- Net Zero Atlantic is one of five organizations worldwide
selected as part of the IBM Sustainability Accelerator clean energy
cohort
- IBM to provide resources to support the creation of a tool
that will help enable Indigenous communities to
advocate for energy system change that will benefit their land,
economies, and health
- IBM will donate $30M worth of
services by 2023 through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program
globally
TORONTO and HALIFAX,
NS, Nov. 10, 2022 /CNW/ -- IBM
(NYSE: IBM) announced today at COP27 the new members of its global pro bono
social impact program, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator.
Net Zero Atlantic, a non-profit based in Halifax, Nova Scotia is one of the five
organizations selected by IBM from more than 100 global submissions
to be part of the clean energy cohort of the program. As part of
this cohort, IBM will work with Net Zero Atlantic to create an
interactive digital tool that will help enable Indigenous
communities in Atlantic Canada to
understand how transitioning to carbon-neutral energy system could
impact their local economies and environments.
"Through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator initiative, we are
combining access to technology and subject matter experts to tackle
environmental issues impacting Canadians more quickly, while also
improving the quality of life for communities most affected by
climate change," said Jean-François Barsoum, Senior Innovation
Executive: Research, Innovation, Environment and Smart Cities, IBM
Canada. "The transition to clean energy in Canada is critical, and as a technology
company, we can play a key role in enabling organisations to turn
sustainability ambition into action. We are incredibly proud Net
Zero Atlantic has been chosen to be a part of the IBM
Sustainability Accelerator program and we're excited to accelerate
the impact this organization is making for Canada's future."
"Through this project, we aim to provide Indigenous communities
in Atlantic Canada with additional
evidence and authority to support their advocacy around clean
energy policy and infrastructure buildout," said Kathleen Mifflin, Project Manager, Net Zero
Atlantic. "By collaborating with Indigenous partners and
with support from the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, we will help
remove barriers that prevent a diversity of voices from actively
participating in energy system planning and development. This kind
of initiative is essential to ensuring our region's energy system
transition is equitable and inclusive."
According to the International Energy Agency, energy is critical
to Canada's economy; it makes up
10% of the nation's gross domestic product and is a major source of
capital investments, and trade flows, and a key generator of
middle-class jobs, including for Indigenous peoples. Improving the
rate of energy technology innovation will be critical to enable the
deep decarbonisation across sectors required to achieve net zero
emissions by 2050. Canada is
committed to reducing its emissions by 40 to 45% below 2005 levels
by 2030 and achieving a 100% net-zero emitting electricity system
by 2035 and net-zero emissions across all sectors by 2050.
Net Zero Atlantic is collaborating with IBM to create an
interactive digital tool that will geospatially display
environmental and socioeconomic impacts of possible energy system
futures for Nova Scotia. The goal
is for Indigenous communities in Nova
Scotia to leverage this interactive digital tool to inform
their input into energy and development planning. The tool aims to
be easy to use, locally relevant and time efficient. It will
produce easy-to-understand visual results using IBM technology such
as the IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite and IBM Cloud.
The IBM Sustainability Accelerator program applies IBM
technologies, such as hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence, and
an ecosystem of experts to enhance and scale projects focused
on populations vulnerable to environmental threats, including
climate change.
All new members including United Nations Development Programme,
Sustainable Energy for All, Miyakojima City Government, and
Environment Without Borders Foundation will focus on accelerating
clean energy projects. The selection process considered the
applicant's commitment to support communities who are especially
vulnerable to environmental threats, its ability to increase access
to affordable clean energy services, its strategic focus and
transparency on measurement and reporting, among others.
About Net Zero Atlantic : Net Zero Atlantic seeks to
advance the goal of a sustainable and inclusive transition to a
carbon-neutral future in Atlantic
Canada. Our team produces credible and objective data to
inform sound policies and decisions related to critical topics
including hydrogen, offshore wind, geothermal energy, and energy
system modeling.
Learn more about Net Zero Atlantic at
www.netzeroatlantic.ca.
About IBM Sustainability Accelerator: Launched in
February 2022, the IBM Sustainability
Accelerator is a social impact program that addresses multiple
environmental threats around the world each year. The accelerator
selects 5 projects to scale solutions that benefit communities that
face challenges such as climate change, pollution, extreme weather
and more. The program currently has two active cohorts; the first
one is focused on sustainable agriculture and the second on clean
energy.
For more information,
visithttps://www.ibm.com/impact/initiatives/ibm-sustainability-accelerator
Media contacts:
IBM Canada
Ruhee Dhar, External Relations Lead
ruhee@ibm.com
Net Zero Atlantic
Stacey
Pineau, Communications Advisor
spineau@netzeroatlantic.ca
SOURCE IBM Canada