Best UNEP Podcasts (2025)

1
Interview with UNHCR Head of Innovation Hovig Etyemezian 47:06

2M ago47:06

47:06

What does it take to become a UN humanitarian work? We interviewed Hovig Etyemezian, Head of Innovation at UNHCR, the UN Agency for Refugees to find out about his journey and how working in the field, in the frontlines, managing refugee camps logistics, finding ways to innovate in volatile situations teaches one to be agile and resilient, qualities…

1
UN Refugee Agency Fundraising Strategy 16:15

2M ago16:15

16:15

Interview with Mark Manly, head of donor relations and resource mobilisation at the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The UNHCR focuses on providing international protection and solutions for refugees, internally displaced people, and preventing statelessness. Their fundraising strategy relies on flexible annual funding from government donors …

1
Paris Peace Forum, Interview with Justin Vaisse, Founder and Executive Director 17:18

2M ago17:18

17:18

Seeking Common Ground in a World of Rivalry The organization led by Justin Vaisse, historian and diplomat, is supported by the French government and private sector sponsors, including Microsoft. There will be panels with AI companies and how they are engaging with governments, academics, and UN officials from Africa and Europe. Microsoft Vice Chair…

1
Rainforest Connection Uses AI to Protect the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest Biodiversity and Halt Illegal Logging 9:08

2M ago9:08

9:08

I interviewed Bourhan Yassin, CEO of Rainforest Connection, a company that applies AI to acoustics for data insights to better inform conservation, preserve biodiversity, and protect the rainforests from illegal logging. They are currently working in 80 countries, including Brazil, where most of their work is happening. RFCx works with audio to mon…

1
SDG10 and Beyond: Ensuring a Just Transition for All 1:05:46

3M ago1:05:46

1:05:46

Join us on "About Sustainability," a podcast by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). In this episode, we explore what the just transition means, tracing its roots back to labour movements of the 1970s and its evolution into international debates and sustainable frameworks. Our guests share innovative case studies that showcase …

1
Brazil: Interview with Brazilian Diplomat Camila Olsen 28:11

6M ago28:11

28:11

Interview with Brazilian Diplomat Camila Olsen on Promoting Brazil Abroad and Attracting FDI Interview with Camila Olsen, Head of Trade, Investment, Agriculture and Energy Section at the Brazilian Embassy in Copenhagen Today I interviewed the Brazilian diplomat Camila Olsen, head of trade investment, agriculture and energy at the Brazilian embassy …

1
Vint Cerf and Maria Ressa on the Internet Governance Forum 29:58

6M ago29:58

29:58

UN Secretary General Calls for a Global AI Regulatory Agency These last couple of days have been quite busy on issues of AI and emerging tech governance at the UN and its agencies. We had the IGF meeting in Geneva with Maria Ressa and Vint Cerf, AI at the Security Council in New York, and the UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Turk calling al…

1
Housing as a Human Right 15:09

6M ago15:09

15:09

The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many other international human rights treaties state that the right to housing under international human rights law is the right to live in peace, security and dignity. The violation of the right to housing is often experienced by marginalized and disadvantaged groups including indigenous peoples, pe…

1
Depopulation, shrinking cities and urban-rural migration 1:00:28

8M ago1:00:28

1:00:28

In this episode Alice Yamabe and Andre Mader speak with two IGES colleagues, Fernando Ortiz Moya and Yasuo Takahashi, about the phenomenon of depopulation. Fernando has been studying shrinking cities, and Yasuo has been doing research on urban to rural migration, so we have two quite different angles on this subject. To many it may seem counterintu…

1
Let's talk about the material footprint and its significance for sustainability 1:04:10

11M ago1:04:10

1:04:10

In this episode of About Sustainability, we talked to Heinz Schandl, who joined us from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), which is an Australian Government agency responsible for scientific research. He is an expert on natural resource use, and international resource flows. Among other things, Heinz explained…

1
A few perspectives on UNEP's 6th Environment Assembly and its "OECPR" 34:19

1y ago34:19

34:19

In this episode Alice and Andre talked to Simon about the United Nations Environment Assembly, also known as UNEA, which is the decision-making body of the United Nations Environment Programme. UNEA takes place in Nairobi every second year and it is always preceded by the so-called OECPR, which stands for the Open-ended Committee of Permanent Repre…

1
Looking back on the career of emeritus IGES Executive Director, Hideyuki Mori 38:21

1y ago38:21

38:21

On this episode of About Sustainability…, Andre, Alice and Simon celebrate the contribution of an IGES legend, Mr Hideyuki Mori. Mori-san has been a leader at IGES for most of the institute’s history, following diverse experience at other institutions including the United Nations Environment Programme and Asian Development Bank. He retired last yea…

1
About Climate Action (SDG 13): Framing Climate Change as a Security Issue and Outcomes of UNFCCC-COP28 57:55

1+ y ago57:55

57:55

On this episode of About Sustainability…, Alice and Erin were joined by Naoyuki OKANO and Nagisa SHIIBA, IGES experts working on Climate Adaptation. This episode, recorded in December 2023, offers a quick recap of what happened at COP28 in Dubai and then dives deep into the far-reaching impacts of climate change on human security. Hosted in Dubai, …

1
Tackling plastic pollution: Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) updates 39:11

1+ y ago39:11

39:11

On this episode of About Sustainability…, Erin, Alice, and Simon were joined by Matthew Hengesbaugh and Chochoe Devaporihartakula, IGES experts working on plastic pollution. While plastics have been an indispensable part of modern life, plastic pollution has entered the public consciousness in recent years. It is an issue that most of us encounter …

1
#31 | Reliving the Games World Journey with Matt Blair 1:37:46

2y ago1:37:46

1:37:46

Send us a text Matt's links: https://www.facebook.com/mattblairmusic/ https://www.twitch.tv/mattblairuk https://twitter.com/themattblair Get ready to press play on a nostalgia-packed episode with the multi-talented Matt Blair, as we venture into the captivating world of gaming. Matt, revered for his comedy, film enthusiasm, and music, offers enthra…

1
A life dedicated to the environment 59:05

2y ago59:05

59:05

It’s been a while since our last installment but today’s episode is a special interview with a long-serving member of IGES who has had a fascinating career, from which he just recently retired. Peter King has been based at IGES’s office in Bangkok, but has been mentor and advisor to many of us at IGES. In a wide-ranging discussion Alice, Shom, Simo…

1
#30 - Richard Waller | Singer, song writer, and gaming enthusiast 1:58:05

2y ago1:58:05

1:58:05

Send us a text Richard "Rik" Waller is an English pop singer. After appearing as a contestant on the TV series Pop Idol, he had two UK top 40 hits with cover versions of "I Will Always Love You" and "(Something Inside) So Strong". We discuss his time in the spotlight for his music, his time on Pop Idol, as well as his extensive history of gaming kn…

1
SDG7: Affordable and Clean Energy 52:30

2y ago52:30

52:30

Our guest on this episode is Akihisa Kuriyama, a policy researcher in IGES’ Climate & Energy Unit. He joins us to talk about SDG7 on energy. We spoke about the relationship between energy and climate; what’s new about SDG 7 in the global discussion on energy; some of the barriers and challenges in achieving the goal; the possibilities of nuclear en…

1
Updates from the ongoing political and scientific processes to reduce plastic pollution 46:39

2+ y ago46:39

46:39

In this episode we met with Amila from IGES who shared the latest updates on international plastics governance. Among others, he described details on the international negotiations committee that was formed last year to define a legally binding instrument to curb plastic pollution. We heard who is on that committee and what they do when they meet. …

1
SDG6: Water, water everywhere, but how is it managed? 48:04

2+ y ago48:04

48:04

In this episode of About Sustainability… Erin and Bob talked to Binaya Raj Shivakoti, an IGES expert in the Adaptation and Water team, about SDG6, which is on “ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” (or simply ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’). This goal’s environmental dimensions are clear, and has targets on…

1
SDG5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 50:47

2+ y ago50:47

50:47

In this episode of About Sustainability..., Andre and Erin spoke with their colleague, Maiko Morishita, about SDG5, on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Maiko is part of the IGES finance task force, which covers a variety of topics but she also previously worked in the NGO world where gender was a key component of her wo…

1
Regional or Local Circulating and Ecological Spheres (CES) - Sustainability Afoot #2 29:05

2+ y ago29:05

29:05

In this episode of About Sustainability… In episode 2 of the Sustainability Afoot series, Bob took a walk with Dr. Bijon Kumer Mitra to find out what Regional/Local CES (Regional or Local Circulating and Ecological Spheres) is. In brief, CES is an approach supported by the Government of Japan that is focused on bottom-up policy development that see…

1
Renewing Commitments to Nature: Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework 30:32

2+ y ago30:32

30:32

In this episode of About Sustainability… Erin and Simon caught up with Andre just before his trip to Montreal, Canada for the second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15). A few things have changed since the release of our CBD episode back in March. CBD COP15 will now be conv…

1
Circular Economy (Sustainability Afoot #1) 32:43

2+ y ago32:43

32:43

In this episode of About Sustainability… Bob kicked off a new experimental format, tentatively called “Sustainability Afoot”. The concept is simple: go for a walk near the headquarters of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) in Hayama, Japan, and discuss some basic questions about a topic, concept, or methodology that IGES works…

1
SDG4 (part 2): Education and sustainable development - are we teaching the right things? 35:59

2+ y ago35:59

35:59

This is the second part of our episode on SDG4 and education for sustainable development. In this part we focused on whether the right skills are taught in schools to equip people with skills and priorities necessary to bring about a more sustainable world rather than one characterized by competition and scarcity. Robert shared more information and…

1
SDG4 (part 1): Why is education so important for sustainable development? 40:08

2+ y ago40:08

40:08

In this episode we talked with our good friend Robert Didham. He is Centre Director and Associate Professor at the Centre for Collaborative Learning for Sustainable Development Faculty of Education, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. We talked to Robert about education for sustainable development and its place in Agenda 2030 as SDG 4. He…

1
SDG3: Good Health and Well-Being 1:05:27

2+ y ago1:05:27

1:05:27

In this episode of About Sustainability..., Erin, Andre, and Bob invited Eric Zusman back to talk about SDG3 on Health. Eric works on co-benefits between air pollution mitigation and climate action, which has significant implications for public health. Meanwhile, Erin provided some context and perspectives based on her public health background. We …

1
Interreligious dialogue as a tool in bridging geopolitical complexities with Venerable Man Chien 47:13

3y ago47:13

47:13

Exploring the topic of interreligious dialogue and the role it plays in bridging ongoing geopolitical complexities, we are thrilled to welcome Venerable Man Chien as a guest in the new episode of Europe – Asia Podcast. Venerable Man Chien is currently the Director of Fo Guang Shan International Supervisory Council, Deputy-Secretary General of BLIA …

1
SDG2: Zero Hunger 1:13:42

3y ago1:13:42

1:13:42

In the second episode of our series on SDGs, Simon, Andre and Erin invited Prabhakar SVRK, who knows a lot about climate adaptation, food and agriculture. Focusing on SDG2 on Zero Hunger, we talked about the challenges to achieve a world free from hunger while trying to reduce fossil fuel use to limit climate change, given the significant fossil fu…

1
#29 - Rob Anderson | Co-creator of Moonstone 'A Hard Days Knight' and Video Game Developer 1:33:29

3y ago1:33:29

1:33:29

Send us a text Rob Anderson, a video game developer with in-depth background as software engineer, artist, animator, designer, and project manager. Completed 28 published projects in sports, arcade, action, and platform-style games. History of successful working relationships with Sega, Electronic Arts, Sony, Microsoft, Mindscape, and Acclaim. His …

1
#28 - Bill Thorpe aka Games Made of Cardboard | YouTuber and 'Doom' Film Maker 1:52:36

3y ago1:52:36

1:52:36

Send us a text Returning guest Bill Thope, who runs a channel called Games Made of Cardboard, uploaded a video not long ago which shows their own real-life version of . It pays homage to the iconic game with its depiction of the game's monsters, set pieces, as well as music from both the classic installments and the reboots. Made from a mixture of …

1
SDG1: No Poverty 1:02:19

3y ago1:02:19

1:02:19

What’s in an SDG? In an effort to more deeply understand the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), over the next few months, the About Sustainability… podcast will zoom in on each of them in turn. We will invite experts to join us and parse out more about an individual goal, where we are in terms of achieving it, and the challenges it presents. We …

1
Can the World Achieve the SDGs? Part 2 of 2 40:08

3y ago40:08

40:08

This is part 2 of the broad discussion that André, Bob, Erin, and Simon went into, which began with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and why it seems so challenging for the world to achieve the goals. Part 2 of the discussion started with Erin’s question on whether the issue with the capitalist system is that negative environmental external…

1
Can the World Achieve the SDGs? Part 1 of 2 46:30

3y ago46:30

46:30

This time, Andre, Bob, Erin, and Simon went into a broader discussion around the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and why it seems so challenging for the world to achieve the goals despite them constituting the ‘good’ of development. The discussion touched upon many items, including how the SDGs are different than the Millennium Development Goa…

1
Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM) 43:37

3y ago43:37

43:37

Andre and Erin had a chance to talk to a fascinating person named Wardarina about civic engagement, especially focusing on the Asia-Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM). Simon joined the discussion to provide additional insights, as he too has a lot of experience engaging in this space. Wardarina (or Rina, as she is often known) is cu…

1
Green transition and international cooperation with H.E. Erik Solheim, former UNEP Executive director 54:53

3y ago54:53

54:53

Exploring the topics of sustainable investments, green transition and international cooperation, the Europe – Asia Podcast’s featuring guest is former United Nation's Under-secretary General and Executive director of UN Environmental Programme H.E. Erik Solheim. Excellency Solheim is renowned Norwegian diplomat and former politician, holding posts …

1
The IPCC 6th Assessment Report: experiences and key messages from some Working Group III authors 49:58

3y ago49:58

49:58

Bob and André talked to Sudarmanto Budi Nugroho (“Toto”) and Eric Zusman, two IGES experts who were involved in Working Group III (Climate Mitigation) of the 6th Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The latest report in the IPCC AR6 series, the WGIII Report summarises the latest knowledge on climate mitig…

1
Bonus Episode: Are Trees Really the Answer? 21:32

3y ago21:32

21:32

In this bonus episode of About Sustainability…, André, Bob, Erin, and Simon briefly discussed people’s relationship with nature, from local communities that use natural resources in a low-impact way to large-scale efforts around the world to plant trees. This side conversation happened during our discussion on the Convention on Biological Diversity…

1
UNEA-5.2: Some Key Outcomes on Nature and Plastics 46:27

3y ago46:27

46:27

In this episode of About Sustainability…, Simon and Erin followed up with Andre and IGES colleague Amila Abeynayaka, an expert on plastics management, on some of the recent outcomes from UNEA-5.2, the second part of the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). At this year’s UNEA, governments managed to find consensus on 14 …

1
Convention on Biological Diversity 41:37

3y ago41:37

41:37

This time Erin, Bob, and Simon talked to Andre about the Convention on Biological Diversity, or CBD, and the upcoming 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (CBD-COP15). This meeting is expected to be held in Kunming later in 2022. The conversation touched upon the purposes of the CBD and who its members are. Andre also explained …

1
Europe - Asia Podcast Trailer 0:32

3y ago0:32

0:32

The Europe – Asia Podcast aims at deepening the mutual understanding and building stronger relations between Europe and Asia. Through the narrative driven conversations featuring high-level guests, we embark on the exploration of the complexities and nuances of our time. Podcast is presented by the Brussel's based Europe – Asia Center and hosted by…

1
Sustainable development & digital transition with former EU Commissioner Violeta Bulc 1:08:54

3y ago1:08:54

1:08:54

With the 2020 adoptation of the European Green Deal, European Commission has set a strategic course for Europe’s post-pandemic recovery and most importantly, approach to tackle the existential treat of climate change and environmental degradation. Exploring the topic of Sustainable development and Digital transition, the Europe – Asia Podcast’s fea…

1
#27 - Fran Téllez de Meneses aka unepic_fran | Spanish game developer of UnEpic and UnMetal! 59:34

3y ago59:34

59:34

Send us a text Fran, an indie developer settled in Barcelona, Spain. I’m the programmer and game designer of UnMetal and other indie games. We understand more about where the inspiration for games making has come from, the understanding of where to start, and also working on building multi language gaming! Twitter: https://twitter.com/unepic_fran Y…

1
APFSD & HLPF: Reviewing SDG progress 42:34

3y ago42:34

42:34

This time, Andre, Erin, and Simon spoke with Nobue Amanuma, a Deputy Director at the IGES Integrated Sustainability Centre. Nobue and Simon have been quite deeply involved in IGES work on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We discussed the SDGs, and in particular two key upcoming meetings that review countries’ progress toward them. The Asia…

1
What is UNEA-5.2? 48:25

3+ y ago48:25

48:25

Simon shares his knowledge on UNEA-5.2, the second half of UNEP’s biennial United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). UNEA functions as the world’s parliament on the environment, where global environment ministers congregate to debate and decide on priorities of environmental concern in the cont…

1
#26 - DJH0FFMAN | DJ, Musician and Retro Games Creator 1:12:53

3+ y ago1:12:53

1:12:53

Send us a text My guest was DJH0FFMAN, he is a professional DJ, Musician and Games Creator. You can also catch him on Twitch LIVE doing music and playing Retro games. Make sure you check out his links below: Metal Gear - Amiga Port: https://hoffman.home.blog/metal-gear/ Knightmare - Amiga Port: https://hoffman.home.blog/knightmare/ Twitter: http://…

1
Celebrating the Olympic spirit ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games with Winter Olympic champion Tina Maze 1:11:40

3+ y ago1:11:40

1:11:40

The universal values of excellence, friendship and mutual respect are the foundations of the Olympic movement, defined in the modern manifesto of Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1892. With only hours left until the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, the Europe – Asia Podcast will be exploring the values that shape the modern Ol…

1
#25 - Aidan Half-Troll | Archaeologist and Content Creator 1:08:36

3+ y ago1:08:36

1:08:36

Send us a text My guest was Aidan Half-Troll, he is a professional archaeologist for 14 years, lifelong gamer, metalhead, occasionally funny on twitch Twitter: https://twitter.com/AidanHalfTroll Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/aidanhalftroll ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My…

1
Interview with Craig Newmark, on Funding Public Interest News Organisations 11:48

4y ago11:48

11:48

Geneva, 6 October 2020 — Craig Newmark is backing media organizations that are committed to public interest journalism. News organizations that support and elevate democratic ideals. Combating misinformation, analyzing how websites deploy trackers in visitors’ devices, fighting fake news, are some of the issues he is addressing. What moves him? Wha…

1
Women of The Desert 31:26

4y ago31:26

31:26

In our final episode for season 1, we share insights with two "Women of the Desert" from West and Southern Africa. Happy Earth Day 2021! #RestoreOurEarth. Dr Birguy Lamizana-Diallo, is a Fulani woman from Burkina Faso (The Sahel), who is the incoming Coordinator of the UNCCD for the G20 Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation. She is joined …

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