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Scrubbing the Sky: Inside the Race to Cool the Planet
EP1 - Carbon Removal: Engineering Earth's Cooling with Klaus Lackner & David Keith
Season 1, Ep. 1
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Host Ed Whittingham dives into the world of Direct Air Capture (DAC), a technology that extracts carbon dioxide directly from the ambient air. Ed explores the early history of carbon dioxide removal, why it could be useful in fighting climate change, and challenges the technology has faced along the way.
Guests include:
- Klaus Lackner, professor at Arizona State University and often referred to as the “Grandfather of DAC”
- David Keith, professor at the University of Chicago and a DAC pioneer who founded the company Carbon Engineering
- Paul McKendrick, author of the book that inspired this series
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or on your podcast app of choice.
Learn more at www.scrubbingthesky.com
Follow us on: LinkedIn | Bluesky
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Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts.
The podcast is part of the Carbon Herald’s podcast network.
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BONUS - Carbon Removal Day Panel: Lucy Hargreaves, Daniel Kelter, Jorden Dye
47:21|A bonus Energy vs Climate episode:On February 27, 2025, Ed Whittingham hosted a panel discussion at Carbon Removal Canada's Carbon Removal Day in Ottawa. They cover a number of topics including the changing political headwinds in the US, efforts to bolster investment in Canada, and silicon valley's interest in CDR. Plus, they take a few audience questions.Detailed show notes on episode page.About Our Guests:Lucy Hargreaves is the VP of Corporate Affairs & Policy at Patch, a SF-based carbon markets platform that’s accelerating investment into global climate action at scale. Beyond her work at Patch, Lucy is part of the core team driving Build Canada and Canada Spends, volunteer-led initiatives focused on helping Canadian entrepreneurs share their ideas for a bolder, richer, freer country and making government spending more accessible and transparent. Daniel Kelter is Carbon Removal Canada’s Director of Government Relations, a strategic policy advisor who excels at connecting political insight with industry challenges. With experience working alongside Members of Parliament and navigating the intricacies of hard-to-decarbonize sectors like fertilizer and steel, Daniel has been instrumental in crafting advocacy strategies that forge strong government-industry partnerships."Jorden Dye is the director for the Business Renewables Centre-Canada and the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Centre, both initiatives of the Pembina Institute focused on accelerating climate action through corporate procurement. His work includes leading a community of over 60 participating organizations across Canada to spur renewable energy development and developing educational resources to introduce carbon dioxide removal to new audiences.Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts___Energy vs Climatewww.energyvsclimate.comBluesky | YouTube | LinkedIn | X/Twitter4. EP4 - Skeptics vs Believers: Is Direct Air Capture Hope or Hype? (Season 1 Finale)
27:40||Season 1, Ep. 4Host Ed Whittingham closes out Season 1 by examining the case against Direct Air Capture by one its harshest critics, Al Gore, followed by the counterarguments of supporters. Will DAC live up to its hype and potential to help cool a warming planet? Guests include: Greg Nemet, professor at the University of WisconsinKlaus Lackner, professor at Arizona State UniversityDavid Keith, professor at the University of Chicago and a DAC pioneer who founded the company Carbon EngineeringSara Hastings-Simon, professor at the University of CalgaryChristian Theuer, Policy Communications Lead at HeirloomJim McDermott, co-founder and the managing partner of Rusheen Capital Management, LLCÉric St-Pierre, Executive Director of the Trottier Family FoundationLearn more at www.scrubbingthesky.comFollow us on: LinkedIn | Bluesky | YouTube__Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts.The podcast is part of the Carbon Herald’s podcast network.3. EP3 - The Carbon Gold Rush: Tech's Next Frontier with Jan Wurzbacher, David Keith & Jim McDermott
26:33||Season 1, Ep. 3Host Ed Whittingham delves into the early days of another pioneering Direct Air Capture (DAC) company, Switzerland’s Climeworks, and its innovative modular approach to deploying its technology. Ed also looks into the developing synergy between the tech sector and carbon removal. Guests include: Jan Wurzbacher, co-founder of ClimeworksLucy Hargreaves, Corporate Affairs and Climate Policy at PatchJim McDermott, co-founder and the managing partner of Rusheen Capital Management, LLCDavid Keith, professor at the University of Chicago and a DAC pioneer who founded the company Carbon EngineeringLearn more at www.scrubbingthesky.comFollow us on: LinkedIn | Bluesky | YouTube__Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts.The podcast is part of the Carbon Herald’s podcast network.2. EP2 - Bill Gates & Building a Climate ‘Miracle’ with David Keith & Ken Caldeira
27:51||Season 1, Ep. 2Host Ed Whittingham continues the story behind the development of Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology and its potential role in helping to fight climate change. Ed explores the early days of Canadian cleantech company Carbon Engineering, and how it drew the attention of both Bill Gates and Occidental Petroleum. Guests include: Ken Caldeira, senior scientist at Breakthrough EnergyDavid Keith, professor at the University of Chicago and a DAC pioneer who founded the company Carbon EngineeringSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or on your podcast app of choice.Learn more at www.scrubbingthesky.comFollow us on: LinkedIn | Bluesky__Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts.The podcast is part of the Carbon Herald’s podcast network.A special thanks to our friends at the Challenging Climate podcast which is available wherever you find your podcasts.