About

From FORESIGHT Climate & Energy, The Policy Dispatch podcast is all about the nuts and bolts holding the energy transition together and making it a reality. Through biweekly, easy-to-digest episodes, we will bring you all you need to know straight from the engine room of the shift to a green economy.

Join FORESIGHT’s policy editor Sam Morgan for biweekly podcasts and conversations with the people who know the issues best. From lawmakers and politicians to scientists and stakeholders, plus many others, we will bring you all the information you need to stay on top of what is happening.

We want to build a community of listeners that are just like us: passionate about moving the global energy transition forward, so please don’t hesitate to engage with us, give us feedback and share your recommendations for future topics and guests. 
You can tweet the show @PolicyDispatch or email us at show@policydispatch.com. You can also find FORESIGHT Climate & Energy on LinkedIn.

Sam is an experienced journalist, specialising in all things climate and energy. Based in Brussels but with an eye on all things climate around the world, Sam has in-depth experience of print, online and audiovisual work. He is a graduate of Columbia University’s Energy Journalism Initiative, has reported on news stories from every continent bar two and now hosts FORESIGHT’s Policy Dispatch and Jolt podcast series.

Latest episode

1 December 2023

Methane in the membrane

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas but regulators have only really started to treat it seriously quite recently. Flavia Sollazzo joins Policy Dispatch to explain why this is a very good development.

Previous episodes

17 November 2023

Moldova’s crisis-driven transition

Moldova’s energy policies and the politics that drive them have been completely upended by Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. State-secretary Carolina Novac explains why Moldova has the potential to quickly go green.

1 November 2023

Brazilian redemption

Brazil is one of the world’s largest countries and most prolific emitters of planet-warming gases. Does a new government mean that it is changing course and embracing a greener future? The situation is extremely complex.

20 October 2023

How green is my valley?

Wales is a verdant land, ripe with culture, history and green energy potential. Climate minister Julie James joins the show to discuss what decarbonisation measures are already underway and why community energy projects are a massive part of the plan.

4 October 2023

Green New Zealand

New Zealand Aotearoa might be on the opposite side of the world but has some familiar energy transition issues to deal with, while others are quite unique to the islands. Dr Christina Hood joins the show to give the Kiwi perspective.

20 September 2023

The Balkan Express

Transport in the Balkans leaves a lot to be desired. Badly connected and lacking investment, the region sorely needs a mobility policy boost. This week, one of the top officials tasked with doing just that joins the show.

8 September 2023

Sparking the transition

The energy transition will only happen if industry is onboard. Despite what some naysayers claim, many companies have rolled their sleeves up already. This week, we hear from one of the sector’s leaders about their goals and objectives.

4 August 2023

Here comes the policy police

2023 has already thrown plenty of energy and climate policy curveballs at us, with many more to come by the end of the year. Kira Taylor joins Sam for this round-up of all the action we have seen so far.

21 July 2023

Charting a new energy course

A controversial international energy pact could soon be a thing of the past after the EU unveiled a plan to exit the agreement. Fabian Flues joins the show to explain what the Energy Charter Treaty is and why it is so divisive.

7 July 2023

Australia, the land of ‘however’

Australia is a fossil fuel superpower that exports its wares to the rest of the world. But it is also ripe with clean power potential that risks going to waste if the right decisions are not made soon. Ketan Joshi joins the show to explain what Australia is doing well in the energy transition and, more importantly, where it is way off track.

23 June 2023

Net-zero industry’s unseen side

Boosting clean tech is an essential part of the energy transition. But there are more issues at stake in decarbonisation than just making industry happy. Camille Maury joins the show to explain what they are.

9 June 2023

Rebuilding the ‘infrastructure of our lives’

Europe has a leaky buildings problem. Work is underway to update the rules that govern efficiency standards, but politicisation and misinformation risk undermining their foundations. Adrian Joyce of the Renovate Europe campaign shares his concerns and also his hopes for the sector.

26 May 2023

Gases from the greenhouse

Agriculture is arguably the most complex part of the energy transition and is faced with unique challenges that extend beyond just decarbonisation. Expert journalist Gerardo Fortuna joins the show to talk manure management, pesticide problems, cow burps and much more.

12 May 2023

Zero-emission cars and stripes

The United States aims to clean up its car fleet with strict standards, and although this new mobility plan has quietly passed under the radar, it can potentially cause a huge green shift in the transport sector. Stephanie Searle joins the show to explain why.

28 April 2023

China’s carbon trading tribute act

Emissions trading can help the industry go green by putting a price on carbon, a policy that is paying off in Europe in a big way. China is looking to emulate that success in its market. Refinitiv’s Yan Qin explains what the future might hold for it.

31 March 2023

What’s in store

Clean power is great, but green electrons cannot always be used immediately after they are generated. That is where storage comes into the mix. Thomas Lewis joins the Dispatch this week to explain what the sector needs to take the next big leap.

17 March 2023

India’s pollution progress

Air quality and the energy transition are closely linked: tackling one issue normally means making a dent in the other. India is a great example of that paradigm in action, but more still needs to be done, according to health expert Pallavi Pant.

3 March 2023

Beyond the tipping point

Clean energy continues to shatter predictions as the green transition gathers pace. Jarand Rystad, one of the sector’s top analysts, reveals why plus what the future might hold for the various technologies fighting for a piece of the energy market.

17 February 2023

The Green Shipping News

Shipping is a crucial cog in the global economy, but it is also a big polluter. This week we find out how one of the biggest names in the business, Maersk, is charting a course towards a cleaner, greener way of transporting cargo.

27 January 2023

How to update a carbon market

The EU’s emissions trading system is the world’s largest carbon market and will soon get even bigger when reformed rules come into play. This week we get an insider take on the updated ETS from one of the negotiators that helped write the new rules.

16 December 2022

Heat pumps are hot (and cool)

The energy crisis has prompted a major surge in demand for heat pumps and the technology is widely recognised as a no-regret option to decarbonise heating and cooling, but many are still to be convinced.

2 December 2022

Affordable energy for all

In this episode, we discuss with Next Energy Consumer CEO Marine Cornelis how to put citizens and our most vulnerable consumers at the heart of the energy transition.

18 November 2022

‘Fit for 57’?

The EU says it is upgrading its emissions reduction by 2030 to 57%, instead of the 55% that underpins its ‘Fit for 55’ policy package. This will require additional work and a greater understanding of the regulations.

4 November 2022

Carbon dioxide removals

In this episode, we dispel the myths around carbon dioxide removals, an often-misunderstood piece of the climate policy jigsaw.

21 October 2022

Cleaning up aviation

Aviation has connected people and cities from around the Earth, but it has also made our planet warmer. In this episode, we will find out which carrots and sticks are needed to decarbonise air transport.

7 October 2022

Europe’s crisis policy outlook

This week, Policy Dispatch chats with Agora Energiewende expert and FORESIGHT’s own Michaela Holl about the EU’s response to the ongoing energy crisis.

23 September 2022

Africa’s climate transition

This week, Policy Dispatch takes a look into Africa’s energy transition, the main hurdles that the continent’s 54 nations are facing, and its untapped renewable potential with Saliem Fakir, Executive Director at the African Climate Foundation.

9 September 2022

Decarbonising our buildings

In this first episode of Policy Dispatch, we take a deep dive into buildings and the need to accelerate their decarbonisation, with Member of the European Parliament Ciarán Cuffe.

5 September 2022

Introducing: Policy Dispatch

Listen to the trailer for the new podcast Policy Dispatch from FORESIGHT Climate & Energy, delving into the key policy and regulation that underpins the global energy transition.