Azeem Azhar's Exponential View
Supercritical’s Mission to Help Tech Reach Net Zero (with Michelle You)
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Tech companies emit more than the airline industry, making carbon removal crucial for net-zero goals.
- Product specialists like Michelle play a vital role in aiding the climate fight.
- Early adoption of carbon removal tech is essential for planet-saving efforts.
- Accurate measurement of carbon emissions is key in understanding and reducing footprints.
- Shift towards high-quality carbon removal offsets for achieving net zero emissions.
Deep dives
Introduction of Super Critical and its Mission
Super Critical, founded by Michel U, focuses on helping businesses achieve net zero emissions by measuring their carbon footprints and selling high-quality carbon removal offsets. The company aims to simplify the process of getting businesses to net zero by automating the measurement of carbon footprints and offering solutions for carbon removal.
Challenges in Understanding Net Zero
Michel U was prompted to start Super Critical after grappling with the complexity of achieving net zero emissions while at Local Globe. The company streamlines the process to make it accessible for businesses, as understanding net zero terms and strategies was initially challenging, involving talking to consultants and comprehensive research.
Addressing Unique Challenges for Tech Companies
Tech companies pose specific challenges in achieving net zero emissions due to their digital footprint and unique emission sources that are not covered by traditional net zero guidance. Super Critical offers software to automate emission measurement processes tailored to tech companies and sells specific carbon removal offsets.
Importance of Measuring Carbon Footprint
Super Critical emphasizes the significance of accurately measuring an organization's carbon emissions to understand emission sources comprehensively. The company simplifies the process by using software to classify and measure emissions from various activities, such as online advertising spend and cloud usage.
The Shift Towards Carbon Removal Solutions
The podcast explores the necessity of shifting focus towards carbon removal rather than traditional carbon offsetting measures. Michel U advocates for high-quality carbon removal offsets that permanently extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to achieve net zero emissions, highlighting the importance of incorporating removal solutions alongside emission reduction efforts.
Role of Technology in Scaling Carbon Removal
Technological advancements play a vital role in scaling carbon removal efforts. Super Critical and similar companies aim to blend different carbon removal methods to create effective portfolios for customers. The podcast discusses natural and technological carbon removal approaches, such as direct air capture and enhanced weathering, emphasizing the need to scale these methods to achieve significant carbon removal targets.
Market Dynamics and Regulatory Considerations
The podcast delves into the challenges of the nascent carbon removal market, addressing issues related to quality verification, pricing fluctuations, and market liquidity. The conversation touches on the potential role of carbon pricing mechanisms and regulatory frameworks in driving behavioral changes and incentivizing businesses to reduce their carbon footprints.
Future Outlook and Role of Entrepreneurs
Looking ahead to 2050, the podcast envisions a world where innovative companies like Super Critical have significantly contributed to carbon removal efforts, making technologies cost-efficient and widely accessible. The discussion emphasizes the transformative impact entrepreneurs can have in reshaping the climate tech sector and driving sustainable solutions to combat climate change.
Conclusion and Call to Action
The podcast concludes with a call to action, encouraging businesses and individuals to engage in climate initiatives, embrace carbon removal solutions, and support the transition to net zero emissions. It highlights the importance of collective efforts in addressing climate challenges and underscores the role of innovative technologies and regulatory mechanisms in shaping a sustainable future.
Companies of all sizes and sectors have committed to net-zero emissions targets, but getting there is not straightforward. Measuring carbon dioxide output is tricky, carbon markets are fragmented, and the quality of offsets varies hugely. Michelle You, co-founder and CEO of Supercritical, is on a mission to help companies better measure, reduce, and remove carbon emissions – and her first target is the tech sector.
Tech doesn’t attract as much criticism regarding emissions as some other sectors, but Michelle argues that tech companies emit more than the airline industry. She and Azeem Azhar discuss Supercritical’s approach and methods.
They also explore:
- What product specialists, like Michelle, can add to the climate fight.
- Why carbon removal is the only viable path to net-zero.
- Why early-adopters of carbon removal technology are especially crucial to saving the planet.
@Azeem
@exponentialview
@wreckingball37
Further resources:
Decarbonization by the Numbers (with Michele Della Vigna) – Exponential View Podcast, 2021
Funding Innovation to Fight Climate Change – Exponential View Podcast, 2021
Building a Trustworthy Market for Carbon Offsets (PART 1) — Exponential View Podcast, 2021
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