SDG Talks

Jonas Marie Dumdum is an Associate Consultant for GCSS Inc., a firm that helps large companies improve their ESG initiatives. He is a podcast co-host and head of research for Sustainarumble!, the first sustainable development podcast in the Philippines, and a consultant for two startup initiatives in Manila called Salin PH and Wear Forward. In this episode: Look to the past to understand our prese...

Ishani Palandurkar is a young professional working in environmental development, mainly on climate action through climate policy and mainstreaming climate dialogue, Himalayan mountain sustainability, sustainable livelihoods and waste management. She is also a Climate Reality leader and currently hosting regional UNLEASH Hacks in India on SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic G...

Christopher Moss is a Nature Based Solutions (NBS) expert currently working at the United Kingdom Green Building Council on their Nature, Biodiversity and Climate Resilience programs. This role is during an interruption to his Ph. D. research which is investigating the potential of the Neighborhood Planning Process as a means for Green Infrastructure implementation at the most localized scale of p...

Ella Sangree and Isabelle Seckler are currently students at Columbia University who helped found their university's SDSN Youth Network. Both Ella and Isabelle grew up with a passion for environmentalism and sustainability, and are now bringing their passions to others in their work with SDSN. In this episode: The formation of SDSN at Columbia University Get comfortable having uncomfortable convers...

Lynne Scott is a high school science teacher at Principia School in St. Louis, MO. She also serves as the school’s sustainability coordinator - Early Childhood (EC) - 12 and is passionate about education and helping students serve as change agents in their world. In this episode: ·  Making education local, contextual and meaningful ·  How to interweave SDGs into learning curriculum · &nb...

Darshita Gillies is the founder and CEO of Maanch, a platform leveraging technology to enhance the impact of capital. Working within the framework of the SDGs, Maanch is connecting philanthropic funds, impact investors and corporates with project opportunities around the world. Launched in 2018, Maanch works with over 700 partners across 15+ countries towards achieving the UN-SDGs. With an upbring...

Dr. Sisira S. Withanachchi is a senior researcher and lecturer at the University of Kassel, Germany and contributed to the United Nations World Water Assessment Program (WWAP). He is also an expert reviewer in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In this episode we discuss: ·  The importance of partnerships to achieve the SDGs ·  How UNLEASH advances the efforts to the UN SDGs&...

Jack is the Founder and CEO of Impact Consulting, a growing global network of aspiring and professional consultants that provide pro-bono consulting support to social impact organizations. Every client Impact works with directly contributes to the achievement of at least 1 of the SDG’s. Examples of the work they have done so far include working with a start-up in Norway that works to reduce plasti...

Danni Washington is a TV host and Science Communicator who is also the first African-American woman to host her own science television series. Danni is the co-founder of Big Blue & You, a proficient scuba diver, the co-creator of Sea Youth Rise Up, an inspirational speaker and a passionate advocate for ocean and planet conservation. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danniwashington/ Big Bl...

Eva Karlsson is the CEO of Houdini Sportswear, a brand pioneering the outdoor clothing space by making truly circular business. With rental services, subscription services and 100% of this season’s fabrics being recycled, recyclable, biodegradable or bluesign certified, Houdini is on a mission to change the trajectory of the industry. The latest project, Mono Air, has seen the creation of a fleece...

Purnima Ramakrishnan is from India, is a UN Award winning writer (2015), recipient of the IRP Fellowship in Journalism by Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies(2014), and the recipient of BlogHER International Activist Award (2013). She is the host of the GLOW Heartfulness Webinars for Women (an acronym for Genuine Loving Outstanding Women). GLOW’s mission is to create a community...

Andrea Remes is the operations and programs assistant at Aspen Institute Mexico, is a Youth Delegate and Outreach Lead at the Youth Delegate Program as well as President of the Mexico City chapter of UNITE 2030, and is co-founder of the edtech platform Erandi Aprende. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-remes-706473106/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrea.remes/   Facebook: h...

Akshay Gunteti is a Waste-prenuer and Environmentalist. He is working as Head of Partnerships at Green Worms Waste Management Company and is actively involved in Youth engagement programs related to Climate Action, Leadership development & Community building. Most of the time as part of work, he is always found on roads to work with various stakeholders & networking. Recently he has embark...

Michelle Kwok is a born and raised Vancouverite - medical science student turned social entrepreneur. She co-founded FLIK, a female-focused apprenticeship portal connecting female founders/leaders to ambitious female students to facilitate game-changing relationships that lift communities of womxn. Michelle has had the honour of speaking at universities and spaces across North America sharing her...

What does finance have to do with sustainable development? How can we use data to support lending and insurance to create new opportunities for development in underdeveloped regions? Great chat with the phenomenal Hesus Inoma, an experienced Financial Services Professional and Specialist in IoT and Connected Finance with +12 years’ experience within the Domestic and Cross-Border Financial Services...

Why is it so important to get involvement from the youth as we develop our future institutions of governance?  As Generation Z continues to grow, the role of the youth in the development of strong institutions has never been more important. So what can we do about it? In Pakistan, Talha Saleem is doing just that.  Talha Is the president of the Youth Parliament in Karachi Pakistan & e...

How do we create the leaders of the future? Memorizing textbooks and taking tests is surely not the recipe. In this SDG Talks, Mohit Rauniyar gives his insights about the future of Quality Education #SDG4 .   As the Co-Founder and Director of Canopy Nepal, which is a social enterprise working in the field of education, Mohit offers a range of unique perspectives to the global education c...

How can we provide increased access to food, education, and safe spaces for marginalized communities? Sammy Mwanja, the founder and Director of Tumaini Hand Mision, knows that you can’t just have food to provide success. It requires addressing all the SDGs to provide sustainable development for the marginalized communities in Kenya. Tumani means HOPE which drives everything Sammy does to provide H...

Lance Kittel is the Associate Director of Inland Ocean Coalition based in Colorado. Lance has worked on global sustainability and ocean-related issues since 2018, and coordinates both national and international programs and campaigns targeted towards ocean protection and conservation. Lance holds a Masters in Environmental Management from Western Colorado University. 

Why is mental health such an important aspect within the SDG 2030 Road Map? In this SDG Talks, Vasundharaa S Nair discusses the roadblocks to mental health services, debunks the myths around mental health and the importance of seeking help. Vasundharaa is a mental health clinician and a senior research fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences.  She is passionate ab...

Avinash Jhangiani (Avi) is a senior, award-winning digital transformation and innovations leader with more than 20 years of experience with large enterprises and consulting firms in the US and India, such as Deloitte, Reliance and Omnicom Group in India. Avi left his fast-growing, cushy corporate career at the age of 42 to find his true calling, which is to make our children and younger generation...

What does the India of 2050 look like and how can YOU work to influence it? Due to the impacts of climate change, there is an increased frequency and severity of cyclones that are changing the landscape of India. We cannot sit on the sidelines and watch. In this SDG Talks, you will all get to hear from Ranjan Panda, popularly known as Water Man of Odisha & Climate Crusader, was awarded the fir...

We know the next cyclone is coming, but what are we going to do about it?  How we can design cities and communities to withhold, sustain, and thrive in uncertain climatic conditions? In this episode of the SDG Talks, Animesh Behera shines a light on the challenges and opportunities of Cyclones.  This is such a big issue in India that the upcoming UNLEASH HACKS event will focus solely on...

How can we change the story from the Tragedy of the Commons to the Happiness of the Commons? Praharsh Patel communicates how we can flip this switch by providing proper incentives to farmers. We hear a unique first-person story from Praharsh and how this can drive tangible change for the farmers in India; and the world. Praharsh Patel is a young enthusiast working in the field of Policy Research t...

Did you know it is the 75th Birthday of the United Nations this year?  How do we know if there has been any progress in the past 75 years? In this SDG Talks, Vidyadhar Prabhudesai explores past and future issues around how the 17 SDGs intersect to drive a positive impact around people, the planet, peace, and prosperity.  Throughout the chat, we explore the impacts of weather, migrations,...