Resiliency and Regeneration Detailed Agenda

Resiliency and Regeneration: The Next Stage in Business Sustainability

Agenda at a Glance

Session Time
Opening Remarks and Keynote Introduction8:45 – 9:00 AM
Morning KeynoteCombining Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science to Advance Action on Climate Change
Gary Pritchard, 4 Directions of Conservation Consulting
9:00 – 10:00 AM
BREAK10:00 – 10:15 AM
Breakout 1: Roadmap to Resilience: Financing Net Zero10:15 – 11:45 AM
Lunch & Networking11:45 – 12:45 PM
Afternoon Keynote: The Role of Economics in Social Wellbeing and Solving the Climate Crisis
Tom Rand, ArcTern Ventures
12:45 – 1:30 PM
BREAK1:30 – 1: 45 PM
Breakout 2: Roadmap to Resilience: Building a Climate-Resilient Business1:45 – 3:15 PM
BREAK3:15 – 3:30 PM
Breakout 3: Roadmap to Regeneration: Leading the way through Social Impact3:30 – 5:00 PM

Agenda in Detail

Morning Keynote: Combining Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science to Advance Action on Climate Change

Gary Pritchard, 4 Directions of Conservation Consulting

When it comes to climate change, we need to think long-term and explore other ways of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Join us for an inspiring address about how we can honour current caretakers of the environment and those that came before us. Learn about the power of combining Indigenous knowledge systems and Western science to embrace our responsibility to the environment and advance action on climate change.


Breakout Session #1: Roadmap to Resilience: Financing Net Zero

Reaching Net-Zero within the next few decades is vital if the world is to have any chance of limiting global warming below 2°C. Many organizations and governments have stepped forward to set GHG reduction targets and Net-Zero commitments, however, the road map and funding required to meet these goals is not always clear. Join us to identify the financial instruments available to help Ontario businesses implement their Net-Zero goals. This breakout session will provide an overview of available financing opportunities, alternative financing models, and incentive programs for GHG emission reduction targets. Learn from expert speakers and panellists and help your organization identify opportunities to finance your GHG reduction projects and achieve your targets.


Afternoon Keynote: The Role of Economics in Social Wellbeing and Solving the Climate Crisis

Tom Rand, ArcTern Ventures

Tom Rand brings his trademark focus and clarity to an enormously complex issue –  the economics of climate change. As global fears over climate risk ratchet up alongside increasing turbulent weather systems, the private sector looks at last ready join the fight in earnest. Is that the case, or just more greenwashing? Rand’s forthright speaking style takes on the old canards of both left and right politics in a passionate call to arms on climate risk. His talk brings to life the focus of his third bestselling book: to articulate pragmatic ways to rewire the capitalist economy for the 21st century – a renewed “Climate Capitalism.


Breakout Session #2: Roadmap to Resilience: Building a Climate Resilient Business

Communities across the world are experiencing the effects of climate change including increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events. Businesses are being affected by the impacts of climate change both locally and across the entire supply chain. Join this session and learn how you can prepare yourself to thrive by hearing case studies of climate resilient businesses and through step-by-step action you can start taking today.

Presentations
Enviro-Stewards

Business Climate Action, Adaptation & Resiliency

Timely climate action can be a strategic business advantage (for example, Maple Leaf Foods award for becoming the world’s first carbon neutral major food company).  Concurrently, businesses need the resiliency to adapt to changes in climate that are already occurring.    

This presentation outlines climate adaptation measures that concurrently reduce impacts on climate. Results from the first year of operation of the affordable smart blue roof (ASBR) on Enviro-Stewards’ office indicate that this technology drastically reduces stormwater runoff (i.e. climate adaptation), while saving heating & cooling costs (i.e. climate action), reducing heat island effect, and reducing potable water consumption.   And the Gold Standard for the Global Goals (SDGs) generated by avoiding the need to boil water (SDG 13) also improves health (SDG 3), generates decent work & economic growth (SDG 8), alleviates poverty (SDG 1), and sustainably provide safe water (SDG 6). By implementing change using an integrated systems approach, profitable & impactful measures can consistently be identified & harvested.

IMAX & Credit Valley Conservation

Taking Sustainability Outside with IMAX and Credit Valley Conservation

Businesses are always looking for innovative ways to protect assets against damage and environmental degradation due to climate change and urbanization while adding value. In the Great Lakes watershed, this can often mean improving water quality, reducing flooding, and increasing biodiversity. Learn how IMAX worked with Credit Valley Conservation on one of the first sustainable parking lot retrofits in Mississauga and how they continue to transform their property through habitat creation and protection, demonstrating long-term commitments to the environment and their community.

Greater Toronto Airports Authority

Climate Change Resiliency at Toronto Pearson: Stormwater Management

Case Study 1:  Managing Contaminated fluids at the Central Deicing Facility by increasing underground storage tank capacity.  This is result of the freeze/thaw patters we see today and the inability for the original infrastructure to have the capacity needed to manage the contaminated fluids from aircraft deicing and to ensure compliance with stormwater glycol guidelines.  


Breakout Session #3: Roadmap to Regeneration: Leading the way through Social Impact

Industry does not live in isolation – it lives in communities.  People, planet, and profit all play a role in rebuilding a sustainable economy.  Businesses can benefit from engaging with their communities to improve the well-being of individuals, the health of the planet, and our collective economic outlook.  Join experts in sustainable community development and learn how your business can enhance the social and environmental pillars of sustainability at the same time.


Vendor Showcase & PechaKucha

Learn about the latest and greatest in technologies, processes and systems to help you in your sustainability journey through this PechaKucha-style presentation session.  PechaKucha (chit-chat in Japanese) is a storytelling format where a presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds each. The idea is to tell less and show more. It’s a fun and engaging way to learn many different ideas in a short amount of time.


Networking

Share your LinkedIn handle in the chat and we will connect you with other attendees during and after the event. Take this opportunity to get to know other leading sustainability professionals and like-minded individuals.  Sparking connections can lead to new ideas, projects, and professional relationships.

Please reach out if you have any questions about this event, including becoming a sponsor, exhibitor, or participating in the PechaKucha.
Contact Ozit Bittner, Program Manager, Membership and Business Engagement
ozit.bittner@trca.ca