Nature-based Solutions in Canada – policies, frameworks and multi-sector cooperation to reach Canada’s 2030 climate and biodiversity goals

Damon Matthews is a Professor in the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment at Concordia University. Damon holds a PhD in climate science from the University of Victoria from 2004, and is a member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada. He has published more than 130 research papers on topics ranging from quantifying the remaining carbon budget to assessing equitable approaches to allocate emission allowances to individual countries and the effectiveness of nature-based climate solutions. He is internationally recognized for his work in policy-relevant climate science, as well as for initiatives such as the Climate Clock that use digital visualization and web-based technologies to motivate and accelerate climate action. Damon is the Scientific co-Director of Sustainability in the Digital Age, Interim Director of the Future Earth Canada Hub, and directs the NSERC CREATE in Leadership in Environmental and Digital Innovation for Sustainability (LEADS) program, which aims to train graduate student researchers at the intersection of sustainability science and digital innovation.

Convinced of the key role of capital in the sustainable transition, I work with the sustainable finance team to promote and advance the integration of biodiversity into economic and financial decision-making.

Jason Taylor is a capital markets professional with over 20 years of experience. He is the founder of Climate Finance Advisors, a boutique sustainable investing and environmental finance firm. In recent years, he led the development of the sustainable finance team for two Canadian banks, working in close collaboration with groups across bank and capital markets to design sustainable finance solutions for investors, corporates, and governments.

A frequent panelist and public speaker covering topics including climate finance, taxonomies, and reporting, Jason has also participated in a number of industry standard-setting workstreams to accelerate the mainstreaming of sustainable finance in Canada. He is an advocate for using the power of capital to influence systemic change and contribute to building just, fair, and resilient communities. Experienced in ESG integration, thematic investing, and impact investing, his work focuses on crowding-in capital to shrink the funding gap in a financially efficient manner.

Stephanie Poirier is a Senior Policy Analyst in the Standards to Support the Resilience in Infrastructure Program at the Standards Council of Canada. Prior to joining SCC in 2022, she spent over 10 years working in government relations and advocacy in the natural resources industry, focusing on international standards for wood packaging. As a Senior Policy Analyst, Stephanie focuses on coastal management and nature-based solutions. She has a B.A. in International Studies and Modern Languages from the University of Ottawa and a M.A. in International Development Studies from Saint Mary’s University, where she specialized in the environment and Latin America.

Zahra Jandaghian is a Research Officer and the lead of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) projects at the Construction Research Centre, National Research Council Canada. She holds a Ph.D. in Building Engineering from Concordia University and serves as an adjunct professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. Zahra collaborates closely with other Canadian government bodies—including Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC), the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and Health Canada—as well as with partners from academia, industry, and professional associations to maximize the reach and impact of her work. Through these partnerships, she actively contributes to the development of updated guidelines and practical strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation. She also co-chairs an international Task Group on “Nature-Based Solutions for Climate-Resilient Buildings and Communities”. In addition, she collaborates with municipalities and has led multiple research projects focused on reducing the impacts of climate change, urban overheating and flooding, in Canadian built environments.

Dr. Kirsten Zickfeld is a Distinguished SFU Professor of Climate Science at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. She holds a PhD in physics from Potsdam University in Germany. Her primary research interests lie in the long-term effects of human activities on climate. She is internationally recognized for her research on the reversibility of human-induced climate change, carbon budgets consistent with climate targets and Earth system response to carbon dioxide removal. She served as a Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report of on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees and the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. She is a member of the Scientific Steering Committee of the Global Carbon Project.

Michael Twigg leads SPI’s work on sustainable agriculture and nature-based solutions. His work focuses on reframing economic systems to ensure they grow alongside—and not at the expense of—nature. Drawing on expertise in development economics, ecosystem service valuation and participatory policy design, Michael’s work brings together governments, Indigenous Nations, industry leaders and civil society to better integrate natural assets into decision-making and unlock new models of economic prosperity that integrate the diverse values of Canada’s natural assets. He holds a Master’s in Environmental Policy from l’Institut d’études politiques de Paris.