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    Inside the Transition: The outlook for COP 30 and the road ahead

    October 6, 2025 • by Julia Binder, Knut Haanaes in I by IMD Podcasts • Podcast availablePodcast available

    Knut Haanaes and Julia Binder explore the front lines of the energy transition with Paul Watkinson, revealing the politics, tech, and strategies shaping a sustainable world....

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    The energy transition isn’t coming. It’s already here. From boardrooms to trading floors, from tech labs to oil rigs, the shift toward clean energy is reshaping how business gets done. On “Inside the Transition,” hosts Julia Binder and Knut Haanaes are bringing you conversations with the people at the front line of this historic shift of the energy transition.

     

    This week, Knut and Julia are joined by Paul Watkinson, a seasoned climate negotiator who enabled the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Just weeks before COP 30 in Brazil, they discuss the current state of global climate efforts and the need to overcome domestic political, social, and financial barriers to decarbonization.

    The conversation delves into the uneven pace of the energy transition, the pivotal but complex role of China in clean tech, Europe’s regulatory challenges, and the essential need for a “just transition” to build public support.

    Expert

    Paul Watkinson

    Climate negotiator and Visiting Professor at the College of Europe

    Paul Watkinson is a veteran climate negotiator who played a key role in the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement. With decades of experience in international climate policy, he advises governments and organizations on decarbonization strategies, sustainable development, and global climate action.

    Authors

    Julia Binder

    Julia Binder

    Professor of Business Transformation at IMD

    Julia Katharina Binder, Professor of Business Transformation, is a renowned thought leader recognized on the 2022 Thinkers50 Radar list for her work at the intersection of sustainability and innovation. As Director of IMD’s Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business, Binder is dedicated to leveraging IMD’s diverse expertise on sustainability topics to guide business leaders in discovering innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. At IMD, Binder serves as Program Director for Creating Value in the Circular Economy and teaches in key open programs including  Transition to Business Leadership (TBL), and Leading Sustainable Business Transformation (LSBT). She is involved in the school’s EMBA and MBA programs, and contributes to IMD’s custom programs, crafting transformative learning journeys for clients globally.

    Knut Haanaes

    Knut Haanaes

    Lundin Chair Professor of Sustainability at IMD

    Knut Haanaes is a former Dean of the Global Leadership Institute at the World Economic Forum. He was previously a Senior Partner at the Boston Consulting Group and founded their first sustainability practice. At IMD he teaches in many of the key programs, including the MBA, and is Co-Director of the Leading Sustainable Business Transformation program (LSBT) and the Driving Sustainability from the Boardroom (DSB) program. His research interests are related to strategy, digital transformation, and sustainability.

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