Navigating the Carbon Frontier: Unlocking Climate Action - Alfredo Nicastro

In this episode of This Week in Carbon, hosts Edward Smith and Rene Velasquez are joined by Alfredo Nicastro, Global Head of Carbon Solutions at StoneX, a veteran with over 20 years in climate finance and carbon markets. Alfredo shares his journey from a civil and environmental engineer in Brazil to a leader in global carbon solutions, offering a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities shaping decarbonization and market evolution.

We discuss: 

• Alfredo’s career path: From Brazil’s hydropower and waste management to shaping carbon markets at StoneX 
• Decarbonizing supply chains: Growing buyer pressure for carbon-neutral commodities like cotton and clothing 
• Insetting vs. offsetting: Why agriculture and metals lean toward insetting, with offsets for residual emissions 
• Carbon pricing evolution: From 10 instruments in 2005 to 80 covering 28% of global emissions in 2025 
• Policy insights: Chile’s carbon tax model, the need for price transparency, and risks of fragmented regulations 
• Article 6 progress: Optimism for 6.2 bilateral agreements and hopes for 6.4 clarity at COP30 
• Climate urgency: Breaching 1.5°C early, AI-driven energy demands, and the need for tech-based solutions like methane capture 
• Market maturity: Portfolio-based risk management, ratings, insurance, and CORSIA’s looming supply short squeeze