• What the LA wildfires show about climate change and the future of insurance
    Feb 7 2025
    In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast we explore climate change and its implications for property insurance through the lens of the wildfires in Los Angeles. The fires that broke out in LA in January killed at least 29 people and destroyed or damaged thousands of structures. Early estimates from AccuWeather put the total damage and economic losses at more than $250 billion. “Climate change is not the only culprit here, but it is an accentuating factor that made this event and other events more severe than they would have been otherwise,” says Terry Thompson, Chief Scientist in the Climate Center of Excellence at S&P Global. We also talk to Gavin Schmidt, Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, about why extreme weather events like wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe as the world warms. "We can prevent the situation getting worse by reducing, in the end to zero, carbon dioxide emissions," Gavin says. "There's really no practical other way to even stabilize the situation, let alone reverse it.” And we hear how the insurance landscape is changing in an interview with former California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, who is now Director of the Climate Risk Initiative at UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment. Dave explains that some property insurers are raising prices and declining to write or renew insurance in places that face rising losses from disasters like the LA wildfires. “The increase in price of insurance and the increased unavailability of insurance has significant economic consequences for households and businesses,” Dave says. “Insurance is the climate crisis canary in the coal mine, and the canary is starting to expire.” Listen to our episode about Canadian wildfires: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/how-the-canadian-wildfires-impact-business-net-zero-health Want to get in touch? Email us at lindsey.hall@spglobal.com or esther.whieldon@spglobal.com This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Copyright ©2025 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. 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.
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    29 mins
  • How private capital can bridge gaps in sustainable, climate finance
    Jan 31 2025
    The UN estimates that the annual financing gap for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is in the trillions of dollars. The Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance estimates developing countries’ investment needs to address climate change and the energy transition at $3.2 trillion a year by 2035, excluding China. Closing these gaps will require private sector investment, and in this episode of the ESG Insider podcast we’re talking with Sebnem Sener, the Head of Private Finance for the SDGs at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Sustainable Finance Hub. She explains the challenges and opportunities of bringing in private capital to address sustainability challenges like climate change, stressed food systems and poverty. "We work at UNDP in many different ways to unlock the private capital that goes beyond profit and that actively contributes to sustainable growth for people and planet," Sebnem says. At the same time, she notes that the private sector should not function like philanthropy. “Profitability needs to be there,” she says. Read research from S&P Global Sustainable1 on the need for climate finance: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/narrowing-the-climate-finance-gap-will-take-more-action-from-banks Listen to our interview with Marcos Neto, Assistant Secretary General and Director of the UNDP’s Bureau of Policy and Programme Support here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/un-official-says-credibility-of-climate-cops-at-stake-heading-into-2025 Join us to celebrate the 7th season of this podcast with a live event in NYC on Feb. 6. Register here: https://events.spglobal.com/event/075966b7-f60b-4a45-b489-c35e954d8baf/summary-full-event-info-?RefId=S1EMAIL This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Copyright ©2025 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. 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.
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    28 mins
  • 2024 was the hottest year on record — here's what that means for climate goals
    Jan 24 2025
    In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we take a deep dive into a new report that found 2024 was the warmest year on record. The report is from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, which is the EU's Earth Observation Program and provides information about climate across the world. The report found that average global temperatures for the year were more than 1.5 degrees C above preindustrial levels — the global warming limit set in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. "Even if at some point, we overshoot this target, I think we need to continue to pursue efforts to cut global emissions and bring the temperature below 1.5 degrees," Copernicus Senior Scientist Julien Nicolas tells us. In the episode, Julien explains the connection between extreme weather events and climate change. He also talks to us about the importance of adaptation measures alongside mitigation efforts. "Adaptation is really another key aspect of addressing the impact of climate change," Julien says. Read research from S&P Global Sustainable1 about how climate change is exacerbating drought risks here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/how-climate-change-is-exacerbating-drought-risks Join us to celebrate the 7-year anniversary of this podcast with a live event in NYC on Feb. 6. Register here: https://events.spglobal.com/event/075966b7-f60b-4a45-b489-c35e954d8baf/summary-full-event-info-?RefId=S1EMAIL This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Copyright ©2025 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. 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.
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    21 mins
  • What’s ahead for green, climate and sustainability jobs
    Jan 17 2025
    In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we explore what's ahead for jobs that require green, climate or sustainability skills. We talk with Efrem Bycer, Senior Lead Manager of Public Policy and Economic Graph at professional social networking platform LinkedIn, which publishes an annual Global Green Skills Report on demand for green talent. Efrem says these skillsets are increasingly embedded in many lines of work. "We're shifting from climate being this niche topic to something that is much more ubiquitous and much more widespread," Efrem says. "At some point, these aren't just climate skills, but they are business skills. These are skills that just anybody who works in certain functions within a business is going to have to know." We also talk with Neil Yeoh, Founder and CEO of OnePointFive, a climate advisory and training firm that publishes a climate workforce playbook. In the episode, we hear what's driving demand for sustainability jobs; about the talent shortage and skills gap for these roles; and about how organizations can navigate political uncertainty. Neil and Efrem also outline how individuals can position themselves to be more competitive in the job market going forward. We’re celebrating the 7-year anniversary of this podcast with a live event in NYC on Feb. 6. Register to attend here: https://events.spglobal.com/event/075966b7-f60b-4a45-b489-c35e954d8baf/summary-full-event-info-?RefId=S1EMAIL Listen to our episode titled "Why climate literacy matters for business, growing the green workforce" here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/why-climate-literacy-matters-for-business-growing-the-green-workforce This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Copyright ©2025 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. 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.
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    21 mins
  • What to expect from carbon markets in 2025
    Jan 10 2025
    Carbon markets will be a big focus of sustainability discussions in 2025 after making headlines at COP29, the UN climate conference that took place in Baku, Azerbaijan in late 2024. In this week’s ESG Insider podcast, we dive into the topic of carbon markets with coverage from the sidelines of the S&P Global Commodity Insights Global Carbon Markets Conference. We sit down with Andrea Bonzanni, International Policy Director at the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA). Andrea talks about the outlook for carbon markets after parties at COP29 finalized key rules and guidelines for international carbon trading under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change. We speak to Marieke Franssen, Managing Director and Head of Commodity Carry Solutions at French investment bank Natixis, who says generating confidence in the market will be a key driver of demand. “Companies need to be incentivized to buy, and they need to be given the confidence that the credits that they're buying can be put to use,” she tells us. We also talk to: Chris Slater, CEO and Founder of Oka, The Carbon Insurance Company, who explains how the insurance sector can contribute to the development of the carbon markets; Linda Rivera Macedo, Head of Safeguards and Sustainable Development at Calyx Global, who discusses the role of carbon ratings agencies in building confidence in the market; and Robin Pedroza, Head of Sustainability Transformation at thyssenkrupp Materials Services, part of German industrial and steel giant thyssenkrupp. Robin talks to us about the impact the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) is having on the steel industry. Listen to our coverage of COP29 carbon markets outcomes: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/after-cop29-what-s-next-for-carbon-markets Listen to our explainer podcast series on carbon markets: Exploring the role of carbon markets in reaching climate targets: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/exploring-the-role-of-carbon-markets-in-reaching-climate-targets What’s next for voluntary carbon markets: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/what-s-next-for-voluntary-carbon-markets Learn more about the 2025 Global Carbon Markets Conference from S&P Global Commodity Insights: https://commodityinsights.spglobal.com/Global-Carbon-Markets.html This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Copyright ©2024 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. 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.
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    35 mins
  • 2025 outlook: What to expect from energy transition, climate and CERAWeek
    Jan 3 2025
    What’s ahead for 2025? In the first ESG Insider podcast episode of the new year, we’re talking to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Daniel Yergin about the outlook for the energy transition in a landscape of geopolitical unrest and climate change. “The global political situation is very unsettled, and that’s going to reverberate on energy transition, on sustainability and on energy markets,” says Daniel, who is Vice Chairman of S&P Global and Chairman of CERAWeek, the annual S&P Global conference that has been described as “the Davos of energy.” Daniel leads the event’s Executive Conference and tells us what to expect when energy, climate and technology leaders from the public and private sectors convene in Houston, Texas March 10-14 for CERAWeek 2025. In 2025 many climate and energy transition conversations will center around emerging technologies and solutions. This is the focus of the other half of the CERAWeek conference, known as the Innovation Agora, and we talk to Atul Arya to learn more about this landscape and what’s ahead. Atul is Senior Vice President and Chief Energy Strategist at S&P Global Commodity Insights, where he hosts the CERAWeek Podcast. “Our goal with Agora is to move the conversation, move the technologies, and ultimately help companies solve the climate problem while meeting the energy demands,” Atul tells us. Learn more about the CERAWeek Podcast here: https://ceraweek.com/podcast/index.html For the latest information on CERAWeek speakers, agenda and registration, visit http://www.ceraweek.com/?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=ESGInsider&utm_campaign=JAN03 Listen to our previous interview with Daniel Yergin here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/talking-climate-diplomacy-and-the-energy-transition-with-dan-yergin This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Copyright ©2024 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. 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.
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    38 mins
  • How a nonprofit is convening competitors to make travel sustainable
    Dec 27 2024
    As many of our ESG Insider listeners take trips to visit family and friends this holiday season, we’re focusing our final episode of 2024 on sustainable travel. We sit down for an interview with Sally Davey, the CEO of Travalyst. This is a nonprofit that convenes a global coalition of some of the biggest names in travel and technology to make credible, consistent sustainability information mainstream and to help people make more informed travel choices. Sally talks to us about the direction of travel for sustainable tourism — including the challenge of getting competitors to work together toward a common climate goal. When Travalyst was founded in 2019 by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, Sally says everyone thought the organization’s mission was “crazy.” “Everybody said: ‘You will never do this. This will never happen,’” Sally recalls. “‘The online travel sector in particular is fiercely competitive and these folks don't work together. And even if they did, they're not interested in sustainability. And even if they were, they won't be able to get the data to the mainstream.’” Five years later, she says, “we've proven out all of those points.” This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Learn about S&P Global’s net-zero solutions: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/solutions/net-zero Copyright ©2024 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. 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.
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    24 mins
  • How to make food systems more sustainable
    Dec 20 2024
    The holiday season is a time to gather around the table for meals with family and friends. In today's episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we're exploring how to make food systems more sustainable with Alexander Gillett, Co-founder and CEO of HowGood, a food and personal care product research and data company. Alexander discusses challenges in measuring the emissions footprint of food products and describes how factors like climate change and regulation are driving changes in the sector. He also talks about how the current food labeling system is confusing for consumers trying to make sustainable purchasing decisions. Alexander says that making food systems more sustainable requires a holistic approach that goes beyond just tackling carbon emissions. "If we create a collapse within the food system because of loss of biodiversity or soil health, but we've solved carbon, we're still going to have massive problems feeding the planet," he says. This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Copyright ©2024 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. 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.
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    26 mins