Climate change stands out as one of the paramount challenges of our era, impacting ecosystems, economies, and societies worldwide. The public's concerns are palpable, ranging from the immediate threats of heatwaves, wildfires, to the enduring economic strains triggered by such events. This broader climate crisis has propelled an urgent need for innovative solutions across diverse sectors, driving technological and financial advancements to tackle this complex issue head-on. At this critical juncture, it's imperative to delve into the pivotal roles of transformative technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge advancements in carbon capture. While these innovations hold promising opportunities for climate mitigation, they also present formidable challenges and risks.

Throughout the podcast, we explore key questions such as the opportunities AI offers for climate mitigation, the risks and challenges associated with using AI in this context, and the future of carbon capture technologies like direct air capture (DAC). Trishna sheds light on Climeworks' mission and her role within the organization, as well as discussing the differences between various carbon capture technologies and the most promising advancements in this field. We also touch on the unpredictability of the climate industry and the changes anticipated in the coming years, highlighting the key milestones required to fully implement technologies like DAC and transition to a market-driven approach for climate solutions.

Speaker： Trishna Nagrani

Trishna is currently leading the Asian expansion at Climeworks. Prior to Climeworks, she co-authored a roadmap on AI applications for climate mitigation sponsored by the Japanese Government (METI and NEDO) which was presented at the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum in Tokyo and the final version in the Japanese pavilion at COP28. She has also researched on US, China, and EU's green bond markets and carbon markets as a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University. Previously, she invested in digital infrastructure companies at the World Bank Group (IFC) based in Washington, D.C. covering emerging markets globally; co-founded an AI-enabled fintech platform in London; and was a financial advisor at Lazard mainly looking at distressed companies.

Co-host：

Karen Wang

CEO @ Climind; Research assistant at Imperial College, Centre for Climate Finance & Investment; Forbes 30 under 30, UN SDG Young Leader, Schwarzman Scholar.

Cindy Zhu

Currently a sophomore student at CUHK majoring in Statistics.

Main topics

1:41 - Speaker’s self-introduction.

2:48 - Reasons that Trishna chooses to work in Climeworks.

6:33 - What opportunities does AI offer for climate mitigation?

9:40 - What are the risks and challenges associated with using AI for climate mitigation?

15:35 - What is Climeworks' purpose, and what role does Trishna play in the organization?

24:20 - What are the differences between CCS, DAC, and CCUS?

26:23 - What are the most promising technologies used for carbon capture?

29:50 - What is the biggest obstacle that DAC must overcome as a climate mitigation strategy?

32:18 - As it is hard to predict what future would be like in climate industry, what are the things that are expected to change?

35:17 - Considering the unpredictability of the climate industry, what changes are anticipated?

37:39 - What are the key milestones required to fully implement direct air capture technology in the industry, transitioning it to a market-driven approach rather than relying solely on capital markets or policies?

Extended reading

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