News
Below are snapshots from events, media and processes where the work under Mission Innovations Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initative have been presented and/or discussed.
June 28th, 2022
“Launch of partnership with Climate Action” at Climate Innovation Forum
London, United Kingdom
The launch of an initiative to assess the positive impacts of conferences that Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative will run in collaboration with Climate Action – a new category of climate leaders; the enablers.
One key stakeholder in this group are the conference/match makers, as they facilitate a new generation of collaborations and reshape what we see as possible. Assessing the positive impacts of such events and processes is an important part of an expanded innovation agenda.
June 11th, 2022
“Integrating science, art and technology” at The Festival of the New European Bauhaus
Brussels, Belgium
This panel at the Festival of the New European Bauhaus reunited advanced practitioners and thinkers from the worlds of culture, art, science and technology to discuss how uniting disciplines can create a disruptive model of pan-European innovation and change.
Moderator: Jose Luis de Vicente, Head Curator and Cultural Researcher, Sonar D+, Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, Spain.
Panelists: Christophe De Jaeger, Founder and Director, Gluon, Belgium; Florian Kohler, CEO, GMUND Paper, Germany; Dennis Pamlin, Executive Director, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative; Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary-General, Europa Nostra, Serbia, The Netherlands; Prof. Barbara Widera, Associate Professor, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland.
June 6th – June 7th, 2022
“A Climate Innovation Assessment tool" at SB56
Bonn, Germany
At two important side-events at UNFCCC SB56, Dennis Pamlin, together with UNFCCC staff from the Global Innovation Hub urged those working with climate change: all NDCs, LDCs, city climate strategies and pledges/strategies from companies, organizations and initiatives, to make three commitments to address the issue of insufficient ambition in relation to the 1.5 °C goal, to include three types of commitments:
- One unconditional climate goal commitment based on perceived capability
- One conditional climate commitment aligned with a globally sustainable 1.5 °C goal where the gaps are identified and those with capacity to close the gaps are invited
- One as solution provider, with focus on human needs, taking on to put a certain amount of effort in responding to the demand for globally sustainable climate solutions that are compatible with a just transition towards a future where 10-11 billion citizens can live flourishing lives. Where possible the positive effort as a solution-providers should also be quantified.
May 31st, 2022
“A green Digital Agenda for EU and beyond” at EU Green Week
Brussels, Belgium
EU Green Week Partner Event: Accelerating our sustainable futures through digital innovation – what is working and what more can be done?
Moderator: Alessandro Gropelli, Deputy Director General, ETNO.
Speakers: MEP Cyrus Engerer; Ilias Iakovidis, DG CNECT; Massamba Thioye, UNFCC; Veerle Vandeweerd, P4TT; David Jensen, UNEP; Luis Neves, CEO, GeSI; Melanie Kubin-Hardewig, Deutsche Telekom; Dennis Pamlin, Digital with Purpose/RISE/ Mission Innovation; Dra. Assuncao Cristas, Head of ESG Services and Environment, VdA; Michael Kuhndt, CSCSP
May 25th, 2022
"An expanded innovation space for transformative climate solutions” at Innovate4Climate
Live stream
”An expanded innovation space for transformative climate solutions” was a panel discussion, featuring Dennis Pamlin, Head/Senior Advisor, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative/RISE; Kirsten Dunlop, CEO, EIT Climate-KIC; Massamba Thioye, Manager, UNFCCC Secretariat; and Andy Deacon, Acting Managing Director, Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM).
The panel discussed the recently announced Global Innovation Hub and the need for an expanded innovation space for climate action, and the opportunities for a need-based and solution-oriented approach that satisfies the core human needs for food, shelter, mobility, and access via alternative value chains aligned with the SDGs and compatible with 1.5 °C.
May 10th, 2022
“An expanded climate innovation agenda for cities” at ICLEI's Research Symposium 2
Malmö, Sweden
Participation in innovation panel discussing Innovation in cities: Reclaiming the term to equip cities for persistent and future challenges.
Moderator: Pourya Salehi, Acting Head of Urban Research Team at ICLEI, Co-chair of Research & Innovation Technical Working Group at Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM);
Panelists: Prof. Victoria Beard, Director of the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities, Associate Dean for Research Initiatives at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Cornell University; Katherine Foster, Advisor to UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub – Open Earth Foundation, Digital Economist; Dr. Anjali Mahendra Director of Global Research at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities; Randy Sa’d, Executive Director of Flourishing Enterprise Institute, Wilfrid Laurier University, Executive Director of REFOCUS
May 10th, 2022
“An expanded climate innovation agenda for cities” at ICLEI's Research Symposium
Malmö, Sweden
Participation in the opening plenary discussing Forward-looking approaches and implementation roadmaps to address the knowledge gaps identified by the updated GRAA.
Moderator: Maryke van Staden, Director of carbon Climate Center, Director of Business Development at ICLEI World Secretariat.
Panelists: Simon Chrisander, Deputy Mayor of the City of Malmö, Chairman of the Environmental Committee for the City of Malmö, Sweden; Prof. Ronan Long, Director of WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute, Nippon Foundation Professorial Chair of Ocean Governance and the Law of the Sea; Prof. Kevin Noone, Chair of the Advisory Board, Thriving Earth Exchange, Editor-in-Chief, Community Science Exchange, and Chief Science Advisor, International Sustainable Finance Centre; Dennis Pamlin, Executive Director of Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative
April 6th, 2022
WBCSD Liaison Delegate Meeting 2022
Montreux, Switzerland
Keynote and participation in discussions related to WBCSD process to develop guidance for avoided emissions.
Speakers: Dennis Pamlin, Executive Director of Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative; Roland Dubois, Group Vice President – Head of Sustainability, ABB; Emmanuel Normant, Vice President for sustainable development, Saint-Gobain; Mark Schneider, Senior Global Sustainability Manager, Sika; Derya Özet Yalgı, Sustainability Director, Sabancı Holding
November 11th, 2021
COP26 – Enablers for a 1.5 °C future with sustainable regenerative lifestyles: Exponential change and a new generation of climate leadership in support of flourishing lives for 11 billion
At the final dinner session organised by Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative and UNFCCC at COP26, a leading group of organisations and stakeholders shared their views on best and next practises for enabling stakeholders to identify possible ways to provide support and tools that accelerate the uptake of sustainable lifestyles and structures in society that are 1.5 °C compatible, as well as to explore how the present stakeholders can develop tools and incentives that allow enablers globally to embrace an expanded solution agenda. The workshop included a discussion on what roles different stakeholders can have in relation to providing transformative solutions. The workshop was an important step for present stakeholders to start preparing for COP27 and a global sustainability agenda in the long term.
Dennis Pamlin, Head/Senior Advisor, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative/RISE;
Massamba Thioye, Project Executive, UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub;
Virpi Pahkinen, Choreographer and solo dancer;
James Arbib, Founder/Co-Founder, Tellus Mater/Rethink X;
Hanna Grahn, Sustainability Lead, Spotify;
Tobias Engström, CEO & Co-founder, Klevgrand;
Emma Stewart, Sustainability Officer, Netflix;
Eva Karlsson, CEO, Houdini;
Johan Falk, Lead author, 1.5 °C Business Playbook;
Marco Duso, Principle, BCG
November 9th, 2021
COP26 – Competitions and an expanded innovations agenda for accelerated uptake of 1.5 °C innovations
Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative and UNFCCC organised a dinner workshop at COP26 in Glasgow to showcase a series of ongoing innovation competitions and strengthen the network and relationships between innovators, the United Nations, Mission Innovation and governments that want to contribute to providing global 1.5 °C compatible solutions. During the event, four new initiatives were presented: the UNFCCC Cities Innovation Hub, EARTH 300, the Carbonless Asia Challenge and the Climate Smart Cities Challenge. In addition to building stronger links between city stakeholders and solutions providers, the workshop also explored methods for measuring and setting clear targets for 1.5 °C compatible solutions in relation to export and dissemination of solutions.
Speakers at the event were:
Massamba Thioye, Project Executive, UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub;
Aaron Oliviera, Founder/CEO, EARTH;
Tony Verb, Co-Founder/Managing Partner, Carbonless Asia;
Pontus Westerberg, Programme Management, UN-Habitat;
Rafael Greca, Mayor of Curitiba;
Kathy Nothstine, Head of Future Cities, Nesta Challenges;
Regina Summer, Chief Strategy Officer International Collaborations, Vinnova;
Åsa Minoz, Innovation Strategist, Viable Cities;
Dennis Pamlin, Head/Senior Advisor, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative/RISE
November 8th – November 10th, 2010
Sustainable Innovation Forum
Dennis Pamlin, Head, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative, was invited to participate in a panel discussion at the Sustainable Innovation Forum at COP26, regarding the urgency of transitioning into a net-zero and sustainable world, and the role that accelerated innovation, businesses and individuals have in this transition. The Sustainable Innovation Forum is a platform that unites heads of government, ministers and senior policy advisors with non-state actors including business leaders, technology innovators, investors and NGOs, around the universal challenge of delivering the Paris Agreement. The three-day event included multiple event and discussions on topics such as global challenges, industry transitions, climate finance and a reimagining of the status quo. The programme was designed to facilitate a cross sector, public-private partnerships deemed essential for transformational change, showcasing business action, the power of collaboration, the importance of effective policy, and the innovative solutions at our disposal today.
November 4th, 2021
COP26: Accelerating uptake of the next generation of climate solutions and a 21st century innovation ecosystem: Opportunities in the 4th industrial revolution
Much of the current focus within the work to stop climate change is on how to reduce emissions from existing sectors, instead of viewing digitalisation and other 21st century trends as an opportunity to implement truly useful and necessary innovations on a large scale. During the launch of the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub at COP26 in Glasgow, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative and UNFCCC gathered leading scientists and actors to discuss how the uptake of 1.5 °C compatible innovations can be accelerated in support of solution providers and to build support for a 21st century innovation ecosystem framework in support of an expanded innovation agenda with focus on solution providers and human needs and a flourishing future for 11 billion people.
Speakers at the event were:
Catharina Sandberg, CEO, LEAD;
Charlie Wilsson, Professor, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research;
Xavier Troussard, Head of the New European Bauhaus Unit - Joint Research Centre at the European Commission;
Marco Duso, principal BCG, and co-initiator BCG Green Ventures;
Riyong Kim, Head of Natural Capital and Ecosystems, EEA;
Anthony Hobley, Co-Executive Director of Mission Possible Partnership & Executive Fellow at the World Economic Forum, Mission Possible Partnership & World Economic Forum;
Ganesh Das, Chief, Strategy, Collaborations, Innovation and R&D at Tata Power-DDL and CEO, Clean Energy International Incubation Centre;
Dennis Pamlin, Head/Senior Advisor, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative/RISE
November 4th, 2021
COP26: Assessing avoided emissions and 1.5 C compatibility of solution providers and enablers
During of the launch of the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative held a session at the UNFCCC Pavilion during COP26 in Glasgow on how to identify and assess innovations in an expanded solution agenda. As the focus shifts from only approaching stakeholders as sources of emissions and using existing sectors as the reference point for strategies, to viewing stakeholders as providers of solutions and using human needs as the reference point for strategies, there is a need to assess and categorize solution providers and enablers in relation to 1.5 °C compatibility. Currently many existing processes have developed methodologies and datasets to allow for different kinds of assessments, but no guiding framework exists. The panel included stakeholders and organisations in the forefront exploring how to assess innovations in accordance with a 1.5 °C compatible scenario, with the goal of establishing support for a framework and platform to classify and assess tools and initiatives that calculate avoided emissions and assesses 1.5 °C compatibility.
Speakers at the event were:
Sarah Kearney, Founder & Executive Director, Crane;
Bram van der Grinten, CEO, Impact Forecast;
Gabriela Herculano, CEO, iClima;
Roberta Benedetti, Independent Consultant, Just Climate;
Luis Neves, CEO, GeSI and founder Digital with Purpose;
Dennis Pamlin, Head/Senior Advisor, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative/RISE
November 4th, 2021
UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub launch: Incubators in a 21st century innovation ecosystem delivering 1.5 °C solutions
In a series of workshops by Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative (NCI) at COP26 in Glasgow for the launch of the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub. This session explored how different stakeholders can take a lead in the shift towards a solution agenda that focuses on human needs and 1.5 °C compatibility. An integral part of this shift is and will be done by incubators which identify and scale up the innovations of the future. The panel of speakers included representatives of some of the incubators that help push this agenda in collaboration with NCI and other actors, to build support for and use of the PICU (potential, idea, cluster, uptake) framework model for incubators. Speakers at the event were: Catharina Sandberg, CEO, LEAD; Smita Rakesh, Portfolio Director, Clean Energy and Climate Innovations, Social Alpha; Sebastian Diaz, Co-founder, DEEP Ecosystem EU Incubator; Sylvia Stojilkovic, Managing Partner, TechFounders; Simon Bennett, Energy Technology Analyst, IEA; Dennis Pamlin, Head/Senior Advisor, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative/RISE
October 21st, 2021
Ted Talk at Expo 2020 UN climate Change Global Innovation Hub
In preparation for the launch of the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub, Dennis Pamlin, along with representatives from UNFCCC and EIT Climate KIC, presented their insights on innovation and sustainability as part of the world exhibition Expo 2020 Dubai, a world expo hosted by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The purpose of the expo is to bring together people and ideas to learn and share knowledge. Pamlin’s presentation focused on the need for the innovation landscape to view climate change as an opportunity, where we can shift the focus to core human needs required for a flourishing population of 11 billion people.
October 20th, 2021
Start Up Energy Transition Festival 2021 Award Ceremony
The Start Up Energy Transition Festival is an international competition for start-ups and young companies from all around the world, who are working on contributing to transitioning the energy sector and help battle climate change. The competition is organised by the Germany Energy Agency in cooperation with the World Energy Council. As part of the announcement of the winners of the competition, Dennis Pamlin, Lead, Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative, held an inspirational presentation on the topic of innovation to the finalist and winners.
Image source: Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena)
September 11th, 2021
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung webinar Nordic and German pathways towards a low carbon transition
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung held an online panel discussion focusing on “Nordic and German pathways towards a low carbon transition – How will innovation shape the future?” together with scholarship holders from the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Representing the Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative (NCI), Jay Hennessy joined a panel of five climate innovation experts offering their knowledge on how innovation in the Nordics and Germany can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and how global frameworks like NCI are needed to accelerate innovations in line with 1.5 °C goals.
June 2nd, 2021
Mission Innovation’s Sixth Ministerial meeting
The Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative held a side event as part of the Mission Innovation’s Sixth Ministerial meeting, hosted by Chile. So far, the climate discussion has focused on emitters of greenhouse gases and how they can reduce their emissions. In a rapidly changing world in the middle of an industrial revolution there is an urgent need to look beyond the current system for new solutions and solutions providers. Incubators, innovation hubs, start-ups and investors will have key roles as we move from a problem/risk agenda to an opportunity/solution agenda. If the world wants more than improvements in existing systems the next nexus for climate action will be incubators and innovation hubs, with supporting innovation ecosystems.
Leading thinkers and leaders of transformative innovation from Asia, America and Europe presented at this MI-6 side event, >60 Gigatonnes of Solutions: A New Nexus for Climate Action, introduced by Dennis Pamlin and Jay Hennessy, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative. Presentating were: Massamba Thioye, Manager of Regulatory Development Unit, UNFCCC; Soňa Stadtelmeyer-Petru, Global Head of Sustainable Investing, Allianz Investment Management; Marco Duso, Principal, Boston Consulting Group; Ganesh Das, Head – Strategy, Collaborations, Innovation and R&D, Tata Power and CEO, Clean Energy International Incubation Centre; Charlie Wilson, Researcher, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research; Andreas Stubelius, Senior Portfolio Manager, Swedish Energy Agency; Max Correa Achurra, Head of the Fules & New Energy Division, Ministry of Energy, Chile.
March 26th, 2021
NCI at the SDG Global Festival of Action
As part of the SDG Global Festival of Action, the UN SDG Action Campaign hosted the ‘Co-Creation workshop: An expanded innovation space for climate action’ was one of several dialogues that brought together leading initiatives and solution providers within climate action, to explore systemic approaches to innovation that can enable and expedite transformative climate actions mainstreamed in SDG action while supporting countries to meet the Paris Agreement goals. Discussions included shifting the focus from reducing carbon emissions to providing solutions that contributes to core human need, as well as delivery of integrated 1.5°C Low-Energy Demand compatible solutions within policy, financial tools, technology and consumption behaviour. Representing Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative, Dennis Pamlin provided insights on how innovation will play an important role in the transition to a sustainable society.
March 18th, 2021
Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2021
The Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative held a workshop on ‘Moving beyond climate neutrality and other climate risk approaches and embracing a climate solution innovation approach’, at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 21 event, convening speakers with leading roles in the innovation ecosystem to discuss best and next practice for how 1.5C compatible start-ups can be supported, and how investment can accelerate the uptake of 1.5C compatible innovations.
The speakers, representing a range of public and private sectors, were: Andreas Stubelius, Senior Portfolio Manager at Swedish Energy Agency, Smita Rakesh, Portfolio Director at Clean Energy International Incubation Centre; Catharina Sandberg, CEO at LEAD; Henrike Neulen, Program Manager at TechFounders; Julia Padberg, Principal at SET Ventures; Peter Dahl, Investment manager at Polhem Infra; Gabriela Herculano, CEO & Co-Founder at iClima Earth; and Dennis Pamlin, Lead of the Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative.
February 15th, 2021
Social Alpha launches ‘Techtonic – Innovations in Clean Energy’ at the SDG Global Festival of Action
During the launch of the third edition of Social Alpha’s energy challenge ‘Techtonic- Innovations in Clean Energy’, an initiative designed to scout for transformative solutions addressing challenges and gaps across all stages of the energy lifecycle and all use cases. Representing Net-Zero Compatible Innovation Initiative, Dennis Pamlin, Lead, opened the panel discussion titled “Scaling up clean tech innovation for accelerating climate action – Entrepreneur’s Perspective” where he discussed the innovation landscape in the energy sector and highlighted the importance of clean energy start-ups for a sustainable future. The event also saw representation from a range of organisations and companies: Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, Praveen Sinha, MD & CEO, Tata Power and Ganesh Srinivasan, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited. The event also included a panel of innovators from the Techtonic initiative, where challenges faced by technology innovators were explored, which was discussed in relation to the need for an agile business model which connects to a multitude of stakeholders.
November 30th, 2020
UNFCCC confirms collaboration with Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative
For Mission Innovation’s 5th Anniversary, Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) confirmed its collaboration with Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative to build the UNFCCC Innovation Hub.
"I would like to congratulate Mission Innovation on its 5th anniversary. In the last five years, we have seen a significant increase i understanding the importance of innovation in addressing climate change – your organization has played a key role in this development.
We are glad to collaborate with 'Mission Innovation' and the 'Net-Zero Compatible Innovation Initiative' in supporting the upcoming launch of the UNFCCC Innovation Hub, and in developing methodologies to identify transformative climate solutions and assess the impact of both the development as well as the deployment of these climate solutions.
I look forward to our continued cooperation towards enhancing the use of innovative climate solutions."
— Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
September 21st, 2020
1000 Innovations Towards 60 Gigatonnes of Avoided Emissions and Next Steps with Key Partners
During the Fifth Missions Innovation Ministerial (MI-5) hosted by Saudi Arabia, the Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI) side event was introduced with a video message from Robert Andrén, Director General, Swedish Energy Agency. In the opening session, Massamba Thioye, Manager of Regulatory Development Unit, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) presented the launch of a collaboration between the UNFCCC and NCI to develop the UNFCCC Innovation Hub. The NCI brought together key stakeholders including lead researcher Charlie Wilson, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research; industry, government and incubators represented by Max Correa, Head of the Fuels and New Energy Division, Ministry of Energy, Chile, Dr. G. Ganesh Das, Chief Executive Officer, Clean Energy International Incubation Centre and Head of Collaborations, Innovation and R&D at Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, and Ángela Reinoso Navarro, Project Manager, Corfo, Chile. Representing the role of energy agencies was Andreas Stubelius, Senior Portfolio Manager, Swedish Energy Agency and presented the role of artificial intelligence was presented by James Hodson, CEO and Founder, AI4Good Foundation. The Avoided Emissions Framework was presented for the NCI by Andie Stephens, Associate Director, Carbon Trust, alongside NCI lead Dennis Pamlin and project lead Jay Hennessy.
September 4th, 2020
Uppstart Online 2020
Dennis Pamlin was invited to present Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative at UPPSTART Online 2020 on the important role that start-up companies have in future 1.5C Compatibility. The presentation was complemented with an open Q&A from public attendees with a discussion on the topic of shifting the focus of the innovation landscape from solving problems to providing solutions.
August 20th, 2020
First Solar Power Plant in Chile is World’s First to Deliver Grid Services
Chile
The Solar and Energy Innovation Committee, Corfo, incubated First Solar, who are now providing ancillary services the Chilean electricity network.
“First Solar was one of the first 100 innovations selected by Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI) for its high avoided emissions potential, estimated using the NCI’s Avoided Emissions Framework. Identifying high avoided emissions potential and supporting such innovations to market is key to realising the IPCC’s low energy demand 1.5 °C compatible pathway. Corfo’s pioneering work to identify and support start-ups like First Solar using NCI assessments is an example that can inspire incubators, accelerators and investors around the world.” – Jay Hennessy, Project Leader, NCI
June 29th, 2020
CEIIC co-hosted workshop on ‘Assessments of Net Zero Compatible Innovations’
Sweden, India
Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI), and Mission Innovation’s Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC) jointly invited participants from twelve companies incubated by CEIIC / Social Alpha to a digital workshop. The energy start-ups were invited to learn how their innovation could contribute to transformative change on a local and global scale, both through their individual actions but more importantly as a group of innovators active in the same area. Representing the NCI, Jay Hennessy and Dennis Pamlin presented NCI’s avoided emissions and low energy demand frameworks, followed by a session focused on discussions on clustering and cooperation between the innovators. The start-ups were invited to take part in an assessment of the potential avoided emissions and 1.5 °C compatibility of their innovations.
June 21st – June 26th, 2020
External publication: “A Methodology for Assessing The Environmental Effects Induced by ICT Services”
Sweden, Switzerland
The paper “A Methodology for Assessing the Environmental Effects Induced by ICT Services Part I: Single Services” cites the work of Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI). The paper discusses the benefits of assessing both the positive and negative aspects of an innovation, using NCI’s Avoided Emissions Framework as an example. It cites the Framework as the main example when discussing extrapolated methods based on case studies for the assessment of ICT services.
June 11th, 2020
Corfo-hosted webinar on ‘Assessing climate contributions to society: Accelerating innovation and revenue streams’
Chile (Corfo)
The Solar and Energy Innovation Committee, Corfo, Chile, hosted this webinar on assessing climate contributions to society and accelerating innovation and revenue streams, as part of their program Net Zero, which provides specialised tools for projects that work on clean technologies. Created by Corfo’s Solar and Energy Innovation Committee, the program has already received a first generation of cleantech ventures from different parts of the world. Dennis Pamlin, Strategy Lead for Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI), presented the initiative to explore how it can be applied to providing technical and strategic support to startups.
March 4th, 2020
Clean Energy Venture Day 2020
Stockholm, Sweden
At the Clean Energy Venture Day 2020 scientists, business organisations, cleantech investors and climate policy experts met. Experts with broad experience in energy, transformative technology, and climate investment exchanged experiences and strategies for the future. Also attending were several companies with significant potential. The goal was to provide concrete guidance for how to best invest in the ongoing paradigm shift – The Transformation to Net-Zero. At this event Dennis Pamlin, Strategy Lead, for Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovation Initiative, presented Sweden as a Gigaton Solution Country linked to the Net-Zero Compatible Innovation Initiative.
February 20th, 2020
Patrick Child, Deputy Director General, EC DG R&I and Gwennaël Joliff-Botrel, Head of Unit, R&I Investment Agendas, EC DG R&I at EC DG R&I co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Welcoming participants to this workshop co-hosted by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG R&I) and Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative, Patrick Child stressed the prominence of the Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative for measuring potential impact of green initiatives, in particular for Mission Innovation 2.0.
At the end of the workshop, Gwennaël Joliff-Botrel closed the afternoon session by summarising the challenges that were discussed and the importance of emission assessment methodologies and frameworks ensuring investments compatibility with a 1.5 degree pathway that can be applied across all areas, addressing issues that many people are looking for ways to address. Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative builds on such methodologies and seeks to create a common framework for monitoring potential impact of decisions and a compass for decision makers.
February 20th, 2020
Dennis Pamlin, Lead, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative at EC DG R&I co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Dennis Pamlin, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, presented Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative and gave an overview of the work done by the project and its network of partners. Pamlin highlighted the different benefits of assessing avoided emissions, but also the need to assess 1.5 °C compatibility and focus on Low Energy Demand as a driver for transformative system solutions. All interested participants were invited to contribute in different ways to gather and support innovations that can avoid over 60 gigatonnes of global emissions by 2030.
February 20th, 2020
Andie Stephens, Associate Director, Carbon Trust at EC DG R&I co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Andie Stephens, Carbon Trust, presented the Avoided Emissions Framework from Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Innovation Initiative and the theory and development of the methodology, that combines best practices from existing standards, guidance and initiatives related to avoided emissions.
February 20th, 2020
Cristina Stuart, Senior Consultant at Carbone4 at EC DG R&I co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Cristina Stuart, Carbone4, welcomed Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatibility Innovation Initiative and highlighted the need for an internationally recognised framework. She noted that the process for avoided emissions and net-zero compatibility followed the same path as the earlier work for assessing internal emissions (the greenhouse gas (GHG) protocol, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and ISO 14064). Stuart highlighted the differences between the EU taxonomy as a classification tool versus avoided emissions calculations that are used as an assessment tool for comparison of solutions, and presented benefits from an avoided emissions framework for helping accelerating low-carbon solution providers.
February 20th, 2020
Andreas Stubelius, Senior Portfolio Manager, Swedish Energy Agency at EC DG R&I co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Andreas Stubelius, Swedish Energy Agency, highlighted the benefits of assessing potential avoided emissions and the Swedish Energy Agency’s work so far. Stubelius listed four areas where assessing impacts from innovation contribute to the Agency’s work – early stage SME funding, marketing solutions, choosing SMEs for scale-up programmes, and attracting more investments – as key reasons for the support of Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative.
February 20th, 2020
Elvira Lutter, Programme and Research Manager, Climate and Energy Fund, Austria at EC DG R&I co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Elvira Lutter highlighted the increased interest in impact assessments in research and innovation, with examples of the approach taken by Austria, as a key reason for engaging with Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI). Austria’s Flagship Region Energy project with 120 MEUR funding up to 2021, has gathered 220 project partners in three regions, with the aim to generate 100% renewable energy. Lutter described the need for an international framework providing comparative indicators for selection of a wide range of products and innovation. The Climate and Energy Fund has explorer different methodologies for assessing contributions from innovations and will work with NCI to assess contributions from Austria.
February 20th, 2020
Riyong Kim, EIT Climate KIC at EC DG R&I, co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Riyong Kim, EIT Climate KIC, presented the approach to climate change taken by EIT Climate KIC and how they have integrated Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI). Kim clarified the difference between an incremental project by project approach and a transformative system approach, illustrated by examples of indicators from the NCI that have been implemented by EIT Climate KIC.
February 20th, 2020
Massamba Thioye, Co-chair of the Climate change Coalition and Manager of Regulatory Development Unit, UNFCCC at EC DG R&I co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Massamba Thioye, UNFCCC, highlighted the need to explore ways to establish allocation when multiple stakeholders contribute to 1.5 °C compatible innovations and welcomed Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative as a leading initiative in this area. Thioye presented the idea to have an innovation space during COP26 where the concept of net-zero innovation could be highlighted.
February 20th, 2020
Stefan Henningsson, Climate Specialist, Nordea at EC DG R&I, co-hosted workshop
Brussels, Belgium
Stefan Henningsson, Nordea, presented different types of sustainable financing and clarified the rationale for issuing Green Bonds. Henningsson described examples and identified opportunities for using avoided emissions impact assessments for an investment portfolio where he identified opportunities for Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI) to engage. He also mentioned UNEP-FI as a strategic stakeholder with a number of initiatives where the work of NCI could be integrated.
February 6th, 2020
Sweden Sustaintech Venture Day 2020
Stockholm, Sweden
Sweden Sustaintech Venture Day has become a unique opportunity to meet carefully selected sustaintech companies that show rapid sales growth and have matured beyond seed investment stage – from A round level companies to recently listed companies in a variety of sustaintech sectors. The Sweden Sustaintech venture day combines a focused outlook on key sector growth opportunities and successful investment strategies with carefully selected Sustaintech company presentations. The widened sector approach from Greentech to the broader Sustaintech sector allows the inclusion of a wider selection of sustainability related digital companies from the fast growing Swedish tech-scene. At this event Robert Andrén, Director General, the Swedish Energy Agency, presented Sweden as a Gigaton Solution Country linked to the Net-Zero Compatible Innovation Initiative.
February 1st – February 2nd, 2020
MI Gathering in Riyadh in conjunction with G20 preparations
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
During the MI gathering in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, senior governmental officials and strategic observers, IEA, WEF, IRENA and RISE, met to discuss the next steps for Mission Innovation. In relation to the Net-Zero Compatible Innovation Initiative (NCI) the following issues were discussed:
1. In what international (and national) events and processes should MI engage to help accelerate the uptake of clean energy innovation with the help of the NCI?
2. What are the key steps needed to establish this in all interested MI countries – what would be needed in each country to use the NCI to assess innovations?
3. What are the pros and cons with the vision “Towards >60 gigaton of avoided emissions”?
In addition Chile presented the MI-5 agenda where NCI will be featured prominently.
January 23rd, 2020
Meeting about survey commissioned by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI) about avoided emissions
Stockholm, Sweden
A meeting was held in Stockholm with Yasushi FURUSHIMA, Mizuho Information & Research Institute, Inc., and Masayuki KANZAKI, SuMPO. Commissioned by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI) to discuss a survey on international trends of applying methodologies of avoided emissions, the background was that METI published the guidelines regarding avoided emissions in 2018. An English version is available on the web.
January 21st – January 24th, 2020
The Net-Zero Challenge: Fast-Forward to Decisive Climate Action
Davos, Switzerland
A solution and innovation perspective is beginning to be incorporated into the mainstream climate agenda. With this new report, The Net-Zero Challenge, the World Economic Forum (WEF) is moving ahead of many NGOs and initiatives that still only see companies as polluters and ignore their potential as solution providers. The Net-Zero Challenge report is a significant step in the right direction towards accelerating the innovative solution agenda.
Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI) participated and contributed to the report in collaboration with Emily Farnworth, WEF, and Marco Duso, Boston Consulting Group and their respective teams. NCI looks forward to further collaboration towards a transformative solution agenda with a strong focus on 1.5 °C compatible innovation including business model innovation.
December 12th, 2019
COP25 India pavilion: WWF India event 'Climate Innovation in the SME Sector in India'
Madrid, Spain
At the COP25 India pavilion, WWF India organised an event on Climate Innovation in the SME Sector in India.
Jay Hennessy, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative presented work with Mission Innovation’s Clean Energy International Incubation Centre, India.
Chaired by H.E. Mr Upendra Tripathy, Director General, International Solar Alliance, the panelists were:
• Mr Ajay Raghava, Deputy Director, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India
• Mr Kunal Upadhyay, CEO and Managing Partner – Bharat Innovation Fund, Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE)
• Mr Jay Hennessy, Project Leader, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative
• Mr Somanath Narayan, Co-Founder & Director, Carbon Masters
Moderated by Dr Suchismita Mukhopadhyay, Associate Director – Climate Change and Energy, WWF-India.
December 11th, 2019
Sustainable Innovation Forum 2019 COP25: 60 Gigatonnes of Climate Innovations
Madrid, Spain
Collaborations with Sweden, Chile and India towards a goal to gather more than 60 gigatonnes of climate innovations were presented by Dennis Pamlin, Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative at the 10th Anniversary edition of the Sustainable Innovation Forum 2019, COP25 side event.
December 7th, 2019
UNFCCC COP25: Measurement and attribution of climate contribution to financier
Madrid, Spain
Introduced by Massamba Thioye, Manager of Regulatory Development Unit, UNFCCC and chaired by Kirsten Dunlop, CEO, EIT Climate-KIC, this COP25 panel discussion topic was: “To shift from incremental improvements to transformational changes in climate actions, financiers should be incentivized to conduct green investments. This requires the measurement and attribution of their scope 3 climate contribution, a complex task that raises several new and challenging issues.”
Speakers were:
• Nancy Saich, Climate Change Expert/Senior Adviser, EIB
• Mike Knight, Senior Adviser, Carbon Tracker
• Simon Messenger, Director, 2 Degrees Investing Initiative
• Simon Connell, Head of Sustainability Strategy, Standard Chartered Bank
• Dennis Pamlin, Senior Advisor, RISE Research Institute of Sweden
November 20th, 2019
Publication: “We need a new approach to cutting greenhouse gas emissions: and it's all about innovation”
www.weforum.org
Robert Andrén, Director General of the Swedish Energy Agency, Sweden and Max Correa Achurra, Executive Director of the Solar and Energy Innovation Committee (CORFO), Chile, co-authored an article with the World Economic Forum on how to get on track to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 °C, using Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative.
October 25th, 2019
Climathon: Cities. Hacking. Solutions.
Global
Climathon is a year-round programme, with a powerful solutions-hackathon at its core, translating climate action solutions into tangible projects, supporting climate positive businesses & start-ups and addressing local policy changes. Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative advised the Climathon team on the 1.5C compatible transformational aspects of the solutions being submitted.
July 31st, 2019
Corfo – Corporación de Fomento de la Producción – workshop and CNN interview
Santiago, Chile
Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative together with the Solar and Energy Innovation Committee arranged a number of workshops with solution providers and key stakeholders in Chile. Dennis Pamlin was also invited to CNN Chile’s programme futuro360 to discuss a solution agenda at COP25.
May 28th, 2019
Fourth Mission Innovation Ministerial, 40 Gigatonne panel
Vancouver, Canada
Three countries – Sweden, India and Chile – were represented at the Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative’s (NCI) 40-Gigatonne panel, discussing an ambitious target to gather solutions with a combined avoided emissions potential of 40 Gt in 2030.
The panel was led by Dennis Pamlin for NCI with panellists:
• Andreas Stubelius, Senior Portfolio Manager, Swedish Energy Agency, Sweden
• Smita Rakesh, Programme Lead, Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC), India
• Tomás E. Baeza Jeria, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Manager, Solar and Energy Innovation Committee (CORFO), Chile
May 27th, 2019
Fourth Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-4), Side event
Vancouver, Canada
The Fourth Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-4) was host to the Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative side event on the development of a 1.5 °C compatible solution framework and avoided emissions assessment. The high-level segment speakers were:
• Patrick Child (Deputy Director General, Research and Innovation, European Commission),
• Robert Andrén (Head of the Swedish Energy Agency, Sweden),
• Dr. Sanjay Bajpai (Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India),
• Max Correa, Solar and Energy Innovation Committee (Chile)
• John Loughhead (Chief Scientific Advisor, Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy, Government of the United Kingdom)
• Dr Ganesh Das (COO, Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC) & Head of Collaborations & Smart Grid Lab at Tata Power-DDL).
May 26th, 2019
Fourth Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-4), Student Energy’s Youth Leader Forum
Vancouver, Canada
The Fourth Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-4) put youth front and centre in collaboration with Student Energy. The Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI) had partnered with Student Energy prior to the ministerial. Jay Hennessy from NCI presented the initiative at the opening day of the Student Energy Youth Leader Forum.
May 21st – May 23rd, 2019
Cleantech Forum Europe 2019
Stockholm, Sweden
For the Cleantech Forum Europe event, held in Stockholm, Dennis Pamlin was on a panel to discuss ‘Approaches to Assess and Measure Impact’ and Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative with:
• Cyril Gouiffès, Impact Investment Manager, European Investment Fund
• Craig Douglas, Investment Manager, SET Ventures
• Nicolas Piau, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at TiLT Capital Partners
Moderated by Jules Besnainou, Director, Cleantech Group
May 20th – May 21st, 2019
Accelerate Energy Summit, New Energy Nexus
Stockholm, Sweden
The Accelerate Energy Summit is the largest annual gathering of leading clean energy incubators and accelerators from around the world. New Energy Nexus has over 80 members in 30 countries, and AES is their flagship event. Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative was invited to deliver a key-note presentation.
May 13th, 2019
Investing in our future, EIT Climate KIC
Brussels, Belgium
Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative was invited to take part at EIT Climate KIC’s ‘Investing in our future’ co-design process in Brussels, discussing possible futures and what a low-energy demand 2050 future system looks like.
May 9th, 2019
Mission Innovation Austria Week 2019
Stegersbach and Oberwart, Austria
Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative was invited to deliver a keynote presentation at Mission Innovation Austria Week together with Robert Andrén, Director General, Swedish Energy Agency and Patrick Child, Deputy Director General in the European Commission’s DG Research and Innovation.
April 12th, 2019
Loudspring Impact Event
Helsinki, Finland
Loudspring’s Impact Event brought together Finnish politicians, scientists, investors and start-ups. Jay Hennessy presented Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI) and precisely the need to bring together solution providers, investors and markets through frameworks such as those proposed by NCI.
February 5th, 2019
Morningstar: Preparing for a Green Economy Investment Conference
Stockholm, Sweden
Morningstar and Sustainalytics invite Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative to an event on Preparing for a Green Economy.
Sustainalytics’ Associate Director of Client Relations, Karin Björk gave an overview of current developments in the carbon market, key indicators investors are looking at to assess carbon-related risks and opportunities, and the range of investor applications for carbon research and data.
Colin Rogers, Director, Indexes, highlighted how Morningstar can help lower the Carbon Risk within portfolios.
January 29th – February 1st, 2019
Preparation meeting of the Fourth Mission Innovation ministerial meeting
Santiago, Chile
In advance of the Forth Mission Innovation Ministerial meeting, the preparatory meeting in Santiago, Chile saw discussed contributions from Sweden, including the progress from the Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative.
December 12th, 2018
United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24), UK pavilion
Katowice, Poland
Kirsten Dunlop at the UK Pavilion, COP24, discussed EIT Climate KIC’s collaboration with RISE Research Institutes of Sweden under the patronage of the Swedish Government to develop Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative.
December 10th – December 11th, 2018
United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24), participation on panels
Katowice, Poland
Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative participated on two panel discussions at COP24 in Katowice. Dennis Pamlin contributed at the Swedish Pavilion along with Patrick Child and others; and discussed ‘Can we rewire the financial system to achieve 1.5C?’, at the EU Pavilion along with Sandrine Dixson-Declève (moderating), Scott Williams, Cliona Howie and Alzbeta Klein.
December 9th – December 10th, 2018
United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24), Sustainable Innovation Forum 2018 side-event
Katowice, Poland
Mission Innovation’s Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative (NCI) had a strong presence at Climate Action’s Sustainable Innovation Forum 2018 side-event in Katowice, Poland where COP24 was held.
The NCI was presented by Dennis Pamlin in keynote speeches and a panel discussion, along with a stand in the exhibition space where Jay Hennessy (RISE), and Stefan Henningsson (WWF Sweden) were discussing the Avoided Emissions Framework with visitors.
November 7th, 2018
EIT Climate KIC’s Climate Innovation Summit
Dublin, Ireland
EIT Climate KIC’s Climate Innovation Summit 2018 addressed scaling up financial solutions that accelerate climate action:
“The plenary session on the second day of the Climate Innovation Summit in Dublin put climate change impact at the heart of financial discussions. Dennis Pamlin, Senior Advisor at Research Institutes Sweden (RISE), and Andrew Parry, Head of Sustainable Investment at Hermes Investment Management shared their forward-looking perspectives on how to reframe our current understanding of climate change, and how to foster discourse that speaks the language of investors.”
May 23rd – May 24th, 2018
Third Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-3)
Malmö, Sweden
At the third Mission Innovation (MI) annual ministerial meeting (MI-3) in May 2018 it was agreed to include in the MI Action Plan an objective to develop a Framework for Assessing Avoided Emissions. Sweden proposed the addition of an Avoided Emissions Framework (AEF) to the MI Action Plan and was subsequently selected to lead the work developing the framework.