Marco Rodzynek’s Post

Just released: https://lnkd.in/gZnUt7Mj The report offers a deep dive into Google's efforts to harness technologies, particularly AI to drive climate actions. A sustainable future requires systems-level change, strong government policies and new technologies. #climatetech #climatetechconnect #climateaction #climateresilience #aiforgood

🌐 How can digital infrastructure empower the growing #CarbonRemoval space? Our friends over at Climate Collective, in collaboration with Carbon Business Council, published a whitepaper explaining all the details! 📑 Read the report via the link below! 👇 https://lnkd.in/dvRyz-Mv

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 5 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣ ... Meir Rabkin's recent article with Energy Digital Magazine sheds light on some exciting predictions for the year ahead in the Climate Tech Space! One of my key takeaways from the article is how staggering the growth of carbon accounting software will be. Forecasts predict that the space will grow from $15.31 billion in 2023 to $64.39 billion by 2030. With this much growth, I'm sure we'll see more exciting start-ups making waves in the space. What do you think about these predictions and trends in the climate tech space? Do you have any predictions for the year ahead that weren't covered in the article? Share your thoughts in the comments below! ⬇ #climatetech #carboncapture #carbonaccounting #smartbuildings

Monitoring, conservation and restoration efforts can help save ecosystems and animals. In Europe, policymakers approved a law in 2023 setting nature restoration objectives for the European Union, including binding targets to restore at least 30% of degraded habitats in EU countries by 2030 and 90% by 2050. As more companies work to adapt to Earth’s changing climate, the right tools can help them monitor, predict and respond to weather and climate impact. The IBM® Environmental Intelligence Suite is a SaaS platform that includes dashboards, alerts and notifications, geospatial and weather data application programming interfaces (APIs) and add-ons with industry-specific environmental models for business resilience and optimization. Learn more from this article and please contact me if you want more details. #IBM #Sustainabilty #SustainabilitySolutions

AI Obsession Diverts Funds from Climate Tech By Alastair Marsh Recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) have significant implications for our warming planet. While AI offers substantial advantages in monitoring ice melt, deforestation, and optimizing power grids, its power-hungry nature can lead to increased carbon emissions and climate damage. A less-discussed impact is whether the AI hype is diverting attention and funds from climate-change mitigation. James Socas, who heads the climate-solutions business at Investcorp, the Middle East’s largest alternative asset manager, believes this is already happening. “Institutional investors have overemphasized AI's promise and risk underfunding the reality and opportunity of climate solutions,” Socas said. “This is despite clear evidence that climate change is a growing issue with strong regulatory support for climate investments.” Previously a software and technology investor at Blackstone Inc., Socas acknowledges the excitement surrounding AI. The technology is expected to be transformative, already delivering great returns for investors, as seen with Nvidia Corp.'s soaring stock price. However, there are still many questions about AI, including its use in spreading misinformation and its evolving regulatory landscape. In contrast, climate change presents no such ambiguity. Record-breaking temperatures are now common, prompting global policymakers and financial regulators to promote net-zero emission initiatives. The cost of decarbonization is expected to exceed $100 trillion, excluding climate adaptation funds. Socas notes that AI is currently absorbing significant money and investor attention. AI is anticipated to attract trillions of dollars, placing it in the same investment league as clean energy and climate tech. Investment in clean energy technologies will reach a record $2 trillion this year, but trillions more are needed. Investcorp, managing about $50 billion in assets, defines “climate solutions” as products and services addressing energy source decarbonization, like renewable energy projects. Other examples include low-carbon steel, reforestation projects, and climate-related analysis such as carbon accounting. While Socas views AI as a competitor for investor capital, Markus Leippold, a finance professor at the University of Zurich, emphasizes that AI and climate solutions are not mutually exclusive. “Rather than seeing AI and climate solutions as competing for funds, we should focus on leveraging AI to enhance our climate response,” Leippold said. “AI has immense potential to contribute to climate solutions.” Nonetheless, sustainability-minded investors must be wary of “AI-washing,” which Leippold defines as investments directed towards projects labeled as AI without rigorous scrutiny of their actual impact. “We need to differentiate the value of AI from the noise around AI,” said Budha Bhattacharya, head of systematic research at Lombard Odier Investment Managers. #AI #tech

🔮What’s in store for climate tech in 2024? We phoned 15 friends including Shayle Kann, Lara Pierpoint, Shanu G. Mathew, Andrew Beebe, Dawn Lippert, Kiran Bhatraju, Ally Yost, Mike Schroepfer, Joshua Posamentier , Sean Hunt , Amy Duffuor , Akshat Rathi , Bob Mumgaard , Paul Martin to find out! Read on to hear our expert views, or take your foresight test here 👉 : https://lnkd.in/eaMkuKuh 1. Will climate tech venture / growth funding increase? ($) 2. Will there be more flat or down rounds in climate tech compared to 2023? 3. Will oil & gas companies be the largest acquirers of climate tech start-ups in 2024? (# of acquisitions) 4. Will the results of the upcoming US election signal a change in IRA incentives? 5. Will the S&P Global Clean Energy Index return to above $1,200? 6. Will the voluntary carbon market (VCM) shrink in 2024? 7. Will there be an announcement of a direct air capture (DAC) facility selling carbon removal for under $600 a ton? 8. Will EV sales reach 25% of global new car purchases in 2024? 9. Will a new geologic hydrogen site begin commercial production this year? 10. Will we see the first flight using 100% e-SAFs? Bonus: What will be the buzzy topic in 2024? What will we all be talking about? https://lnkd.in/ebqQFrdy

Good news coming from BloombergNEF's analysts... Q3 was strong for climate tech fundraising, drawing $16.6 billion in VC and PE capital – up 63% from Q2 which was a low point, with record-low deal volume, reports Coco Liu. To keep it real: That's still more than a 40% decrease compared to the same period a year earlier, Michelle Ma reminds us, in another Bloomberg article. And, she smartly noted the discrepancy in areas that are getting the most funding vs. those that need it: Out of the 6 primary sectors, energy was the most funded, followed by transport. Just 14% of the funding went to the highest-emitting industrial sectors (e.g., cement and steel manufacturing) 🏭 So there is some literal ground to break in those sectors, and as a firm we are looking closely at new technologies, to add to our portfolio which already contains Helios (steel), Modern Hydrogen (industrial heat), Material Evolution (cement), and others. Still, it's safe to say that we're gaining, not losing – at least when it comes to share. Climate tech took up a greater share of the overall startup investment market, at more than 11%, and first-time investors continue pouring into the space, both signs that the sector is still drawing new interest, she writes. And more climate tech funds are emerging, too. We are pleased to have one of the 34 new climate tech VC and PE funds that closed in Q3, which should result in a $8.2 billion injection of fresh capital into the ecosystem. 💷 https://lnkd.in/e_qbh9TF

We live our lives increasingly online – from social media, to work emails, watching the latest Netflix series, and everything in between. This has an enormous – and growing – environmental impact. Digital infrastructure like #DataCentres uses a lot of 🔌energy and natural resources – including 💦water, 🌳land, and ⛏️raw materials. In one day, a typical data centre uses the same amount of water as a city of 30-50,000 people. ❌The digital transition must not come at the expense of our environment. We need EU legislation to catch up with real-world practices. Right now, the rules on data centres are incomplete and lacking direction. 🤝We’re partnering with the Open Future Foundation to focus on the energy performance and environmental impacts of Europe’s #DataCentres – funded by the Green Screen Catalyst Fund. 💡Our project will help to shine a light on the need for the digital transition to respect the environment, helping to tackle the gap between climate justice and digital rights. Blog in the comments👇

The energy and climate landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. What began as a revolution is now evolving into a systemic shift, with stakeholders focusing on creating an enabling ecosystem for climate action at scale. With wind and solar power becoming more prevalent, investment is pivoting towards technologies that alleviate infrastructural bottlenecks, such as grid enhancements and advanced monitoring systems. Meanwhile, regulatory bodies are not just expanding carbon markets but are also prioritizing transparency, setting new standards, and establishing rigorous verification frameworks. Governments are broadening their toolkit, considering solar geoengineering, easing regulations on CRISPR crops, and rethinking urban designs to withstand increasingly hostile environmental conditions. Our 2024 Energy and Climate Tech Trends report, written by my colleague Christina von Messling, offers new insights on the current state of play and what to expect during the next 24 months. It's a must-read for every company/ organizational strategist, as well as anyone in the #energy sector and those heading #climate, #ESG and #sustainability initiatives. Read an excerpt here or download the full report at https://lnkd.in/gXU42Zpd.

Roundup of 22 climate tech predictions for 2024. Mostly bullish. Links to sources in the comments. 1. Growing renewable projects in rural areas 2. Lots of focus on the 45V clean hydrogen tax credits 3. EVs in spotlight in 2024 US election 4. Expect surge in carbon capture technologies that upcycle CO2 into other products 5. Billions spent on real estate for EV charging infrastructure 6. Electricity demand will put strain on grid from data centers/AI and electrification 7. Defense will become key player in energy transition, onshoring critical technology 8. Climate adaptation gets bi-partisan support 9. Climate tech growth funding remains scarce 10. Solar and wind will reach new heights 11. With falling interest rates, capital markets could supercharge climate investing  12. Voluntary carbon market’s soul-searching will continue 13. As regulations tighten, carbon accounting and advising will become big business 14. Debates over the use of public lands will be a major election issue  15. Circularity will become a prominent feature in ESG reporting 16. AI will have its greenest year yet 17. The US grid will get a renewable energy kickstart 18. Global commitments and consumer demand will transform our food systems in environmentally sustainable and regenerative ways 19. News media will expand their coverage of climate solutions 20. Climate tech unicorn will emerge from the energy efficiency space - IRA incentives hit in 2024 21. Blue carbon solutions will gain momentum 22. Investments into R&D of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will increase substantially What's your view for next year?