The Future of Finance Podcast

Galvanize Climate Solutions: Investing in the Future of Real Estate with Joe Sumberg

In this episode of Future of Finance, host George Dyer speaks with Joe Sumberg, Managing Partner and Head of Real Estate at Galvanize Climate Solutions. They dive into how the real estate sector, responsible for 40% of global carbon emissions, presents major opportunities for profitable decarbonization. Joe shares his journey from Goldman Sachs to launching Galvanize’s real estate group, discusses why retrofitting existing buildings beats new "green" developments, and explains the critical role of incentives, technology, and policy in achieving net zero buildings. They also explore the complex interplay of utilities, local regulations like New York City's Local Law 97, and climate resilience in shaping investment strategies. Joe emphasizes that real estate sustainability must be performance-driven, with profitability and resilience at the core, not greenwashing.
Keywords:
Real Estate Decarbonization, Climate Resilient Investing, Net Zero Buildings, Galvanize Climate Solutions, Sustainable Real Estate, Energy Transition, Climate Policy and Real Estate, Building Retrofits, ESG Investing, Local Law 97

Climate Solutions in Public Markets with Heather Beatty

In this episode, Georges Dyer is joined by Heather Beatty, founder and CEO of ScopeFour Capital, to discuss climate-focused investing and how public markets can play a pivotal role in driving the transition to a net-zero economy. Heather shares insights on identifying companies that offer real-world climate solutions through two key frameworks: Project Drawdown and the Crane Tool. She explains how her approach differs from traditional climate strategies and highlights sectors critical for decarbonization, such as energy efficiency and renewable energy. Heather also touches on the importance of capital allocation, challenges in scaling climate solutions, and the role of policy and regulation in shaping this transition. This conversation provides an in-depth view of how finance can combat climate change and why investors need to act swiftly to meet global emissions reduction targets.
Keywords:
Climate Finance, Net-Zero Economy, Public Markets, Decarbonization, Climate Solutions, Project Drawdown, Climate Investing, Capital Allocation, Energy Efficiency, Sustainability

Carbon Markets, Capital, and Climate with Mike Azlen

In this episode of the Future of Finance podcast, host Georges Dyer sits down with Mike Azlen, founder and CEO of Carbon Cap Management, to explore the powerful role carbon markets can play in addressing climate change. With a deep background in asset management, Mike’s analytical approach and thorough research led to a deep personal commitment to finding effective ways to address the climate crisis. Mike shares how market-based approaches to reduce carbon emissions can deliver strong returns for investors and drive GHG emission reduction. The conversation dives into how carbon pricing works, the opportunities for institutional investors, and the broader implications of internalizing environmental externalities in the financial system. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of climate, finance, policy, and systemic change.
Keywords
Carbon markets, Climate change, Sustainable finance, Carbon Cap Management, Mike Azlen, Institutional investors, Carbon pricing, Environmental externalities, World Carbon Fund, Market-based climate solutions, Cap and Trade 

Fossil Fuel Free Retirement Options with Alex Wright-Gladstein

In this episode of Future of Finance, host George Dyer speaks with Alex Wright-Gladstein, founder and CEO of Sphere, a mutual fund company revolutionizing retirement investing by offering fossil fuel-free options. Many people unknowingly invest in fossil fuels through their 401(k)s, as plan administrators often default to funds with heavy industry exposure. And many plans don’t even offer options that would give people the choice to avoid the sector if they want to. Alex shares insights on the financial risks of fossil fuel investments, the growing demand for sustainable investing, and the power of divestment. She also provides actionable steps for individuals to push for fossil fuel-free options in their retirement plans.
Keywords:
Sustainable investing, Fossil fuel divestment, ESG funds, 401(k) investments, Retirement savings, Impact investing, Mutual funds, Climate finance, Sphere investments, Green finance, Climate investing, Fossil fuel free investing 

Roundup Recap: March 27, 2025

Welcome to The Roundup Recap, your quick way to catch up on the most important updates in sustainable and impact investing, all in one bite-sized episode. This mini-podcast, summarized by AI, distills the core insights from the Weekly News Roundup of the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) into a radio-style conversation.
To be clear - real humans on the IEN team curate and compile the latest news and updates into our weekly email newsletter.  We then put into the AI platform NotebookLM, which generates this audio podcast -- the voices you hear are not real people, but they do an eerily effective job at bringing our News Roundup to life.
Each week, we sift through the latest developments—whether it's breaking news, key articles, or notable trends—and pull out the information that truly matters. The format is designed for busy professionals who want to stay informed without wading through all the details.
Want to receive the Weekly News Round-Up to your inbox every week? Subscribe here!

The Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development with Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt

Episode Resources
In this episode of The Future of Finance, host Georges Dyer welcomes Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt, a pioneering scientist and sustainability expert, to discuss the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD). They explore how businesses, investors, and policymakers can use a systems-thinking approach to address sustainability challenges and identify opportunities for innovation. Dr. Robèrt shares insights from his decades of work, including the founding of The Natural Step and the Masters in Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability (MSLS) program. The conversation delves into the role of finance in enabling systemic change, the importance of strategic boundary conditions, and how AI can support sustainability planning.
Keywords:
Sustainability, Strategic investment, Systems thinking, Finance and sustainability, The Natural Step, Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD), Sustainable innovation, AI in sustainability, Circular economy, ESG investing

Investing in Water: The Hidden Giant of Sustainable Finance with Tom Ferguson

In this episode of Future of Finance, host Georges Dyer speaks with Tom Ferguson, founder and managing partner at Burnt Island Ventures, to explore the critical intersection of water and finance. With climate change exacerbating global water challenges, Tom discusses how water innovation presents both a moral imperative and an investment opportunity. He shares insights on the pressing need for resilient water infrastructure, the role of venture capital in water-related startups, and groundbreaking innovations like subsea desalination and AI-powered utility management. The conversation also touches on the financial implications of water scarcity, the importance of affordable access, and the overlooked role of water in global emissions. 
Keywords:
Water innovation, Climate resilience, Venture capital, Water scarcity, Desalination, Sustainable finance, Water infrastructure, Utility management, Emissions reduction, Future of water
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The Energy Transition, Macroeconomics, and Climate Change with Charlie Donovan

In this episode of The Future of Finance, host Georges Dyer speaks with Charlie Donovan, Senior Economic Advisor at Impax Asset Management and Visiting Professor of Finance at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. They dive deep into the complexities of the energy transition, the challenges of net-zero investing, and how macroeconomic factors like inflation and interest rates shape sustainable finance. 
Charlie shares insights on the importance of segmenting climate investments across value chains, the role of fixed income in sustainable investing, and why companies must move beyond "paper decarbonization" to achieve real-world impact. He also discusses the role of policy, risk management, and the future of finance, emphasizing the need for clear market rules and fairness in climate economics.
 
Keywords
Sustainable finance, net zero investing, energy transition, climate solutions, impact investing, fixed income sustainability, ESG policy, climate risk insurance, macroeconomic trends, green bonds.

Customizing Impact: Mission-Aligned Passive Equities Strategies with Ethic’s Claire Quigley

In this episode of The Future of Finance, Georges Dyer sits down with Claire Quigley, Client Portfolio Manager, Sustainability Solutions at Ethic, to explore the evolving landscape of sustainable investing. Claire shares how Ethic helps investors—including institutional investors like endowments and foundations—align their portfolios with their missions while achieving their risk-adjusted returns targets.
They discuss the power of shareholder activism, the role of transparency in ESG investing, and how data-driven strategies shape investment decisions. Claire also sheds light on how Ethic customizes passive equity portfolios, engages in proxy voting, and navigates the challenges and opportunities in sustainable finance.
Tune in for an insightful conversation on the future of sustainable investing, how institutions can build consensus around impact priorities, and why finance has a critical role to play in shaping a more sustainable world.
 
Keywords: 
sustainable investing, mission aligned investing, values alignment, Ethic, shareholder engagement, passive equity, financial returns, impact investing, climate change, ESG, investment strategies
 

The Power of Capital: Asha Mehta on Investing for Impact in Emerging Markets

In this episode of The Future of Finance, host Georges Dyer sits down with Asha Mehta, Founder and CIO of Global Delta Capital and author of The Power of Capital: An Adventure Capitalist’s Journey to a Sustainable Future. Asha shares her journey from microfinance in India to leading institutional investments in emerging markets, revealing how capital can drive both financial returns and sustainable impact.
They dive into the power of capital in shaping economies, the role of technology in leapfrogging traditional development models, and the massive investment opportunities in frontier markets. Asha also unpacks the intersection of governance, liquidity, and impact, offering insights on how investors can align profit with purpose while navigating global markets.
This episode brought to you by Impax Asset Management
Keywords:
Sustainable investing, Emerging markets, Frontier markets, Impact investing, Financial inclusion, Renewable energy, Digital finance, Microfinance, ESG investing, Governance, Capital flows, AI in finance