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Episode 49 is about the related topics of electric vehicles, key minerals, and China. Our guest is Henry Sanderson. Henry is currently the executive editor of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a provider of supply chain and energy transition intelligence. This includes lithium, nickel, cobalt, electric vehicles, and the like. Henry and I first discuss his interest in EVs and the related minerals. Then we talk about his book Volt Rush, about EVs, about some of the key minerals, and finally on his thoughts about market developments over the next 25 years.
Useful Resources:
Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green
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Benchmark Mineral Intelligence's Power Players

ABOUT HENRY: Henry Sanderson is an author and journalist focusing on clean energy. He authored Volt Rush, the Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green, which was chosen as a book of the week by the Observer, and one of the best science and environment books of 2022 by The Times. He also previously co-authored a book, China's Superbank: Debt, Oil and Influence - How China Development Bank is Rewriting the Rules of Finance. He is former journalist for the Financial Times and Bloomberg, he is currently the executive editor of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the leading provider of data and analysis on the battery supply chain.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep0-29 The Open Goldberg Variations, Kimiko Ishizaka Ep30- Orchestra Gli Armonici – Tomaso Albinoni, Op.07, Concerto 04 per archi in Sol - III. Allegro. | FEEDBACK: theasiaclimatecapitalpodcast@gmail.com.

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This is a special episode. It is an abridged version of a webinar held in May 2024 on climate finance. There are three short presentations followed by a short Q&A session. You will hear the views from Dr Tim Cadman from the University of Southern Queensland, from Dr Tapan Sarker, from the same university, and from Joseph Jacobelli. Dr Cadman discusses some positive trends about action toward protecting the environment with some emphasis on biodiversity conservation. Dr Sarker focuses on the financing of the UN SDGs and developing countries’ access to finance being facilitated through enhanced project implementation and climate finance. Joseph focuses on the entities who will most benefit from opportunities opened up by the energy transition, namely corporations. Thank you to the publisher De Gruyter who kindly organised the seminar and also to Lervinia Swee from De Gruyter who facilitated the discussion.

YouTube: The Economic Cost of Climate Change to APAC in 2024 and beyond hosted by De Gruyter.

De Gruyter Handbook of Sustainable Development and Finance by Timothy Cadman and Tapan Sarker

Asia’s Energy Revolution: China’s Role and New Opportunities as Markets Transform and Digitalise by Joseph Jacobelli

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Dr Timothy Cadman. Adjunct Research Fellow, University of Southern Queensland. Timothy specialises in governance of sustainable development, environmental politics and policy, climate change and natural resource management, including forestry, responsible investment and institutional performance. He works with communities and governments across Asia-Pacific to develop governance standards for international projects and programmes.
Dr Tapan Sarker. Professor of Finance, University of Southern Queensland. Tapan's research expertise lies in the domain of business strategy for sustainability, carbon finance and the political economy of sustainable development, with a particular focus on developing economies. Before entering academia, Tapan worked with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Environment and Forests in Bangladesh and later as a World Bank scholar in Tokyo, Japan.
Giuseppe (Joseph) Jacobelli. Managing Partner, Bougie Impact Capital. Joseph is a climate business and finance expert with over three decades of experience in investment banking, clean energy companies, and research. Currently, he manages two firms, including Bougie Impact Capital, a Single Family Office investing in public markets and real estate. A strong advocate for decarbonisation awareness, Joseph authored a book on Asia's energy transition and hosts a podcast on the topic.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep0-29 The Open Goldberg Variations, Kimiko Ishizaka Ep30- Orchestra Gli Armonici – Tomaso Albinoni, Op.07, Concerto 04 per archi in Sol - III. Allegro. | FEEDBACK: theasiaclimatecapitalpodcast@gmail.com.

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In this episode, we focus on a crucial part of climate-related business and finance: the creation of renewable energy projects. This is a significant step towards a cleaner energy future. Our expert guest, Steve Shi, is a seasoned professional in renewable energy project transactions, with experience in North America and Southeast Asia. He will enlighten us on the necessary steps to develop clean energy projects and share his insights on key Asian electricity markets, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.

ABOUT STEVE. Difu (Steve) Shi is the Overseas Transaction Manager for Sungrow Renewables. He is based in Southeast Asia and coordinates renewable energy investments and transactions in the ASEAN market for Sungrow Renewables, the development arm of Sungrow. Prior to joining Sungrow Renewables, he was the leading analyst for a publicly listed IPP based in Toronto, Canada, covering the North American market. He also held positions at KPMG and EY in Beijing. Steve holds an MBA from the University of Toronto, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Hong Kong and Ontario, and also holds Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designations. He volunteered for over eight years at the Toronto Wildlife Center, transporting dozens of injured red-tailed hawks and owls to the rehabilitation facility.

Please take note of the disclaimer at the end of the episode.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep0-29 The Open Goldberg Variations, Kimiko Ishizaka Ep30- Orchestra Gli Armonici – Tomaso Albinoni, Op.07, Concerto 04 per archi in Sol - III. Allegro. | FEEDBACK: theasiaclimatecapitalpodcast@gmail.com.

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The phase-out of coal-fired power plants in Asia Pacific presents a significant challenge, requiring a delicate balance between environmental sustainability and economic feasibility. In this discussion, we are joined by Dr Christoph Nedopil Wang of the Griffith Asia Institute, who delves into case studies from Pakistan and Vietnam, offering valuable insights applicable to other Asian electricity markets. Notably, the conversation will explore innovative financial mechanisms that could facilitate the early retirement of coal plants while mitigating potential financial burdens.

Resources: China coal exit: Opportunities for China-led financing of early phase down of coal-fired power plants in Pakistan and Vietnam.

ABOUT CHRISTOPH. Professor Christoph Nedopil is the Director of the Griffith Asia Institute at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. He is also a Visiting Professor at FISF Fudan University, Shanghai, Acting Director of the Green Finance & Development Center at FISF Fudan University, and a Visiting Faculty at Singapore Management University (SMU). Christoph regularly provides advisory to governments, financial institutions, enterprises, and civil society on sustainable development issues. He is the lead author of the UNDP SDG Finance Taxonomy, the Innovative Climate Finance Solutions report for the G20 in Indonesia, and the Green Development Guidance of the BRI Green Development Coalition under the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment. He has authored four books and published articles in Science and other leading journals. Christoph serves as board director in scaling sustainability in businesses and finance. Christoph is quoted regularly in Financial Times, The Economist, Reuters, Bloomberg, and other major outlets. Before joining Griffith University, he served as Founding Director of the Green Finance & Development Center and Associate Professor at the Fanhai International School of Finance (FISF), Fudan University and previously as Founding Director for the Green BRI Center at the Central University of Economics in Beijing. He worked with the World Bank in over 15 countries and was a Director in the German development agency GIZ. Christoph holds a Master of Engineering and a PhD in Economics from the Technical University Berlin, as well as a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep0-29 The Open Goldberg Variations, Kimiko Ishizaka Ep30- Orchestra Gli Armonici – Tomaso Albinoni, Op.07, Concerto 04 per archi in Sol - III. Allegro. | FEEDBACK: theasiaclimatecapitalpodcast@gmail.com.

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The world’s offshore wind installed capacity reached 117 gigawatts in 2023, up 50% over 2022. It is projected to reach 320 GW by 2030. We discuss with Asia energy markets veteran Mark Hutchinson the recently released Global Wind Report 2024 by Global Wind Energy Council. We have a quick review of 2023, focus on a couple of the key take aways, share some thoughts on some key Asia Pacific offshore wind markets, discuss the state of capital investments and financing, and finally look beyond 2024.

ABOUT MARK. Mark Hutchinson has over three decades of energy sector experience, including over 25 years consulting and research experience in Asia. He has expertise in strategic advice, finance, M&A, contract negotiations and due diligence in the power and renewables, and the oil and gas sectors. He is the chair of the Southeast Asia Task Force for the Global Wind Energy Council. Mark works with the GWEC members in Asia and globally to represent the wind industry in policy and regulatory discussions across the region. GWEC convenes both in-person and virtual meetings with key stakeholders, providing fact-based analysis and guidance to help shape policies that affect the wind industry.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep0-29 The Open Goldberg Variations, Kimiko Ishizaka Ep30- Orchestra Gli Armonici – Tomaso Albinoni, Op.07, Concerto 04 per archi in Sol - III. Allegro. | FEEDBACK: theasiaclimatecapitalpodcast@gmail.com.

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Scaling up energy efficiency can for 11 per cent of cumulative emissions reductions by 2030 according to the IEA. In this episode energy industry veteran Alexander Ablaza, explains why energy efficiency the most important pieces of the energy transition although it is often unjustifiably ignored. He discusses in detail business and finance trends in the sector as well as examining the many investments opportunities, and the challenges, with energy efficiency in the Asia Pacific region.

ABOUT ALEXANDER: Alexander Ablaza is CEO of Climargy Inc. The last 23 years of his 38-year professional career have been dedicated to growing energy efficiency and other clean energy technology deployment in 14 Asian markets through the identification, due diligence and financial close of over $3 billion in direct investments, and also through catalytic market transformation, policy, regulatory, fund mobilization and transaction support interventions. He designed and established Climargy, a global pioneer private Super ESCO aggregator of ESCO project assets hosted by the C&I sector in Asian growth markets. He convened, founded, and chairs the Asia-Pacific ESCO Industry Alliance and the Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance. He likewise co-founded and sits in the Advisory Board of the Global ESCO Network and co-chairs the Marketplace Taskforce of the global coalition, Mission Efficiency. He is armed with 35 years of project and corporate management experience, an aggregate 29 years of energy sector involvement, and an educational background in engineering (BSCE) and economics (MBE).

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep0-29 The Open Goldberg Variations, Kimiko Ishizaka Ep30- Orchestra Gli Armonici – Tomaso Albinoni, Op.07, Concerto 04 per archi in Sol - III. Allegro. | FEEDBACK: theasiaclimatecapitalpodcast@gmail.com.

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In this episode podcast, we’re privileged to host two seasoned stalwarts of the heavy industry, Genevieve Hilton and Steve Willis. Their unexpected pivot has led them to channel their vast experience into a compelling work of fiction: ‘Fairhaven: A Novel of Climate Optimism’ (Habitat Press, 2024). This isn’t just a novel; it’s a beacon illuminating the pressing climate issues that our planet grapples with. Our conversation takes a deep dive into Genevieve’s and Steve’s transformative journey towards net-zero. We then shift our focus to three innovative climate solutions, not mere theoretical constructs, but viable both project-wise and financially, as explored in the novel. We also touch upon the topic of corporate sustainability and underscore the paramount importance of raising awareness. This episode isn’t just a discussion; it’s a thought-provoking exploration of climate change from a truly unique vantage point. Tune in for an enlightening experience.

ABOUT GENEVIEVE. Genevieve Hilton has worked in corporate affairs and sustainability in the Asia Pacific region since 1994. She previously led ESG and communications in Asia Pacific for Lenovo, as well as Corporate Citizenship and External Communications Asia Pacific for BASF. Since taking a step back from the corporate world in 2022, she has become a full-time sustainability activist and writer. Under the pen name Jan Lee, she is an award-winning science fiction writer. She is the co-author, with Steve Willis, of "Fairhaven – A Novel of Climate Optimism" (Habitat Press UK), a winner in the Green Stories contest. Her work has also been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and recognized several times in the “Writers of the Future” contest. She also is Editor-in-Chief of The Apostrophe, the quarterly magazine of the Hong Kong Writers Circle. She currently acts as a senior advisor for a number of environmental and social activist organizations, as well as co-chairing the Energy & ESG Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong.

ABOUT STEVE. Steve Willis is an engineer and innovator with decades of experience providing solutions to environmental problems for large scale industries. The start of the covid lockdowns gave him pause to think carefully about climate solutions, what was needed and what it would take to get there. This led to a collaboration with the GreenStories team to produce the No More Fairy Tales anthology for COP27. Steve continues to work on large scale climate solutions, currently developing a CO2 sequestration mineralisation process which can be deployed at the million tonne scale.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep0-29 The Open Goldberg Variations, Kimiko Ishizaka Ep30- Orchestra Gli Armonici – Tomaso Albinoni, Op.07, Concerto 04 per archi in Sol - III. Allegro. | FEEDBACK: theasiaclimatecapitalpodcast@gmail.com.

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One of the rapidly growing areas in climate business and finance is the purchase by corporations of clean energy. This is frequently referred to as corporate renewable energy procurement. Such purchases jumped 12% to 46 gigawatts in 2023 according to BNEF. Our guest is Suji Kang, the programme director of Asia Clean Energy Coalition, an organisation dedicated to corporate renewable energy procurement in Asia. Members include major multinationals such as Amazon, Google, Ikea, and many others. We discussed a variety of topics including the broad picture of what is happening in the region, the work of Suji’s organisation with governments, and the challenges currently faced.

ABOUT SUJI: Suji Kang is the Asia Program Director of Asia Clean Energy Coalition (ACEC) where she is responsible for engaging all members and stakeholders to create a favourable policy and market environment for the company’s clean energy procurement across the Asia Pacific region. Suji has ten years of experience in the public-, private-, non-profit sectors in energy and environment industry. She has worked as a director of K-RE100 solutions team at ROOT ENERGY, a private start-up company providing consulting and procurement services for renewable energy projects for companies in Korea. Prior to that Suji served as Regional Manager of Asia at the World Energy Council, based in London. Prior public experience includes her lead on international cooperation and external affairs team in Korea Energy Foundation. Suji is a graduate of McGill University with Bachelor’s degree in Management and currently studying for Msc in Energy and Environment at Korea University. She is a native speaker of Korea, fluent in English and conversational French.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep0-29 The Open Goldberg Variations, Kimiko Ishizaka Ep30- Orchestra Gli Armonici – Tomaso Albinoni, Op.07, Concerto 04 per archi in Sol - III. Allegro. | FEEDBACK: theasiaclimatecapitalpodcast@gmail.com.