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VERGE 21 Program

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VERGE Energy Program

ALL TIMES ARE IN PACIFIC TIME (PT). SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. REGISTER FOR AN ALL-ACCESS PASS TO ACCESS ALL SESSIONS AND THE SESSION RECORDINGS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER THE EVENT.

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See the Full VERGE 21 Program

VERGE Carbon

Monday, October 25th, 2021
10:30am to 11:15am
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What Will Enable Food Companies to Tackle Scope 3 Emissions?

Breakout

Supply chains hold most of the food industry’s climate impact. Reducing these emissions is the sector’s next big challenge. 

Food companies large and small aren’t working fast enough to reduce their Scope 3 emissions. But it’s where 80 to 90 percent of their emissions occur. What’s preventing companies from assuming accountability for emissions from purchased goods and services, agriculture and land-use change? How can these barriers be broken down? This conversation will shed light on one of the toughest sustainability challenges. It will propose steps businesses can take to account for and reduce their supply chain impacts in their carbon disclosure efforts and science-based targets.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Jenny Ahlen
  • Hugh Brown
  • Tim Faveri
  • Jeff King

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A New Wave of Startups is Pulling Carbon From the Atmosphere

Breakout

Direct air capture (DAC) can play a critical part in climate strategies if the technology scales and costs fall.

For many years, work on DAC was led by a handful of pioneering companies. Now established first-movers such as Carbon Engineering are being joined by a host of early-stage companies trialling different solutions for capturing carbon dioxide. Discover the technologies and business models that may accelerate the growth of this much-needed climate solution.

Tracks

  • Capture & Storage
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Taylor Francis
  • Josh Santos
  • Shashank Samala
  • Nuno Pereira

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11:30am to 12:15pm
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New Tech for Tracking Carbon Through Supply Chains

Breakout

Imagine what would happen if companies could track the embedded carbon in every ingredient, part and service they purchase.

It’s notoriously hard to calculate the carbon emitted in the creation of a product, whether it's a cereal bar or a computer. To determine a carbon count for the finished item, manufacturers need to know the emissions associated with each part of the product and the services used in its creation — data that can be extremely hard to come by.

A new generation of solutions is now available to help tackle this problem. Learn about the technologies and strategies your organization can use to illuminate the carbon flowing through its supply chain — and how to reduce it.

Tracks

  • Reaching Net Zero
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Lisa McNally
  • Julia Salant
  • Jason Kibbey

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12:45pm to 1:30pm
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Turnkey Solutions for Buying Carbon Removals

Breakout

How to join the emerging market for offsets that pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Scientists have told us that we need to remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere if we’re to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Organizations that want to contribute to this goal often find the market for carbon removals difficult to navigate, but several easy-to-use services for buying carbon removals have recently emerged. Leaders from these new services will explain how organizations of any size can now purchase high-quality credits and help to grow the market for removals.

Tracks

  • Carbontech Products
  • Capture & Storage
  • Reaching Net Zero
  • Nature-Based Solutions
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Nikki Batchelor
  • Antti Vihavainen
  • Nan Ransohoff
  • Patrick Bürgi

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1:45pm to 2:15pm
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Ask an Expert: Climate Lobbying with Victoria Mills

Ask An Expert

The U.S. is in a critical moment for the adoption of climate policy. Corporates should step into their power now to support policymakers.

Climate policy and regulation is an essential component of getting the U.S. on the path toward a net-zero future in line with the Paris Agreement. Corporate lobbying has an important role to play in blocking or enabling policy efforts but this opportunity too often gets left on the table. Now is the time for every company to make climate a top advocacy priority – on par with tax or trade or any other core business issue – and drive that advocacy from the C-suite. This Q&A will dive into the importance of climate lobbying and outline strategies to influence your company’s stance.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Jim Giles
  • Victoria Mills

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Ask an Expert: Biomass with Enviva

Ask An Expert

What's the potential for biomass as a renewable energy source, and how much can it help reduce emissions? Bring your questions to this Ask an Expert session to learn about the latest in biomass and where it fits into deep decarbonization.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Jens Wolf
  • Sarah Golden

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Tuesday, October 26th, 2021
10:30am to 11:15am
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How China’s Huge Climate Tech Spending Will Shape the Future

Breakout

China’s investments in climate technologies at home and abroad will impact economies for decades to come.

The last few years have seen China pursue climate action on multiple fronts, from setting a net-zero target to huge investments in renewable capacity and world-leading sales of electric vehicles. How will these and future changes shape the environment for your organization, both in China and western markets? Experts in China’s climate plans and leaders from China’s climate tech sector share their insights into a future that will be profoundly influenced by the country on track to become the world’s largest economy.

Tracks

  • Reaching Net Zero
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Marilyn Waite
  • Andrew Chang
  • Joanna Lewis
  • Peggy Liu

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Enabling Supermarkets to Adopt Bolder Climate Strategies

Breakout

American and European supermarket experts compare sustainability tactics and examine approaches for raising the industry’s climate ambition.

From airing controversial ads on palm oil and meat consumption, cutting food waste and plastics, to greening refrigerants and cleaning products, supermarkets have a big climate toolbox to work with. And for good reason. Grocers exert significant control over food supply chains while interfacing directly with consumers. What are their most successful approaches? And what enables them to act? We compare the strategies, assess their impact to date and discuss how businesses from across the big pond can learn from each other.

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Speakers

  • Charlotte Linnebank
  • Peter Cooke
  • Brian Lipinski
  • Theresa Lieb

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11:30am to 12:15pm
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New Types of Offsets Worth Knowing About

Breakout

As the market for offsets diversifies, opportunities are emerging to fund projects that cut emissions in increasingly innovative ways.

Discover how your offset spending can delay commercial timber harvesting, lessen the impact of methane seeps, force industry to cut pollution or store carbon deep underground. Experts behind these credits will unpack the technologies and strategies involved, and answer your questions on the pros and cons of each new solution.

Tracks

  • Reaching Net Zero
  • Nature-Based Solutions
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Jim Giles
  • Michael Greenstone
  • Céline Olesen
  • Julia Osterman
  • Olya Irzak

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12:45pm to 1:30pm
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Integrating Captured Carbon Products Into Your Value Chain

Breakout

Household corporate names are experimenting with carbontech fuels and plastics

In just the past year, some of the world’s largest companies have announced plans to test packaging and chemicals made from captured carbon. These trials will be the latest steps towards an economy in which plastics, chemicals and fuels are created not from oil, but from carbon dioxide sucked from the air or captured from industrial waste streams. Leaders behind the latest trials will explain why they decided to experiment with these materials and what their companies — and the planet — stand to gain.

Tracks

  • Carbontech Products
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Jennifer Holmgren
  • Todd Cline
  • Jonathan Hague

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1:45pm to 2:15pm
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Ask an Expert: Forests and Climate Action with HP

Ask An Expert

Forests are vital, complex ecosystems that provide oxygen, store carbon, protect biodiversity and contribute to the well-being of people and communities. They can also be superheroes for climate action. Yet nearly half of our global forests are under threat of deforestation and degradation.

How can businesses take meaningful action to restore and protect vital forest resources while strengthening their own long-term resilience? Experts from WWF and HP will answer questions on the essential role of forests in supporting humanity, biodiversity and the economy; how nature-based solutions can mitigate climate change and its effects; and how companies can address the broader impacts of their products, services and operations on nature.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Linda Walker
  • Ellen Jackowski
  • Jim Giles

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Wednesday, October 27th, 2021
10:30am to 11:15am
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How The Circular Economy Can Help Us Reach Net Zero Emissions

Breakout

What happens when two critical areas of sustainability strategy come together?

If deployed at scale, circular economy strategies could remove billions of tons from our global carbon footprint, while also cutting costs and regenerating natural systems. Yet very few companies have combined circular projects with emission-reduction roadmaps. Leaders from organizations that have pioneered such approaches will explain how they overcame barriers to integrating these two critical areas of sustainability strategy, and what they have achieved by doing so.

Tracks

  • Reaching Net Zero
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Speakers

  • Suz Okie
  • Emily Johannes
  • Jeannie Renne-Malone
  • Adam Sykes

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How to Build a Low-Carbon and Humane Meat Industry

Breakout

Meat demand persists despite the rise of alternative protein. What technologies and practices can lower emissions and better animal welfare? 

The availability, affordability and popularity of plant-based meat has skyrocketed in recent years. But so far the data hasn’t shown that alternative protein is replacing meat consumption. At the same time, meat demand continues to rise in the growing middle-classes of countries like China, Brazil and Mexico. Meat is going to remain part of global diets for years to come, calling for the development and deployment of technologies and farm practices that can decarbonize production while improving animal welfare. This session will highlight promising innovations such as feed additives and manure management approaches that reduce emissions and assess how they will impact the wellbeing of farm animals.  

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Leah Garcés
  • Mark McKay
  • Daniel Blaustein-Rejto
  • Dawn Sherman

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Achieving Corporate Climate Commitments with SAF

Breakout

Almost all major organizations have a footprint in aviation, through commercial business travel, air freight or corporate jets. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are a key solution to reducing Scope 1 or Scope 3 emissions, both for airlines and the corporations who make use of their services. Join this panel discussion to find out how sustainable aviation fuels can play a role in corporate decarbonization strategies. The speakers on this panel include SkyNRG, Microsoft, RMI, and WWF.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Charlotte Hardenbol
  • Julia Fidler
  • Adam Klauber
  • Fernando Rangel Villasana

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11:30am to 12:15pm
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Making Sense of the Headlines Questioning Forest Offsets

Breakout

Offsets experts disentangle the debate over whether forest credits perform as advertised.

Over the past few years, several media outlets have questioned the integrity of forest offsets and the role of trusted non-profits in promoting them. How have forest experts responded? And are these questions serious enough for companies to consider channeling offset spending to other solutions, or just a reminder that offset buyers always need to do appropriate due diligence? Our panel will take questions from an independent expert who will help your organization make sense of forest offsets and understand how to responsibly engage in this market.

Tracks

  • Nature-Based Solutions
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Naomi Swickard
  • Steve Zwick
  • Sean Carney
  • Angela Foster-Rice

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VERGE Accelerate: Carbon Pitch Session

Breakout

VERGE Accelerate is a series of fast-pitch competitions featuring leading climate tech startups. Today’s session highlights five entrepreneurs building solutions for carbon removal. Hear expert reactions to each pitch, and then cast your vote to help determine the winner, who will get to pitch in the main stage finals on Thursday, October 28.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Marcius Extavour
  • Julia Reichelstein
  • Jim Giles
  • Mike Kelland
  • Alex Gershenson
  • Sanchali Pal
  • Thomas Norman Canguilhem
  • Frank Wooten

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Partnering with Farmers to Reach Net-Zero Commitments

Breakout

Decarbonizing farms is essential for a 1.5° future. Consider these cutting-edge technologies to make headway on your Scope 3 targets. 

A big portion of a low-carbon future lies in the hands of farmers — and in companies’ Scope 3 emissions. A dynamic ecosystem is evolving to support farmers in revamping their operations. They promise to unlock emissions reductions by electrifying farm equipment, breeding better seeds, decarbonizing inputs and generating renewable energy. Which solutions can best help food companies decarbonize their supply chains? How can they be employed equitably and improve the wellbeing of the farmers championing them?

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Rebecca Chesney
  • Emma Fuller
  • Felipe Villela
  • Cristian Barcan

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12:45pm to 2:45pm
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Interactive: Can You Craft Successful Global Climate Strategy?

Interactives

Test your climate strategies in a global simulation of climate policy.

Think you can fix climate change? This is your chance to put your strategies to the test. In this small-group role-playing exercise, you and others participants will represent the view of key stakeholders in the climate debate, from conventional energy producers to climate justice hawks. Over multiple rounds, your team will be challenged to brainstorm strategies and cooperate — or not — with other interest groups. When time is up, you will be assessed against the question that matters: Did your strategies restrict global warming to no more than 2 degrees?

Tracks

  • Reaching Net Zero
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Christina Page

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Thursday, October 28th, 2021
10:30am to 11:15pm
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Coming Soon: Hubs for Capturing, Storing and Using Carbon

Breakout

How will the new generation of carbon campuses impact your organization?

The carbon economy of the future may center on hubs where emissions from industry — think steel or cement production, for example — are captured and transformed into useful products, or stored safely underground. With the billions of dollars needed to create the first generation of these hubs soon starting to flow, experts from the public and private sectors will outline the business opportunities emerging from these new carbon campuses and explain how your company can get involved.

Tracks

  • Carbontech Products
  • Capture & Storage
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Volker Sick
  • Amishi Kumar
  • Kim Bruun

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10:30am to 11:15am
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How to Clean Your Supply Chain

Breakout

While many companies have adopted clean energy goals for their operations, the majority of emissions are usually from their suppliers. In this session, organizations talk about how they're expanding energy goals to include their value chain, and how they're incentivizing partners to clean up their (energy) act.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Carolyn Campbell
  • Carolyn Comer
  • Tessa Lee
  • Chris Brooks

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Backing a Unifying Framework for Regenerative Agriculture

Breakout

By launching a new scalable framework, 150+ organizations are collaborating to help 99 percent of U.S. agriculture get on a better path.

More and more companies across the food and agriculture industry are promising to collaborate with farmers and ranchers to scale farming practices that improve soil health, carbon capture, water use, biodiversity and equity. Many are committed to achieving results by 2030. Yet key questions remain unanswered. How should farmers be incentivized? What are the best ways to measure, verify and report soil health outcomes? What will a regenerative marketplace look like? This is why Green Brown Blue, a food accelerator directed by the Lexicon and backed by Google, brought together experts from the entire food and agriculture ecosystem over 18 months to co-create and launch REGEN1. This new model is marketplace-driven and inclusive of the entire value chain — bringing together food companies, NGOs, farmers, ranchers, government agencies, soil scientists, academics, storytellers, and supply chain experts. The creators will explain the ins and outs of their new platform and how everyone can get involved to bring its benefits to life.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Douglas Gayeton
  • Heather Clancy
  • Cary Crum
  • Renee McKeon

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11:30am to 12:15pm
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Is Your Company On Track to Halve Its Emissions by 2030?

Breakout

The deadline for net-zero is 2050, but there’s a more immediate milestone to hit first.

The science of drawdown tells us that all organizations have to achieve a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 in order to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees. That’s a significant challenge for many, but help is at hand. Leaders from companies that are well advanced on their journey toward this target will share details of the technologies, strategies and partnerships that are propelling them toward a 50 percent cut by the end of the decade — if not before.

Tracks

  • Reaching Net Zero
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Speakers

  • Sak Nayagam
  • Sheryl Telford
  • Perry Jones

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What Will it Take to Decarbonize Shipping?

Breakout

Ships transport more than 10 billion metric tons of cargo each year, and almost all of these ships run on fossil fuels. New data shows that about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions is attributed to maritime shipping – even more than airplanes. This session tackles how to decarbonize the shipping industry -- from private sector tech development to monitor emissions (ABB) and modifying existing ships to be zero-carbon (MHIA) to what is needed from the public sector to create new regulations to drive progress in this space.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • David Lee
  • Alisa Kreynes
  • Chris Cannon
  • Bryan Fisher
  • Pradeep Venkataraman

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12:45pm to 1:30pm
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Decarbonizing Crypto to Cut Emissions Across Supply Chains

Breakout

The processes being developed to limit emissions from cryptocurrencies could help other sectors cut carbon from supply chains.

Bitcoin miners consume as much electricity as a small country, an unknown but significant fraction of which comes from fossil fuel plants. As awareness of the carbon-intensive nature of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has risen, industry leaders have begun developing solutions. And the techniques involved could do more than slash crypto emissions. By learning how to track and trace carbon in crypto networks, these initiatives could help other industries to decarbonize their supply chains. Experts from the Crypto Climate Accord and other organizations will share their thoughts on how the crypto sector and others can move toward a low-carbon future.

Tracks

  • Reaching Net Zero
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Brennan Spellacy
  • Doug Miller
  • Evîn Cheikosman
  • Monica Long

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The Path to Industrial Decarbonization

Breakout

Decarbonizing industrial processes such as manufacturing or food production is a climate imperative — and it’s also incredibly challenging. Join companies blazing the trail to their own industrial emissions reductions to hear their strategies and talk frankly about the challenges and opportunities.

  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • Winston Chen
  • Blaine Collison
  • Rob Threlkeld
  • Virginia Covo

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1:45pm to 2:15pm
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​​Ask an Expert: Forest Offsets Technology with NCX

Ask An Expert

Advances in satellite imagery and AI are driving a wave of innovation in forest carbon offsets. Find out how these technologies are leading to the creation of new types of forest offsets and improving the integrity of the systems used to monitor quality in carbon markets.

Tracks

  • Nature-Based Solutions
  • All-Access Pass Required

Speakers

  • John Davies
  • Julia Osterman

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