WWF-Australia report launch: Australia’s Green Iron Key - Unlocking Asian steel decarbonisation, securing Australia’s economic future

Reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from iron and steel production is vital to limiting global warming. As a leading supplier of iron ore, coal and fossil gas for the industry, Australia must play an active, responsible, and collaborative role in decarbonising this sector. Decarbonising the steel industry presents Australia and regional steel makers with both challenges and opportunities. Australia could forge a ‘green iron key’ to help our trading partners decarbonise their steel supply chain with a new low-emission industry: producing green iron in Australia.  

Join us at this free  presentation of WWF-Australia's new report: Australia’s Green Iron Key: Unlocking Asian steel decarbonisation, securing Australia’s economic future, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A on the economic opportunities, risks of inaction, requirements for success, and significance for climate change and for our regional trading partners. Light networking lunch provided. Enquiries: nwyche@wwf.org.au

Presenters: 

Nicole Wyche, WWF-Australia  

Nicole joined WWF-Australia in 2023 as Industry Decarbonisation Manager (Steel). Her focus areas include emission reductions, renewable energy and renewable hydrogen requirements, onshore processing industries, and incorporating best practice protection for nature and people in transition planning. Nicole is the Chair of the Australia-Japan-Korea Regional Decarbonisation Network (AJK+), a civil society network focused on accelerating regional decarbonisation by collaboration between Australia, Japan, Korea, China, and other trading partners. Nicole is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, and a member of the Critical Raw Materials Technical Working Group for the Climate Bonds Initiative. Nicole has a diverse skillset developed from over 20 years of work in the mining and exploration industry, government, and scientific organisations in Australia and Finland.

James Bowen, ReMap Research / Dragoman Global  

James is an internationally recognised researcher and analyst working at the intersection of energy, climate and foreign policy. He is director of consultancy ReMap Research, an adviser at Melbourne-based political risk firm Dragoman Global, and an Academic Fellow at the Australia-India Institute. James works with NGOs, think tanks, governments and businesses to increase understanding and formulate responses to Asia-Pacific energy and industrial transitions. He has produced influential publications, briefed senior officials and institutions, appeared before parliamentary inquiries, participated in countless dialogues, and published op-eds and commentary in a wide range of national and international media. James is 

Panelists: 

Tim Buckley, Climate Energy Finance  

Tim has 35 years of financial markets experience, including providing public interest related financial analysis on the energy transition since 2013, studying China, India and Australia. Tim founded Climate Energy Finance Australasia in 2022, having co-founded and worked with the global energy finance think tank IEEFA over 2013-2021. For 17 years Tim was a Managing Director at Citigroup, Head of Australasian Equity Research. Tim has published over 100 reports on the global energy transition.  

Joanna Kay, Zero Carbon Hydrogen Australia / Smart Energy Council  

Joanna is a respected voice on renewable hydrogen and General Manager of Zero Carbon Hydrogen Australia at the Smart Energy Council. In this role, Joanna is a crucial advocate for advancing renewable hydrogen as a sustainable fuel source, both on a national and international scale. Joanna's influence is further underscored by her strategic roles on the Advisory Board of the CRC Scaling Green Hydrogen Bid and the Australian Government National Hydrogen Strategy. In recognition of her expertise, Joanna has recently been appointed as a board member of the University of Adelaide's Institute of Sustainability, Energy, and Resources.  

Baethan Mullen, The Superpower Institute  

Baethan Mullen is the CEO of The Superpower Institute, a think tank focused on promoting Australia's opportunities to unlock prosperity and contribute to global decarbonisation. Baethan brings over 20 years' experience at national and state government in public policy, regulation and economics. His particular interest is in leading rigorous and compelling research and analysis to inform welfare enhancing policy settings.  

Moderator: 

Meri Fatin 

Meri Fatin is widely experienced as a broadcaster and interviewer, focused mainly on climate and the environment since bringing Christiana Figueres, the chief architect of the Paris Climate Agreement, to Perth in 2020. Curating both speakers and audience for the TedXPerth Countdown: WA Climate Leadership Summit later that year led to Meri starting the WA Climate Leaders network, driving a vision to accelerate action through bold leadership and culture change in this critical decade.  
 
Event Support 

Our sincere thanks to Engineers Australia for the use of their Perth venue and assistance. Contact: WA@engineersaustralia.org.au