Make your favourite hot drink, find a quiet corner, and read through these materials ahead of the session. 

Dr. Sara Hastings-Simon is an associate professor in the department of Earth, Energy and Environment, and School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. She is a macro energy system researcher and her work is focused on understanding how low-carbon energy transitions happen within different sectors of the economy, and how policy responses can improve outcomes. Sara is also co-founder and co-host of Energy vs Climate a webinar and podcast that explores the energy transition in Alberta, Canada, and beyond. She is a member of the expert panel for Clean Growth with the Canadian Climate Choices Institute and a member of the board of directors of the Pembina Institute.

Her previous roles include Director of Clean Economy at the Pembina Institute, founder of Business Renewable Centre Canada, and practice manager for Clean Technologies at McKinsey & Company. Dr. Hastings-Simon holds a PhD in physics from the University of Geneva.

Sara's Contact Details: 

Email: Sara.hastingssimon@ucalgary.ca

Bob Inglis (he/him) is the executive director of republicEn.org. He previously represented Greenville-Spartanburg, SC, in the U.S. Congress from 1993-1999 and again from 2005-2011.

In 2012 Inglis launched the Energy and Enterprise Initiative (“E&EI”) at George Mason University. It’s now known as republicEn.org,  a growing grassroots community of more than 10,000 Americans educating the country about free-enterprise solutions to climate change. 

The organization is a 501(c)(3) operation hosted at the George Mason University Foundation and educates, recruits and organizes conservative voices for action on climate change.

For his work on climate change, Inglis was given the 2015 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. He appears in the film Merchants of Doubt, in the Showtime series YEARS of Living Dangerously, and has given TED talks in Jacksonville, FL and in Boston, MA.

Bob's Contact Details:

Email: bob.inglis@republicen.org

Ankit Mishra (he/him) is an energy contributor at Forbes, where he provides regular insights on economic growth, energy transition, and the future of work through interviews with industry experts. He is also a Fellow at Energy Future Labs.

Previously, Ankit worked for early-stage startups in the Bay Area, the Ontario Government, and the OECD. Alongside his professional duties, Ankit mentors aspiring entrepreneurs at Futurpreneur Canada and undergraduate business students at Ivey Business School (Western University).

Currently based in Montréal, he has lived and worked in London, Paris, Brussels, San Francisco, New Delhi, and Toronto. Ankit holds a master’s degree in international economics from Sciences Po Paris and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from York University.

Ankit's Contact Details:

Email: ankitmishra01@gmail.com

Twitter: https://x.com/ankitmishra013

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitmishra3/

Personal Website: https://www.ankitmishra.ca/

Previous to working as a Project Lead with the Climate Action Team in the City of Toronto's Climate & Environment Division Sharene served as the Research Coordinator at the Urban Farm at Toronto Metropolitan University. She completed her Masters of Design at the Ontario College of Art and Design University in the Strategic Foresight and Innovation Program, where the focus of her research was to assess the business viability of rooftop urban agriculture in Toronto. Sharene also worked at Green Roofs for Healthy Cities as their Education Coordinator and Marketing Assistant for more than a year before joining the Urban Farm at Toronto Metropolitan University. Sharene is also a proud graduate of the Urban Farm’s Market Garden training program. Sharene stewarded her own plot for several years at the Alex Wilson Community Garden before establishing her own backyard garden. 

Sharene's Contact Details:

Email: sharene.shafie@toronto.ca

MIT Climate Policy Simulator: https://www.climateinteractive.org/en-roads/

Canadian Climate Policy Simulator: https://www.pembina.org/eps

Alberta's Procurement Program Assessment by Sara-Hastings Simon and Others: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421522004852

OECD Chart demonstrating 13/20 high-emission cities are in the USA: 

https://www.oecd.org/cfe/cities/tacar.htm

Brookings Institute Report: 

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/not-according-to-plan-exploring-gaps-in-city-climate-planning-and-the-need-for-regional-action/

Iron & Ore:

https://www.ironore.ca/en/sustainability/indigenous-participation

Alberta EV Charging: 

https://peakstoprairies.ca/history/

Toronto Turtle Protectors: 

https://turtleprotectors.com/