustainability. He contends that solutions like solar and wind energy are wedded to capitalism and leading to increased mining, extractivism, and social control. Dunlap calls for a fundamental rethinking of how we live, advocating for grassroots movements to create more liberated, self-sufficient communities that work in harmony with local ecosystems. He emphasizes the importance of acting locally while resisting the forces of industrial modernity. Throughout the interview, Dunlap provides a powerful critique of corporate greenwashing and state-driven false solutions to the environmental crisis.
 
Dr. Xander Dunlap is a research fellow at the Institute of Global Sustainability, Boston University. Alexander has examined the political ecology of low-carbon technologies, extractive development and police-military transformations in Mexico, Germany, Peru, France, Spain & Portugal. Currenlty a co-editor at Human Geography, Alexander also serve on the editorial boards Energy Research & Social Science, the Journal of Political Ecology & Globalizations. His most recent book, just published, it This system is killing us: Land Grabbing, the Green Economy and Ecological Conflict is available at Pluto books and other online sites.
 

In this fascinating interview, conducted with my daughter, Catherine Byrne, we delve into the world of Eoghan Daltun, an Irish farmer and advocate for rewilding. Eoghan's journey is a testament to the power of nature and the importance of ecological balance. He shares his experiences running a farm and rewilding project on the Beara peninsula of Co. Cork, Ireland. His work is not just about farming, but about restoring and preserving the natural environment. His book, 'An Irish Atlantic Rainforest: A Personal Journey Into the Magic of Rewilding', is a testament to his commitment and passion for this cause. Eoghan's insights provide a unique perspective on the importance of rewilding and the role it plays in combating ecological and climate breakdown.
Eoghan Daltun is an Irish farmer and outspoken advocate for rewilding --he runs a farm and rewilding project on the Beara peninsula of Co. Cork. He is the author of an acclaimed book on his personal rewilding work on the Beara peninsula, An Irish Atlantic Rainforest: A Personal Journey Into the Magic of Rewilding. By background and training a conservator of sculpture and a sculptor in stone. This extended interview took place on Eoghan’s farm in Eyeries on the Beara peninsula.
Catherine Byrne is a forest researcher working with Evolving Forests in Devon, England and a Woodlab Fellow at Hooke Park in Dorset; Catherine is also host of a radio show on Balamii Radio, "Biorhythms" based around her nature based field recordings--some of which are included in this episode.