About Carbon Catalyst
Join cutting-edge sustainability leaders across industries to learn about carbon dioxide removal (CDR) – a vital bridge to the clean energy economy for future generations and a tremendous opportunity for corporate sustainability action! Hear from innovative developers, trailblazing investors and forward-thinking policy-makers at the forefront of innovations in this field.
About the CDR Centre
The CDR Centre is a Pembina Institute initiative that aims to accelerate the development of carbon dioxide removal (CDR). This emerging industry is a necessary complement to emissions reductions, with the potential to create up to 300,000 Canadian jobs by 2050.
Once we’ve reduced emissions as much as possible, CDR can help remove the carbon dioxide that has built up in our atmosphere from the last century of human activity. However, in order to achieve necessary scale and maturity, CDR technologies and processes need to be developed and deployed today.
The CDR Centre creates educational resources for Canadian companies interested in taking advantage of this next generation of climate solutions that will help accelerate purchases, reduce risks and strengthen the market for an emerging sustainability necessity.
Resources already produced by the CDR Centre include a case study in partnership with MaRS Discovery District on their CDR pre-purchase from Canadian companies, as well as a CDR buyer scan – the first public Canadian-specific CDR buyer survey – to identify perceived barriers to purchases.
To keep up to date on CDR Centre news and publications, please indicate your interest by emailing our CDR Centre program manager, Carson Fong, at carsonf@pembina.org.
About Carbon Catalyst
Carbon Catalyst will bring together project developers, corporate sustainability leaders, policy-makers and academia to spark action in the carbon removal industry. Through open dialogue and event sessions, attendees will share valuable and up-to-date insights on market conditions, technology innovations and policy shifts.
Through the collaborative event structure, Carbon Catalyst aims to bring a diverse audience together to create new connections and ideas that activate the Canadian carbon removal market.
What to expect at Carbon Catalyst
You can expect a day of variety that includes keynote speakers, panel and table discussions, and interactive sessions that see attendees collaborating to build new ideas.
The day will proceed through a grounding of shared knowledge, to learning from leaders in the field before moving on to a look ahead at possibilities across Canada.
You’ll learn from the leading buyers, meet the innovators behind Canada’s biggest CDR developments and rub shoulders with key decision makers. Most importantly, you’ll be able to voice your questions and ideas, which will help shape the trajectory of the market.
Whether you are brand new to carbon removal or already an expert, Carbon Catalyst will be a key event to expand your perspective.
Registration
Registration is open until April 25, 2025. A standard ticket is $250. A limited number of tickets are available for students/non-profits for $50 each. If you have any questions, please contact carsonf@pembina.org.
Speakers
SPEAKER: Jean Barclay
Mayor, Town of Innisfail
About Jean
Jean Barclay was first elected to Innisfail Town Council in 2017 and was elected as mayor in 2021. Her background includes time as an entrepreneur, as well is an investment advisor, working with high-net-worth clients on succession and retirement planning. While she was a member of Innisfail Town Council, Innisfail became the first urban municipality to lease land to a private solar project.
The attention drawn by this decision created an opportunity for the town to host the Energy Futures Lab Roadshow in 2022/23, and spurred the development of a municipal energy policy, the creation of the Innisfail Energy Hub, and attracted the attention of companies like Varme Energy, a waste-to-energy company. In 2024, Deep Sky decided to locate the first of its kind, Deep Sky Labs, in Innisfail — an affirmation that the work by town council and the administration was being rewarded. Innisfail prides itself on having an open mind to new opportunities and delivering at the speed of business.
During her 7.5 years on council, Mayor Barclay completed an MBA, serves on several committees, including as chair of the Central Alberta Economic Partnership, a regional economic development entity, and is an avid volunteer in her community.
Jean will take part in a fireside chat entitled Just the Beginning: What CDR can bring to communities.
SPEAKER: Phil De Luna
Chief Science and Commercial Officer, Deep Sky
About Phil
Phil De Luna is chief science and commercial officer at Deep Sky, a carbon removals project developer building large scale infrastructure to reverse climate change. Prior to Deep Sky, Phil led carbontech at McKinsey & Company, was the youngest-ever director at the National Research Council of Canada, and was a finalist in the Carbon XPRIZE. He is a Governor General Gold Medal winning scientist, a Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, an adjunct Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto, and a Forbes Top 30 Under 30. Phil will take part in a fireside chat entitled Just the Beginning: What CDR can bring to communities.
HOST: Jorden Dye
Director, Business Renewables Centre-Canada and the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Centre
About Jorden
Jorden is the director for the Business Renewables Centre-Canada and the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Centre, both initiatives of the Pembina Institute focused on accelerating climate action through corporate procurement. His work includes leading a community of over 60 participating organizations across Canada to spur renewable energy development and developing educational resources to introduce carbon dioxide removal to new audiences. Jorden's previous role was at Mount Royal University's Institute for Environmental Sustainability. His work focused on industrial environmental disclosure, industry response to the energy transition, and scaling a Parks Canada initiative.
SPEAKER: Brian Hong
Director, Environmental Markets Solutions Group, RBC Capital Markets
About Brian
Brian Hong is director of the Environmental Markets Solutions Group within RBC Capital Markets. In his role, Brian supports clients looking to operationalize their net-zero targets through bespoke renewable energy and carbon solutions. Brian joined RBC in 2013 and worked in corporate strategy before pursuing a career change to focus on sustainability. Following graduate school, Brian returned to RBC and joined the Corporate Sustainability team where he led RBC’s carbon neutrality and renewable energy strategy, environmental reporting and the development of the first-ever renewable energy power purchase agreement signed by a financial institution in Canada. Brian previously worked in the Capital Markets Sustainable Finance Group where he led the integration of ESG factors into Capital Markets’ core businesses globally by providing advice and developing solutions across all areas of sustainable finance for corporate and institutional clients. Brian holds a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and an Honours in Business Administration from the Ivey Business School. Brian will take part in a session entitled Don’t Just Kick the Tires: Leading buyers offer insights on CDR's significance.
HOST: Chris Severson-Baker
Executive Director, Pembina Institute
About Chris
Chris Severson-Baker is the executive director of the Pembina Institute. He worked with the Institute from 1996 to 2016, then spent three years at the Alberta Energy Regulator before returning in 2020, most recently serving as senior director of the industrial decarbonization group before becoming executive director in 2022. He is a leading expert on responsible energy development, with specific expertise in oil and gas, oilsands and electricity. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in environmental and conservation science from the University of Alberta and a Master of Arts in environment and management from Royal Roads University.
SPEAKER: Candace Vinke
Chief Program Development and Innovation Officer, Verra
About Candace
Candace Vinke is Verra’s chief program development and innovation officer. She is responsible for identifying and conceptualizing new standards, tools, and programs supporting climate and sustainable development action. Candace has an extensive and diverse background in environmental markets, sustainability, poverty and inequality. Prior to joining Verra, she was the Sustainable Development Director at Viresco Solutions, where she managed consulting contracts focused on natural climate solutions, led Viresco’s efforts to expand internationally, and supported business operations. Prior to her position at Viresco, Candace was the Manager of Agriculture and Social Projects at The Prasino Group. Here, she led a small team of sustainability professionals working on agricultural offset protocol development, greenhouse gas emission reduction quantification, and environmental market policy development. Candace holds a Master of Arts in Geography from the University of Victoria and a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Calgary. Candace will take part in a panel on CDR market opportunities.
SPEAKER: Ed Whittingham
Founder, Advance Carbon Removal
About Ed
Ed Whittingham is a passionate public policy professional and the founder of Advance Carbon Removal. His background in climate and energy policy, cleantech finance and carbon removal has been developed through 25 years of working collaboratively with companies, governments, universities and NGOs in Canada and internationally. He has served as the CEO of the Pembina Institute, a director of the Alberta Energy Regulator, and a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council. Currently Ed is a Public Policy Forum Fellow, a Stripe Climate Fellow, and the founder of Advance Carbon Removal. He is also the host of Canada’s most popular climate-themed podcast, Energy vs Climate, and a new podcast series on carbon removal called Scrubbing the Sky. His op-eds have been published in newspapers and magazines across Canada and internationally. Ed will present an invitation to join a group buyer commitment.
Carbon Catalyst Agenda
MORNING
Opening: The Clincher: CDR's critical role in climate action
Speakers: Chris Severson-Baker (Pembina Institute), Jorden Dye (Pembina Institute)
Description: After key players have reduced emissions to the full extent possible, we will still need carbon dioxide removal to come onto the field and pitch in so we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change. In this introduction, we’ll explain how much this industry needs to grow and the unique role that corporate buyers can play to help accelerate development while building an advantage for themselves.
Table discussion: Who’s in the room? Sharing questions and goals at your table
Description: Meet the people at your table and share why you’re interested in CDR, as well as what your one big question is going into the day.
BREAK
Panel discussion: Don’t Just Kick the Tires: Leading buyers offer insights on CDR's significance
Description: Learn from the organizations already in pole position. Even as the carbon dioxide removal market continues to mature, several leading organizations have already forged ahead and established it as a core part of their sustainability. Leading buyer organizations will tell you why CDR is important to them and why they’re taking action now.
Presentation and discussion: Fresh Field Report: Insights from a recent Canadian CDR purchase
Description: What are buyers seeing in the market right now? MaRS Discovery District recently completed their second pre-purchase of Canadian CDR credits and will share what they saw in their procurement. They will be joined by observers who participated in their Carbon Credit Purchasing Program, an experiential learning program that allowed organizations to shadow the entire process. You’ll hear what they learned going through the process, tactics for managing risks and advice for newcomers contemplating their own first purchase.
LUNCH
Showcase of projects happening in Canada now
AFTERNOON
Table discussions: The ABCs of CDR: You ask, they answer
Description: How do rocks pull carbon dioxide out of the air? Does direct air capture work when it rains? Why doesn’t biochar break down easily? If you have burning questions about CDR methods, now is the time to ask. Sit down with an expert and learn more about each type of CDR. You’ll get a chance to cycle through multiple table discussions, led by project developers and academics.
Presentation and discussion: Just the Beginning: What CDR can bring to communities
Speakers: Phil De Luna (Deep Sky), Mayor Jean Barclay, Town of Innisfail, Moderated by Jorden Dye, Pembina Institute
Description: Deep Sky Alpha, the first testing facility from Deep Sky, is now under construction in Innisfail, Alberta. This partnership of a pioneering Canadian CDR company and an enterprising town offers a glimpse of the potential benefits this fledgling industry could bring to Canadian communities. Take part in this conversation to learn more about what this particular project means for the Town of Innisfail, what learnings have come from community engagement and the opportunity that CDR represents for municipalities across Canada.
BREAK
Panel discussion: Tailor-made for accountability: The importance of verifiable measurements
Description: If carbon is removed and you’re not there to see it or measure it, how can you be sure it happened? Learn about the development happening across carbon markets and compliance systems to create clear standards for carbon measurement.
Presentation: Stronger Together: Advance Carbon
Speaker: Ed Whittingham (Advance Carbon)
Description: For those who are inspired and ready for an advanced market commitment, we’ve got just the organization for you. Hear from the founder of Advance Carbon about how this coalition of committed buyers intends to maximize their impact to drive CDR forward.
Interactive exercise: Opportunities abound for CDR in Canada
Description: The day was full of learning, insights and discussion. It’s time for attendees to distill it all down to what they see as the biggest opportunity for CDR in Canada. We’ll share those ideas with the room.
CLOSING: Jorden Dye (Pembina Institute)
Description: We’ll wrap up the day with remarks that pull together the insights learned across all the conversations and sessions.
POST EVENT