The Third Wheel Podcast (ESG In Australia): Episode 29 – It’s an onion! Australia’s carbon market

May 1, 2023

By Kathryn Pacey, Isabella Kelly and Jaya Prasad

Episode 29 – It’s an onion! Australia’s carbon market

Kathryn Pacey, environment and planning partner is joined by Isabella Kelly, ESG senior associate and Jaya Prasad, solicitor in our energy and resources team to discuss the role of carbon and biodiversity offsets in meeting net zero and nature positive goals. They peel back the layers of government targets and regulatory reforms including the review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Safeguard Mechanism, Australian Carbon Credit Units – and the new Nature Repair Bill. Amidst the increasing use of carbon credits to offset emissions in reaching climate targets, yet more layers are revealed including greenwashing, activist attention and disclosure considerations under the upcoming mandatory climate reporting regime and ISSB standards. Further complexities arise from multi-stakeholder carbon abatement projects, contracting arrangements and financial services requirements.

 

 

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About this podcast series

We explore the topical Environment, Social and Governance issues of the day in Australia.

Each episode, Partners Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham are joined by an expert third wheel guest to explore the issues from their unique perspectives.

Mel is an expert on business-critical environment, planning, heritage and native title regulation in Australia. Tim specialises in ESG from a corporate governance perspective, including market disclosure, risk management and shareholder engagement/activism.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands Mel and Tim are recording from, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation in Perth and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Sydney. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this country.

Contacts

Kathryn Pacey
Kathryn Pacey
Partner, Brisbane
+617 3258 6788
Isabella Kelly
Isabella Kelly
Senior Assoicate, Sydney
+61 2 9322 4397

Jaya Prasad
Jaya Prasad
Solicitor, Brisbane
+61 7 3258 6355

The Third Wheel podcast series: ESG in Australia Episode 25 – Risk and return under every rock

February 10, 2023

By Melanie Debenham, Isabella Kelly and Mark Smyth

Episode 25 – Risk and return under every rock

In this episode, Mel Debenham and Isabella Kelly invite Mark Smyth, disputes partner to join our series exploring the themes from HSF’s report on Unlocking ESG Investment in Australia. With 58% of our report’s survey respondents, comprising more than 100 business leaders, seeing barriers to greater levels of ESG investment including legal, tax and tenure of investment, Mark expands on the difficulties for companies in talking about the long term benefits they expect to realise through ESG investments or announcing a strong corporate ambition on ESG.

Read our report here

Missed an episode? Click here.

About this podcast series

We explore the topical Environment, Social and Governance issues of the day in Australia.

Each episode, Partners Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham are joined by an expert third wheel guest to explore the issues from their unique perspectives.

Mel is an expert on business-critical environment, planning, heritage and native title regulation in Australia. Tim specialises in ESG from a corporate governance perspective, including market disclosure, risk management and shareholder engagement/activism.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands Mel and Tim are recording from, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation in Perth and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Sydney. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this country.

Contacts

Melanie Debenham
Melanie Debenham
Partner, Perth
+61 8 9211 7560
Mark Smyth
Mark Smyth
Partner, Sydney
+61 2 9225 5440
Isabella Kelly
Isabella Kelly
+61 2 9322 4397

The Third Wheel podcast series: ESG in Australia Episode 24 – Start at the source

December 22, 2022

By Timothy Stutt, Melanie Debenham and Kathryn Pacey

Episode 24 – Start at the source

In this episode, Tim Stutt and Mel Debenham are joined by Kathryn Pacey, environment and planning partner to discuss HSF’s report on Unlocking ESG Investment in Australia, and the long road for businesses assessing their supply chain and how to balance immediate pressures with long term ambition. 60% of our report’s survey respondents, comprising more than 100 business leaders, say their company has a net zero commitment ranging between now and 2050, but 40% say the commitments don’t reflect Scope 3 emissions in the value chain. Given regulatory uncertainty and inconsistency was cited as the only barrier unique to Australia, Kathryn discusses the swathe of regulatory changes facing businesses and their goals for emissions reduction and environmental protection.

Read our report here

Missed an episode? Click here.

About this podcast series

We explore the topical Environment, Social and Governance issues of the day in Australia.

Each episode, Partners Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham are joined by an expert third wheel guest to explore the issues from their unique perspectives.

Mel is an expert on business-critical environment, planning, heritage and native title regulation in Australia. Tim specialises in ESG from a corporate governance perspective, including market disclosure, risk management and shareholder engagement/activism.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands Mel and Tim are recording from, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation in Perth and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Sydney. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this country.

Contacts

Timothy Stutt
Timothy Stutt
Partner, Sydney
+61 2 9225 5794
Melanie Debenham
Melanie Debenham
Partner, Perth
+61 8 9211 7560
Kathryn Pacey
Kathryn Pacey
Partner, Brisbane
+61 7 3258 6788

The Third Wheel podcast series: ESG in Australia Episode 23 – Keeping the focus on “S”

December 6, 2022

By Timothy Stutt, Melanie Debenham and Jacqueline Wootton

Episode 23 – Keeping the focus on “S”

In this episode, Tim Stutt and Mel Debenham are joined by Jacqui Wootton, disputes partner and co-head of HSF’s Australian corporate crime and investigations practice. In our second episode unpacking HSF’s report on Unlocking ESG Investment in Australia, we are firmly focussed on the “S”, a key issue emerging from our survey of more than 100 business leaders on accelerating investment in ESG outcomes. 80% of respondents say they have reviewed or plan to review their ESG policies and operations, with modern slavery in particular one of the issues most identified. Jacqui shares her thoughts on the challenges ahead for companies in not only meeting rising reporting and regulatory expectations, but how they are measuring whether their approaches are effective and driving positive change.

Read our report here

Missed an episode? Click here.

About this podcast series

We explore the topical Environment, Social and Governance issues of the day in Australia.

Each episode, Partners Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham are joined by an expert third wheel guest to explore the issues from their unique perspectives.

Mel is an expert on business-critical environment, planning, heritage and native title regulation in Australia. Tim specialises in ESG from a corporate governance perspective, including market disclosure, risk management and shareholder engagement/activism.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands Mel and Tim are recording from, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation in Perth and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Sydney. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this country.

Contacts

Timothy Stutt
Timothy Stutt
Partner, Sydney
+61 2 9225 5794
Melanie Debenham
Melanie Debenham
Partner, Perth
+61 8 9211 7560
Jacqueline Wootton
Jacqueline Wootton
Partner, Brisbane
+61 7 3258 6569

The Third Wheel podcast series: ESG in Australia Episode 22 – Unlocking ESG Investment in Australia

December 4, 2022

By Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham

Episode 22 – Unlocking ESG Investment in Australia

In this episode, Mel Debenham and Tim Stutt are back at the wheel to launch HSF’s report on Unlocking ESG Investment in Australia. The report unpacks the findings from our survey of more than 100 business leaders on the size and shape of the ESG investment challenges and opportunities. With the help of expert interviews across industry, the report explored the uncertainty about risk, returns and regulation to be addressed for businesses to adapt at the scale and speed to meet shifting investor and community expectations. This is the first episode in a series that will deep dive on the key report findings.

Read our report here

Missed an episode? Click here.

About this podcast series

We explore the topical Environment, Social and Governance issues of the day in Australia.

Each episode, Partners Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham are joined by an expert third wheel guest to explore the issues from their unique perspectives.

Mel is an expert on business-critical environment, planning, heritage and native title regulation in Australia. Tim specialises in ESG from a corporate governance perspective, including market disclosure, risk management and shareholder engagement/activism.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands Mel and Tim are recording from, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation in Perth and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Sydney. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this country.

Contacts

Timothy Stutt
Timothy Stutt
Partner, Sydney
+61 2 9225 5794
Melanie Debenham
Melanie Debenham
Partner, Perth
+61 8 9211 7560

The Third Wheel Podcast Series: ESG in Australia Episode 19

August 23, 2022

By Melanie Debenham

Episode 19 – Recycle, Recovery and Reduce with Neometals

Melanie Debenham is joined by Anél Joubert, ESG Manager and Jeremy McManus, GM Commercial and Investor Relations from Neometals, an emerging and sustainable producer of battery minerals. Anél and Jeremy discuss the prominence of ESG in their own roles and across Neometals’ markets and operations in Australia and Europe. They discuss the global and local transition to clean energy and energy storage spanning the battery and electric vehicle value chains.

Missed an episode? Click here.

About this podcast series

We explore the topical Environment, Social and Governance issues of the day in Australia.

Each episode, Partners Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham are joined by an expert third wheel guest to explore the issues from their unique perspectives.

Mel is an expert on business-critical environment, planning, heritage and native title regulation in Australia. Tim specialises in ESG from a corporate governance perspective, including market disclosure, risk management and shareholder engagement/activism.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands Mel and Tim are recording from, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation in Perth and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Sydney. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this country.

Contacts

Melanie Debenham
Melanie Debenham
Partner, Perth
+61 8 9211 7560

The Third Wheel Podcast Series: ESG in Australia Episode 18

July 20, 2022

By Timothy Stutt and Kathryn Pacey

Episode 18 – The need for speed (and pragmatic pathways) with Dr Chris Greig, Princeton University

Tim Stutt and Kathryn Pacey are joined by Dr Chris Greig, Princeton University to discuss the energy transition, industry decarbonisation, technology and investment. Dr Greig shares the origin story and highlights of Net-Zero America, the research project that not only quantifies but visually displays five distinct technological pathways, using known technologies, by which the United States could decarbonize its entire economy by 2050. He breaks down the four make-or-break critical issues for energy transition: (1) the unprecedented speed and scale of infrastructure to be built; (2) a flow of risk capital never seen before; (3) maintaining the social contract with communities; and (4) major workforce mobilisation and a just transition for workers. Dr Greig underlines the importance of Australia’s strong ambition and domestic emissions targets to achieve speed and scale. As for achieving net zero and becoming a major exporter of low emission energy –  you won’t have to wait long for the Net-Zero Australia study findings to be released in August 2022. To participate in HSF’s survey on unlocking ESG investment in Australia and gain access to exclusive insights email ESG.tracker@hsf.com.

Missed an episode? Click here.

About this podcast series

We explore the topical Environment, Social and Governance issues of the day in Australia.

Each episode, Partners Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham are joined by an expert third wheel guest to explore the issues from their unique perspectives.

Mel is an expert on business-critical environment, planning, heritage and native title regulation in Australia. Tim specialises in ESG from a corporate governance perspective, including market disclosure, risk management and shareholder engagement/activism.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands Mel and Tim are recording from, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation in Perth and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Sydney. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this country.

Contacts

Timothy Stutt
Timothy Stutt
Partner, Sydney
+61 2 9225 5794
Kathryn Pacey
Kathryn Pacey
Partner, Brisbane
+61 7 3258 6788

The Third Wheel Podcast Series: ESG in Australia Episode 15

May 26, 2022

By Timothy Stutt, Jojo Fan and Mark Smyth

Episode 15 – Climate change and ESG litigation trends in the consumer sector with Jojo Fan and Mark Smyth

In this episode, Tim invites our disputes team to share climate change and ESG litigation insights. Jojo Fan from our Hong Kong office and Mark Smyth from the Sydney office discuss the rapidly increasing developments globally including greenwashing, inadequate disclosure and challenges for manufacturing and governments. They share their insights on what the future of climate litigation may hold for the consumer sector.

Missed an episode? Click here.

About this podcast series

We explore the topical Environment, Social and Governance issues of the day in Australia.

Each episode, Partners Timothy Stutt and Melanie Debenham are joined by an expert third wheel guest to explore the issues from their unique perspectives.

Mel is an expert on business-critical environment, planning, heritage and native title regulation in Australia. Tim specialises in ESG from a corporate governance perspective, including market disclosure, risk management and shareholder engagement/activism.

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands Mel and Tim are recording from, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation in Perth and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Sydney. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this country.

Contacts

Timothy Stutt
Timothy Stutt
Partner, Sydney
+61 2 9225 5794
Jojo Fan
Jojo Fan
Partner, Hong Kong
+852 28456639
Mark Smyth
Mark Smyth
Partner, Sydney
+61 2 9225 5440