Climate on the Edge

As a climate investor focused on energy transition and carbon dioxide removal, I've spent years understanding and supporting technologies that drive decarbonization. But lately I've grown concerned that our progress isn't happening fast enough. The urgency of our situation. Which has become very apparent has left me curious about what else is out there.

That's why I was so excited to speak with Kelly Wanser, Executive Director of SilverLining. SilverLining is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing climate risks through advancing research and equitable governance around solar radiation management. Kelly is an absolute powerhouse here and a true pioneer in this field. Our conversation will get into how SRM might work, where it's at today, what's needed to advance the field and why organizations like SilverLining and its backers believe that it should advance. 

We'll explore the economic and practical aspects, including concerns about SRM's affordability and the actual, very real logistical challenges of deploying any form of SRM responsibly on a global scale. Kelly is one of the world's most influential figures on SRM and climate intervention beyond emissions reduction. I hope this conversation is as thought-provoking for you as it was for me.

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Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

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In this episode I explore the controversial topic of solar geoengineering with Dr. Holly Jean Buck, and Dr. Will Burns, two of the most thorough and interesting thinkers out there when it comes to the topic. Specifically they talk me through the question of “should we ban SRM research”. 

There’s a lot these two experts disagree on about SRM, and their back and forth really expanded my thinking on the topic. Together, we break down what SRM is, how it might work, and the different approaches within SRM, such as stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening.

This episode provides a nuanced look at SRM as part of the climate action toolkit, I hope it helps you think critically about the role it might play, as it did for me. 

Episode Resources

Holly’s Article on SRM research

SRM Non-Use Agreement

White House statement on SRM (2023)

Wil’s work on the SRM research ecosystem 

Alameda, California Suspends MCB Experiment

Guest-Suggested Articles-

Wil

Clive Hamilton- Geoengineering and the Politics of Science

Holly’s Book After Geoengineering

Holly

Taiwo and Talati- Who are the Engineers? 

Wiley Carr- Vulnerable Population’s Perspectives on Climate Engineering

Timestamps

01:26 Urgency of SRM

02:25 Introducing Holly and Will

22:06 State of SRM Research

29:39 Global Players in SRM

43:12 Rules in SRM Governance

46:34 Challenges of Private Sector Involvement

55:22 Conspiracy Theories and Public Perception

01:04:00 Future Prospects

01:07:02 Lightning Round

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Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

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Fresh from New York Climate Week, I’ve been reflecting on the concept of “toxic positivity” in climate spaces—a term discussed by Amy Westervelt of Drilled. It’s that disconnect between the optimism we often see at conferences and the stark realities of climate disasters unfolding worldwide.

On this show, we don’t sugarcoat or shy away from tough questions. Instead, we dive deep into solutions that could truly bend the curve on climate change. We’re not just discussing problems—we’re exploring the complex, messy work required to solve them.

In this episode I recap some of the most important lessons I've learned from experts and innovators building climate solutions.

I also take a look at some recent climate headlines that you might not have heard about-

-Vietnam launches a low emissions rice initiative

-BlueSky enters a $105 million sales agreement for biochar-based carbon removal, priced at $275 per ton.

-China expands its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to include steel, aluminum, and cement, covering 60% of the country’s total emissions.

-Chongqing, China, experiments with cloud seeding to combat heatwaves

Thanks for listening to Climate on the Edge—let’s keep pushing the conversation forward.

Episode Resources

Drilled Article

Vietnam Low-Emissions Rice Program

BlueSky Sale

China Expands ETS

‘Underwear Storm’ in China

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Toxic Positivity at Climate Week

01:50 Climate on the Edge so far

10:10 Climate Headlines

19:25 Upcoming Topics and Conclusion

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Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

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In this episode of Climate on the Edge, I’m diving into a topic that’s been top of mind lately—what happens if the political winds shift, and we lose momentum on climate policy? With the election approaching, there’s a lot of talk about the potential rollback of the Inflation Reduction Act and what that could mean for climate infrastructure funding. I recently attended Voyagers’ Annual General Meeting, where industry experts discussed the resilience of climate tech companies in the face of political uncertainty, and it got me thinking.

One of the most interesting moments at the AGM was Nat Bullard’s presentation, where he highlighted how institutional predictions about renewables have consistently been wrong—renewables continue to grow exponentially. Even with concerns about reduced subsidies, other speakers made a strong case that the best climate companies can thrive on their own. They argued that while subsidies are helpful, they’re not the sole reason for success. So, when is it really safe for investors like us to dive into climate tech?

In this episode, I also take a look at the bigger picture when it comes to subsidies. Industries like oil, gas, and agriculture have benefited from billions in government support over the years, and climate tech should be no different. While some fear a shift in political power could direct subsidies back toward fossil fuels, I believe waiting for certainty could mean missing out on huge opportunities. We need to rethink how we view subsidies and invest in the companies building our future, regardless of political changes. Thanks for listening, and as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Episode Resources

Nat Bullard’s website w/ links to past presentations: https://www.nathanielbullard.com/

Timestamps

00:00 The Election…

01:03 Insights from the Climate Tech Venture Fund Meeting

02:56 The Reality of Subsidies + Wild Statistics

09:15 Political Risks and Opportunities Ahead

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As biodiversity faces mounting risk from the explosion of H5N1 bird flu and climate change, can investing in nature-focused startups unlock new ways to safeguard our planet’s species and ecosystems?

On this episode of Climate on the Edge we’re joined by Tom Quigley, who discusses his unique journey from conservation biology to technology and eventually becoming a venture capitalist focusing on biodiversity. His experiences in field conservation then tech startups shaped his understanding of leveraging technology for conservation challenges. 

The conversation explores concepts of ecosystem services, biodiversity measurement, land-use change, and the interplay between technology and nature. Quigley emphasizes nature's resilience, existing initiatives for biodiversity protection, and the future of nature tech. 

He also shares personal reflections from his career working to support nature, and how he hopes to see much more of the finance world join the trend of investing in “nature-tech”. 

02:19 From Conservationist to Tech Enthusiast

07:51 Challenges and Opportunities in Nature Tech

11:41 Understanding Biodiversity and Its Importance

18:31 The Economic Value of Ecosystem Services

25:47 Complexity of Measuring Biodiversity

30:10 Nature as Humanity's Defense Against Climate Disaster

32:20 The Role of Mangroves in Storm Protection

33:24 Key Drivers of Biodiversity Loss

36:49 Understanding Zoonotic Diseases

42:12 Hopeful Solutions and Nature's Resilience

46:06 The Future of Nature Tech and Biodiversity Investments

54:56 Optimism for the Future

Episode Resources

Superorganism

Their blog

Book Review on ‘Legibility’

Bat Fungus Leads to Population Loss

‘Terrifying’ Article on H5N1’s Effect on Biodiversity

WWF Report

Sharkwater Documentary

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For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

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Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

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This week host Susan Su takes you behind the scenes at the 2024 Carbon Removal Capital Summit, offering exclusive insights from the forefront of CDR innovation.

Experience the energy of the event as Susan interviews a broad lineup of industry pioneers from the most exciting carbon removal companies—live, on the conference floor. 

Learn how these innovators are advancing CDR technologies from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and discover the bold strategies they’re using to secure funding and scale their breakthrough solutions in the fight against climate change.

On this episode Susan and talks with Steve Oldham, CEO of Captura whose ocean-based carbon removal technology uses renewable electricity to extract CO2 directly from seawater.

02:29 Understanding Captura's Mechanism

03:54 The Shift from Air to Ocean Carbon Capture

05:40 Carbon Removal and Geoengineering: Plans B and C

11:46 Captura's Success and Innovation

14:51 Solutions for Captura’s Energy Needs

17:10 Hope and Motivation in Carbon Removal

22:40 Future Industry Outlook

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This week host Susan Su takes you behind the scenes at the 2024 Carbon Removal Capital Summit, offering exclusive insights from the forefront of CDR innovation.

Experience the energy of the event as Susan interviews a broad lineup of industry pioneers from the most exciting carbon removal companies—live, on the conference floor. 

Learn how these innovators are advancing CDR technologies from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and discover the bold strategies they’re using to secure funding and scale their breakthrough solutions in the fight against climate change.

On this episode Susan and talks with Tom Green, CEO of Vesta, which enhances beaches with olivine, a mineral that removes CO2 from the atmosphere through chemical weathering

00:49 Tom Green, CEO of Vesta

02:36 Vesta's Recent Projects and Achievements

04:10 Solutions in Coastal Protection

06:38 Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV)

11:12 Regulatory and Future Pathways for Marine CDR

14:16 Closing Thoughts and Future Outlook

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This week host Susan Su takes you behind the scenes at the 2024 Carbon Removal Capital Summit, offering exclusive insights from the forefront of CDR innovation.

Experience the energy of the event as Susan interviews a broad lineup of industry pioneers from the most exciting carbon removal companies—live, on the conference floor. 

Learn how these innovators are advancing CDR technologies from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and discover the bold strategies they’re using to secure funding and scale their breakthrough solutions in the fight against climate change.

On this episode Susan and talks with Jim Mann, CEO and Founder of Undo which spreads finely crushed basalt rock onto farmlands, where it enhances soil health and sequesters CO2 through mineral weathering.

00:55 Interview with Jim Mann CEO of Undo

02:39 Enhanced Rock Weathering Explained

04:54 Innovations in Carbon Removal

05:40 Logistics and Software in ERW

10:47 Scaling Carbon Removal: Financial and Operational Insights

15:02 Future of Carbon Removal and Personal Reflections

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ⭐️

Follow us on X and Linkedin.

For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week host Susan Su takes you behind the scenes at the 2024 Carbon Removal Capital Summit, offering exclusive insights from the forefront of CDR innovation.

Experience the energy of the event as Susan interviews a broad lineup of industry pioneers from the most exciting carbon removal companies—live, on the conference floor. 

Learn how these innovators are advancing CDR technologies from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and discover the bold strategies they’re using to secure funding and scale their breakthrough solutions in the fight against climate change.

On this episode Susan and talks with Martin Freimuller of Octavia Carbon who design, manufacture, and develop direct air capture technology in Kenya

00:56 Martin Freimuller of Octavia Carbon

02:28 Why Kenya is Ideal for Direct Air Capture

04:50 Operational Challenges and Advantages

10:46 The Future of Direct Air Capture

17:51 Closing Thoughts and Inspirations

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ⭐️

Follow us on X and Linkedin.

For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week host Susan Su takes you behind the scenes at the 2024 Carbon Removal Capital Summit, offering exclusive insights from the forefront of CDR innovation.

Experience the energy of the event as Susan interviews a broad lineup of industry pioneers from the most exciting carbon removal companies—live, on the conference floor. 

Learn how these innovators are advancing CDR technologies from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and discover the bold strategies they’re using to secure funding and scale their breakthrough solutions in the fight against climate change.

On this episode Susan and talks with Jason Aramburu, the CEO of Applied Carbon. Applied Carbon builds mobile machines that turn crop waste into biochar in the field.

​​00:00 Introduction to Jason Aramburu and Applied Carbon

01:14 Company’s Name Change

02:43 Addressing Waste Logistics in Carbon Removal

05:42 Overcoming Carbon Removal Costs and Benefits to Farmers

06:57 Jason's Journey and Inspiration in Biochar

10:54 The Future of Carbon Removal and Biochar

17:28 Personal Motivation

19:16 Hope and Bipartisan Support in Climate Tech

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ⭐️

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For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week host Susan Su takes you behind the scenes at the 2024 Carbon Removal Capital Summit, offering exclusive insights from the forefront of CDR innovation.

Experience the energy of the event as Susan interviews a broad lineup of industry pioneers from the most exciting carbon removal companies—live, on the conference floor. 

Learn how these innovators are advancing CDR technologies from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and discover the bold strategies they’re using to secure funding and scale their breakthrough solutions in the fight against climate change.

On this episode Susan and talks with Omar Abou-Sayed, CEO of Valuted Deep. who sequester organic waste deep underground in earthen vaults using slurry injection technology that came out of the oil and gas industry.

01:42 Omar Abu Sayed of Vaulted Deep

01:52 Vaulted Deep's Innovative Carbon Removal Process

07:31 Scaling and Regulatory Hurdles

09:00 Future of Carbon Removal and Market Insights

13:18 Hope for the Future of Climate Action

15:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ⭐️

Follow us on X and Linkedin.

For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week host Susan Su takes you behind the scenes at the 2024 Carbon Removal Capital Summit, offering exclusive insights from the forefront of CDR innovation.

Experience the energy of the event as Susan interviews a broad lineup of industry pioneers from the most exciting carbon removal companies—live, on the conference floor. 

Learn how these innovators are advancing CDR technologies from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and discover the bold strategies they’re using to secure funding and scale their breakthrough solutions in the fight against climate change.

On this episode Susan and talks with Axel Reinaud, CEO of NetZero, a company which produces biochar in the tropics from unused crop residues, and is using a franchise model. 

01:20 NetZero's Unique Approach to Biochar

05:58 Challenges in the Global South

08:15 Geographic Comparative Advantage

15:43 The Future of Carbon Removal and Industry Challenges

22:01 Final Thoughts and Industry Outlook

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ⭐️

Follow us on X and Linkedin.

For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week host Susan Su takes you behind the scenes at the 2024 Carbon Removal Capital Summit, offering exclusive insights from the forefront of CDR innovation.

Experience the energy of the event as Susan interviews a broad lineup of industry pioneers from the most exciting carbon removal companies—live, on the conference floor. 

Learn how these innovators are advancing CDR technologies from pilot projects to full-scale implementation, and discover the bold strategies they’re using to secure funding and scale their breakthrough solutions in the fight against climate change.

On this episode Susan and talks with Daniel Hooft- the founder and CEO of Kelp Blue. Kelp Blue cultivates and harvests large-scale kelp forests to remove carbon, and produce sustainable biomaterials.

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ⭐️

Follow us on X and Linkedin.

For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Contrails are clouds of water vapor that form behind certain planes, and reducing them could cut over 65% of aviation’s climate impact—immediately and affordably. In fact, just 10% of flights are responsible for 1-2% of global warming each year. So why aren’t airlines already tackling this?

In this episode of Climate on the Edge, Susan sits down with Marc Shapiro, Director of Contrails at Breakthrough Energy, to explore groundbreaking research on contrail mitigation, one of aviation’s lesser-known but most significant climate challenges.

Mark explains how only a small fraction of flights produce contrails, but they have an outsized effect on global warming. He also shares actionable solutions, including altering flight paths and improving engine technology, that could make a huge impact.

How can small adjustments in altitude or route make flying more climate-friendly? Marc reveals how these changes could dramatically reduce the warming effects of contrails and why it’s not happening yet.

Tune in for a deep dive into this innovative approach to reducing aviation’s climate impact.

Episode Resources

Marc’s Contrail Research

MIT Tech Review on Contrail Mitigation

Roger Teoh’s paper

Satavia acquired by GE

Contrails Map

WMO Desulphurization regulations and effects

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts

Timestamps

00:01 Introduction

05:37 10% of global flights responsible for 1-2% of warming

08:14 Marc's research at Breakthrough Energy

11:09 American Airlines and Google

14:19 Real-world data from 85,000 flights

25:42 The challenge of predicting contrail behavior

28:58 Navigating uncertainty in flight path optimization

30:33 Modeling contrail avoidance

37:51 Challenges in measuring and reporting contrail reduction

46:09 AI’s role in improving flight path decisions

48:32 Final thoughts on climate investments and hope for the future

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For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

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With all the attention and investment going towards CDR these days, we've been wondering recently if it really is still at the frontier of climate action. 

What's at the absolute bleeding edge? Today, I'll explore that question with two guests from some of the industry's most influential organizations: Nikki Batchelor, of XPRIZE Carbon Removal and Jack Andreasen from Breakthrough Energy.

Nikki currently serves as the Executive Director of the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal, one of the most significant efforts to date aimed at accelerating the development and scaling of carbon removal technologies. Her work focuses on identifying and nurturing innovative approaches to carbon dioxide removal (CDR) that can contribute to global climate goals.

Jack is famed for his work on climate policy, particularly in the context of carbon removal and clean energy innovation. He’s currently carbon management policy manager at Breakthrough Energy is a pan-solution organization dedicated to helping humanity avoid climate disaster through everything from policy advocacy to venture investing to philanthropy, and it’s famously founded by Bill Gates. 

They’re behind the scenes on a lot of climate intervention, and they’re backing both the thinkers and the doers.

Nikki and Jack will be our expert commentators on the latest and greatest CDR headlines, and then we’ll talk a little bit more about the topic du jour: "Is CDR still at the frontier of climate"?

Episode Links

Xprize Carbon Removal

Breakthrough Energy

DOE DAC Prize

CDR FYI report

Catona Climate Announcement

Project Mammoth

1.5 + Oxy’s Stratos facility

Heirloom

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction: Is CDR Frontier

02:20 Introducing the Guests: 

05:20 DOE's DAC Pilot Prize

08:46 The State of DAC Technology

17:06 Challenges in the Land Category

20:17 The Scarcity Mindset in CDR

30:10 AI and CDR: A New Frontier?

36:41 The Frontier of CDR: Current Innovations and Challenges

42:35 Enabling Technologies for CDR

52:18 Rapid Fire Questions

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ⭐️

For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susan Su announces the launch of 'Climate on the Edge,' a podcast dedicated to examining advanced climate interventions necessary alongside renewables and EVs to prevent surpassing safe global temperature thresholds. 

The podcast will explore cutting-edge, often nascent technologies and ideas for climate mitigation, including carbon removal, solar radiation modification, rewilding, and other innovative approaches currently being developed around the world. 

Su emphasizes the importance of public discourse, funding, and awareness in driving these transformative efforts forward. With support from an expert team, the podcast aims to educate and inspire action on high-impact climate solutions.

This episode is an introduction to the show from Susan, who gives a brief recap of what led her to this project, and what she hopes to learn by doing this show. 

Episode Links

Rockstromm on Planetary Boundaries

NYT article on reaching tipping points

The climate change “feel test”

Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ⭐️

For more about the show and more information about episodes, visit Climate on the Edge.

Supported by emrgnce - innovative minds exploring climate’s next frontier.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.