Fighting climate change with big data

A climate scientist, a startup founder, a climate change lawyer and a clean energy investor walk into a VC office... 

Join Innovation Bay for an in-depth discussion with experts about how big data can be used to prevent and predict the effects of climate change.

For over four decades, scientists have estimated that a doubling in carbon dioxide levels from prehistoric times would result in temperature increases from a range between 1.5 and 4.5 degrees Celsius. Last year, a report published by Australian climate scientist, Dr Steven Sherwood and a team of global colleagues, increased the estimate for the increase in world temperatures over the next century to between 2.5 and 4 degrees celsius. This estimate is significantly above the 2-degree limit outlined in the Paris agreement.

Essentially, this research shows that the climate won’t warm as much as we feared, but it will warm more than we hoped. So what can be done about it?

Some experts say that one answer lies in the use of big data. Not only can big data help in measuring the pollutants and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but it also has the potential to make our economy fundamentally greener. 

Join Innovation Bay and the panel as we discuss:

• The importance of climate change
• How big data is helping to prevent and predict climate change
• Highlight amazing founders (including those on the panel) who are using big data to combat and predict climate change
• Identify impact investment opportunities
• The potential big and small data have to make our economy greener

Meet the panel:

Steven Sherwood (Climate Change Research Centre) - Steven Sherwood is a climate scientist and Professor at the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of New South Wales. Steven studies how the various processes in the atmosphere conspire to establish climate, how these processes might be expected to control the way climate changes, and how the atmosphere will ultimately interact with the oceans and other components of Earth. Steven holds a Ph.D from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Kristen Vaughan (CEFE) - Kristin Vaughan is Director of the Clean Energy Innovation Fund at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation where she
is responsible for originating and managing investments in early-stage clean energy companies. Prior to joining the CEFC, Kristin was an Investment Director at leading private equity firm CHAMP Ventures, where she managed
investments across a range of industries including education, manufacturing, logistics, services and retail. Kristin is also a Startmate mentor and has a chemical engineering degree from the University of Sydney.

Martijn Wilder AM (Pollination) - Martijn Wilder is a Founding Partner of Pollination Group, a climate change advisory and investment firm. Martijn is a world leader in climate law and sustainable investing. Martijn was head of Baker & McKenzie’s global climate law and finance practice for 20 years and continues to play a key role with Australia’s clean energy finance institutions. He was Chair of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), a former founding Director of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and a former Director of the Climate Council. He is currently President of WWF-Australia and Chair of NSW Climate Change Council.

Christopher Tylor (Fireball.International) - Christopher Tylor is the co-Founder and CEO of Fireball.International. Fireball.International has developed and is maintaining an early wildfire detection, assessment and mapping system called FUEGO. This system is fusing ground-based sensor data and satellite data with sophisticated deep machine learning algorithms. FUEGO is capable of detecting wildfires as early as two minutes after the fire ignites and is already successfully operational in California.

Agenda:

7:30 am - Doors open

7:55 am - Live stream starts

8:00 am - Introduction

8:05 am - Panel discussion

8:45 am - Q&A with the audience

9:00 am - Event concludes

This event will be in-person for the 40 guests who secure a physical ticket. For everyone else across Australia and those that can't make it in-person get your free virtual ticket and join the event!

Be Covid Safe. We take our responsibility as an event organiser seriously so in response to Covid-19, we have procedures we want to make you aware of:

• We adhere to the 2 sqm rule at all venues
• We'll provide hand sanitiser should anyone want some
• We'll temperature check all attendees
• We encourage attendees to wear a face mask
• We encourage attendees if they have been to a Covid hotspot 48hrs before the event not to attend
• We'll have a staff member who will be visible and noted as the safety officer who will ensure social distancing and safety
  
  

What we ask of you:

• If you feel unwell within 48 hours of the event, or have been in a Covid hotspot, please let us know and take a raincheck for next time.
• We encourage attendees to wear a mask to attend and will have hand sanitiser and tissues available.
• On attendance, we'll temperature check all attendees as we hand out name badges