The Greener Way

Critical Minerals Supercycle? How AI, Clean Energy & Geopolitics Are Reshaping Supply Chains
In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar chats with Vinnay Cchoda, responsible investment manager at BetaShares, about the predicted shortage of some critical minerals in the next couple of decades and how that could force a resetting of investment expectations and strategies.
Cchoda says the convergence of electrification, AI-driven data center buildout, and unstable geopolitics is causing supply chain issues.
He argues that the supercycle of critical minerals is directionally right but too simplistic, with uneven outcomes across the different types of minerals. For example, lithium and nickel are seeing faster supply responses and price corrections, while copper has hit new highs.
The discussion highlights why investors need to look at their diversification strategies and how to respond to the cycles within the supercycle impacting investment outcomes.
Read: Critical minerals in the age of AI and tariffs (Link: https://www.fssustainability.com.au/article/critical-minerals-in-the-age-of-ai-and-tariffs)
01:08 Three forces converge
04:17 Supercycle creates uneven outcomes
07:27 When AI meets clean energy
09:06 Predicted 40% supply shortage
10:52 Supply chain bottlenecks
13:05 Investor playbook
We record on Gadigal land and we pay our respects to the traditional custodians of country and elders, past and present.
https://www.fssustainability.com.au/

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Deep Green vs Medium Green Investing: Returns, Volatility & ESG Trade-Offs | The Greener Way
In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with financial adviser Alex Jameison of Jamieson Private Wealth about how investors reassess sustainability preferences amid fuel shortages, energy insecurity, and geopolitical shocks.
Jamieson explains starting with a client’s values and ESG preferences, clarifying what they want to exclude or include (such as mining, defense, tobacco), and discussing “levels of greenness” and potential performance trade-offs—especially when sectors like materials or oil and gas outperform. He notes medium-green portfolios may not see major performance trade-offs, while very deep-green approaches can increase volatility due to concentration and may require a more global investment mindset, with Europe offering larger opportunities than Australia.

02:03 Deep green vs returns
03:54 Explaining cycle differences
05:25 Volatility and global diversification
06:15 Investor expectations and greenwashing
07:59 ESG options and advisor role
09:45 Geopolitics and renewables trends

We record on Gadigal land and we pay our respects to the traditional custodians of country and elders past and present.
https://www.fssustainability.com.au/

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Green loans & cheaper home batteries: How the CEFC Is Powering Australia’s Household Energy Transition
This week on The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar chats with Grace Tam, head of consumer finance at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), on how the Australian government, through the CEFC, is driving record levels of green loan applications.
According to the CEFC, the number of loans made under the Household Energy Upgrades Fund™ more than doubled between the first and second halves of 2025, up by 158 per cent. More than 4,100 loans have been made and over 10,000 technology installations completed since the fund was launched.
Tam explains what's worked, the misconceptions around green loans and how lenders are adopting a new approach to appeal to investors and 'green' households.

00:49 What is the CEFC's purpose?
01:02 The latest on the $1bn Household Energy Upgrades Fund
02:33 What is a green loan?
03:21 The green lending ecosystem
05:38 The uptake and key lessons
07:16 The rise of virtual power plants
08:41 Has the risk around green lending changed?
09:54 Barriers and the need for more consumer education
11:10 How lenders are partnering with third parties
12:53 A small window of opportunity
We record on Gadigal land and we pay our respects to the traditional custodians of country and elders, past and present.
https://www.fssustainability.com.au/

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

What does it actually mean to become a B Corp, and is it worth the effort? In this episode, UNLESS Financial chief sustainability officer and financial adviser Marissa Theodorou talks us through the journey she and the UNLESS team went through recently to become B Corp certified.
Breaking down the business case, timeline, key pillars, and common pitfalls of the process, Theodorou explains why the certification is more than just a badge and highlights the tangible benefits that come with it.
She also touches on how the certification process has been strengthened in recent times to ensure businesses are truly balancing profit with positive impact.

We record on Gadigal land and we pay our respects to the traditional custodians of country and elders past and present.
https://www.fssustainability.com.au/

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

On a recent visit to Sydney, MSCI's global head of sustainability and climate index Sebastien Lieblich sat down with The Greener Way to shed light on how institutional investors, particularly superannuation funds, are changing their approach to climate investing.
Gone are the days of simply excluding or divesting companies, he says. Asset owners are looking more closely at the role benchmarks and index design can play in implementing their goals, embedding climate considerations in investment strategies.
Lieblich also touches on the potential ramifications of the current geopolitical environment and how a disruption to traditional energy sources and supplies could impact the global transition.

We record on Gadigal land and we pay our respects to the traditional custodians of country and elders past and present.
https://www.fssustainability.com.au/

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy