Innovation Forum podcast

Weekly podcast – Nature-positive agriculture: a how-to guide

This week: Matt Inbusch, senior manager at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and Mike Nemeth, senior adviser for agriculture and environmental sustainability at fertiliser business Nutrien, talk with Ian Welsh about the growing potential for nature-positive approaches across agricultural value chains. They talk about some helpful guidance – including roadmaps from WBCSD – to help navigate the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities from nature-positive agriculture.

 

Plus: China’s rapid renewable energy surge; hottest day globally, since records began; UK plans to drop flagship COP26 climate pledge; M&S partners with Oxfam and eBay for circular school uniform initiative, in the news digest by Innovation Forum's Bea Stevenson.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

How agrifood stakeholders can support European farmers in the regenerative transition

Europe’s agriculture industry, and the farmers at its heart, are under pressure. The challenges faced by farmers are numerous. From the stresses of climate change, rising energy and input prices, as well as the costs associated with the regenerative transition, to the ever-decreasing number of young farmers entering an industry already stretched for both brains and brawn over the coming decades.

In the first of Bayer Crop Science’s ‘Focus on Farmers’ webinar series, we heard directly from farmers on the key barriers to sustainable farming. Our panel of experts responded with a discussion on how supply chain actors can collaborate to scale solutions to these challenges and support farmers in a just transition to regenerative agriculture.

The panel discussed:

• The barriers to implementation of sustainable practices, and how value chain actors can support farmers to overcome them.
• How business can help farmers build profitable and resilient livelihoods through regenerative farming.
• The role of agrifood stakeholders, especially retailers and food brands, in increasing awareness and facilitating farmer uptake of regenerative practices.

The panel:

• Jens Hartmann, head of EMEA Region, Bayer Crop Science
• Natalie Smith, head of agriculture, Tesco
• Bram Van Hecke, farmer and president, Groene Kring
• Marie Ellul, well-being & sustainability senior manager, Mondelēz International
• Rob Shepherd, managing partner/chair, Allenford Farms/Environmental Farmers Group

The webinar was moderated by Toby Webb, founder, Innovation Forum.

This webinar was the first in a series held in partnership with Bayer Crop Science. 

The key to food sector resilience across the value chain

Rikke Kyllenstjerna, senior vice-president, food chains, at Norway-based fertiliser business Yara International, talks with Ian Welsh about the role of different value chain actors in achieving food sector resilience. They discuss the importance of farmer incentives for carbon reduction and precision agriculture, and the need to develop a sustainable food supply business model through carbon pricing and science-based targets.

Monday briefing: How climate change impacts the right to food

In this week's preview of what's coming up, Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh and Bea Stevenson talk about the UN Human Rights Council panel on the adverse impacts of climate change on the right to food. They also discuss the global Plastic Free July movement, which kicks off again this week.

Plus, Innovation Forum's Emily Heslop provides a first look at what to expect from the Future of Climate Action Conference in Washington DC from 8^th-9^th November.

 

Register for the conference here for a $500 early-bird discount.

Weekly podcast – How to spot a good carbon project

This week: Charles Bedford, chief impact officer at Carbon Growth Partners, talks with Ian Welsh about what differentiates a good carbon project and, in particular, what buyers should look for in REDD+ forest projects.

And, at Innovation Forum’s recent sustainable apparel and textiles conference in New York, Toby Webb, Cotton Connect’s Alison Ward and Visionspring’s Ramona Hendel-Bejema reflect on some of the key discussions from the event’s panel sessions.

Plus: tropical deforestation up 10% in 2022 says Global Forest Watch; UK’s Climate Change Committee calls for quadrupling of emissions reductions in non-electricity sectors; Nestlé and Earthworm partner on cocoa forest protection project in Côte d’Ivoire; and, long-awaited ISSB standards published, in the news digest.

Host: Ian Welsh   

What does the route to a sustainable food and beverage sector look like?

At Innovation Forum’s recent Future of Food EU conference, Ian Welsh asks Dom de Ville from the Wine Society, Hanne Søndergaard from Arla Foods, Owen Bethell from Nestlé and Paulig Group’s Lea Rankinen to elaborate on some of the key sustainability issues and innovations that came up at the conference. These quick-fire discussions range in topic from innovative packaging solutions, to net-zero strategies, to evolving human rights legislation.  

Monday briefing: London Climate Action Week raises ambition in its fifth year

In this week’s preview, Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh and Bea Stevenson talk about the agenda for London’s fifth Climate Action Week, focusing on themes of accelerating the global clean economy, and delivering a fair, inclusive and just climate transition. They also discuss the task of setting up a global biodiversity framework fund, at the 64^th Global Environment Facility Council meeting in Brazil.

They also preview of Innovation Forum’s upcoming free webinar with Bayer Crop Science on how best to support European farmers in the regenerative transition. This will take place on 29^thJune at 2pm BST. You can register for free here.

Plus a look at what to expect at this year’s Sustainable Plastics and Packaging Conference in Amsterdam on 3^rd and 4^th October. Register here to save €500 on conference passes.

Weekly podcast – Remote sensing: The data that gets to grips with carbon impacts

This week: Marco Albani, CEO of Chloris Geospatial, talks with Ian Welsh about the developing remote sensing technology that can enable better understanding of carbon and other impacts. They discuss how companies can best utilise the data to strive for a nature-positive approach.

 

Plus: none of the UN Sustainable Development Goals on target for 2030; poor progress at Bonn climate conference; massive investment in developing economies green energy please, say IEA and IFC; and, JBS pulls US ads amid greenwashing row, in the news digest.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

The potential for regenerative cotton in Brazil

Scheffer's head of commercial, finance and sustainability, Fabiana Furlan, talks with Ian Welsh about the potential for more regenerative agricultural techniques for Brazil’s cotton sector and how they can best be implemented. They discuss how a focus on biodiversity and carbon sequestration can help improve soil health and build more robust and fertile

Monday briefing: Collaboration to drive progress on sustainable apparel and textiles

In this week's preview, Ian Welsh talks with Catie Ball about the upcoming sustainable apparel and textiles conference in New York City starting this Wednesday. They discuss what attendees can expect and the key themes that will be discussed over the two days. Registrations are closing soon – you can still register here.

 

And, Hanna Halmari introduces Innovation Forum's sustainable commodities and landscapes forum to be held in Amsterdam on 31st October-1st November. Register by this Friday 23rd June to save €400 on conference passes.