Episodios
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In this episode, we speak with Aakash Ahamed, a remote sensing scientist developing methods to measure forest carbon using instruments deployed on phones, drones, planes, and satellites. He is the co-founder and CEO of Working Trees, a start-up focused on leveraging mobile phone sensing technology to improve ease, accuracy, and transparency in tree carbon monitoring. In this episode, Aakash shares Working Treesâ origin story at Stanford, the companyâs journey to find product-market fit, plans for scale, and the challenge with measuring trees from space.
In this episode, we touch on:
How forest carbon is measured today, and the challenges and costs of doing so
The sensors already in our mobile phones, and their usefulness for measuring forest carbon at low cost today⊠and on the flip-side, the limitations of satellites
Carbon credits as bridge for financing for critical natural climate solutions
Why Aakash is excited about the SECâs climate disclosure regulation
The importance of the scientific process and peer-reviewed papers to building trust with new technology
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
Working Trees website
Working Trees dashboard of project sites
Comprehensive Analysis of the SECâs Landmark Climate Disclosure Rule
Working Trees iOS Application
Working Trees Android Application
Working Treesâ peer reviewed research
Episode recorded on: March 8, 2024 -
SCN host Julia Strong and field correspondent Morrison Mast report from New York Climate Week 2023, bringing listeners voices from the Brazilian Amazon, London, New York, and more to experience one of the climate communityâs biggest weeks and understand the state-of-play of nature-based solutions during this tumultuous time in carbon markets. In this episode, we share our takeaways from climate week by sharing recordings from panels and conversations at Nature4Climateâs Nature Positive Hub throughout the week. Our three main takeaways were:
NY Climate Week should be rebranded to Nature and Climate Week given the plethora of not only climate but also nature focused events.
Indigenous peoples are increasingly included in the conversation and recognized as critical and influential stewards of and stakeholders in nature-based solutions.
Concern about the current state of the market exists alongside optimism about ongoing efforts to resolve current issues and a general belief in the importance of this tool to protect, restore, and better manage nature for climate, biodiversity, and nature outcomes.
Other themes covered include:
Increasing corporate engagement in nature conservation and NbS spurred by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures.
Alignment between climate action and biodiversity conservation via 30x30 commitments and Convention on Biological Diversity.
The importance of indigenous sovereignty in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss.
Balancing necessary improvements with optimism, and views from some of the world's largest REDD+ project developers on rebuilding trust in carbon markets.
Featured Voices (in order of appearance):
Lucy Almond, Chair, Nature4Climate and Strategic Communications Lead for Nature-based Solutions at World Economic Forum
Roman Czebiniak, Nature Based Solutions & Climate Private Sector Lead, WRI
Eric Wilburn, founder and principal consultant, NatureBridge
Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, former UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples from a Nia Tero panel
Nemonte Nequimo, Indigenous activist, member of the Waorani Nation from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador, and co-founder of the Indigenous-led nonprofit organization Ceibo Alliance from a Nia Tero panel
Nara Baré, Indigenous leader and first woman elected to lead Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), Brazil
Renat Heuberger, co-Founder South Pole
Joshua Tosteson, President, Everland from a Nature Positive Hub panel
Want to learn more? Check out these websites for more information on the organizations, efforts, and events mentioned in the podcast:
Nature Positive Hub Day One Agenda
Nature Positive Hub Day Two Agenda
Nature Positive Hub Day Three Agenda
Nature Positive Hub NYCW 2023 panel recordings
Nature for Climate
Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures
Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Markets (ICVCM)
Nia Tero
New Yorker article on South Poleâs Kariba Project
South Pole announces senior leadership change
Interviews and panels recorded on: September 18th-22nd, 2023
Solving Climate, Naturally commentary recorded on: November 5th, 2023
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¿Faltan episodios?
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Tim Christophersen leads Salesforceâs nature positive strategy - internally defining Salesforceâs nature-related goals and how to meet them, partnering with other corporations to help them advance action for nature, and driving cross-sector partnerships to unlock nature-based solutions at scale. Tim shares the challenges for nature-based solutions investments and corporate action today, provides his take on the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) and other recent regulatory and standards developments, discusses misconceptions in the market today, and gives tips on how to make the business case for nature in the private sector.
In this episode, we also touch on:
> Timâs journey from the UN to Salesforce
> The role of regulators and supranational organizations in driving impact for nature
> Why Tim chose to join Salesforce in particular
> How Tim makes the business case internally and externally for nature
> Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) and how it can be made more approachable to corporates
> Timâs perspectives on the future of biodiversity markets
> Misconceptions of nature-based solutions in the market today
> Financing barriers and the status of the pipeline of nature-based projects
> The role of philanthropy in unlocking capital
> How to get involved in nature-positive action
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
> Salesforceâs nature positive strategy
> Salesforce goes ânature positiveâ
> Salesforce outlines strategy to boost private sector support for nature conservation and restoration
> Salesforceâs FY23 Impact Report - A nature positive future
> GIST Impact study on ânatural farming through a wide-angle lens: true cost accounting study of community managed natural farming in andhra pradesh, indiaâ
> UN Decade on Restoration
Episode recorded on: July 21, 2023
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In our first episode featuring a corporate sustainability leader focused on nature-based solutions, we interview Megan about her role at Iberostar, her priorities as they relate to nature-based solutions, and the challenges and opportunities driving innovation for both adaptation and mitigation internally and with partners externally. Megan shares her thoughts on what a nature positive, responsible tourism industry looks like, and what she wishes her peers in corporate sustainability knew about nature-based solutions.
In this episode, we also touch on:
> Meganâs journey from PhD student at Stanford to leading sustainability at Iberostar
> Iberostarâs sustainability goals and making the business case for sustainability
> How Iberostarâs action contribute to broader, industry-wide efforts
> The role of nature - both for adaptation and mitigation - in the hospitality sector
> Meganâs experiences investing in nature-based solutions projects
> How to build trust with on-the-ground communities for meaningful impact
> Driving innovation and action on sustainability in the private sector
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
> Wave of Change - Iberostarâs commitment to responsible tourism
> Iberostarâs decarbonization roadmap
Episode recorded on: June 23, 2023
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In this episode, we talk with Clara about Restor, an online platform that hosts more than 100,000 restoration and conservation projects worldwide and connects on-the-ground land stewards of these projects with the financing and information they need to succeed. Clara speaks about what these projects actually look like, the opportunities and limitations of digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (DMRV) technology, and the role of Restor in driving the overall restoration movement forward.
In this episode, we touch on:
> Claraâs journey from the cloud forests of Monteverde, Costa Rica to CEO of Restor
> How Restor works - its users, business model, and tech
> Nuances of DMRV for projects in the global south
> Examples of project successes and failures
> Intersection between restoration and productive land uses like agriculture
> Misconceptions and barriers to scale for restoration projects
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
Restorâs Home Page
Restor on YouTube
Episode recorded on: June 16, 2023
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In this episode, we talk with Ariel about her work at Patch scaling carbon removal solutions through innovative finance mechanisms and tech, whatâs holding the voluntary carbon market back today, and the ins and outs of soil carbon relative to other nature-based solutions out there.
In this episode, we touch on:
> Arielâs personal journey from her familyâs background in farming and ag to her work in business to drive capital to climate solutions
> Patchâs role in the climate tech ecosystem
> The nuances of soil carbon particularly as it relates to MRV
> Pillars of high-integrity carbon credits
> Offtake agreements and strategies for managing risk in carbon projects
> Corporate claims and carbon credit buyer misconceptions
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
Compensation vs. contribution: Comparing climate spending models
Introducing CarbonOS: the infrastructure for the carbon market of the future
Patch Offtake: A business solution driving outsized impact for our climate future
5 climate commitments and how to identify yours
A buyer's guide to trusted carbon credits: 3 things to consider when purchasing carbon credits
Episode recorded on: April 7, 2023
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In this episode, we speak with Megan Reilly Cayten. Megan has developed, financed, and managed projects to deliver positive impacts for people and the planet on four continents, and is currently Senior Investment Manager with Climate Asset Management, a new institutional natural capital platform. She has a background in power and infrastructure development, finance, and asset management , and has advised funds, companies and projects on climate and carbon offset strategy and impact. She is a Senior Adviser to the Oceans 2050 Foundation, board member of the largest conservation NGO in Mexico and Environmental Voter Project and is on the National Council of World Wildlife Fund. Her passion is climate restoration, with the goal of leaving our children a habitable planet.
In this episode, we touch on:
The specific opportunities and challenges around scaling natural climate solutions in emerging markets, and the importance of centering indigenous communities as partners and stewards
The power of the ocean as a climate lever, the climate impacts to oceans of absorbing incredible amounts of energy and heat, and the status of emerging methodologies to unlock seaweed as a form of at-scale carbon sequestration
Climate Asset Managementâs mandate, how it addresses the unique dimensions of investing in NCS, and how NCS investing differs from conventional infrastructure and real asset opportunities
Whatâs required for making natural capital an asset class, the path to making nature-based projects bankable, and whatâs needed to drive more investment into natural climate solutions
Why ânature is the new climateâ - why nature and biodiversity considerations are as essential to our focus as addressing greenhouse gas emissions
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
Nature is the New Climate (Megan Reilly Cayten, Environmental Finance)
The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review
Financing the Earthâs Assets: The Case for Mangroves (Earth Security)
Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures
Franceâs Article 29 on biodiversity disclosures and the UKâs 2021 Environment Act mandating that projects deliver a biodiversity net gain
âSmall is Beautiful: Economics as if People Matteredâ (E.F. Schumacher)
Episode recorded: February 1, 2022 -
In this episode, we speak with Eron Bloomgarden of Emergent, a non-profit designed to channel large flows of private capital into protecting the worldâs tropical forests. In 2021 Emergent launched the LEAF Coalition, which works with jurisdictions (countries or large states) on the supply side of REDD+ carbon credits, and large corporates on the buy-side, to provide forward purchase agreements. Donor countries - the US, UK, and Norway - act as buyers of last resort. To date, the LEAF Coalition has raised over $1 billion in funding for forest protection. Eron brings two decades of carbon markets experience to the conversation. He shares his unique perspective on how carbon markets have evolved, and whatâs still needed today.
In this episode, we touch on:
History of carbon markets, from the more top-down Kyoto Protocolâs Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), to the more bottom-up Paris Agreement, to present day
Rapid ramp-up of the voluntary carbon market over the last 18-24 months, and institutional catch-up
Emergentâs LEAF Coalition connecting corporates with jurisdictional REDD+ carbon credits through forward purchase agreements
ARTâs TREES standard for jurisdictional crediting, and why this was developed
Ins and outs of developing a jurisdictional-level REDD+ programme and how LEAF connects the dots between buyers and suppliers
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
Emergent
TREES: The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard
EDF announcement regarding LEAF at COP26 in Glasgow
Whatâs next for the LEAF coalition
News and views from the LEAF coalition and Emergent
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Episode recorded on: January 28, 2022
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Doniga is a regenerative rancher, wildlife tracker, author and thought leader around nature and our role within it. She and her husband own and operate Markegard Family Grass-Fed, and lease land encompassing over 11,000 acres across the Bay Area in Northern California. In this episode, we explore the lessons Doniga has learned in her many years of actively managing land and applying regenerative practices and witnessing first hand all the climate, biodiversity and systemic benefits that stem from them.
Topics covered in this episode:
Donigaâs journey from wildlife tracking to regenerative ranching
Connection between ranching and biodiversity and soil carbon outcomes
Barriers to switching to regenerative practices
Role of corporations versus policy in promoting regenerative agriculture
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
Markegard Family Grassfed - Donigaâs regenerative ranching company
Point Blue Conservation - Conservation organization referenced by Doniga in the episode
Move Your DNA: Restore your Health through Natural Movement - Book by Katie Bowman referenced by Doniga in the episode
Donigaâs incredible story as written by her in her books Dawn Again and Wolf Girl
These cattle ranchers are raising better beef, spending less â and reducing carbon emissions (CNBC)
Regenerative Agriculture: Good for Soil Health but Limited Potential to Mitigate Climate Change (World Resources Institute)
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Episode recorded on: February 18, 2022
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In this episode, we speak to Marty about the urgency of the climate crisis and the role that ocean ecosystem restoration and carbon sequestration have to play in solving it. Having grown up around commercial fishing and received formal training as an engineer, Marty is combining his passion for our oceans with his technological know-how to build Running Tide, working to scale our oceanâs ability to sequester carbon, create more resilient shorelines, and provide nutritious food to our changing and ever-more populous planet. Kelp as a natural climate solution is still new, and largely untested and Marty speaks to both the opportunity and challenge of his work to test and drive this solution forward.
Topics covered in this episode:
- Martyâs personal journey
- How technology, data science, and automation play a role in oyster farming and kelp deployment
- Martyâs views on how tackling climate change is the âlargest industrial effort in historyâ
- How kelp works as a form of carbon removal
- The science behind kelp sinking - what we know, what we donât know
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
- Running Tide
- This startup grows kelp then sinks it to suck carbon from the air (CNN)
- Carbon removal âis the biggest industry in the history of the world,â Running Tide CEO says (Yahoo Finance)
- Companies hoping to grow carbon sucking kelp may be rushing ahead of the science
- Book recommendation: Freedomâs Forge by Arthur Herman
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Episode recorded on: November 19, 2021
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In this episode, we sit down with Dominique Bikaba, Founder and Executive Director of Strong Roots Congo, a grassroots conservation and sustainable development organization operating in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that is securing land tenure for community forests and creating an ecological corridor for the critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla. The corridor preserves primary forest and enhances reforestation of degraded areas, while creating economic opportunity for community members. Born in the area that is now that Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Dominique has dedicated his life to conservation in the region. He holds a master's degree from the Yale School of Forestry.
We wanted to feature stories from the DRC because when it comes to addressing climate change, DRC stands to play an outsize role. Beyond its status as the largest country by area in Sub-Saharan Africa and the 15th most populous country in the world, DRC is home to 80% of the Congo Basin rainforest - the only remaining significant carbon sink among the worldâs three largest tropical rainforests. It is also the worldâs largest producer of cobalt, a critical component of lithium-ion batteries, and thus electric vehicles. Yet the DRC is also plagued by long-running violent conflict, an exploitative history of mineral and natural resources extraction, poverty, and corruption. It is both one of the most important, and most challenging, frontiers for conservation and climate action.
In this conversation, we touch on:
- The importance of the Congo Basin for both preservation of biodiversity and as the worldâs largest carbon sink
- The idea that people are a part of nature, not enemies to it
- The need to combine, rather than replace, traditional knowledge with science and technology
- DRCâs legal framework for community-managed forests, and Strong Roots Congoâs efforts to secure community land rights to create a 600,000 ha ecological corridor between Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Itombwe Nature Reserve - crucial habitat for three species of great apes
- Drivers of deforestation in the DRC, most notably energy needs of a growing population
- The need for sustainable conservation financing that enables a holistic, long-term approach to landscape management
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
- Strong Roots Congo
- Nia Tero
- Kahuzi-Biega National Park
- Nature article, âAge, extent and carbon storage of the central Congo Basin peatland complexâ
- National Geographic article, âInside the search for Africaâs carbon time bombâ
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Episode recorded on: September 30, 2021
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In this episode, we talk with Duncan about his new venture, Calyx Global, the role of different actors in the voluntary carbon market, how this market is evolving, and the challenges of driving both quality and scale.
In this episode, we touch on:
- The challenges of ensuring quality in the carbon markets and the state of voluntary carbon markets today
- How Calyx Global assesses quality of carbon credits, using new assessment processes, technology, and data
- The current state of the carbon markets ecosystem and how standards bodies, verifying bodies, intermediaries, and end users interact - and how it parallels (or could parallel) the evolution of our traditional financial system
- How Duncan thought about structuring Calyx, an organization focused on driving climate impact at scale
- Duncanâs views on key developments in the carbon markets, such as work by the Taskforce for Scaling Voluntary Carbon Market and other ongoing initiatives
- How do we get nature-based solutions to the scale required by big corporations and the economy at large
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
- Calyx Global
- The TSVCMâs final report
***More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/
Tell us what you think! [email protected]
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Episode recorded on: October 6, 2021
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In this episode, we talk to Neal about his work transforming degraded landscapes through regenerative agroforestry. From the Al Baydha Project in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, where he lived and worked alongside the bedouin tribesmen to convert deserts into savannahs, to his current work establishing regenerative seawater agroforestry systems in Mexico and beyond, Neal brings a wealth of knowledge as well as a dose of inspiration for the ecological transformation that can be accomplished even in some of the most difficult environments.
Topics covered in this episode:
- [01:35] Nealâs personal journey into regenerative ecosystems
- [07:35] Why, when, and where of desertification
- [18:53] Can we feed a world with regenerative agriculture?
- [25:58] Nealâs years as co-founder of the Al Baydha project in Saudi Arabia
- [36:13] Mangroves afforestation and developing regenerative seawater agroforestry systems
- [47:18] Regenerative Resources Coâs business model and the challenges of financing regenerative projects more broadly
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
- Regenerative Resources Co
- The Story of Al Baydha: A Regenerative Agriculture in the Saudi Desert
- Sustainable Design MasterClass - 150+ hours of webinars on YouTube
- Jevons paradox
- Book recommendations: Natural Capitalism, When the Rivers Run Dry, N. K. Jemisinâs The Broken Earth Trilogy
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More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/
Tell us what you think! [email protected]
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Episode recorded on: April 9, 2021
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In this episode, we talk with Justin about his work bridging worlds in order to unlock the potential that nature has to be a bigger part of the climate story. He discusses the critical importance of putting people at the center of natural climate solutions (NCS) and funneling more resources to farmers, foresters, environmental organizations, and communities that are on the forefront of climate change. He also shares a number of stories to inspire hope and optimism, and the dream that we could be the first generation in 10,000 years to begin to reverse environmental damage.
In this episode, we touch on:
- The role of the Tropical Forest Alliance, 1 Trillion Trees, and other global initiatives in the NCS movement
- Centering people in natural climate solutions
- The role of corporations, and the need for standardized, transparent reporting against corporate pledges
- The promise of carbon finance - and where it might fall short
- The importance of indigenous peoplesâ land rights, and stories of indigenous leadership
- Opportunities for environmental restoration in post-conflict regions
If Justin had a magic wand, how would he scale-up natural climate solutions? Put the farmers, those that have a direct impact on nature and dependence on nature, at the center of major discussions on NCS.Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
- Investing Less than 1% of World GDP into Nature-Based Solutions Can Tackle Climate Change and Biodiversity Crisis
- NCS Alliance website
- 1t.org Sahel and the Great Green Wall
- Uplink
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More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/
Tell us what you think! [email protected]
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Episode recorded on: April 14, 2021
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In 2017, Bronson Griscom published a landmark study on the impact potential of natural climate solutions, suggesting that a portfolio of conservation, restoration and land management actions can enable at least 30% of required emissions reductions by 2030 to remain on a 2C pathway. In this episode, we explore how Bronson thought about pursuing these questions, how likely we are to actually get it done, and how we can unlock NCS at scale.
In this episode, we touch on:
- How to fix natureâs âbranding problemâ
- How to think about impact measurement, permanence and leakage for NCS
- How future warming impacts the potential of these solutions
- What needs to happen to create momentum behind NCS projects
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
- Bronsonâs essential research on the enormous impact potential of different natural climate solutions, and a related piece on natural climate solutions for the United States
- CI blog post on âWhat on earth are natural climate solutions?â
- Bronsonâs paper on the role of soil carbon in NCS
- Bronsonâs piece on protecting irrecoverable carbon in Earthâs ecosystems
- âŠand many more!
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More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/
Tell us what you think! [email protected]
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Episode recorded on: February 26, 2021
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In this episode, we discuss the importance of tropical forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and we take a tour of natural climate solutions over the years. Frances discusses the evolution of global programs to pay developing countries to protect against deforestation, the merits of conservation vs. tree planting, and her recent work around nature-based solutions as offsets in corporate sustainability strategies.
In this episode, we touch on:
- Non-carbon pathways through which forests help moderate the climate, and why âa ton is not a ton, is not a tonâ of emissions abatement
- Evolution of REDD+ over the years, and the importance of a jurisdictional (vs. project-based) approach to carbon crediting
- Why both âclimate worldâ and âdevelopment worldâ underinvest in natural climate solutions
- Advice for corporate sustainability teams on how to think about offsets
If Frances had a magic wand, how would she scale up natural climate solutions? In addition to reducing their own emissions, we need big corporate buyers to make forward commitments to paying good prices for jurisdictional-scale REDD+ credits that meet a high standard.
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
- Consideration of Nature-Based Solutions as Offsets in Corporate Climate Change Mitigation Strategies (Frances Seymour and Paige Langer, March 2021)
- 3 Tips for Companies Navigating the Use of Carbon Credits from Nature (Frances Seymour and Paige Langer, March 2021) â WRI blog accompanying the working paper
- Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) â developed TREES standard for ensuring environmental and social integrity on the supply side of REDD+ credits
- Global Forest Review â Global Forest Watch (GFW)âs new website that provides insights on 2020 tree cover loss
- 2021 Must Be a Turning Point for Forests. 2020 Data Shows Us Why (Frances Seymour, March 2021)
- Seeing the Forests as well as the (Trillion) Trees in Corporate Climate Strategies (Frances Seymour, May 2020)
- 4 Reasons Why a Jurisdictional Approach for REDD+ Crediting Is Superior to a Project-Based Approach (Frances Seymour, May 2020)
- Reducing Tropical Deforestation (Frances Seymour and Nancy Harris, August 2019 in Science) â brief read on the drivers of tropical deforestation
- Why Forests? Why Now? (2016)
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More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/
Tell us what you think! [email protected]
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Episode recorded on: February 5, 2021
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In this episode, we explore how technology is changing the way we measure, value, and drive natural climate solutions at scale. Max shares the story of SilviaTerra, discusses with us the importance of data in building functioning natural capital markets, and shares how SilviaTerra is using that data to build the Natural Capital Exchange, their forest carbon marketplace.
In this episode, we touch on:
- Translating data to change on the landscape
- Role of markets versus government in resource management
- Key factors in evaluating forest carbon impact
- The time-value of carbon
If Max had a magic wand, how would he scale-up natural climate solutions? Make sure governments get the rules right to actually change landownersâ behavior.
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
- https://www.silviaterra.com/
- SilviaTerraâs white paper on forest carbon economics
- Blog post announcing Microsoft as SilviaTerraâs first NCAPX buyer
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More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/
Tell us what you think! [email protected]
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Episode recorded on: December 5, 2020
Note: Julia Osterman (co-host) now works at SilviaTerra but did not at the time of recording.
