The battery race is already being won. The question is whether Europe — and Sweden — is still in it. There is a moment in every technological transition when the debate shifts. When the question moves from ‘will this work?’ to ‘who will be left behind?’ We are at that moment with batteries. The numbers …
By Kaj Embren, Senior Advisor | Sustainability & Climate Strategies | Award-Winning Social Media Influencer | Podcaster | SpeakerLondon, England Published ahead of London Climate Action Week, 20–28 June 2026 I have lost count of the climate events I have attended over the years. The COPs with their sprawling negotiating halls and last-minute text battles. …
Between the COPs: A Roadmap for Climate Action That Actually Works Read More »
A CNX field technician at a company gas operation in the Appalachian region. Photograph courtesy of CNX Resources. First in a two-part series on how coal mine methane abatement gets financed in the United States. The next instalment will examine the financial instruments needed to scale it. BY JUNEIA MALLAS · THE METHANE BRIEF “If …
While the world chased billion-dollar climate moonshots, a family-run American industrial company quietly became one of the most important weapons against global warming. Nobody noticed. By Juneia Mallas – Clean Exit – Methane Brief The phone call lasts just under an hour. On one end, a journalist in London trying to understand why the cheapest …
Every tonne of coal mined to replace disrupted gas comes with methane that will trap the sun’s heat for the duration of its atmospheric lifetime — then oxidise into CO₂, which stays for centuries. Reducing those emissions has an immediate effect on warming. The technology to do it exists, costs seven dollars a tonne, and …
Is the Middle East War Handing Coal a Free Pass? Read More »
Kaj Embren, Senior Advisor | Sustainability & Climate Strategies | Award-Winning Social Media Influencer | Podcaster | Speaker London, England The Market’s Flight to Quality — and the Deforestation Credit Crisis The voluntary carbon market (VCM) is not collapsing. It is bifurcating — and the distinction matters enormously for anyone with capital or policy exposure …
Richard Mattus is a Swedish industrial emissions expert with over 40 years of global experience, specializing in low-concentration methane mitigation. He led the 2025 UNECE Best Practice Guidance on Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Mitigation. Anguil VAM installation in China with project managers and commissioning engineers on site for RTO start-up. Smaller images show RTOs in workshop. All pictures …
Turning Methane Into Opportunity: How RTO Technology is Helping Clean Up Coal Mines Read More »
As Europe grapples with the dual challenges of climate change and geopolitical rivalry, the need for a sustainable and resilient military has never been more urgent. Transitioning to a fossil-free military not only reduces environmental impact but also strengthens strategic independence and economic stability. By investing in green defense technologies and deploying renewable energy on …
How A Fossil-Free Military Could Save Europe’s Economy Read More »
By Carl PopeThis article was first published by Carl Pope in The New York Times in June 2025. Carl is a guest in Transformers podcast. He is a veteran leader in the environmental movement and the former head of the Sierra Club. Today he advises on the economics of sustainability, serving as Senior Climate Advisor …
What Environmentalists Like Me Got Wrong About Climate Change Read More »
How VAM mitigation offers a commercially viable path for climate action in the steel and coal sectors Richard Mattus is a Swedish industrial emissions expert with over 40 years of global experience, specializing in low-concentration methane mitigation. He led the 2025 UNECE Best Practice Guidance on Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Mitigation. A Fast-Acting Lever for …
The Methane Solution: A High-Impact, Low-Cost Strategy for Rapid Emission Reductions Read More »
Kaj Embren, Senior Advisor | Sustainability & Climate Strategies | Award-Winning Social Media Influencer | Podcaster | SpeakerLondon, England As we grapple with increasingly severe climate crises—from unprecedented wildfires in Los Angeles and the sinking delta in Vietnam to rising geopolitical tensions and misinformation campaigns—the essential role of science as the backbone of effective climate …
Making Science Great Again: Reclaiming the Power of Science in Climate Action Read More »
Kaj Embren, Senior Advisor | Sustainability & Climate Strategies | Award-Winning Social Media Influencer | Podcaster | Speaker London, England Coal is slowly exiting the global stage—but not quietly. Even as consumption falls in parts of the world, it remains entrenched in Asia, Eastern Europe, and parts of the U.S. Beyond the well-known carbon toll, …
Why Policymakers Must Act on Coal’s Methane Problem—Now Read More »
Kaj Embren, Senior Advisor | Sustainability & Climate Strategies | Award-Winning Social Media Influencer | Podcaster | Speaker London, England After more than 30 years in sustainability, I’ve seen many climate solutions come and go—some too early, others too late. But few opportunities strike me as both urgent and overlooked as Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) …
Kaj Embren, Senior Advisor | Sustainability & Climate Strategies | Award-Winning Social Media Influencer | Podcaster | Speaker London, England Introduction Methane is stealing the spotlight—and not in a good way. As climate scientists warn of accelerating warming, a potent but overlooked culprit is quietly fueling the fire: methane emissions from coal mines. Ventilation Air …
The Climate Solution No One Wants to Touch—But Everyone Needs Read More »
When it comes to slashing methane emissions, the spotlight typically falls on agriculture and oil and gas. But a significant, under-the-radar source of climate pollution continues to escape serious scrutiny: Ventilation Air Methane, or VAM—the diluted methane steadily released from coal mine shafts around the world. It’s invisible. But it’s anything but insignificant. By Richard …
Unlocking a Climate Win: Why Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Deserves Policy Attention Read More »
As 2025 dawns, the climate crisis has reached an inflection point. With disasters growing in frequency and severity—from catastrophic floods to unprecedented wildfires—the world is confronting a stark reality: adaptation is no longer optional, it’s essential. A new report from changeNOW, Earth Action 2025, calls for a reset in how we tackle climate challenges. Described …
The Climate Tipping Point of 2025: Five Priorities for Urgent Action Read More »
Allan Larsson: Advocate for Green Finance in Cities As national governments grapple with the complexities of sustaining long-term investments in urban environments, cities are stepping into the spotlight as key players in the quest for sustainability. The collaboration between cities and their diverse stakeholders is crucial for building resilience and capacity in the face of …
Allan Larsson: A Visionary Leader in Sustainable Urban Development and Social Equity Read More »
Extreme heat waves are no longer rare phenomena—they’re intensifying, lasting longer, and occurring with alarming frequency. For urban areas, the stakes are especially high, as rising temperatures pose risks to public health, strain infrastructure, and exacerbate social inequalities. Developing cities, in particular, face unique challenges due to rapid urbanization, limited resources, and inadequate infrastructure. Addressing …
Cities Grapple with the Growing Threat of Extreme Heat Read More »
In the world of city planning, few stories are as electrifying as Luleå’s transformation into a global data center hub. At the heart of this tale is Nicklas Nordström, the city’s mayor from 2014 to 2019, who leveraged the city’s abundant hydroelectric power and Arctic chill to attract one of the biggest names in tech: …
From Hydropower to Hypergrowth: How Luleå Became a Data Hub Dynamo Read More »
Spains disaster insurance Spain’s “Extraordinary Risk Insurance” model, administered by the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (CCS), is indeed unique and has no direct equivalent in other Southern European countries. However, some neighboring countries have mechanisms to manage extraordinary risks, albeit with significant differences in structure and coverage. Here’s how a few of these …
Why Spain’s disaster insurance stands apart from Southern Europe’s Read More »
Extraordinary Risk Insurance Spain Senior Advisor in Sustainability with a focus on Climate Policies and Actions. Awarded as the number 1 Social Media Influencer in Europe in 2022 and 2023(Energy, Climate, Sustainability, Food) Seguro de Riesgos Extraordinarios provides a unique model for covering extraordinary risks, including those linked to climate change, through a public-private scheme …
Royal Standards for ESG – Show the expectations for ESG standards within royal institutions.
Part 3 of 3 in the series “Navigating Climate Change” for Swiss Re For this final article of the “Navigating Climate Change” series, based on the Swiss ReInstitute report “Changing Climate: The Heat Is (Still) On,” I will highlight one of its criticalthemes: how to reduce climate change-related losses through collaboration between thepublic and private …
A Very Swedish Approach to Climate Finance and Insurance Read More »
Part 2 of 3 in the series “Navigating Climate Change” for Swiss Re Hurricanes are among the most devastating natural perils in the U.S., posing a major threat to lives, businesses, and essential infrastructure. They are also among the most expensive — especially in coastal regions, which have been focal points for the country’s population …
From NYC to the Netherlands, Innovation Helps Cities Tackle Coastal Flooding Read More »
Part of the series “Navigating Climate Change” for Swiss Re In 2024, climate change is profoundly shaking up the US insurance industry. As extreme weather events increase, homeowners, businesses, and local governments are grappling with the rising costs and risks. This article delves into How Climate change is shaking up insurance in the US in …
How Climate Change Is Shaking up Insurance in the US in 2024 Read More »
Plastics is not a subject that most of us go to sleep obsessing over or wake up consumed by. But when you are writing a report for EARTHDAY.ORG entitled, BABIES VS. PLASTICS, plastics literally become your life. Plastic is an omnipresent material in our lives. Made from oil and a selection of other, often toxic …
This is a transcription from the latest Transformers episode. Transformers talk about role of cities and regions in the climate negotiations at COP Talking to Yunus Arikan, Director of Global Advocacy, ICLEI World Secretariat, Focal Point of the LGMA Constituency to the UNFCCC. Kaj Embrén: Welcome to Transformers, the podcast about how business people …
Cities at the Forefront: The Dubai COP28 Breakthrough Read More »
The new beverage carton recycling line in Poland will have an annual capacity to recycle 50,000 metric tons per year. Helsinki-based Stora Enso, a global packaging producer, has partnered with Switzerland-based Tetra Pak, a packaging solutions company, to invest a combined 29 million euros (or almost $31.7 million) in a new recycling line for postconsumer …
Stora Enso, Tetra Pak invest in beverage carton recycling line Read More »
What will food look like in the near future? With the world’s population expanding and living longer, but paradoxically more susceptible to diet-related diseases, disorders and even deaths, and with the imperative need to minimise our impact on the environment, there is every indication that we are on the threshold of changing our eating patterns …
Companies across industries are now recognizing that a green and efficient supply chain isn’t just a moral obligation, it’s a competitive advantage. In an era where sustainability and environmental responsibility are at the forefront of global priorities, supply chain decarbonisation has emerged as a pivotal strategy for businesses aiming to reduce their carbon footprint and …
Greening the Chain: How Supply Chain Decarbonization Powers Sustainable Business Success Read More »
The United Nations estimates that about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted every year. This waste amounts to about 1.3 billion tons of food, enough to feed 2 billion people. But our potato peels, apple cores, and bread crusts offer fantastic potential to enhance sustainability. COP28’s day of Food, …
The potential of peelings: COP28 must address the sustainable use of all food Read More »
When it comes to climate change, the world’s food system is a double-edged sword. Food production is both one of the biggest emitters of global greenhouse gases and one of the sectors hardest hit by the effects of climate change. To reconcile these two issues, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization on Sunday set out …
Nearly $7 trillion of public and private finance each year supports activities that directly harm nature – some 30 times the amount spent on nature-based solutions annually, according to a shocking UN report launched on Saturday at COP28 in Dubai. The report from the UN’s environmental wing, UNEP, also revealed that despite decades of calls for …
In a world defined by diversity and interconnectedness, fostering a sense of community that embraces every individual is a goal worth pursuing. And a small neighborhood in the Swedish municipality of Nacka, just east of Stockholm, offers a remarkable example of how to do this — one that speaks to the power of unity, cultural …
This blog post is a re-publishing of an article in The New Yorker Magazine in February,2023 by Elizabeth Kolbert. The article is a part of the Transfers Podcast – The Phosphorus Paradox with Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize Awarded journalist for The New Yorker Magazine and Pär Larshans, Sustainability Director at Ragn-Sells, leader of the transition into …
Phosphorus Saved Our Way of Lif-and Now Threatens to End It Read More »
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) is the first major global sustainability event to take place since COP27, uniting climate action toward COP28, which takes place in November 2023 in Dubai. Realizing The Paris Agreement We all know we are at risk of not meeting the Paris Agreement targets. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), …
Realizing The Paris Agreement – building bridges and moving forward Read More »
In Today’s video blog I have a chat with Yunus Arikan, an ICLEI – (Local Governments for Sustainability) leader for the multilevel proactive Climate Actions – LGMA. Yunus has over the years influenced the COP process to strengthen cross-border cooperation between local, regional, and national networks. The realization that the current COP process does not …
Article from Bloomberg City Lab, by Spenser Mestel. Originally published here. How to Make $3,000 a Month Citi Biking Lyft’s “Bike Angel” program offers credit and prizes to riders willing to relocate bicycles across New York City’s bikesharing system. In August, New York’s Citi Bike program had its highest ridership ever: 3.7 million rides.Photographer: Mark Kauzlarich/Bloomberg …
By Sasja Beslik This blog is from Sasja Beslik Newsletter ESG on a Sunday! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support his work. Link: https://substack.com/sign-in?redirect=%2Faccount%3Futm_source%3Dsubstack%26utm_medium%3Demail&for_pub=esgonasunday&email=&with_password=&change_user=false&justTrying= Listen to Transformers podcast with Sasja Beslik and Mats Andersson here. The world is on track for 2.6C by 2100 😞 The climate pledges made by countries …
By Joel Makower From his blogpost Two Steps Forward earlier published in GreenBiz, 12 September 2022. Listen to the Transformers Podcast episode with Joel here. During my whirlwind meetings in London last week — somewhere between the arrival of one “Elizabeth” on Monday and the departure of another three days later — a two-word phrase kept coming up: …
The clarion call of ‘transition finance’ in a warming, wobbly world Read More »
Cities around the world face an enormous challenge in becoming healthy places to live, while reaching net-zero emissions in just a few years. The changes needed are enormous, but feasible. Success will depend on at least two factors. One – citizens will need to engage with – and confront – those who own and operate …
Urban transition in Malmö: Driving systemic change through joined-up innovation Read More »
Vladimir Putin’s regime is heavily dependent on energy exports and old energy technologies. Half of the Russian budget comes from the export of fossil fuels. In addition, Russia, together with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, accounts for more than half of the world’s uranium mining, and all nuclear reactors that have begun construction outside China after 2019 …
Energy transformation in wartimes – Fully possible to stop EU imports of gas Read More »
This article was written by Anders Wijkman for the Global Challenges Foundation. Listen to the Transformers episode with Anders here. Welcome to the world of the Circular Economy – an emergent way of looking at the economy. The backdrop is the rapidly increasing throughput of energy and materials, not least the growing use of …
“Reflections on Governance for a Circular Economy” – by Anders Wijkman Read More »
Jack Sim (photo) By Grant Schreiber I have moved from the Third World to the First World in my life. I was privileged to be poor before I became rich, to understand what it feels like to live in poverty without needing to read a book. I failed all my subjects at school, but the …
Listen to the Transformers episode with James here. As a new generation attempts to address social problems through enlightened organizational leadership, James O’Toole explores a major question being posed today in Britain and America: An expert on ethical leadership analyzes the complicated history of business people who tried to marry the pursuit of …
This article was written by guest writer Sasja Beslik. Listen to the Transformers episode with Sasja here. This time, like many times before, there will be speeches and there will be pledges. There will be media-friendly spins and corporate line-ups with happy, friendly faces installing confidence in the public. Yes, we can make it, and …
In a couple of weeks we have another COP… – by Sasja Beslik Read More »
This article was written by guest writer Gunter Pauli. Listen to the Transformers episode with Gunter here. This article introduces a fresh approach to the design of fishing boats as one of the 100 innovations that shape “The Blue Economy”. The Market The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported that 93.3 million tons of …
This article was originally written by Kelly Levin, Taryn Fransen, Clea Schumer and Chantal Davis (WRI). he latest research is clear: To avoid the worst climate impacts, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will need to drop by half by 2030 and reach net-zero around mid-century. Recognizing this urgency, a rapidly growing number of national government, …
What Does “Net-Zero Emissions” Mean? 8 Common Questions, Answered Read More »
I started Transformers, my podcast, in the middle of the pandemic, hoping that the climate emergency debate would reach individuals, families, think tanks, politicians, businesses, academia, and organisations. To have an overview of my podcast, I have listed all 20 programmes already produced in case you are a new follower and would be interested …
In 2017 Sweden adopted a new climate policy framework. The framework consists of a climate act, climate targets and a climate policy council. My podcast with Svante Axelsson – national coordinator of Fossil free Sweden – inspired me to look into the role of the Swedish industry and in particularly, that of the steel industry …
This post was written by guest writer Christer Windeløv-Lidzélius. * Alan Webber, (Mayor of Santa Fé, New Mexico and Co-founding editor of Fast Company and long-time friend of Kaospilot) once said: If you could focus on one thing, and one thing only, to try to change the world, what would it be? The answer is …
According to Dr. Lauren A. Johnston when Jack Ma visited Africa for the first time he said that the Africa in 2017 was the “China of 20 years ago”. China had poor developed infrastructure, large low income young population, lack of infrastructure in retail, logistics and banking sectors. In 20 years, the number of internet users …
Transformers | The sustainability change makers Epi Ludvik feat. Eva-Lena Skalstad | Crowdsourcing: what is it and how it works? Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds 00:00 / 00:38:05 Subscribe Share Google Play Spotify RSS Feed Share Link Embed Epi Ludvik feat. Eva-Lena Skalstad …
Transformers | The sustainability change makers Marc J. Lane | Money with meaning – the Mission-Driven Venture Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds 00:00 / 00:42:05 Subscribe Share Google Play Spotify RSS Feed Share Link Embed
Transformers | The sustainability change makers Jonathon Porritt | Hope in Hell, a “call to action” on the Climate Emergency Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds 00:00 / 00:38:44 Subscribe Share Google Play Spotify RSS Feed Share Link Embed
Transformers | The sustainability change makers Bert-Ola Bergstrand | Creating the conditions that encourages systems to change Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds 00:00 / 00:37:44 Subscribe Share Google Play Spotify RSS Feed Share Link Embed
Transformers | The sustainability change makers Phil Ruxton & Marco Carmini | Kayapo Indians, Croda and COVID-19 Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds 00:00 / 00:37:00 Subscribe Share Google Play Spotify RSS Feed Share Link Embed
For those of you who do not know Stockholm Exergi, the basic facts are: it provides energy to all of Stockholm; it discontinued the use of coal ahead of schedule; it is owned by the city of Stockholm and Fortum, a Finish State company. But I want to talk more about Bio-CCS and its contribution …
Stockholm Exergi: Bio-CCS to tackle climate change and historical emissions Read More »
by my Guest writer Gregory Wendt and Nick Sramek The next step in the development of financial institutions in the United States is absolutely crucial, to stave off the dual threats that have the power to forever change communities in virtually every corner of the world – inequality and environmental degradation. Addressing these challenges is …
The time of this post is 7 years, 94 days, 23 hours, 29 minutes and 24 seconds in the Climate Clock. For those of you who don’t know, this is the time we have left to prevent the effects of climate warming from becoming irreversible. I have started Transformers exactly 7 years, 193 days, 20 hours, …
Before I read John Elkington’s last book- “The Green Swans: The coming boom in regenerative capitalism”, I had not heard about the Swan theories. Let me tell you what I have found out. It started with Nassib Nicholas Taleb, a scholar specialised on practical, philosophical and mathematical problems, and he focused on how different systems …
Since the dawn of the industrial age, our economies have been fundamentally linear – we take, we make, we use and then we throw away. Today, only 12% of the materials used by humans are ever returned to the economy (EU Circular Action Plan).[1] This obviously generates huge amounts of waste. But it also means …
From waste to resource: Closing the loop in the circular economy Read More »
For full report request to kaj@embren.com Växjö strategy of governance to create Europe’s first fossil-free city In 1996, the municipality voted to end the use of fossil fuel, before the city’s 2010 Environmental Programme announced that this target should be reached by 2030. This report’s scope is to evaluate the role governance has played in Växjö’s …
Hjalmar Falck, Verksamhetschef Fastighetsägare BID Sofielund Cities around the world face an enormous challenge in becoming healthy places to live, while reaching net-zero emissions in just a few years. The changes needed are enormous, but feasible. Success will depend on at least two factors. One – citizens will need to engage with – and confront …
Urban transition in Malmö: Driving systemic change through joined-up innovation Read More »
Heavy industry is responsible for 30% of global greenhouse gases emissions. Currently, two-thirds of industrial emissions come directly from material processes. New energy, management and technology solutions are needed to decarbonise raw materials extraction, production processes and operating systems in every sector. Now is the time to connect and establish new partnerships between companies, innovators …
#365ACTNOW – Learn from the Bush Foundation – https://lnkd.in/eF8f8fP Minnesota – Investing in great ideas and the people who power them – Video interview with Susan Hammel, CFA at Social Capital Market (SOCAP) #cities #regions Video How to overcome silos and inspire change from Kaj Embren on Vimeo. Susan Hammel, CFA, Minneapolis, Minnesota Impact Investing …
Guest writer: Charles Secrett, Robertsbridge, UK Charles Secrett reflects on the epic challenges and opportunities facing an economy in desperate need of a comprehensive green revamp When David Attenborough, conservationist extraordinaire, and Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, speak with one voice, warning of an imminent, existential threat to civilization – climate …
Brasils Indigenous population united to fight the Jair Bolsonaro Government. The Indian Kayapo Chief Raoni welcomed over 500 Indian Leaders from more than 50 tribes in the Amazon to a meeting in January 2020. Their fight against fires, grabbing of indian land, illegal logging, gold and diamond mining has now been going on for 40 years …
