Seminar 8: The Suman Conversations in Environmental Sustainability: Beyond Greenwashing
Event
St Edmund Hall, Oxford, is pleased to announce the eighth seminar in our series “The Suman Conversations in Environmental Sustainability: Beyond Greenwashing”.
Storing our way to net zero: can CO₂ removal and storage be delivered credibly and permanently?
Reaching net zero will require rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions. Alongside these efforts, CO₂ removal and storage are becoming central to many corporate net-zero strategies as essential tools for addressing emissions that are difficult to eliminate. Bringing together leading voices from academia and industry, our speakers will address technological advances, policies, and corporate responsibility, to ask what role CO₂ removal and storage can play in the transition to net zero.
This is a free public event open to all on a first come, first served basis.
The seminars are kindly supported by Manisha Tank (1994 PPE) and Sanjeev Kumar.
Programme & Speakers
17:00–18:45: Presentations and panel discussion
- Suzanne Ferguson, Carbon Capture Lead Consultant, Wood
- Lukas May, OBE, Chief Commercial Officer at Isometric
- Mark Sommerfeld, UK Director of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association CCSA
- Dr Tom Kettlety, Research Fellow in Geological Carbon Storage, Oxford Net Zero
18:45–19:15: Drinks reception
Speaker Bios
Suzanne is co-chair of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association Technical Forum and a member of the UK CCUS Council. Suzie is an experienced Lead Consultant Process Engineer and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and Low-Carbon Hydrogen Production specialist in Wood’s Consultancy group and has been working on decarbonisation projects for 19 years. She has evaluated many novel CO₂ capture technologies and undertaken extensive benchmarking of different industrial plants with CO₂ capture. Suzie’s work frequently requires close integration of CCS and hydrogen concepts with renewable power, green hydrogen, and synthetic fuel alternatives to determine the best decarbonisation routes available to a wide range of clients or assets.
Lukas is the Chief Commercial Officer at Isometric, a carbon removal standard and registry focused on scientifically rigorous carbon dioxide removal (CDR). He leads Isometric’s Growth Division, overseeing commercial partnerships, policy engagement, and government relations. His work at Isometric spans the development and scaling of high-quality carbon removal markets, including durable removal pathways involving carbon capture and permanent storage. Prior to Isometric, his previous roles include leading senior positions in the UK Government, UK fintech Wise, and the FCA – where he led the creation of the Innovation Hub.
Mark leads advocacy for a robust policy and regulatory framework to accelerate the development of the UK’s carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) sector. With more than a decade of experience working in trade bodies across the energy and environmental sectors, he has collaborated closely with clean technology developers, government ministers, civil servants, energy suppliers, network operators and financiers to support the growth of clean energy industries. Mark holds degrees from the University of Cambridge and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Tom studies geological CO₂ storage, specifically using microseismic (small earthquakes) to image and monitor these projects. He has expertise in CO₂ storage projects, earthquakes triggered by fluid injection, and methods to monitor and mitigate induced seismicity. His recent research involves using seismological techniques to better quantify the state of stress and seismic hazard around developing and prospective CO₂ reservoirs, leading to improved assessment of risks to long term geologic CO₂ storage. This has involved the development of novel methods to monitor geological storage projects, and aggregating earthquake information to better understand seismicity near prospective projects. His work has led to frequent interaction with industry and regulatory stakeholders.
Registration
All are welcome. If you have any questions, please email events@seh.ox.ac.uk.
Seminar Background
‘Conversations in Environmental Sustainability: Beyond Greenwashing’ is a twice-yearly seminar which brings together leading thinkers and decision-makers from academia, business, government and NGOs to look beyond greenwashing. Each seminar examines a specific issue related to environmental sustainability, exploring how to effectively marry environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals with financial returns, innovation and other business imperatives.
A panel of experts speak individually before engaging with each other in a panel discussion. This is followed by further conversations over drinks in the College. St Edmund Hall’s intimate and beautiful site provides the setting for the audience of experts and guests to consider honest, solution-based responses to the challenges posed if we are to deliver environmental sustainability.
Filming & Photography
Please note: this event will be recorded and published on St Edmund Hall’s digital and print communication platforms where appropriate.
There will also be photography on the day.
If you do not wish to be filmed or photographed, please let the event organiser know.