Introducing Carbon Removal Canada
I'm building a new policy non-profit advancing policies and innovations to scale carbon removal in Canada -- and I need your help
Dear Subscribers - I’ve got some exciting news to share!
After spending the last few years building my carbon removal consulting practice (and this newsletter and podcast), I am taking on the role of founding Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada - a new non-profit on a mission to make Canada a world leader in scaling up carbon removal to combat climate change.
When I first learned about carbon removal years ago, it felt like I stumbled on a secret. It feels obvious to me now, but I remember thinking: “Wow! You can actually permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere?!” Since that time I’ve learned that carbon removal is complex, and while it’s not a replacement for cutting emissions, it’s potential to combat climate change and drive positive social and economic change is immense.
I’ve also come to believe that Canada has the right ingredients to be a leader in this field - the resources, infrastructure, know-how, and innovation ecosystem. I’m also convinced that if the world wants to have any chance to achieve the scale of carbon removal envisioned by UN climate experts this century, it will need Canadian leadership.
That’s why I’m thrilled to be embarking on this new journey to advance inclusive policies and innovations to scale carbon removal in Canada. I’m appreciative for the work of numerous inspiring Canadians who spent the last year shaping an early vision of this new initiative. We’ve now begun to build a world-class advisory council for this initiative that currently includes Michael Bernstein, Stacy Kauk, and Frances Wang and will continue to grow over the coming months. I’m also grateful for the carbon removal leaders who worked with me as I built my consulting practice, gave me a platform for my work, or joined me on my podcast. The collaborative spirit of the carbon removal community is easily its greatest strength.
Attracting more people to carbon removal and improving the diversity of this field has always been a priority for me. So one of my first objectives in this new role is to assemble a diverse, high-caliber team committed to Carbon Removal Canada’s mission. I’m currently seeking talented individuals to fill four critical roles with an immediate start date:
Director of Communications to craft and execute a compelling communications strategy for Canadian carbon removal leadership
Director of Government Relations to lead strategic engagement and build durable support with the government and key public interest groups
Director of Policy and Research to shape smart, innovative policies needed to scale-up carbon removal technologies in Canada
Program Officer to expand the impact of our major projects and functions
Here’s how you can help: If anyone you know is a strong potential fit for any of these roles, please share this and encourage them to apply. I’m looking to fill these roles quickly. All of our jobs are listed here and on the website. Most of them are remote jobs, based anywhere in Canada.
While we’re planning to do a more official launch of this effort later in the year, here’s how you can learn more, get in touch, or share this news within your networks:
Follow us on Twitter (original tweet announcing the initiative)
An article I’ve written on Canada’s potential to lead on carbon removal
I’m convinced we can find ways to work together, even with groups outside of Canada, so please reach out.
Here’s what’s next for this newsletter and podcast. I won’t have as much time to develop content for the newsletter so you’ll see more guest posts from external experts doing exciting work to scale carbon removal. That’s resulted in some great posts to date, so I’m really excited about this (please get in touch if you’d like to do a guest post on your work that will hit thousands of inboxes). On the podcast front, the amazing Lucia Simonelli has agreed to join me as a part-time producer and content developer. Lucia is a Senior Climate Researcher for Giving Green and previous Senior Policy Fellow at Carbon180. She’s bringing some excellent depth and execution to the podcast, and we’re releasing new episodes starting next week (make sure to subscribe!).
A closing thought. Last year, I spent a little time with a scrappy carbon removal start-up on the west coast. Hiring - as I expect to learn - can be extremely difficult. In an effort to attract talented engineers and other prospective technical hires who might otherwise pursue more conventional career paths they pose a purposeful differentiator: here’s an opportunity to build a rocket ship. I’m not sure we’ll be hiring many engineers at a policy non-profit, but I think the rocket ship metaphor captures the ambition and gravity of what everyone working on carbon removal - in whatever capacity - feels when they get up in the morning. The work is exciting, it’s challenging, it matters, and it’s critical that we get it right.
It has been a privilege to be part of this community and I’m excited about where we go next.
Catch CO2 (as-catch-can) It is all yours, that CO2 pie in the sky (substack.com)
Stop with the climate change bullshit!
No co2, no life.