All Things Sustainable

In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we're talking to the Chief Sustainability Officer of one of the largest utilities in the US — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). 

PG&E is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. During San Francisco Climate Week 2026, we sat down with Aaron Johnson, who took on the CSO role at the start of the year. 

Aaron explains PG&E's long-term decarbonization strategy and the utility's investments in adaptation measures to address climate hazards like wildfire and sea level rise, which are priorities in PG&E's California markets.   

He also discusses growing energy demand from data centers to power booming AI usage — a topic that is front and center in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. Aaron says PG&E is seeking to attract data center load to PG&E's service territory while driving down costs for customers.  

Across all these topics, Aaron explains how PG&E is balancing sustainability, affordability and energy security.  

"I don't think it's an either/or," he says. "They all come together. The organizing principle for us as a company is that triple bottom line concept of people, planet and prosperity." 

This interview is the latest installment in our CSO Insights podcast series, where we talk to Chief Sustainability Officers around the world about how they're navigating the changing sustainability landscape. Listen to all the episodes here: CSO Insights by All Things Sustainable - YouTube 

Further reading:  

How high-resolution data translates flood risk into financial risk | S&P Global 

Why climate adaptation is key to US energy expansion | S&P Global 

Upcoming events:  

The All Things Sustainable podcast will be live in London April 29. Learn more and register to attend: Sustainable1 Summit 2026: Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity | S&P Global 

All Things Sustainable is the official podcast of the inaugural Climate Week Zurich May 4-9. Learn more here: Climate week Zurich 2026 : Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity | S&P Global 

Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global   

DISCLAIMER 

By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.  

Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).  

This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  

S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

Switzerland's largest city is hosting its first-ever Climate Week, and All Things Sustainable is the official podcast. In this episode, we preview what to expect from the inaugural Climate Week Zurich May 4-9.  

Zurich is a global banking and financial hub, and Climate Week Zurich Managing Director Johannes Pokorny explains how the city plans to convene financial institutions, business leaders, policymakers and the public across hundreds of events to scale climate action.  

"At Climate Week Zurich ... we're not talking too much about what should be happening in 20 years, but really more about what should happen now," Johannes says. 

Nic Meyer, Chair of the Climate Week Zurich board, tells us how the gathering is taking inspiration from Climate Week events gaining momentum around the world. He says Climate Week Zurich will focus on building the business case for sustainability.  

"If you're going to build change, you ultimately need to convince the CFO and the board and the stockholders, the shareholders, that there's a dollar behind this," Nic says. "Governments alone can't do this. So businesses have to step up." 

S&P Global Energy is a founding partner and sponsor of the inaugural Climate Week Zurich and will be hosting events throughout the week. Learn more here: Climate week Zurich 2026 : Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity | S&P Global 

Other upcoming events: 

The All Things Sustainable podcast will be live in London April 29. Learn more and register to attend: Sustainable1 Summit 2026: Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity | S&P Global 

Register to attend DC Climate Week | 20-26 April 2026, where All Things Sustainable will be the official podcast. 

Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global

In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we're exploring how billion-dollar scale extreme weather and climate disasters in the US are growing in frequency and cost — and what that means for businesses, communities and  disaster recovery efforts. 

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) previously developed and published the billion-dollar disaster report and its related historical database. In 2025, the agency discontinued the research and Climate Central picked up the baton for gathering the data and publishing related research.  

Climate Central is a nonprofit made up of climate scientists and communicators, including some former NOAA staff. In March 2026, the organization published the latest report tallying US weather and climate events that caused at least $1 billion in damages.  

In the episode, we speak to project lead Adam Smith, Senior Climate Impacts Scientist at Climate Central. He explains how the landscape for climate research is evolving in the US and what the business community can take away from past weather and climate disasters. 

"We know that extreme events will continue to happen and we need to learn from them," Adam says. "The result will be we're better prepared in the future to minimize the loss of life and property." 

Related content: 

For the world's largest companies, climate physical risks have a $1.2 trillion annual price tag by the 2050s 

What the LA wildfires show about climate change and the future of insurance 

Physical Climate Risk | S&P Global  

Upcoming events: 

The All Things Sustainable podcast will be live in London April 29. Learn more and register to attend: Sustainable1 Summit 2026: Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity | S&P Global 

Learn more about the inaugural Climate Week Zurich, where All Things Sustainable will be the official podcast: Climate Week Zurich | 4-9 May 2026 

Register to attend DC Climate Week | 20-26 April 2026, where All Things Sustainable will be the official podcast. 

Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global   

DISCLAIMER 

By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.   

Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).   

This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   

S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast we speak with Dirk Forrister, President and CEO of the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), to discuss the role of carbon markets in tackling climate change. 

We sat down for the interview on the sidelines of CERAWeek, the annual S&P Global energy conference that convenes stakeholders from across the energy ecosystem. Dirk explains how carbon markets in some of the world's largest economies are undergoing fundamental changes in 2026, at a time when war in the Middle East has put energy security and affordability squarely in the spotlight. 

"International cooperation on climate through markets has the potential of cutting the cost in half in achieving the Paris objectives," Dirk tells us. "And in times like these when government budgets are stressed, the only way of mobilizing the kind of capital that's needed is through market-based solutions."

Despite geopolitical unrest and pushback on climate action in parts of the world, Dirk says business and industry leaders remain committed to long-term decarbonization targets.

"Companies take a long view," Dirk says. "They do not start investing in climate change as a whim for just a year or two. They're investing for long term."

Listen to recent podcast episodes about carbon markets:  

How trade mechanisms, AI and innovation will influence global carbon markets in 2026 | S&P Global 


The role of carbon markets in protecting and restoring nature | S&P Global 


The All Things Sustainable podcast will be live in London April 29. Learn more and register to attend: Sustainable1 Summit 2026: Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity | S&P Global 

Learn more about the inaugural Climate Week Zurich, where All Things Sustainable will be the official podcast: Climate Week Zurich | 4-9 May 2026 

Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global   

DISCLAIMER 

By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.   

Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).   

This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   

S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

This week's episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast brings you coverage from CERAWeek, the annual weeklong energy conference that S&P Global hosts in Houston, Texas.  

Known as the "Davos of energy," the gathering convenes government and private sector leaders from across the energy ecosystem. At CERAWeek 2026, we heard how war in the Middle East is reshaping the way companies and countries manage the energy trilemma of energy security, energy affordability and energy sustainability.  

"It reminds us again that energy security requires diversity of sources and supply chains," Lord John Browne tells us in an interview on the sidelines of the conference. "It will remind us again that we have to think about the energy mix." 

Lord Browne was Group Chief Executive of oil and gas major British Petroleum (BP) from 1995 to 2007 and is now Chairman and Co-Founder of BeyondNetZero, the climate growth equity fund of investment firm General Atlantic. Climate remains on the agenda, he says, "but it has to be blended as always, with security and with affordability."   

Learn more about CERAWeek 2026 here: CERAWeek by S&P Global | The World's Premier Energy Conference | CERAWeek 

S&P Global's All Things Sustainable podcast is the official podcast of Climate Week Zurich. Learn more about the inaugural Climate Week Zurich here: Climate Week Zurich | 4-9 May 2026 

Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global   

DISCLAIMER 

By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.   

Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).   

This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   

S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.