Ottawa, ON – September 25, 2017 – The Natural Step Canada is proud to announce that the Energy Futures Lab has been named one of Canada’s Top 20 Projects by the Clean50 Awards for outstanding contributors to clean capitalism.

The Energy Futures lab explores this question: How can Alberta’s leadership role in today’s energy system serve as a platform for transition to the energy system the future needs? It is a groundbreaking, Alberta-based multi-stakeholder initiative addressing the deeply polarized and polarizing nature of public dialogue on energy issues.

“This sustainability-driven innovation-focused project simply wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration and support of a diverse group of stakeholders including Suncor Energy Foundation, Government of Alberta, the Pembina Institute, Banff Centre, Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Shell Canada, ATB Financial, and Landmark Group of Builders” says David Hughes, President & CEO of The Natural Step Canada, the organization who initiated this effort back in 2013. Today the Energy Futures Lab brings together an impressive group of Fellows made up of over 50 energy innovators and influencers from government, industry, non-profits, First Nations, and other sectors and communities across Alberta.

“We continue to be inspired by the unified vision our Energy Futures Lab fellows have as it relates to accelerating the transition to the energy system of Alberta’s future” says Chad Park, Lab Director.  Together this group is launching and scaling up over a dozen collaborative initiatives including: the Solar Skills campaign, which trains oil and gas workers and indigenous community members in solar installation; an initiative to convert oil wells into geothermal heat sources; and the Indigenous Renewable Energy Circle, exploring how best to contribute to Indigenous communities’ leadership in alternative energy development.

Another group of fellows is working on tools to help municipal governments and economic development agencies across Alberta develop a clearer understanding of the emerging energy transition and how their communities can get more involved. Fellows from the oil sands industry, tech, research, and government have developed a framework for collaborating to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the oil sands, while increasing profitability that supports continued prosperity for Alberta.

While this project was conceived in Alberta, for Alberta, it is built on a foundation of knowledge cultivated by The Natural Step over the past 30 years here in Canada and abroad. The organization’s expertise in sustainability-driven innovation is deeply embedded in its Sustainability Transition Labs. “Energy — and the idea of developing an economy that thrives within nature’s limits — isn’t a provincial issue alone, but rather is a national and global one,” says Hughes. “We’d like to see this serve as a model for future labs in communities all across Canada”.      

Read more about the Energy Futures Lab at Clean50.com.

About The Natural Step Canada

The Natural Step Canada is a national charity whose mission is to accelerate the transition to a TRULY sustainable society that thrives within nature’s limits. Through our academy, advisory services and Sustainability Transition Labs we use best-in-class science, systems-thinking and facilitation to help individuals and organizations collaborate, solve complex problems, foster innovation, optimize performance, and drive systems change.

To learn more go to naturalstep.ca and check out our current Sustainability Transition Labs at energyfutureslab.com, circulareconomylab.com, and naturalcapitallab.com.

For further information: contact Tyler Seed at tseed@naturalstep.ca – 647.707.4735