[Politics] Politics needs green innovators too

[Love Pulse]

 

Like many, the pandemic has given me an opportunity for self-reflection on my life and my role in the world. As a scientist, I believed that we could solve the world's problems with technology, and that every problem could be solved with human ingenuity. I realized that while science and innovation are necessary, they are not sufficient to make the change we need to tackle complex problems like the global pandemic or worsening climate change.

We need technology, finance and politics, all working together to move the needle. I looked around and saw that technology was advancing, financiers and institutional investors starting to work and asking for more companies, but that government and politics were lagging behind technology and markets.

I have spent my career developing clean technology, first as a highly regarded researcher and scientist in academia, then as a junior entrepreneur and a Carbon XPRIZE finalist, and most recently as the youngest director at the National Research Council of Canada leading a $46 million program to develop clean technology made in Canada. I know what it takes to move from discovery to product, and from innovation to impact. I have found that often it is not science or finance that is the killer, but rather the political landscape that fuels the growth of new technology.

 

Not many realize that much of our energy infrastructure was and still is government subsidized. Fossil fuel subsidies in the United States are estimated at $62 billion annually, and were $14.5 billion in Canada last year. If we want to transition to a zero-economy, we need to properly stimulate and price the impacts of emissions and climate change.

Government actions and policies can move quickly in the face of crises. We've seen it with the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive response to bringing life-saving vaccines to market in record time. The same level of urgency and response must occur now to tackle climate change. Governments have the overall power to pave the way for the transition and they have the incentive power to ensure that people in heavy emissions sectors get a clean job to transition into.

 

This transformation is increasingly demanded by society. Consumers, especially younger generations, demand that the products they buy and the services they use be sustainable. This will only accelerate as the effects of climate change continue. Sustainability is not only good for the planet and its inhabitants, but it is also good business as well.

The private sector can play its part in encouraging green policies. Companies can experiment with sustainable practices, policies, and programs that governments such as municipalities can implement. They can advocate for more sustainable policies and invest in clean technologies that will place them competitively in the transition process. Becoming the first mover in the clean economy is a huge advantage. Businesses must work with governments to withdraw those investments and make it easier to do so. Imagine if these billions of fossil fuel subsidies were put in place to support decarbonization technologies that companies could use to create more sustainable supply chains.

Becoming the first mover in the clean economy is a huge advantage. Businesses must work with governments to withdraw those investments and make it easier to do so.

 

Despite the science being clear for years, society and consumers demanding more action and investors seeking more sustainable portfolios, many governments are not on track to meet their Paris Agreements. We need governments to act with greater urgency, and after seeing far too many governments make promises that were never kept, I have decided to run for office to spur that change.

 

I have left science and my dream job to run to become a Member of Parliament for the Green Party in Toronto. The Canadian system is a democracy based off the United Kingdom. People vote for local representatives that are affiliated with a party. The winner of an electoral district in a general election becomes a Member of Parliament (MP) and that party gets a seat in the House of Commons. The party with the most seats becomes the majority party in power, and the leader of that party becomes Prime Minister.

There are a few major parties in Canada: the Liberals (current party in power); Conservatives; National Democratic Party; Bloc Quebecois; and the Green Party. I'm running because we must move faster to combat the threat of climate change and sustainably renew our society and economy. I'm running because we need more diversity in parliament and more science in policy. I'm running because I want to lower the barriers for other non-traditional candidates to consider running, because a diverse government is robust and resilient.

 

I believe diversity is a strength, which is why I'm very passionate about lowering the barriers of entry, especially for non-traditional candidates. Being a young millennial, a Filipino-Canadian, a scientist and cleantech innovator — these are all things that are not typically represented in politics. I think that needs to change. To help demystify the process of running for office in Canada, I'm vlogging my campaign journey so that other non-traditional candidates, regardless of party, will consider running.

We need more green innovators in politics, more people who understand the complex challenges and the massive opportunities that a clean transition holds. The clean economy will be the economy of the 21st century. We need leaders who can recognize and capitalize on this.