Best Girish Shivakumar Podcasts (2025)

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109: Why Nuclear? Why Now? Setting the Stage for a New Energy Conversation 7:15

5d ago7:15

7:15

In this solo kickoff to a brand new series, host Girish Shivakumar takes listeners on a personal journey — from joining the renewable energy movement post-Fukushima to now exploring the evolving role of nuclear energy in our net-zero future. Why is nuclear suddenly back on the agenda for governments and tech giants? What has changed between 2011 an…

1
108: ESG & Finance in a Changing Political Climate ft. Gabriel Thoumi,CFA 35:40

2M ago35:40

35:40

In this insightful episode of Mission Shunya, host Girish Shivakumar welcomes Gabriel Thoumi, CEO of Responsible Alpha, to discuss the growing importance of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors in today’s financial landscape. As the political climate shifts globally, Gabriel shares expert insights into how investors and financial ins…

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107: Net-Zero transition & challenges in building retro-fit ft.The Crown Estate 35:43

2M ago35:43

35:43

What do you do if you're one of the largest asset owners in your region, yet still have a commitment to a net-zero transition? While building retrofits present significant challenges, the effort is undeniably worthwhile. In this episode, Kyle Gray, the lead at The Crown Estate, shares insights into their journey toward net-zero and the hurdles they…

1
106: Zero-carbon bio-cement and bio-concrete ft. Prometheus Materials 19:22

3M ago19:22

19:22

Building materials are key components in assessing the net carbon impact of construction sector and in recent times there are a bunch of early stage companies that are claiming to have an USP with their product or technology. Loren Burnett, President, CEO and Co-founder, Prometheus Materials joins Girish Shivakumar for a conversation to share their…

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105: Decarbonisation in Construction: What are the key drivers and enablers? 27:13

3M ago27:13

27:13

"Did you know that the construction industry/the built environment is responsible for nearly 30-40% of global carbon emissions? Yes, that is exactly the topic we are going to discuss in this series, ‘Building Green: Decarbonizing Construction’. On this episode Tercia Jansen Van Vuuren a global expert and a practitioner of sustainable practices in t…

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104: Breaking Ground: ESG and the Path to Net-Zero Construction 29:37

5M ago29:37

29:37

"Did you know that the construction industry/the built environment is responsible for nearly 30-40% of global carbon emissions? Yes, that is exactly the topic we are going to discuss in this series, ‘Building Green: Decarbonizing Construction’. Jack Wardale, Director at Terra Instinct joins us for the inaugural episode on this series to build on fr…

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103: The other side of ESG: A tough road ahead. ft. Gabriel Thoumi, Responsible Alpha (Part 3 of 3) 22:50

9M ago22:50

22:50

Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) related discussions is happening across the board but not everyone is keen. So what is holding us back in the adoption of ESG practices by businesses? Gabriel Thoumi, President & CEO of Responsible Alpha joins Girish Shivakumar to share his experience of running into problems in implementation of ESG practice…

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102: How are businesses navigating the ESG landscape? ft. Tomoo Machiba, Zeroboard (Part 2 of 3) 21:36

9M ago21:36

21:36

On this second of a three part series around ESG we look at “How are businesses navigating the ESG landscape?”. Tomoo Machib from Zeroboard joins Girish Shivakumar for a conversation. Artwork courtesy - www.terregeneration.com a content agency specialised in telling stories in climate, biodiversity and sustainability. Liked the episode? Give a rati…

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101: What is ESG all about? Part 1 of 3 12:24

10M ago12:24

12:24

ESG is everywhere, but what is it all about? What is the big deal? Why are companies worried about ESG implementation? How does this play into the wider net-zero transition? All this and more on this first of a three part series around ESG with Girish Shivakumar. Artwork courtesy - www.terregeneration.com a content agency specialised in telling sto…

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100: Hit Rewind: Interviewed by TerreGeneration 53:24

11M ago53:24

53:24

Mission Shunya hits ‘100’ and it’s time to hit rewind and look back at the journey so far, the highs, the lows and everything in between. On this special episode, Girish Shivakumar is interviewed by the TerreGeneration team ft. Jacob and Kaushik where he shares his journey from creating the podcast to doing 100 episodes over the last few years and …

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99: Converting a bike into an e-bike with an add-on ft. Som Ray, Clip 32:27

2y ago32:27

32:27

Are you looking to upgrade your bike to an e-bike? Well, you don’t have to buy a new one; all you need is a ‘Clip’. On this week’s episode Som Ray, CEO & Founder at Clip Bike joins Girish Shivakumar for a conversation. Key topics: The problem with conventional bikes The innovation behind ‘Clip’ Will the E-bike boom sustain in the post pandemic year…

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98: Tapping community solar for commercial & industrial sector ft. Gabriel Phillips, Catalyst Power 29:24

2y ago29:24

29:24

What is community solar? How can commercial & industrial (C&I) sector players leverage this asset to cut down on energy bills? All this and more discussed on this episode where Gabriel Phillips, CEO, Catalyst Power joins Girish Shivakumar for a conversation. Key topics: What is community solar? Who benefits more from community solar? Energy efficie…

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97: Converting waste into a plastic substitute ft. Rachel Barr, UBQ Materials 30:03

2y ago30:03

30:03

Waste is ubiquitous, can solutions be ubiquitous too? Well, it can be, if the solution conceptualized by UBQ Materials is scaled up according to Rachel Barr who joins Girish Shivakumar for a conversation. Key topics: Diverting waste from landfills What is UBQ material? The climate positive process of conversion Supporting a circular economy by reim…

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96: Carbon farming: Farming-based carbon credits ft. Robin Saluoks, eAgronom 26:22

2y ago26:22

26:22

Soil is a crucial piece in the carbon sequestration cycle, but are we doing enough to preserve it? Are we incentivizing farmers to practice sustainable farming? How can carbon credits enable farmers get additional revenue? All this and more discussed on this episode where Robin Saluoks, Founder and CEO from eAgronom joins Girish Shivakumar for a ch…

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95: Sustainability and major sport events ft. Jitesh Brahmkshatriya 28:24

2+ y ago28:24

28:24

Qatar spent nearly 15 times more than Russia in hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, was it worth it? Are big sporting events really sustainable in the long run? Was London Olympics of 2012 the real success story? All this and more discussed on this episode where Girish Shivakumar is joined by Jitesh Brahmkshatriya, Senior Director at CBRE. Key topics:…

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94: Building a business empire in micro-mobility from kick scooters to Microlino ft. Wim Ouboter 29:36

2+ y ago29:36

29:36

First & last mile commute account for nearly 25% of transport emissions and sustainable micro-mobility is the way forward. Wim Ouboter, the ‘Swiss Elon Musk’, founder of Micro Mobility Systems joins Girish Shivakumar on this episode sharing his story of building a business around kick scooters and now launching the Microlino. Key topics: Importance…

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93: Winter is coming: Is Europe ready for it? ft. Matthew Myers 39:15

2+ y ago39:15

39:15

The unexpected events in Europe have resulted in an energy crisis of sorts but the biggest fear is the winter that is around the corner. Matthew Myers joins Girish Shivakumar to share his perspectives on the current situation. Key topics: The energy price rise in Europe Natural gas situation in UK and Europe Demand side measures for the winter The …

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92: Building and scaling a business in recycling ft. A.L.N. Rao, Exigo Recycling 30:29

2+ y ago30:29

30:29

Everyone talks about recycling and reusing resources but what does it take to setup & scale a business in this sector? A.L.N. Rao, CEO of Exigo Recycling joins Girish Shivakumar to share his experience. Key topics: · What it takes to set up & scale recycling business in India? · The importance of informal sector in the landscape · The evolving poli…

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91: Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment): Nudging individuals towards climate action 15:59

2+ y ago15:59

15:59

How can you get started with small action steps for a sustainable living? Girish Shivakumar & Premasri Girish discuss the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) programme. Key topics: 75 small action steps for everyday sustainable living Apply to the Mission LiFE global call for ideas: https://www.niti.gov.in/life | LiFE document: https://bit.ly/…

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90: Play a virtual game to plant real trees ft. Michael Libenson, Carbon Counts 27:47

2+ y ago27:47

27:47

Wouldn’t it be fun if your daily dose of game time resulted in planting more trees? Well, that’s exactly what Michael Libenson has set out to do with the EverForest game. Michael joins Girish Shivakumar on this episode to share his idea behind this new game which is aimed to create a fun and socially inclusive behavioural nudges ultimately resultin…

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89: Why should we care about reducing our carbon footprint? ft. Frank Dalene 28:48

2+ y ago28:48

28:48

Why should we care about reducing our carbon footprint? Can we have a universal carbon label? All this and a lot more discussed on this episode where Girish Shivakumar is in conversation with Frank Dalene. Frank Dalene is President and CEO of Telemark, Inc and has over four decades of experience in the construction sector. On an even larger scale, …

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88: Creating a unique value proposition ft. startup stories 28:03

2+ y ago28:03

28:03

Every business needs a value differentiator, so how do entrepreneurs’ discover their USP/UVP? Girish Shivakumar and Premasri Girish pick up a few entrepreneurs and their stories from the channel on this episode. Listen to full episodes here- EnergyX, Lithium extraction (Ep.12-https://bit.ly/3Bt9s6G) Waterscope, Water testing (Ep. 35- https://bit.ly…

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87: Reducing the carbon footprint of food ft. Kapil, Edible Routes 35:06

2+ y ago35:06

35:06

Did you know that growing your own food is good for the planet? Have you tried farming? If not, you can always rent a small farm to grow your food. This conversation between Girish Shivakumar and Kapil Mandawewala from Edible Routes is all about growing your own food and reducing your carbon footprint. Connect with Kapil https://edibleroutes.com/ |…

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86: Closed loop recycling of water ft. Aditi A, Organic Solutions 35:43

2+ y ago35:43

35:43

What happens to water after you flush it down the drain? You might not care. But, water is a stressed asset and it is high time we start to close the loop. Closed loop recycling of water is the theme of this episode where Aditi of Organic Solutions joins Girish Shivakumar to share her story and the organic water treatment solutions developed by the…

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85: Critical metals, commodity prices & a lot more ft. Taso Arima, IperionX 30:33

2+ y ago30:33

30:33

Are the high commodity prices going to be the new normal? What is the role of critical metals in the net zero transition and also a lot more about Titanium and recycling on this episode featuring a conversation between Girish Shivakumar and Anastasios (Taso) Arima from IperionX. Connect with Taso Arima https://iperionx.com/ | https://bit.ly/3SmypIC…

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84: How do I choose the right EV? Here's my 1000 mile update 18:53

3y ago18:53

18:53

Electric Vehicles (EV) are the talk of the town (globally)! So, how do you decide if EV is right for you? Which category of EV should you choose? What are the incentives available for purchasing an EV? All this and more discussed on this episode. Girish Shivakumar along with Premasri Girish share their personal journey and experience in owning an E…

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83: The Start:Eco-Entrepreneurs tell us how their journeys began 22:21

3y ago22:21

22:21

When was the last time you had a light-bulb moment for an idea? What drives you to do the work you do? How did you get started with your passion project? All these questions lead to some interesting stories and this episode is a short compilation of such stories from a few of our guests who appeared on the episodes earlier. Pursuing a passion proje…

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82: Can we break free from plastic? ft. Von Hernandez 35:33

3y ago35:33

35:33

Today, we produce about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. Our Planet is choking with plastics. How can we break free from plastics? What are the alternatives? How can brands and organisations be more responsible? As a consumer, what can you do to have a positive impact? Joining Girish Shivakumar is Von Hernandez, Global Coordinator, B…

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81: Building the cities of the future ft. Pedro B. Ortiz 43:42

3y ago43:42

43:42

68% of the global population will be living in urban areas by 2050 according to the UN but, are our cities prepared for it? How can building cities move away from the conventional methods to make them more resilient? Why should we build better cities if we are to reach the global net zero targets? Joining Girish Shivakumar is Pedro B. Ortiz, an acc…

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80: Envisioning a waste-free world ft. Anne Johnson, RRS 38:41

3y ago38:41

38:41

Recovering valuable resources from waste is only the last leg of the journey. But what goes into setting up the process for private & public sector stakeholders to ensure we build a zero- waste world. What are the best practices for market development in waste management and recycling that developing countries can adopt? On this episode Anne Johnso…

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79: What goes into the preparation of an IPCC report? ft. Aditi Mukherjee 37:28

3y ago37:28

37:28

The IPCC publishes comprehensive reports about climate change, the impacts and potential solutions. But what goes behind in the preparation of the reports? How are the authors' onboarded? How do they go about preparing the massive reports that have a significant global influence? Dr Aditi Mukherji, Principal Researcher at the International Water Ma…

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78: Building the circular economy of plastic ft. Pratibha Dewett, Lucro 36:38

3y ago36:38

36:38

How can you ensure better plastic recovery? Can businesses benefit from recycled plastic? How do you build the circular economy of plastic? Pratibha Dewett, Chief Sustainability and Marketing officer of Lucro Plastecycle, an Indian plastic waste collector, recycler and product manufacturer joins Girish Shivakumar on this episode to share the story …

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77: CO2 Battery:Manipulating CO2 to fight climate change ft. Claudio Spadacini,Energy Dome 29:31

3y ago29:31

29:31

What are the drawbacks of Lithium batteries? Can CO2 be used as a source for a battery? Are alternatives to lithium batteries price competitive? Claudio Spadacini, Founder & CEO at Energy Dome joins Girish Shivakumar on this episode to share the technology behind Energy Dome and how they are using CO2 against Climate Change. Energy Dome’s focus is …

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76: Chemical recycling: Closing the loop ft. Maurizio Crippa, Gr3n 25:10

3y ago25:10

25:10

What is chemical recycling? Is it sustainable? Can circular economy in chemical recycling be achieved at a local scale? Maurizio Crippa PhD, CEO at Gr3n Recycling joins Girish Shivakumar on this episode to share his experience working as a materials scientist trying to solve the biggest problems through innovative solution. The result is Gr3n recyc…

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75: Powering Livelihoods:The impact of energy access ft. Abhishek Jain,CEEW 42:35

3y ago42:35

42:35

Is connection to grid the real measure of energy access? What is the impact of energy access on livelihoods? How has energy access coupled with renewable energy created a new class of entrepreneurs’’? Abhishek Jain, Fellow & Director of Powering Livelihoods, a CEEW initiative joins Girish Shivakumar on this episode to share his experience from impl…

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74: A community-led Eco-publication from the Western Ghats ft. Rajni George, The Kodai Chronicle 32:56

3y ago32:56

32:56

Climate Action through active community engagement - A community in the Western Ghats of India have come together to create environmental awareness in the bio-diversity hotspot. One of their communication channels is the Kodai Chronicle, an outlet that aims to be more than just a publication. Rajni George, editor-in-chief of The Kodai Chronicle joi…

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73: Creating a sustainable,natural ecosystem ft. Varun Ravindra,Vanantara 28:31

3y ago28:31

28:31

Forests are a big carbon sink, so why don’t we have more of them? How can communities create forests? How can we create a sustainable, natural ecosystem? All your questions on afforestation and getting started with community forests are answered on this episode. Varun Ravindra is the Chief Conservator at Vanantara, a community lead afforestation pr…

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72: Emerging risks from Climate Change ft. Praveen Gupta 41:02

3+ y ago41:02

41:02

A discussion on Climate Change is not complete without talking about the risks. On this episode Praveen Gupta joins Girish Shivakumar to talk on this topic. Also discussed on this episode are the insurance industry’s interests in climate change and the importance of diversity in climate action. Praveen Gupta is a former CEO who is currently explori…

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71: How to avoid a climate disaster by Bill Gates - A Review 17:50

3+ y ago17:50

17:50

It’s the last episode of 2021 and a perfect time to do a review. The review is of a different kind where Girish Shivakumar reviews Bill Gates’s book, ‘How to avoid a climate disaster’. Know more - https://www.gatesnotes.com/Energy/My-new-climate-book-is-finally-here Liked the episode? Give a rating and write a review on Apple Podcasts (https://appl…

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70: A career in climate-tech – A getting started guide 16:19

3+ y ago16:19

16:19

What does it take to work in Climate-tech? How do you position yourself for a rewarding role in the space? Why is now the right time to start in climate-tech? Girish Shivakumar shares his story and lessons from his journey of 10 years on building a career in climate-tech. Links mentioned in the episode – VC report – https://pwc.to/3IIsCZm VC newsle…

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69: Did COP26 deliver? 10:27

3+ y ago10:27

10:27

COP26 concluded in Glasgow recently, did it deliver? Well, we have the Glasgow climate pact, the Paris rule book and the mention of coal in the agreement. So what else happened during the two week event? Girish Shivakumar discusses the key outcomes from COP26 on this episode. Here’s primer to COP26 if you missed it earlier - https://bit.ly/3p92E85 …

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68: Chef crafted plant-based meat alternatives ft. Todd Boyman,Hungry Planet 39:54

3+ y ago39:54

39:54

Globally one-fourth of the greenhouse gas emissions come from food production. It includes everything like farming, dairy and meat industries. In fact dairy and meat account for nearly 15% of the emissions. So how can a brand contribute to less land, less water and fewer emissions while selling plant-based meat alternatives? On this episode Todd Bo…

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67: What to expect at COP 26? 11:40

3+ y ago11:40

11:40

The 26th Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will take place in Glasgow from Oct 31st to Nov 12th 2021. The 4 top goals are - Mitigation, Adaptation, Finance & Collaboration. Along these lines we can expect more firm commitments from the countries at the event. What more to expect? Giris…

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66: Launching sustainable mobility solutions in cities ft. Venkatesh Gopal, Movmi 47:44

3+ y ago47:44

47:44

How can cities enable shared electric mobility services? Are 15 minute cities a reality? Why behaviour shift is essential to make shared transit system in cities a success? All this and more is discussed in this episode where Venkatesh Gopal, Partnerships & Business Development manager at Movmi joins Girish Shivakumar for a conversation. To find ou…

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65: Leadership in cleantech: What does it take to build a successful business? ft. David Hunt 29:57

3+ y ago29:57

29:57

What does it take to build a successful cleantech business? Are the new age leaders in cleantech different from the conventional business leaders? What do the investors look for when they evaluate a cleantech start-up? All this and more is discussed in this episode where Girish Shivakumar interviews David Hunt, CEO of Hyperion Executive Search and …

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64: Sustainability champions ft. Vikas Brahmavar of Trans Water System 26:23

3+ y ago26:23

26:23

Did you know that water that is treated well can be reused? Water treatment as a service is now available where you pay for every litre of water reused from treatment. What's more, it also meets your requirements in terms of local government compliance. The Boson White Water System involves a 11 stage treatment process where the output is pure drin…

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63: All about Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ft. Sampo Hietanen, MaaS Global 35:48

3+ y ago35:48

35:48

What is Mobility as a Service (MaaS) all about? How can MaaS help cities reduce car ownership? What are the emerging global trends around MaaS? Can we combine housing rents with mobility subscription? All your questions on this and more answered on this episode where Sampo Hietanen, CEO of MaaS Global is in conversation with Girish Shivakumar. To f…

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62: Energy transitions, electricity deregulation and empowering consumers in the US ft. Jesson Bradshaw, Energy Ogre 39:38

3+ y ago39:38

39:38

How has deregulation of electricity markets given more power to the consumers? How can technology help developing countries leapfrog in the energy transition? What can we learn from the Texas electricity grid crisis of 2021? All your questions on this and more answered on this episode where Jesson Bradshaw, CEO of Energy Ogre is in conversation wit…

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61: Refreezing the arctic and other climate actions backed by scientific research ft. Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge 30:30

3+ y ago30:30

30:30

Is refreezing the arctic a viable climate action? What are the pathways for deep and rapid emissions reductions? What are the nature based solutions for greenhouse gas removal? All your questions on this and more answered on this episode where we discuss Climate action backed by scientific research and robust evidence with Dr Shaun Fitzgerald OBE f…

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60: Enabling Climate Action ft.Tristan Foerster, ClimatePartner 39:24

4y ago39:24

39:24

How did Greta Thunberg inspire climate action around the world? How did a company that started off as a provider of carbon footprint assessments grow into a MNC that is offering businesses an end-end transparent climate action strategy? All you need to know about ClimatePartner's 5 step process for climate action is on this episode. Girish Shivakum…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Girish Shivakumar Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen