Join University of Toronto’s Lawson Climate Institute as we celebrate the launch of Existential Politics by Professor Jessica F. Green with a panel discussion, networking reception, and meet-and-greet with the author.
It’s no secret that the Paris Agreement and voluntary efforts to address climate change are failing. Governments have spent three decades crafting international rules to manage the climate crisis yet have made little progress on decarbonization. In Existential Politics, Jessica Green explains why this is unsurprising: governments have misdiagnosed the political problem of climate change, focusing relentlessly on measuring, reporting, and trading emissions. This technical approach of “managing tons” ignores the ways that climate change and climate policy will revalue assets, creating winners and losers. Policies such as net zero, carbon pricing, and offsets all cater to the losers – owners of fossil assets.
Ultimately, Green contends that climate change is a political problem, and proposes using international tax, finance, and trade institutions to create new green asset owners and constrain fossil asset owners, reducing their clout.
This event is hosted by Lawson Climate Institute and sponsored by the Environmental Governance Lab.
REGISTER HERE
Event Format:
- 5pm: Remarks and Panel Discussion
- 6pm: Networking and Meet-and-Greet
Pre-registration is required for this free event. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Existential Politics.
About the Participants
Jessica F. Green
Jessica Green is Professor of Political Science, with a cross appointment at the School of Environment. She studies the political economy of climate change, carbon pricing and accounting, and the role of non-state actors in climate governance. She teaches courses on global climate politics, global environmental governance, international organizations, and international relations theory. She is a member of the Royal Society of Canada, and a regular contributor to a variety of newpaper, radio and TV outlets. More information is available on her website: www.greenprofgreen.com.
Catherine Abreu
Catherine Abreu is an internationally recognized, award-winning climate justice advocate with 15 years of experience in the heart of the global climate movement. She is the newly appointed Director of the International Climate Politics Hub, a global network of high-impact organizations and individuals working to accelerate climate action in the realm of multilateralism. Recognized for her diplomacy, communications, and coalition-building skills, she’s one of the world’s top 100 climate policy influencers according to Apolitical. Catherine is honoured to have been named 2023’s National Hero by Canada’s Walk of Fame. She is one of 14 appointed members of Canada’s Net-Zero Advisory Body, the legally-mandated expert body tasked with providing advice to government on pathways to meet its climate commitments. She serves as an advisor to the Canadian Climate Institute and sits on the Boards and steering committees of several organizations, including Climate Action Network Canada, Canada’s Affordability Action Council and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. Catherine is the recipient of the 2020 Jack Layton Progress Prize for her transformative work, and was named to Canada’s Clean50 in 2018. Her expertise makes her a vital figure in climate policy and action, shaping global discussions on the transition toward clean energy.
Fate Saghir
Fate Saghir, CPA, is Senior Vice President, Head of Sustainability, Experience, and Brand at Mackenzie Investments. In this role, she connects three levers of transformation—brand, client experience, and sustainability—to strengthen Mackenzie’s market position and long-term value creation. She relaunched the Mackenzie brand to crystalize the “Why Mackenzie” narrative, resonating with more sophisticated clients; established a client experience group to elevate interactions and deliver seamless journeys; and built Mackenzie’s Sustainability Centre of Excellence, embedding ESG expertise across the firm. As Chair of the Sustainability Steering Committee, she provides leadership in advancing ESG integration, stewardship, and disclosure practices.
Jill English (Moderator)
Jill English is CBC’s first international climate producer, working with senior correspondent Susan Ormiston to tell climate change stories at the intersection of people, politics and power-dynamics. She’s covered international negotiations, elections, innovation and loss across six continents. Before working exclusively on climate coverage, she spent nearly a decade working as a producer for CBC’s The National.
Event information is subject to change.
