Our Story

I am Charles, a retired environmental scientist based in Toronto, Canada. Recently, there is a lot of talk about “net zero” by companies and governments, including Canada. What does all this mean for Canadians?

Depending on your perspective, there may be too much information, or not enough of the right information out there to provide a clear picture about net zero. What can Canadians, as consumers and citizens, do to help Canada reach its net zero goal?

I first thought of an outreach effort to the public on net zero in 2019, at about the same time when the federal government announced its commitment for Canada to reach net zero by 2050. I assembled the team in the spring of 2020, and we started weekly virtual meetings on May 13, 2020. A year later on June 10, 2021, after 53 meetings, we launched the impactnetzero.ca website.

My team consists of some tech-savvy friends and family who have experience in environment and sustainability. We are excited about the considerable momentum toward net zero from leading organizations, and there needs to be more action to scale up ideas, solutions and practices. We address some of the big questions here, bring you up-to-speed on recent developments, and hope to inspire you to take action.

Full disclosure: The team has not accepted any external funding for the development of this website.

Our Team

Charles Lin

I am the founder and lead of a public outreach initiative on climate change and energy transition (ImpactNetZero). I was a 2019 Fellow of the Advanced Leadership Initiative of Harvard University. My career from 1979 to 2017 was in the university and government sectors in Canada: professor of atmospheric science at University of Toronto and McGill University, and senior manager in the federal government (ECCC; Environment and Climate Change Canada). At ECCC, I led the department's research program in weather, climate and air quality science, and participated as member of senior Canadian delegations to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

James Lin

I am the son of INZ founder Charles, and am the team member who has known him the longest. I made a Faustian bargain and earned a PhD in economics from the University of Alberta, and also have an MA from Queen's and a BA from McGill. I am proficient in English, French, Spanish and Mandarin.

In my spare time I enjoy cosplay, ancient history, and writing self-referential sentences that cause readers to reflect on what they just read.

Shu Yi Chu

I am a female voice on the INZ team. I met Charles many years ago while studying Environment and Development studies at McGill University. My career has taken me to the U.K., Hong Kong and remote areas of east and southeast Asia before returning to Toronto as a sustainability manager for a design communication firm. It hasn’t always been a smooth ride, but I learnt to evolve, adapt and be a better person for others and the planet. When I am not working, you can find me reading stories to my daughter, hiking or trying out a new recipe. You can connect with me in English, French or Chinese.

Disclaimer: The views expressed on this site do not reflect those of my employer.

Veronika Kosova

I am a passionate advocate for environmental awareness. After completing my legal studies and traveling, I relocated to Canada and am pursuing a career in project management. While dedicating my time to volunteering for environmental non-profit organizations, I hope to inspire others to live a green sustainable lifestyle and participate in green projects. I love spending time in nature, reading and jogging.

Stephen Phoon

In my earlier career, I was a business warrior in the software solutions industry. That was until a point of enlightenment, which put me on a different path that continues to today.

Now a warrior for sustainability, I create impact moments at every opportunity at work and outside. When in corporate circles, I advocated sustainable best practices (also known as ESG – Environmental, Social and Governance). Presently, my work is in a major college in Toronto where I nurture leaders of tomorrow through teaching, and implement principled education frameworks to advance a responsible and equitable society.

Disclaimer: The views expressed on this site do not reflect those of my employer.