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by This Week In Carbon
Welcome to This Week in Carbon, your go-to podcast for all things related to the dynamic world of carbon markets. Join moderator Edward Smith and his weekly guests as they delve into the latest news, emerging trends, and evolving regulations shaping the carbon landscape.
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In this episode of This Week in Carbon, hosts Edward Smith and Rene Velasquez sit down with Marco Albani, Co-founder and CEO of Chloris Geospatial. Marco has spent his career at the intersection of forestry, climate science, and carbon markets - from building the forestry portion of McKinsey's Marginal Abatement Cost Curve, to running the Tropical Forest Alliance, to co-founding Chloris with his former forestry classmate Alessandro Vaccari, the scientist whose spaceborne LIDAR research underpins what the company does today.This is a conversation about what it actually takes to measure forest carbon at scale, and why the tools the industry has relied on for decades aren't up to the job.Key topics covered:- Why measuring forest cover is the wrong metric, and why carbon stock is what actually matters for climate outcomes- The fundamental problem with the definition of "forest" and how it creates blind spots in policy and carbon accounting- How Chloris built a carbon time series going back to the year 2000 and the technical limitations that make historical data so hard to reconstruct- Why there is no such thing as "direct measurement" of biomass, and what that means for how we should think about field data vs. remote sensing- The cost reality of satellite data: a $17 million quote for imagery on a project worth $3 million in credits- The three types of customers Chloris serves: carbon market infrastructure (Verra, MSCI, Equitable Earth), project developers under VM47, and corporations tracking Scope 3 supply chain emissions- The Geo AI wave: what foundation models like Google's Alpha Earth get right, where they fall short, and why accuracy assessment is the missing piece- Who should be building the test beds needed to validate these new tools and why philanthropic capital is the right fit- How better measurement translates into more capital flowing to forests, and what consistent measurement across project, subnational, and national scales means for Article 6- Why humility matters as powerful algorithms replace human judgment in landscape decisionsA technically rich, intellectually honest conversation about the infrastructure the carbon market needs to actually work.🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more.
In this episode of This Week in Carbon, hosts Edward Smith and Rene Velasquez sit down with Ed Mitchard, Co-founder and Chief Scientist of Space Intelligence, one of just three companies selected by Verra to produce the jurisdictional risk maps that underpin VM0048, and the geospatial intelligence provider powering due diligence for the Symbiosis Coalition.Ed's path to the carbon markets is unlike most. A teenage documentary competition took him to the Amazon at 15, where deforestation was impossible to ignore even inside a pristine national park. That moment set the course of his career — from biology at Oxford, to a PhD in Edinburgh, six months at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory working on radar satellite data, and eventually co-founding Space Intelligence in 2018.This episode goes deep on the infrastructure, the science, and the hard truths behind high-integrity forest carbon.Key topics:Why corporates are forming advanced market coalitions instead of buying spot credits — and the real early-stage financing gap behind itThe ARC Coalition announced at Ecosperity Singapore: what makes it structurally different from Symbiosis, including its integrated financing facilityDurability vs. permanence — why the distinction matters and how Space Intelligence helps buyers assess long-term site riskThe removals vs. avoidance false binary: why deprioritising REDD+ at a time when tropical deforestation drives 15–20% of global emissions may be the market's most costly mistakeWhat broke first-generation REDD+ baselines — and how VM0048 fixes overcrediting by removing developer discretion entirelyThe real-world impact of the 2023 backlash on deforestation rates inside dormant project boundariesWhy free Copernicus satellite data could be the unlock for DMRV at scale across tens of thousands of nature-based projectsA rigorous, science-grounded conversation at the centre of the forest carbon debate. Essential listening for anyone in carbon markets, nature-based solutions, or climate finance.🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more.
One of the world’s leading scientists on natural climate solutions joins us on This Week in Carbon. In this episode, Rene Velasquez sits down with Dr. Susan Cook-Patton from The Nature Conservancy. Susan has spent the last decade leading research on reforestation, agroforestry, and unlocking the climate potential of nature-based solutions.This is a rich, science-driven conversation about how we can scale high-integrity natural climate solutions faster and smarter.We explore:• Why natural climate solutions must be part of a broader portfolio — not in competition with engineered removals• The important shift from “permanence” to “durability”• Rethinking buffer pools, insurance, permanence trusts, and innovative risk management tools• The false nature vs technology binary• How to manage reversal risks using data-driven approaches• The urgent danger of inaction and missed opportunities in this critical decadeSusan shares practical insights on how we can reduce uncertainty, build better portfolios, and use nature now while buying time for technological solutions to scale.A thoughtful, optimistic, and deeply informed discussion on the role of forests, nature, and science in the future of carbon markets and climate action.
One of the architects of the modern verified carbon market joins us on This Week in Carbon.In this episode, Ed Smith and Rene Velasquez sit down with Mark Kenber — Executive Director of VCMI, former CEO of The Climate Group, founder of what became the Voluntary Carbon Standard (now Verra), and current ICVCM board member.This is a deep dive into the institutional history, integrity debates, and future direction of carbon markets.We explore:• How the VCS was originally built• Why integrity debates keep resurfacing in the VCM• The tension between perfection and participation• Greenwashing vs “green hushing”• The Scope 3 Action Code controversy• CCP-labelled credits and Article 6.4• The convergence of voluntary and compliance carbon markets• Why governments are becoming increasingly central to market developmentMark also shares his perspective on why carbon credits remain essential for climate finance — particularly in emerging markets — and why waiting for perfect solutions risks delaying real climate action.A substantive and wide-ranging conversation on trust, policy, markets, and the future architecture of climate finance.
In this episode of This Week in Carbon, Rene Velasquez sits down with Fritz Troller, founder of Therm, to unpack one of the most overlooked challenges in climate: super pollutants.Often described as the “hidden gigaton,” these gases — including refrigerants, methane, and fluorinated gases — are responsible for a disproportionate share of near-term warming. As Fritz explains, nearly half of global heating to date has been driven by super pollutants — yet they remain largely invisible in mainstream carbon market conversations. The critical difference?Unlike CO₂, super pollutants cannot be removed once released into the atmosphere. That makes prevention — not removal — the only viable strategy.The conversation dives into:Why refrigeration systems are a massive, under appreciated emissions sourceThe “leaky infrastructure” problem across global food supply chainsHow carbon finance is being used to incentivise avoidance at sourceThe rise of super pollutant credits — and why buyers like Google and JPMorgan are paying attentionThe growing role of insetting across supply chains (upstream and downstream)Why this category is consistently receiving top-tier ratings from agencies like BeZero and CalyxThe opportunity — and urgency — of scaling solutions across Article 5 (Global South) marketsFritz also outlines Therm’s multi-channel strategy across voluntary markets, compliance systems, and insetting — offering a rare look at how to build resilience in a still-evolving carbon market.This is a timely discussion on a category that may lack the storytelling appeal of nature-based solutions — but from a pure climate impact perspective, may be among the most important levers we have.
In this episode of This Week in Carbon, Rene Velasquez sits down with Eu-Lin Fang, Sustainability and Climate Change Practice Leader at PwC Singapore. They discuss the surprising momentum of net zero targets set during the COVID pandemic, the real-world challenges companies face in meeting 2030 science-based targets, and how decarbonization must be tackled alongside physical and transition climate risks. Eu-Lin shares practical insights on Scope 3 emissions complexities in Asian supply chains, the power of policy certainty for corporate action, and the role of credible transition plans and regional taxonomies in unlocking sustainable finance. The conversation also covers geopolitical distractions and surging energy prices, the double-edged impact of AI on emissions versus climate solutions, and an optimistic outlook framed by Asia-Pacific’s four Cs: courage, caliber, creation, and connectivity.Takeaways- Many countries showed strong leadership by committing to net zero targets during the height of COVID.- Approximately 145 countries have set net zero targets, covering around 77% of global emissions.- Policy certainty is essential for companies to make confident long-term capital decisions on climate action.- Decarbonization efforts and climate risks must be viewed together, not in isolation.- Scope 3 emissions are critically important but face major data quality, measurement, and double-counting issues.- Business resilience and fiduciary duty matter more than short-term political shifts.- Credible climate transition plans are a key litmus test for financial institutions providing transition finance.- Singapore’s Asia Taxonomy provides a pragmatic regional approach to green and transitioning activities.- AI brings both significant energy demands and powerful opportunities to solve complex climate problems.- Asia-Pacific’s transition can be powered by courage, caliber, creation, and connectivity.With strong buyer interest already shown through ambitious net zero commitments covering 77% of global emissions, this episode sits at the centre of the carbon market’s shift toward credible transition plans, real-world implementation challenges, and pragmatic climate leadership in Asia.Perfect for anyone interested in decarbonization realities, Scope 3 supply chains, sustainable finance, and Asia-Pacific’s path forward. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more.
In this special webinar recording of This Week in Carbon, we dive into the Indigenous Amazon Outcome Bond Initiative — a groundbreaking effort to mobilize $50 million in upfront capital for Indigenous and traditional community-led forest conservation across the Amazon.Hosted by Edward Smith (Valitera) and guided by Pamela Brazier (Everland), the discussion features powerful insights from:Puyr Tembe (Secretary of Indigenous Peoples, State of Pará): On the urgency of action, survival of humanity, and why Indigenous autonomy and direct finance are essential.Thibault Sorret (CEO, Equitable Earth): Why standing forests are irreplaceable for 2°C pathways, the role of forest conservation in the VCM, and how centralized baselines + genuine community ownership are rebuilding credibility.Fernanda Ribeiro (Panthera): The Jaguar Corridor Initiative, biodiversity connectivity, and why climate and biodiversity strategies must be integrated.Rene Velasquez (Valitera): The “time value of carbon” and what makes this initiative investable through Indigenous leadership, scale, and aligned incentives.Josh McCarron (Everland): How the outcome bond turns future carbon revenues into accessible, non-recourse capital today, plus the multi-layered quality safeguards.With strong buyer interest already shown through $160 million in letters of intent, this episode sits at the center of the carbon market’s shift toward credibility, implementation, and Indigenous climate leadership.Perfect for anyone interested in high-integrity natural climate solutions, forest protection, and innovative finance.Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more.Guests: Puyr Tembe, Thibault Sorret, Fernanda Ribeiro, Rene Velasquez, Josh McCarron. Hosted by Edward Smith with Pamela Brazier.
In our new episode of This Week in Carbon, Rene Velasquez is joined by Yvan Champagne, Co-Founder and Chief Carbon Officer at Carbon AI. He is a leading expert in carbon markets with over 20 years of experience in greenhouse gas project development and high-integrity environmental commodities. This info-dense episode provides an in-depth masterclass on building trustworthy carbon credits through advanced digital MRV technology, the critical importance of data quality, and the paradigm shift needed to scale the market to gigaton levels. This episode delivers the clearest take on how to move carbon markets from analog, paper-based processes to robust, auditable digital infrastructure.Key Topics• Why high-quality data is the foundation of synthetic commodities like carbon credits — and why poor data creates poor instruments• How Carbon AI’s DMRV platform (Proof, Field, and Vue) goes beyond a digital twin to actually generate and verify high-integrity credits• The bottlenecks in verification and issuance — and how immutable data can increase throughput without compromising integrity• The powerful concept of Time Value of Carbon: why avoiding emissions today (especially methane) has disproportionately higher climate impact than future removals• Shifting carbon markets from an “art market” to professional, scalable infrastructure capable of delivering gigaton-scale results• Innovation from the Global South and building a more efficient, transparent carbon 3.0 future Whether you’re a project developer, corporate buyer, verifier, registry professional, or investor looking to understand the future of high-quality carbon credits, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and practical takeaways. If you enjoyed this episode, hit subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone navigating carbon markets in 2026! #CarbonMarkets #CarbonCredits #DMRV #ClimateTech #VoluntaryCarbonMarket #Methane #TimeValueOfCarbon #NetZero #CarbonAI #Sustainability #DigitalMRV
Welcome to This Week in Carbon, your go-to podcast for all things related to the dynamic world of carbon markets. Join moderator Edward Smith and his weekly guests as they delve into the latest news, emerging trends, and evolving regulations shaping the carbon landscape.
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