Tech, innovation key to solving climate change: chief scientist Dr Cathy Foley

Climate technologies are not only critical to solving climate change, but will have flow on benefits to other technologies and science, according to Australia’s chief scientist Dr Cathy Foley.

Dr Cathy Foley, Australia's chief scientist

Foley gave a keynote at the largest gathering of climate tech leaders in the southern hemisphere, the Climate Tech Festival in Sydney, presented by climate tech network Climate Salad.

She told the audience of start-ups, investors and entrepreneurs, “Climate change is here and it requires big action.

“More than that, it needs innovation. We need to embrace new ways of thinking to be our most creative and our most ambitious selves as we tackle this monumental challenge before us.”

According to Foley, the opportunity in climate change matches the scale of the problem.

“Climate technologies and solutions can and will build on each other to deliver better results for us and for the planet,” she said.

“We need to think big, we need to embrace new technologies and new ideas, and we need to partner up. The full range of solutions for net zero emissions haven't even been invented yet.”

As Australia looks to reduce emissions in accordance with the Climate Change Act, to 43 percent below 2005 levels in seven years, and net zero by 2050, Foley highlights that with such a short space of time to enact change, the nation cannot afford to dismiss the new targets. 

“We have a goalpost, but to achieve these targets, economy-wide emissions reduction is needed. It's not going to be a one size fits all solution here. We need to see every climate technology working in partnership to cut emissions now across every sector,” said Foley.

“There are no laws in physics that are stopping us from getting there. Our biggest challenge is our own thinking and our willingness to stick to the course.”

According to Mick Liubinskas, CEO and founder of Climate Salad, a broad range of climate tech solutions are needed to tackle the problem, from biosphere data tracking, to decentralising energy grids.

“Most people think of solar and wind when they hear the words climate tech. But there’s an amazing array of climate tech solutions from mitigation, avoidance and removal of carbon as well as solutions for how we adapt to our changing climate. It's our job to shine a spotlight on these incredible innovations and recognise the founders, mentors and investors doing great work,” said Liubinskas.

Camille Goldstone-Henry, CEO and co-founder of climate tech start-up Xylo Systems won the Climate Salad Women in Climate Tech 2022 award.

She told Digital Nation Australia, “When people think about climate tech, you often think about net zero carbon emissions. The reason why Xylo Systems joined Climate Salad was because we are educating people that there is more to climate stability than just carbon.

"We have to think about biodiversity and how we're regenerating our ecosystems and our environment. Because if we don't have net zero and nature positivity, we're not going to reach that climate stability that we're all looking for.”

Climate Salad worked with climate tech start-up Trace to offset the emissions of the Climate Tech Festival.

Joanna Auburn, co-founder at Trace told Digital Nation Australia that the organisations have been working together since Climate Salad’s infancy.

“We worked with them on their last event and this event to make both events carbon neutral, so that the operations of the event, the suppliers used and everybody who has travelled to and from the event as attendees is measured, managed, and offset,” said Auburn.