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A theme quickly took shape as the panel discussion got underway at the Carbon Conversations: Charting a Sustainable Future – Sustainability can go hand-in-hand with sound investment and good business practices. The message was not lost on the diverse crowd, a mix of 150 business executives, environmentalists, community members, students and alumni of Trent. All with an interest in sustainability in common, they gathered in the heart Toronto’s financial district the evening of June 3, 2013.
What drew them was a distinguished panel of speakers headlined by Dr. Bharatt Jagdeo, the former president of the Republic of Guyana, celebrated for his commitment to the environment, and led by Dr. Suresh Narine, director of the Biomaterials Research Centre at Trent, Ontario research chair in green chemistry and engineering and NSERC industrial chair. They were joined by Mr. David G. Patterson, chair and CEO, Northwater Capital, and Ms. Annette Verschuren, O.C., CEO and chair, NRStor, and chair, Clean Energy Task Force for Ontario to lead a discussion under the title of the event Charting a Sustainable future.
In the spirit of the name of the series, the Carbon Conversation was a lively exchange between passionate and informed audience members and the panel of experts. Ms. Verscheuren described her earlier career as an executive with Home Depot, where she oversaw sustainability initiatives such as the simple repurposing of furniture for Habitat for Humanity. Once retired from her position, she wanted her next venture to “make a difference.” She sees ethical, sustainable investing as a “convenient opportunity for Canada-led innovation” and invests in solutions-oriented companies undertaking environmentally-friendly and energy-wise initiatives like smart energy storage.
Mr. Paterson shared his philosophy that demand for smart technologies will spark innovation. Sustainable businesses will generate wealth and fuel economic growth. At Northwater Capital, his are not green funds per se – it’s simply a belief that reducing the impact of energy use is good business, “where demand meets profit.” He went on to describe a series of smart, sustainable companies. One company in particular working on the issue of dealing with the heat generated by electricity recycles the photo voltaic heat to produce new electricity.
In his former role as president of Guyana, Dr. Jagdeo understood the skepticism of some in the crowd about the ability to align politics and economics with sustainability. He advocates fixing the energy mix, decarbonizing sectors and charting a different pathway to development through a new global agreement with incentives and strong regulations. The system of carbon credits he put in place for Guyana, which resulted in a bilateral deal with Norway, sought to balance human needs with sustainable practices.
Ms. Verscheuren agreed that “there will be a system of carbon credits sooner than we think” and urged that business can be part of the solution. “The lack of capital coordination between governments, NGOs and the private sector are no excuse to stop doing things at the private level,” she said. Several comments and perspectives presented by audience members resulted in spontaneous applause.
Dr. Narine thanked the panel of experts for contributing their unique perspectives to the ongoing discussion. The successful event was the fourth in a series of expert lectures and dialogues called The Carbon Conversations. The series is based on the concept that the crisis is carbon and the opportunity is for solutions through conversation. The core of our planet’s crisis is carbon – its use, management and ownership is at the fulcrum of fundamental issues in our world: climate change, environmental stewardship, economic development, culture, ideology and the consumption of resources. The Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research engages a broad spectrum of thinkers in the Carbon Conversations– from students and scientists to philosophers and consumers – generating discourse about carbon-related sustainability issues and the future of our world.
Posted on Tuesday, June 4, 2013.