In today's episode, recorded live during San Francisco Climate Week, we delve into the critical intersection of climate policy and carbon removal. Joining us are two distinguished guests: California Senator Scott Wiener, the author of the recent landmark climate legislation known as California's SB 253 or the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, and Shashank Samala, the CEO and Co-founder of Heirloom, a pioneering carbon removal company. Shashank was a previous guest on the show in 2021, and we're excited to have him back to weigh in on this important conversation.
Senator Wiener sheds light on the legislative landscape driving climate action, while Shashank offers insights into the technologies transforming carbon removal. Together, we explore the convergence of policy and innovation, examining how regulatory frameworks catalyze the adoption and scaling of technological solutions. We pack a lot into this conversation, and we hope you enjoy it!
In this episode, we cover:
- [2:15] Senator Scott Wiener's background and personal climate journey
- [6:04] Shashank's entrepreneurial background and transition to carbon removal
- [8:38] An overview of Heirloom
- [10:20] An overview of Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions
- [12:59] SB 253, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, authored by Senator Wiener
- [17:46] California's cap and trade system
- [20:22] The importance of carbon accounting and measurement, reporting and verification (MRV)
- [25:32] How the Senator's team worked with startups to verify compliance challenges
- [31:48] Heirloom's categories of carbon buyers
- [34:25] SB 308, Carbon Market Development Act, authored by Senator Josh Becker
- [36:17] The role of geography in carbon removals
- [40:14] How startups can engage with local policymakers
- [45:11] The benefit of representing San Francisco as a climate tech hub
- [46:29] Senator Wiener's wishlist for climate policy, including dense housing and world-class public transportation
- [47:06] Shashank's wishlist for climate policy, including SB 308
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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant
