In this episode of Wicked Problems: Climate Tech Conversations, host Richard Delevan dives into groundbreaking climate legislation in Vermont and its potential to reshape the fight against climate change. Richard is joined by two distinguished guests: Lucy Maxwell, Co-Director of the Climate Litigation Network, and Tobias Engelmeier, Co-Founder of Munich-based climate tech startup VIDA. They explore the intersection of litigation, legislation, and technological innovation in tackling climate change and holding major carbon polluters accountable.
In case you missed it, you’ll want to check out our first episode in this series, with
and Nigel Brook:
In this episode:
Interview with Lucy Maxwell
- Lucy Maxwell discusses her role as Co-Director of the Climate Litigation Network and the organisation's work in climate justice.
- Climate Superfund Act: Lucy explains the significance of the Vermont Climate Superfund Act, which seeks to fund climate adaptation and infrastructure resilience through damages collected from major polluters.
- Human Rights Litigation: Insights into the human rights-based litigation approach, exemplified by cases like the Urgenda ruling and the recent European Court of Human Rights decision involving Swiss senior women.
- Global Impact: Lucy highlights how these legal precedents are influencing climate litigation worldwide, including in Korea, Australia, and Latin America.
Interview with Tobias Engelmeier
- Introduction to VIDA: Tobias introduces his company, VIDA, which leverages satellite imagery and advanced data analytics to assess climate risks and opportunities for infrastructure projects.
- Climate Data and Technology: Discussion on how VIDA technology provides granular climate risk assessments, helping investors, insurers, and governments make informed decisions about infrastructure resilience.
- Vermont Legislation's Relevance: Tobias explains why VIDA has been closely monitoring the Vermont Climate Superfund Act and how such legislation could drive demand for climate adaptation technologies.
- Future of Climate Adaptation: Insights into the potential for new markets and innovations in climate adaptation driven by legislative and regulatory changes.
Quotes:
- Lucy Maxwell: "The climate crisis is a human rights crisis, and governments have human rights obligations to adopt strong and robust climate laws based on science."
- Tobias Engelmeier: "We are very excited about the Vermont legislation because it represents a massive change in the legal regulatory environment, potentially driving demand for climate adaptation technologies."
Featured Guests:
Lucy Maxwell: Co-Director of the Climate Litigation Network, an expert in climate justice and human rights-based litigation.
Tobias Engelmeier: Co-Founder and CEO of VIDA, a Munich-based startup focused on using satellite imagery and data analytics to assess climate risks for infrastructure projects.
Resources Mentioned:
VIDA: Learn more about how VIDA is using cutting-edge technology to tackle climate challenges at VIDA.place
Climate Litigation Network: Explore the work of the Climate Litigation Network in holding governments and corporations accountable for their climate commitments at climatelitigationnetwork.org
Adapt Your World conference
Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts to help spread the word about our important climate tech conversations!
Previous Episode:
Next Episodes:
Laura Fleming, Hitachi Energy UK and Ireland MD - and a host of other voices from the Innovation Zero summit.
That’ll be followed by a conversation with climate tech journalist Tasmin Lockwood, until recently with Insider; and Prashant Rao of Semafor and Freya Pratty from Sifted help dissect the week’s news.
Thank you for tuning in to Wicked Problems: Climate Tech Conversations. Until next time!
Listen to Midnight Oil to play us out:
Ben & Jerry's vs. Darth Vader, pt 2