The CDR Policy Scoop

Ted Christie-Miller, co-founder of Residual, dives into the UK's evolving role in carbon dioxide removal policy. He discusses the UK’s pioneering Net-Zero Strategy and its ambitious targets, and how recent government plans aim to integrate carbon removals into the UK Emissions Trading System. The conversation also tackles the challenges of funding mechanisms and the complexities of Contracts for Difference in promoting carbon removal. Christie-Miller sheds light on the political landscape and how innovation is crucial for the UK to solidify its leadership in global carbon management.

Like it or not, the “like-for-like” debate in carbon removal isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Conversations around temporary versus durable, conventional versus novel removals are increasingly diverging. Should carbon markets foresee separate roles for these removal types, or strive for a common ground that makes all removals comparable? Is true compatibility even possible?Co-hosts Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme are delighted to welcome Gabrielle Walker, co-founder of Rethinking Removals and CUR8, as their guest. Scientist-turned-CDR powerhouse, Gabrielle has a deep understanding and passion for these topics like no other. Join the conversation to find out what “like-for-like” really means, why it matters for policy and net-zero claims, and how to build integrity with today’s knowledge.Links:Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and WebsiteSebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and WebsiteGabrielle Walker: LinkedIn, CUR8, Rethinking RemovalsGeological Net Zero and the need for disaggregated accounting for carbon sinks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first methodologies for permanent removals under the EU’s Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming Regulation are being finalised.The European Commission’s 8th Carbon Removal Expert Group meeting, held on 10 July, was dedicated to a draft delegated act on DACCS, BioCCS, and biochar.Does this draft piece of legislation do justice to the CDR methods under consideration? Or does it fall short, and the Commission consultants should be sent back to the drawing board?Join co-hosts Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme as they analyse the heated discussions in the expert group and the next steps.Links:Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and WebsiteSebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and WebsiteCarbon Removal Expert Group meeting on permanent removals, 10 July 2025 - agenda, slides, recording Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not one week passes without news of major developments coming out of Germany: earlier in the year, Europe’s biggest economy became the first country in the world to enshrine a net-zero target (2045) into its constitution.Following the recent election, the ruling coalition then included carbon removal in its coalition treaty. More recently, a line dedicated to CDR was added to the federal budget and rumour has it that large sums of funding could soon be allocated to this as early as 2026.Could Germany become the global powerhouse for CDR? And what will it take exactly to get there?Co-host Eve Tamme discusses this and more with Nadine Walsh, the Policy Manager from the Deutscher Verband für negative Emissionen e.V. (DVNE) - Germany’s national CDR association.Links:Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and WebsiteSebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and WebsiteNadine Walsh: LinkedInDVNE: Website and LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A day after the European Commission published its legislative proposal for the EU’s 2040 climate target, Eve Tamme and Sebastian Manhart sat down for a timely session to analyse the proposal.Although the expected 90% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 (compared to 1990 levels) is the headline target, several key elements in the proposal have elicited strong reactions among stakeholders.And what does it all mean for carbon removal?The CDR Policy Scoop co-hosts cut through the noise and analyse how the proposal could evolve during the upcoming negotiations.Links:Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and WebsiteSebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and WebsiteEU 2040 climate target proposalEve’s LinkedIn post on the EU’s 2040 climate target proposalEU climate chief lobbied Germany to back weakened 2040 goalThe EU’s 2040 Climate Target — context, scope and designWill the Carbon Removal Certification Framework count in the race to climate neutrality?Wijnand Stoefs (Carbon Market Watch) highly critical post on the proposal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marta Krupinska, CEO at CUR8 and a fierce advocate for permanent carbon removals, squares off against Renat Heuberger, CEO at Terra Impact Ventures and a veteran in the voluntary carbon market. They dive into the heated debate on carbon reduction versus removal credits. Krupinska champions innovative solutions like DAC and biochar, while Heuberger highlights the preeminence of reductions in tackling climate change. The conversation navigates the need for transparency, the urgency of balancing strategies, and the role of both approaches in a sustainable future.

In this engaging discussion, Elisabeth Harding, a policy manager at the Negative Emissions Platform and expert in carbon direct removal based in Brussels, explores the tumultuous journey of the Green Claims Directive. She highlights the political turmoil in the EU, with Germany's influence complicating negotiations. They delve into the potential requirement for carbon removal practices and the critical need for sound regulations to combat greenwashing. The challenges posed by increased costs for businesses and the implications for EU's carbon markets take center stage.

Should the VCM shape or follow government policy?The Voluntary Carbon Market is at a crossroads as governments ramp up climate ambition and explore carbon markets.What would a genuine alignment between VCM and government policy look like? What are the risks and opportunities? How can the VCM support both national and global net-zero goals? To help us dig into these questions and more, we’re thrilled to welcome a leading voice in carbon markets and climate policy, Alexia Kelly from High Tide Foundation.Join as co-hosts Eve Tamme, Sebastian Manhart, and Alexia Kelly unpack the latest developments and spotlight some of the big questions. This is a discussion policymakers, market participants, and climate advocates won’t want to miss.Links:Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and WebsiteSebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and WebsiteAlexia Kelly: LinkedInThe Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Paris Agreement's carbon markets could be worth up to $250 billion annually and reduce or remove gigatons of CO2.But how do we operationalise it? How can countries start trading durable removals under the Paris Agreement’s Article 6.2 mechanism?Norway and Switzerland have just agreed on the first durable removals transaction under this framework. For their pilots, planned to be executed pre-2030, they aim to transfer up to 10 Kt of BECCS from Norway and up to 1 Kt of mineralised CO2 from Switzerland.Eve Tamme and Sebastian Manhart are joined by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN’s Veronika Elgart, one of the leading forces behind this agreement. Together, they discuss how this agreement came about, what exactly is planned, and what this could mean for scaling up the international carbon markets more broadly.Show notes:Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and WebsiteSebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and WebsiteVeronika Elgart: LinkedInAgreement between Norway and Switzerland on International CCS and NETPress releases: Norway-Switzerland, Switzerland, ClimeFi, Carbon Centric Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A European CDR Purchasing Programme for Permanent Carbon Removal?Sounds too good to be true? Well, it may become a reality soon.On May 21st, the European Commission held a dedicated workshop on “A Purchasing Programme for CRCF Permanent Carbon Removal Credits”.As stated in its own excellent pre-read, Europe will need to fund CDR with up to €6 billion by 2030 to achieve its indicative target of 5 Mt/year.But where should this money come from? How should a purchasing programme be designed? And should it fund specific CDR technologies or take a broad portfolio approach?These are just some of the many fascinating questions that were tackled in the workshop. Tune in for this CDR Policy Scoop, where Eve Tamme and Sebastian Manhart will analyse everything that happened and discuss the most important takeaways for you.Links:Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and WebsiteSebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and WebsiteThe workshop pre-read by Ecologic InstituteWorkshop presentation and recordingBlog by Robert Höglund and Aidan Preston Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.