Climate Rising

Jamey Mulligan, the Head of Carbon Neutralization Science and Strategy at Amazon, discusses the company's ambitious net-zero goals. He explains their three-part strategy focusing on emissions measurement, value chain decarbonization, and high-impact carbon mitigation. Jamey highlights Amazon's clean energy investments, including a partnership with Rivian for electric delivery vans. He also addresses the credibility crisis in carbon markets, introducing the innovative Abacus carbon credit label designed to enhance market integrity and improve access for partners.

In a captivating discussion, Erik Berglöf, Chief Economist at AIIB, dives into innovative climate financing for emerging economies. He highlights AIIB's strategy, focusing on infrastructure decarbonization and biodiversity credits, particularly in Brazil’s $1B climate policy loan. Erik emphasizes the importance of integrating climate and nature in development finance and discusses EcoInvest's role in attracting private capital. He also sheds light on Brazil’s ambitious emissions targets and the critical role of finance ministries in leading climate action.

Join Marcelo Medeiros, co-founder and CEO of re.green, a company tackling land degradation in Brazil while producing nature-based carbon removal credits. Marcelo shares insights on restoring degraded forests using advanced data science and diverse planting methods. He discusses the importance of transparency in carbon credits and the significance of long-term partnerships with giants like Microsoft. Winning the Earthshot Prize has propelled their visibility, and he emphasizes the potential of AI in optimizing ecosystem restoration for a sustainable future.

Praveer Sinha, CEO of Tata Power, is driving India's largest private power company towards net-zero by 2045, focusing on renewable resources and smart grids. Vikram Gandhi, a Harvard Business School professor, discusses the complexities of balancing energy growth with decarbonization in India. They touch on engaging customers as prosumers, employee reskilling initiatives like Project Daksha, and the transformative role of technology in energy management. The discussion highlights how these strategies can create long-term value while addressing urgent climate challenges.

Parth Jindal, Managing Director of JSW Cement, and Prabod Acharya, Chief Sustainability Officer, delve into JSW Group's ambitious climate strategy. They discuss the importance of decarbonizing steel amidst India's rising demand, exploring innovative practices like industrial symbiosis and green investments. The duo highlights concrete steps such as hydrogen pilots, carbon capture, and renewable energy implementation. They also address policy challenges and the need for cost-effective, sustainable solutions in a rapidly evolving economic landscape.

Galen Nelson, Chief Climate Officer at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, shares his journey in climate innovation. He highlights how MassCEC accelerates clean tech through grants and strategic investments to tackle market failures. Galen discusses exciting projects like low-carbon cement and advanced glazing technologies. The conversation also covers how MassCEC adapts to shifting federal policies and the importance of a unique public-private model in fostering innovation and resilience in the climate sector.

Jonathan Schrag, the Deputy Climate Chief for Massachusetts, sheds light on the state's innovative climate strategies. He reveals how the new Climate Office integrates environmental policy across various state sectors. Discussion topics include ambitious emissions targets, electrification efforts, and local roles in building codes and EV infrastructure. Schrag also tackles challenges from federal rollbacks and supply chain issues while highlighting potential in offshore wind and geothermal projects. Additionally, he shares insights on small modular nuclear reactors and adapting public-private financing for a sustainable future.

Hui Wen Chan, Senior Director of Sustainability at Crusoe and HBS alum, dives into how AI is skyrocketing energy demands and the innovative strategies Crusoe employs to combat this. She discusses using stranded energy, repurposed EV batteries, and advanced cooling technologies to create eco-friendly data centers. Hui highlights the importance of modularity, location-based energy sourcing, and how various clients align climate goals with their computing strategies. She also shares insights from her career path and offers tips for those looking to merge AI with sustainability.

Danielle Rapson, Co-founder and COO of Mantle, shares her journey from HBS to pioneering innovative molten-borate carbon capture technology. She explains how Mantle's approach stands out from traditional methods, particularly its efficiency through high-temperature steam reuse. Danielle discusses their projects in the pulp and paper and oil refining sectors, highlighting the impact of policy incentives like 45Q and Canada’s carbon tax. She also delves into the challenges of scaling carbon capture solutions and the growing interest from industries, particularly oil and gas.

Eric Adamson, a robotics executive at Oishii and co-founder of Tortuga AgTech, dives into how automation and AI are revolutionizing fruit farming. He unveils the intricate journey of designing a strawberry-harvesting robot capable of operating in various environments. Eric highlights the challenges of automating harvest processes, achieving impressive picking accuracy with AI, and the climate benefits of controlled environments. He also shares insights about the partnership with Oishii, addressing market dynamics, and offers advice for future ag-tech entrepreneurs.