On-Demand Keynote Speaker & Panel Videos
PRESENTATION
Mobilizing the Whole-of-Government to Deliver Innovations in Climate Resilience
Keynote: Gina McCarthy
National Climate Advisor
The opening session started with remarks from Battelle's Justin Sanchez and Lou Von Thear followed by Gina McCarthy.
Gina McCarthy is the first National Climate Advisor—the president's chief advisor on domestic climate policy—and leads the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy focused on mobilizing a whole-of-government approach to tackling the climate crisis, creating good-paying union jobs, and securing environmental justice.
PANEL
On the Path to a Decarbonized World: Insights from Space, Earth and the Ocean
Moderator: Martin Keller
Panelists: Francis Wiese Ph.D., John M. Grunsfeld Ph.D. and Bill E. Easterling, III
What do an astronaut, marine ecologist, and geoscientist all have in common when it comes to climate resilience? Perspective….to uncover the fact and fiction of climate change from the expanse of earth’s orbit, to the land, and into the depths of the oceans. This panel explored understanding innovations in climate technology as a whole problem to better position us to be resilient.
PANEL
You Have a Game-Changing Solution for Climate Resilience. Is That Enough?
Moderator: Jen Schwartz
Panelists: Sherri Goodman, Brent Constantz, Sharon Burke and Blake Bextine
The pandemic showed us that the most effective scientific solutions—even that ones that seem highly desirable—run into barriers at implementation. Innovations in climate resilience often face similar challenges: politicization, inequitable access, institutional distrust, misinformation, inadequate infrastructure, short-term thinking, and so on. What would it take, then, to prioritize preventative technologies and policies instead of reacting to a cascade of climate crises? How can climate solutions at the federal level consider local needs, resources, and expertise more deliberately? Who bears the onus of resilience, and how can both government and industry make it easier for individual people and communities to adapt? And how can leaders in climate resilience promote solutions that integrate “mitigation” with “adaptation,” rather than framing those strategies in conflict with one another?
PRESENTATION
Resilience, the Energy Transition, and the Need for Innovation
Keynote: Sally Benson
Deputy Director for Energy, Office of Science and Technology Policy
Sally Benson discusses the sweeping changes to the U.S. energy system through sustained and historic levels of innovation and infrastructure deployment required to meet our climate goals, which will affect nearly every aspect of the American economy.
PRESENTATION
Leveraging Biology for National Security
Keynote: Blake Bextine
Program Manager, DARPA
Military capabilities and operational logistics are both affected by changing environmental conditions and will require novel solutions. Blake Bextine discusses the new technologies being developed through DARPA programs like ReSource, Engineered Living Materials (ELM), and Advanced Plant Technologies to meet these demands while reducing the carbon footprint.
PRESENTATION
Achieving Climate Security
Keynote: Sharon Burke
Founder and President, Ecospherics
What might a future of climate insecurity look like? This talk looks at what the projections suggest, and what tradeoffs individuals, communities, and states face now in order to achieve future climate security. The remarks also covered the role of military organizations, and how decision support tools can help improve policies and investments.
PRESENTATION
Advanced Reactors: Resilience in Drive Towards Net-Zero
Keynote: Alice Caponiti
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy, DOE
Nuclear energy is one of the most resilient, clean, and reliable energy sources on the grid today. Ms. Caponiti shared the work that the Department of Energy is doing to make sure that nuclear energy technologies are available to meet our energy needs and our ambitious carbon reduction goals while supporting the economic vitality of our communities.
PRESENTATION
Mineralizing CO2 as Limestone Aggregate in Concrete
Keynote: Brent Constantz
Founder and CEO, Blue Planet
Brent Constantz discusses the mineralization of CO2 to form limestone aggregate in concrete as a form of permanent CO2 sequestration.
PRESENTATION
From Threat Multiplier to Solutions Provider: What can National Security Teach Us about Innovations in Climate Resilience?
Keynote: Sherri Goodman
Former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, Environmental Security
Sherri Goodman discusses how the U.S. military, one of the world’s largest carbon polluters, can show the rest of us how to combat climate change. We all know the problem is getting worse, and that we’re not doing enough to reverse the worst impacts of rising seas, extreme weather events, wildfires, drought and more.
PRESENTATION
Putting the "Green" in Greenland
Keynote: Kenneth Høegh
Head of Representation, Greenland Representation in Washington D.C.
As Greenland Representation Washington D.C., Kenneth has deep expertise within Greenland, the Arctic, Greenlandic social and business conditions, the Kingdom's foreign and security policy in the Arctic, and bilateral cooperation between Greenland, Denmark and the United States.
PRESENTATION
UCLA Sustainable LA grand Challenge: A Model for Transforming Cities Through Strategic Public-Private Partnerships
Keynote: Eric Hoek
Professor, UCLA, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and the Institute of the Environment & Sustainability
Eric provides a presentation on how the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge is transforming Los Angeles into a sustainable megacity through research, expertise and education by public and private partners.
PRESENTATION
Electric Industry — Know your Risks and Invest for Success
Keynote: Patricia Hoffman
Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity
States and Utilities are at a critical decision point. The opportunity exists for federal funding to support a significant change in our electric infrastructure. What will it take to succeed? Coordination and collaboration at an unprecedented scale. Patricia Hoffman discusses these opportunities in this talk.
PRESENTATION
The Role of Innovation in DOD’s Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
Keynote: Richard Kidd
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Environment & Energy Resilience, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Sustainment)
This talk discusses the Department of Defense’s approach to climate change, with an emphasis on approaches to innovation, technology and impact of procurement policy.
PRESENTATION
Climate Adaptation: EPA Actions to Increase Adaptive Capacity and Resilience as the Climate Changes
Keynote: Viccy Salazar
Special Policy Advisor for Climate Adaptation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Viccy Salazar shares the steps EPA is taking to ensure we can meet our mission and strengthen the adaptive capacity of partners across the country even as the climate changes and disruptive impacts increase.
PRESENTATION
Here is Not There: Tailoring Climate Resilience at the Regional and State Levels
Keynote: Debra Shore
Regional Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager, U.S. EPA Region 5
Debra Shore discusses the significance of region and place in climate resilience, and the ways that federal, state, and local partners are addressing the challenge of climate resilience in the Great Lakes states.
PRESENTATION
Department of Defense Climate Adaptation Plan (CAP)
Keynote: Kathleen White
Program Director Climate Change, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Environment and Energy Resilience); Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Sustainment)
In this talk, Kathleen White discusses the Department of Defense’s approach to climate change, with an emphasis on approaches to innovation, technology and impact of procurement policy.