Uploaded September 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Our Energy Future: The Unrecognised Opportunity in Glasgow — In Two Acts
Part 2: Crushed Rocks (25 August 2021)
Dr Saul Griffith FRSN (1), including a conversation with Dr Adi Paterson FRSN FTSE (2)
(1) Founder and Chief Scientist, OtherLab
(2) Principal, Siyeva Consulting and former CEO, ANSTO
https://royalsoc.org.au/blog/our-energy-future-a-two-part-event-from-rsnsw
Timing Marks
00:00:00 Introduction: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN, President, Royal Society of NSW
00:03:11 Presentation: Dr Saul Griffith FRSN
00:45:11 In Conversation: Dr Saul Griffith FRSN and Dr Adi Paterson FRSN FTSE
01:05:06 Meeting Close: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN
Overview:
This year, from 1–12 November 2021, Glasgow, Scotland will host the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. “Glasgow” is the current shorthand for this meeting — which may etch it into our consciousness for a generation as Rio de Janiero did in 1992 with the Rio 21 Principles.
Saul Griffith presents a future for our energy system and economy in the context of Glasgow. For Australia, understanding what we know (and why) about our energy economy allows us to think deeply about reimagining an energy economy without carbon dioxide and other emissions. The two sessions explore the Australian energy economy: domestic — “Our Castles” and global — “Our Crushed Rocks”. Using a new analysis of our emissions data and a cross-sectoral analysis, he will contextualise our machines (hardware in the economy) and climate targets (1.5 degrees, with and without negative emissions) to show why we now need nearly perfect execution of new solutions.
Summary of Part 1: Context and Castles (25 August 2021)
Part 1 was presented on 25 August and available on this YouTube channel: youtu.be/sQthtORLaFg
Summary of Part 2: Context and Castles (15 September 2021)
The Talk: Saul Griffith
HGiven we can win the battle for our Castles in the domestic economy (Part 1), what about the export economy, given the fear of lost rural and regional jobs and export value that has traditionally driven Australian climate politics? This discussion has to deal with our hydrogen demons and global trade and economic security. It needs a very honest look at our primary exports in the context of a carbon-constrained world. Is Australia’s enormous opportunity (still) in metals? If it is, the processes need to be electrified, and we need to produce primary metals and not just ores. There is also an agricultural opportunity
The Conversation: Saul Griffith and Adi Paterson
Saul and Adi will explore the export economy and the technologies that we don’t yet have, but which are predictably going to exist, to decarbonise the “hard to decarbonise” sectors such as steel, aluminium, cement, agriculture, forestry, paper, and pulp.
The Wrap
Saul Griffith will provide recommendations for what Australia could advance at the COP in Glasgow — if we aspire to be a country that wants to win the carbon Olympics as badly as we wanted to win at the Tokyo Olympics.
Our Energy Future: The Unrecognised Opportunity in Glasgow — In Two Acts
Part 2: Crushed Rocks (25 August 2021)
Dr Saul Griffith FRSN (1), including a conversation with Dr Adi Paterson FRSN FTSE (2)
(1) Founder and Chief Scientist, OtherLab
(2) Principal, Siyeva Consulting and former CEO, ANSTO
https://royalsoc.org.au/blog/our-energy-future-a-two-part-event-from-rsnsw
Timing Marks
00:00:00 Introduction: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN, President, Royal Society of NSW
00:03:11 Presentation: Dr Saul Griffith FRSN
00:45:11 In Conversation: Dr Saul Griffith FRSN and Dr Adi Paterson FRSN FTSE
01:05:06 Meeting Close: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN
Overview:
This year, from 1–12 November 2021, Glasgow, Scotland will host the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. “Glasgow” is the current shorthand for this meeting — which may etch it into our consciousness for a generation as Rio de Janiero did in 1992 with the Rio 21 Principles.
Saul Griffith presents a future for our energy system and economy in the context of Glasgow. For Australia, understanding what we know (and why) about our energy economy allows us to think deeply about reimagining an energy economy without carbon dioxide and other emissions. The two sessions explore the Australian energy economy: domestic — “Our Castles” and global — “Our Crushed Rocks”. Using a new analysis of our emissions data and a cross-sectoral analysis, he will contextualise our machines (hardware in the economy) and climate targets (1.5 degrees, with and without negative emissions) to show why we now need nearly perfect execution of new solutions.
Summary of Part 1: Context and Castles (25 August 2021)
Part 1 was presented on 25 August and available on this YouTube channel: youtu.be/sQthtORLaFg
Summary of Part 2: Context and Castles (15 September 2021)
The Talk: Saul Griffith
HGiven we can win the battle for our Castles in the domestic economy (Part 1), what about the export economy, given the fear of lost rural and regional jobs and export value that has traditionally driven Australian climate politics? This discussion has to deal with our hydrogen demons and global trade and economic security. It needs a very honest look at our primary exports in the context of a carbon-constrained world. Is Australia’s enormous opportunity (still) in metals? If it is, the processes need to be electrified, and we need to produce primary metals and not just ores. There is also an agricultural opportunity
The Conversation: Saul Griffith and Adi Paterson
Saul and Adi will explore the export economy and the technologies that we don’t yet have, but which are predictably going to exist, to decarbonise the “hard to decarbonise” sectors such as steel, aluminium, cement, agriculture, forestry, paper, and pulp.
The Wrap
Saul Griffith will provide recommendations for what Australia could advance at the COP in Glasgow — if we aspire to be a country that wants to win the carbon Olympics as badly as we wanted to win at the Tokyo Olympics.
