Welcome and what to expect on day two of MaRS Climate Impact.

Follow the money is usually a sound strategy. But in Senator Rosa Galvez’s case, she’s hoping to lead with it. The outspoken senator is championing a bill that would force the financial sector — which she calls the “elephant in the room” on climate change — to align its activities with Canada’s net-zero goals. Hear her views on why this is a crucial step in accelerating the orderly transition to a clean economy.

Heavy industry manufactures products that are at the core of modern living. It is also responsible for nearly 40 percent of global GHG emissions, with steel, cement and chemicals as the highest emitting and most difficult to decarbonize industries. All require tremendous amounts of high heat, rely on long-life assets, are exposed to trade risks and must battle thin profit margins. Is electrification an option? Are renewables a realistic path forward? Do solutions already exist or do we lack the innovations needed to move forward? On this panel, we hear about current and potential future solutions to decarbonize heavy industry.

A fun and fast-paced session where panelists answer a series of thought-provoking “What if?” questions within a specified time. What if carbon was priced at $300 a tonne tomorrow? What if commercial and economic nuclear fusion is possible by 2030? What if the price of oil falls to $10 a barrel in 2023? The audience votes for the best answer to each question. The panelist with the most votes wins!

Achieving net-zero means reducing emissions as much as possible, but what about hard-to-abate emissions? And what about all of the carbon that’s already in our atmosphere? The International Energy Agency is clear on the matter: carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies will be needed to meet any 1.5-degree scenario. In this panel, we’ll explore different approaches to CDR, discuss their importance, and the challenges and solutions to scaling.

Conventional approaches to growing, processing and packaging food are contributing to the climate crisis, which ironically is putting global food security at risk. This panel explores various solutions that will help ensure future generations are fed including:

• Nectar, a venture that is protecting our ag industry and ensuring future crop yields by helping bee populations.
• Entomo, which develops a sustainable cricket-based protein.
• Opalia, a startup developing sustainable dairy.

Legendary Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla has a long history of investing in cleantech, most recently Canadian venture Genecis Bioindustries. In this wide-ranging conversation with Tyler Hamilton, director of cleantech at MaRS, the founder of Khosla Ventures explains his approach to investing, why he thinks AI will be a gamechanger for climate, where the next climate unicorns are likely to emerge, and offers advice to the next generation of cleantech entrepreneurs looking to join the climate fight.

The rise of zero-emission vehicles gives Canada the unique opportunity to leverage two of the country’s strongest industries: auto manufacturing and mineral extraction. In this panel, we’ll discuss the economic importance of sustainable mining to the development of an integrated ZEV supply chain in Canada, highlighting sustainable mining innovations leading the way.

In the follow up to COP27, several participants who attended the global climate conference will share their take on this year’s event. They’ll also share how they’re advancing tech and nature-based climate innovation in Canada and around the world and increasing the pace of preparations for the next stage in the fight against climate change.

A recent study found that 86 percent of high net worth individuals, family offices and foundations believe their capital is crucial to addressing climate change and transitioning to a net-zero economy is the greatest investment opportunity of our time. This wasn’t always the case. Environmental causes such as climate change have traditionally been viewed through the exclusive lens of philanthropy, but increasingly family offices see support for sustainable solutions and businesses as smart investing. This panel will explore this shift of family wealth, which represents more than $5 trillion in assets under management globally.

Several innovators share how we can leverage space-based technologies to tackle climate challenges on Earth. Satellite monitoring venture GHGSat, which captured the first direct view of methane leaks from the Nord Stream pipelines, will outline how their technology can be used to track greenhouse gas emissions from heavy industry. 4pi Labs, an early wildfire detection satellite technology, will share how they’re helping to manage forest fires. Finally, we hear from an entrepreneur working to harvest solar energy from space.

A closing cocktail reception and awards ceremony to bestow honours to ventures in three categories: top Seed stage company, top Series A stage company and a Climate Venture Diversity Award, on behalf of HSBC Canada.