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Energy vs Carbon Removal:
carbonNEXT and Energy vs Climate

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Podcast
December 13, 2023

Energy vs Carbon Removal is a dive deep into this still relatively new climate mitigation pathway.The IPCC and other bodies increasingly view Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) as a critical tool to reduce CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere and bring warming back down to 1.5C by century’s end.

CDRs are a suite of technologies focused on permanently removing legacy carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It seems like new carbon removal start-ups are springing up weekly. But the barriers to commercializing CDR tech remain daunting. Will CDR live up to its hype or fail to launch? 

On November 22nd, carbonNEXT and Energy vs Climate teamed up to host a live podcast and networking event in Calgary. The event was attended by over 100 people to facilitate conversations surrounding Carbon Dioxide Removals (CDR).

Sara Hastings-Simon, Ed Whittingham, and David Keith discuss the state of CDR in Canada.
Sara Hastings-Simon, Ed Whittingham, and David Keith discuss the state of CDR in Canada. Photo supplied

Join hosts Sara Hastings-Simon, Ed Whittingham, and David Keith on a deep-dive into the world of CDR focusing on:

  • The state of CDR in Canada, the barriers and opportunities to scaling the sector
  • CDR vs CCUS, where do we need to invest? 
  • How “climate change is not quite as scary as nuclear war”  
  • What is enhanced rock weathering and why is it the most promising CDR technology? 
  • And more! 

Listen to the full episode to hear all about CDR in Canada:

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Speakers

David Keith has worked on energy and climate since 1990, when he switched out of physics. Now, he’s a prof at the University of Chicago, and, in a detour from academia, he founded Carbon Engineering, a cleantech startup.

Sara Hastings-Simon studies energy transitions at the intersection of policy, business, and technology. She’s a policy wonk, a physicist turned management consultant, and a professor at the University of Calgary and Director of the Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Development.

Ed Whittingham isn’t a physicist but he has worked on climate and energy for the past 20 years, first as head of the Pembina Institute, a Canadian clean energy think tank, and now as a consultant helping to develop and finance clean energy projects. He is also a mentor with the Creative Destruction Lab and a co-founder of the Academy for Sustainable Innovation Canada.