In this episode, Melissa Lott, Director of Research and Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Michael Webber, Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, discuss how companies can decarbonize their electricity when pursuing net zero climate goals, from increased efficiency to electrification to generating their own carbon-free electricity, and the pros and cons of these pathways.

Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative

Guests:

Melissa Lott, Director of Research and Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University

Michael Webber, Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

Today’s episode features Alberto Carrillo Pineda, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of the Science Based Targets Initiative explains how they help companies and financial institutions design verifiable and achievable climate targets, and how they assess and validate those targets. He also discusses how the SBTi is transitioning from focusing on technical assistance and assessments to a standard-setting organization.

Company Resources:

The Science Based Targets initiative

How science-based targets work

Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative

Guest: Alberto Carrillo Pineda, Co-Founder and and Chief Technical Officer, Science Based Targets Initiative

For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org

For the second episode in our series on corporate net zero programs, we’re sharing an episode on airline decarbonization from the Climate Vision 2050 podcast produced by the consulting firm Boston Consulting Group. This episode sets up a scenario in 2050 where the industry relies on liquid nitrogen, sustainable aviation fuels, electric aircraft, and blending-wing body planes, coupled with present-day experts who explain the changes.

Link to original podcast: BCG Climate Vision 2050 (“Sustainability at 36,000 feet” episode)

Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative

In this first episode in a new series on companies setting and meeting net zero climate targets, Ashley Orgain, Chief Impact Officer at Seventh Generation, discusses why this home care products company decided to set a real zero climate goal instead of net zero, and how they plan to achieve it. She also describes how Seventh Generation is going beyond a carbon footprint to measure its carbon fingerprints that touch every aspect of their business, from banking to creative services.

For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org.

Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative

Guest: Ashley Orgain, Chief Impact Officer, Seventh Generation

This bonus episode of Climate Rising features Harvard Business Review’s Cold Cast podcast with Brian Kenny interviewing HBS professor Shirley Lu on BMW Group’s decarbonization strategy, which is the subject of a new case study that Shirley wrote with HBS colleagues George Serafeim and Mike Toffel. They discuss why BMW is focusing on reducing vehicle lifecycle emissions, and why the company has so far avoided setting a phase-out date for internal combustion engine BMWs.

For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org.

Guest/Host:

●      Brian Kenny, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Harvard Business School and host of Cold Call

●      Shirley Lu, Assistant Professor, Harvard Business School

Today, as a bonus, we’re sharing an episode of the Skydeck podcast that features interviews with HBS alumni where they share lessons learned and their life experiences.

We thought this episode of Skydeck would be particularly interesting to you because it focuses on carbon capture technology. This is one of three Skydeck episodes on this topic. And for even more, check out Climate Rising’s own episodes on carbon capture, released in the fall of 2022. 

To hear more about the Skydeck podcast visit www.alumni.hbs.edu/skydeck

Visit climaterising.org for more information.

Climate Rising host: Mike Toffel

Skydeck host: Dan Morrell

In this sixth episode in our series on climate change and artificial intelligence (AI), Paul McDonald, Senior Director, Opower Product Strategy & Marketing at Oracle Energy and Water, discusses how OPower uses behavioral science and AI to help utility customers reduce their energy use. He describes why saving electricity benefits both customers and utilities, and shares his advice for those interested in careers in business and climate.

For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org.

Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative

Guest:

Paul McDonald, Senior Director, Opower Product Strategy & Marketing at Oracle Energy and Water

In this fifth episode in our series on climate change and artificial intelligence (AI), Jim Hayden, Chief Data Scientist at Everstream Analytics, discusses how they use AI and machine learning to help mitigate risk and optimize opportunities for supply chain logistics in a changing climate and in the face of extreme weather events, such as heat stress, drought, and temperature extremes. And he shares his advice for those interested in careers in business and climate.

For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org.

Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative

Guest: Jim Hayden, Chief Data Scientist, Everstream Analytics

In this fourth episode in our series on climate change and artificial intelligence (AI), Gary Agnew, CEO and Co-founder of Ideon Technologies Inc, and Kim Lawrence, VP, Talent and Customer Experience, discuss how they use energy from supernovas, sensors, satellites, and machine learning to improve the efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of mining for minerals critical to the clean energy transition. They also share their advice for those interested in careers in business and climate.

For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org

Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative

 Guests:

●      Gary Agnew, CEO and Co-founder, Ideon Technologies Inc

●      Kim Lawrence, VP, Talent and Customer Experience

In this third episode in our series on climate change and artificial intelligence (AI), Apoorv Bhargava, CEO and co-founder of WeaveGrid, a company that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help electric utilities optimize the integration of electric vehicles into a clean energy grid. He describes how they approach the intersection of transportation and energy as a systems problem, and he shares his advice for those interested in careers in business and climate.

For transcripts and other resources, visit climaterising.org.

Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative

Guest:

Apoorv Bhargava, CEO and Co-founder, WeaveGrid