April 17, 2025
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Dr. Damon Matthews has become the latest member of Canada’s Net-Zero Advisory Body (NZAB) targeting pathways to net-zero emissions after a competitive application process through Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Matthews will work with the other members of the NZAB by engaging with people across Canada on emissions issues and giving “independent advice on the most likely pathways for Canada to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050” and “on the setting of interim emissions reduction targets on the pathway to net-zero emissions.” His mandate includes a renewable term of up to three years in this important role.
Created in 2021 and formalized under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, the NZAB provides independent advice to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, including advice on:
- greenhouse gas emissions targets for milestone years (i.e., 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045);
- greenhouse gas emissions reduction plans by the Government of Canada, including measures and sectoral strategies that the Government of Canada could implement to achieve a greenhouse gas emissions target; and
- any other matter requested by the Minister.
“I was excited to learn of the formation of the Net-Zero Advisory Body four years ago, and am equally excited and honoured to have the opportunity now to join its membership,” says Matthews. “Ambitious federal leadership on climate action in Canada is critically important in the current global political climate, and I look forward to engaging in this effort over the coming years.”
Dr. Matthews is a professor in the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment at Concordia University, 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.
As scientific co-director of Sustainability in the Digital Age (SDA) and interim director of the Future Earth Canada Hub, Dr. Matthews advises on policy-relevant climate science and works closely with SDA on the 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.