Author of the Net Zero Review, Chris Skidmore MP, to address attendees at Innovation Zero congress

The organisers of Innovation Zero have created a two-day congress programme featuring 350 world-class speakers who are experts in climate change mitigation, clean technology innovation, and implementing low carbon solutions. Taking place at Olympia London on 24 & 25 May 2023 the congress and exhibition is absolutely free-to-attend.

Speakers include two of the world’s leading climate scientists; the ‘father of impact investing’; the author of the Net Zero Review; representatives of 3 most significant climate related funds globally and the Mayor of the UK’s fastest growing region for the energy transition.

It has recently been confirmed that Chris Skidmore MP, who led the Independent Net Zero Review, and authored the resulting Mission Zero report, will wrap up Day One of the congress by sharing his insights on net zero as a gateway to UK growth. Amongst other things, he will be highlighting the importance of not 'passing the baton' nor backsliding on our net zero obligations by seeking short term 'fixes' that neither address the energy crisis root problems nor help us reach net zero.

In addition, on Day One, two of the world’s leading climate scientists will offer their perspectives on how the drive towards a decarbonised world will require innovation across every sector. Johan Rockstrom is Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and a regular speaker at the World Economic Forum at Davos. When people talk about the practical steps needed to slow climate change, they talk about his work. Sir David King is Head of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group and former Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK government. He is leading a group at Cambridge that is looking at two ground-breaking new technologies that could help to protect the icecaps and restore ocean biodiversity.

Also on Day One, leading investors, lenders and finance sector leaders share their progress in enabling the transformation to a zero-carbon economy and their views on the opportunities being created. Speakers include Sir Ronald Cohen, President, Global Steering Group for Impact Investment; Nazo Moosa, Managing Partner - Energy Impact Partners Europe as well as representatives from Bankers for Net Zero; Centre for Sustainable Finance - Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and HSBC.

Approximately $50 trillion in incremental investments is required by 2050 to transition the global economy to net zero emissions. On day Two at Innovation Zero, Shaun Kingsbury, Chief Investment Officer at Just Climate will be on a panel discussing the solutions being implemented now, alongside representatives from UK Infrastructure Bank; British Business Bank; UK Export Finance and the Green Finance Institute.

Also on Day Two, Julia Reinaud, Senior Director at Breakthrough Energy will give a briefing on the partnerships that they are working on with technology innovators to deliver the industrial sector of the future. She will be joined by representatives from the Carbon Trust; E3G and Gresham House. Our third representative from most significant climate.

Attendees can also hear from the leaders of 3 pioneering cities and regions who will their approach to providing the most liveable, healthy and desirable environment while enabling an increasing number of high-value well paid jobs. This session will feature Ben Houchen, Mayor of Teesside which is currently announcing new investments weekly into the UK’s fastest growing region for the energy transition. He will be joined by the Mayor of Malmö Municipality and a representative of Greater Manchester Combined Authority.