ZEFIRO METHANE CORP. (Cboe Canada: ZEFI) (Frankfurt: Y6B) (OTCQB: ZEFIF) (the “Company”, “Zefiro”, or “ZEFI”) Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Talal Debs recently served as a featured speaker at the United Nations’ 2024 Climate Change Conference (“COP29”) in Baku, Azerbaijan. While appearing on the COP29 Sustainable Innovation Forum (“Innovation Forum”)’s “Navigating net zero with carbon removals and voluntary strategies” panel discussion, Dr. Debs underscored Zefiro’s efforts to meet the voluntary carbon marketplace’s increasing demand for high-quality, direct impact offset products and expand the Company’s abandoned oil and gas well remediation operations throughout North America. Joining Dr. Debs on the panel were Lorna Ritche (Policy Director for the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market), Olga Hancock (Head of Responsible Investment at the Church Commissioners for England), and Rodrigo Buenaventura (Chair of the Spanish Securities and Markets Commission).
In addition to featuring with leading sector stakeholders at the Innovation Forum, Dr. Debs also served as a presenter and panelist at the International Emissions Trading Association’s (“IETA”) official COP29 event, entitled “Scaling large-scale methane mitigation through market-based approaches.” During his remarks, Dr. Debs highlighted Zefiro’s unique ability to forge an expanding oil and gas well plugging operation that is partly funded by a diverse, in-demand carbon credit portfolio.
While numerous public and private sector entities have made recent progress on their stated methane abatement commitments, including Dr. Debs’ fellow IETA event panelist Government of Alberta Assistant Deputy Minister for Air, Climate, and Clean Technology Patrick McDonald announcing that the province was ahead of schedule on their methane reduction pledge, recent expert estimates have stated that there are currently millions of potentially noxious, unplugged oil and gas wells spread throughout the North America. These sites can leak methane gas that can be 25 to 85 times as potent as carbon dioxide emissions in terms of trapping heat in the atmosphere, and numerous energy sector analysts have projected that the final cost to permanently seal just the U.S.-based sites could be up to $435 billion.
Zefiro Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Talal Debs commented, "As the global voluntary carbon marketplace becomes more efficient, equitable, and quality-focused, our industry-leading well plugging and offset product teams continue forging the methane abatement sector’s leading comprehensive service provider. Tackling one of the world’s most complex methane remediation issues will require the innovative, highly coordinated scaling of public, private, and non-profit sector operations, and I look forward to further exploring many of the new professional connections that our executive team was able to forge at COP29.”
Dr. Debs’ official participation at COP29 is the latest in a series of high-profile appearances and speaking engagements that have bolstered the Company’s position as a methane abatement sector thought leader. These opportunities have ranged from members of Zefiro’s senior leadership team hosting an event and participating in a number of sanctioned panel discussions at NYC Climate Week 2024, to Zefiro Chief Commercial Officer Tina Reine featuring as a panelist at the 2024 Argus Europe Carbon Conference, to Zefiro Board Member Catherine Flax addressing attendees of the 2024 Wall Street Green Summit.