

Reversing Climate Change
Carbon Removal Strategies LLC
Reversing Climate Change is a podcast that bridges science, technology, and policy with the richness of the humanities. From the forefront of carbon removal and climatetech to explorations of literature, history, philosophy, theology, and geopolitics, we dive deep into the people, ideas, and innovations shaping a better future for the planet and its inhabitants.
If you love the show, please become a paid subscriber on Spotify.
If you love the show, please become a paid subscriber on Spotify.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 15, 2024 • 1h 2min
314: Will Catholic Integralism Be a Force in World Politics?—w/ Dr. Kevin Vallier, Author & Associate Professor at BGSU
Does liberalism's attempt to let us all pursue different visions of the good life ironically make the good life even harder to achieve? Should there be an established church? Are the people who hold these ideas politically ascendent, or likely to remain part of a small counter-revolutionary fringe?In this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Nori Cofounder Ross Kenyon invites Dr. Kevin Vallier, Associate Professor and Director of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program at Bowling Green State University, on to discuss the rise(?) of Catholic integralist thought, with which he engages in his latest book, All the Kingdoms of the World: On Radical Religious Alternatives to Liberalism.Vallier provides a comprehensive overview of integralism, a formerly default ideological perspective derived from various religious traditions (but especially Catholicism), which advocates for religious governance and the intertwining of church and state. He lays out its history, core ideas, and some speculation on its sociology.Critics of modernity argue that free choice has led to a libertinism that has lowered standards and made us less happy and that we should return to an explicitly religiously ordered society with established churches and codes of behavior. Liberalism, in trying to be all things to all people, has made it adaptive but offering very little public meaning. That, it turns out, is the responsibility of the private person.Vallier steelmans these ideas to the best of his ability in an attempt to reckon with them as a a devout member of the Orthodox Church, while also defending the importance of the liberal tradition.Of course, were liberalism to be replaced by such a tradition, there are huge open questions of how that might impact world politics and climate action. Vallier predicts (and maybe even hopes) it remains a small intellectual insurgency rather than becoming what its advocates desire.Connect with NoriPurchase Nori Carbon RemovalsNori's websiteNori on TwitterCheck out our other podcast, Carbon Removal NewsroomCarbon Removal Memes on TwitterCarbon Removal Memes on InstagramResourcesKevin Vallier's websiteAll the Kingdoms of the World: On Radical Religious Alternatives to LiberalismThe Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP)Vatican IICrypto-JudaismThe Young PopeThe Book of Common PrayerDorothy DayEdmund BurkeRod DreherAdrian VermeulePatrick DeneenSedevacantismThe Great SchismFilioqueOld BelieversByzantine RiteDesert Fathers

Feb 8, 2024 • 1h 1min
313: Can Carbon Removal Be Insured?—w/ Racheal Notto & James Kench, Kita
When people think about innovation in carbon removal, they're probably thinking about physics or materials science. How do we make CDR faster, cheaper, more durable, or use less energy? What if we told you that a lot of the innovation that is coming is financial and/or contractual? In this episode of the Reversing Climate Change podcast, Nori Cofounder Ross Kenyon and Nori CEO Matt Trudeau are joined by Racheal Notto, Director of Carbon Markets Engagement at Kita, and James Kench, the Head of Insurance at Kita. Their conversation explores how insurance can play a key role in managing risks within the carbon markets, and why it isn't already more of a player. Insurance companies are the professed masters of risk management. Carbon markets have a fair amount of risk. Shouldn't there be a bigger crossover?!Kita, a London-based insurance company focusing specifically on insuring carbon projects, explains their goal of derisking high-quality carbon projects, and what that can add to all players in the space.The discussants weigh the pros and cons of buffer pools vs. insurance and get answers for why some high-quality carbon removal projects may actually be uninsurable.Insurance is important for any industry to grow. This could be a sign of another step in the carbon removal sector's growing maturity.Connect with NoriPurchase Nori Carbon RemovalsNori's websiteNori on TwitterCheck out our other podcast, Carbon Removal NewsroomCarbon Removal Memes on TwitterCarbon Removal Memes on InstagramResourcesKita's website"Buffers and Insurance in the Voluntary Carbon Market: A Comprehensive Overview" by Kita"Could VCM buffer pool design risk a "bank run"?" by Matt Trudeau

Feb 1, 2024 • 41min
312: Nori's collab with the Texas Climate-Smart Initiative—w/ Dr. Julie Howe, Professor of Soil Science & Project Director of TCSI
Everyone right now is talking about regenerative agriculture. What does it look like when major cash crops work to improve their practices? How can the Department of Agriculture and agricultural science programs at universities support the changes so that major commodity operations can derisk their transition?In today's episode of Reversing Climate Change, Nori Cofounder Ross Kenyon is joined by Nori Supply Account Manager, Jada Dormaier, to discuss Nori's partnership with the Texas Climate-Smart Initiative. Dr. Julie Howe, Project Director of the program and Soil Scientist at Texas A&M, joins the show to talk about her work trying to understand nutrient cycling and change the way we farm.The conversation delves into Dr. Howe's background and what led her to focus on soil chemistry and eventually agricultural sustainability, which is a hot topic even in places some might not expect. It isn't all about yield!They explore the complexities of agricultural research within an open system with countless variables, which hurts Ross's brain, before moving into a discussion about carbon credits and how farmers can consider these opportunities and additional government programs for ecosystem services.Dr. Howe emphasizes the importance of implementing climate-smart farming practices, not only for the environment but also for the sustainability and profitability of farming operations. Listen in to get a glimpse inside Nori and the Texas Climate-Smart Initiative.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction00:38 Dr. Julie Howe's Journey into Agriculture02:09 The Intersection of Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability03:34 The Challenges and Risks in Farming11:20 The Role of Climate Smart Initiative in Agriculture16:53 The Process and Benefits of Joining Climate Programs24:52 The Science and Challenges of Agricultural Research37:27 Encouraging Farmers to Join Climate Programs40:42 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsConnect with NoriPurchase Nori Carbon RemovalsNori's websiteNori on TwitterCheck out our other podcast, Carbon Removal NewsroomCarbon Removal Memes on TwitterCarbon Removal Memes on InstagramResourcesTexas Climate-Smart InitiativeDr. Julie Howe's website

Jan 30, 2024 • 21min
311: Carbon Removal 101: What is CDR?!—w/ Radhika Moolgavkar, Head of Supply and Methodology at Nori
Reversing Climate Change is many things: a repository of deep dives into carbon removal, a way to intimately understand the thought processes of the folks at Nori working to build a scalable carbon removal marketplace, and a massive catalogue of the infinite number of climate-adjacencies that tickle host Ross Kenyon's brain. And sometimes you've got to get back to basics and reintroduce a topic to catch new listeners up. To that effect, today's show is twenty minutes on the basics of carbon removal.In this episode, Ross Kenon, Cofounder of and Director of Creative & Marketing at the Nori carbon removal marketplace, chats with Nori's Head of Supply and Methodology, Radhika Moolgavkar, about carbon removal—what it is and why it's necessary.They discuss the differences between open and closed CDR systems, the need for a combination of all carbon removal technologies, and why carbon accounting is so complex. They also touch on the intersection of carbon removal technologies with the oil and gas industry and the geopolitical considerations involved in carbon removal strategies.The episode serves as a resource for listeners who are new to the concept of carbon removal! If you are new to CDR, start here!Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:41 Understanding Carbon Removal03:18 The Importance of Carbon Removal05:40 Types of Carbon Removal14:02 Challenges in Carbon Accounting18:16 The Role of Oil and Gas in Carbon Removal19:55 ConclusionConnect with NoriPurchase Nori Carbon RemovalsNori's websiteNori on TwitterCheck out our other podcast, Carbon Removal NewsroomCarbon Removal Memes on TwitterCarbon Removal Memes on InstagramResourcesIf you want to deep dive into carbon removal and are considering a career change, AirMiners Boot Up is a great place to start.

Jan 18, 2024 • 46min
310: The Role of Product Leadership at a Climatetech Company—w/ Patrick Tsao, Head of Product at Nori
What does it mean to work "in Product", let alone at a company working on climate change? What is the difference between Product and Engineering? And what the hell are they building in there anyways?!In this conversation, Nori cofounder Ross Kenyon is joined by Nori's Head of Product, Patrick Tsao, to discuss Patrick's role in scaling climate action. How much of this work is strategy, how much is building tools, and are we meant to be empirical or aprioristic "first principles" thinkers? What are the risks of each?Patrick emphasizes the struggle of understanding and meeting customers' goals in the constantly evolving #carbonmarket, and when and how to work on education beyond the norm.We aim to be doing more regular Product updates moving forward! Connect with NoriPurchase Nori Carbon RemovalsNori's websiteNori on TwitterCheck out our other podcast, Carbon Removal NewsroomCarbon Removal Memes on TwitterCarbon Removal Memes on InstagramResourcesPatrick Tsao's LinkedIn profileNori's Net-Zero Tonnes (NZT)

Jan 11, 2024 • 50min
309: Will Harris's Legendary Regenerative Agriculture Journey, AKA A Bold Return to Giving a Damn
Will Harris, author of "A Bold Return to Giving a Damn, One Farm, Six Generations, and the Future of Food," discusses his journey from industrial to regenerative farming. They cover the complexities of greenwashing in agriculture, balancing local and national food production, carbon credits, and creating food systems that are good for the planet, animals, and eaters. A fascinating exploration of regenerative agriculture and its potential impact on the environment and food industry.

Jan 4, 2024 • 58min
308: Surviving and Thriving in a Disaster Situation—w/ Bill Fulton & Jeanne Chilton Devon, authors of Survive and Thrive: How to Prepare for Any Disaster Without Ammo, Camo, or Eating Your Neighbor
A disaster has arrived. Do you have the right supplies? The right mindset? Are you ready?
Last time this topic came up, we spoke with David Pogue on enormous questions of how to choose where to live and to make sure you are relatively prepared for the climate-changed future. This show is downstream from there: what do you do given that you potentially are not moving somewhere else and need to keep yourself and family safe immediately?
In this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Ross Kenyon hosts Jeanne Chilton Devon and Bill Fulton, authors of Survive and Thrive: How to Prepare for Any Disaster Without Ammo, Camo, or Eating Your Neighbor; and The Blood of Patriots: How I Took Down an Anti-Government Militia with Beer, Bounty Hunting, and Badassery.
They discuss the importance of being prepared for disasters, triggered by their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. They emphasise that preparation helps reduce anxiety, arguing that a sense of control enables individuals to cope with disasters effectively.
They also recommend various practical aspects including water, food storage, security and mental wellness, and urge people to custom-build their survival kits, taking into account their specific situations. They advocate for community-level preparation (AKA knowing your neighbors), incorporating knowledge-sharing and developing interpersonal relationships.
The discussion also stresses the role of sustainability and self-sufficiency in disaster preparedness, especially in the context of climate change.
Tune in to get primed to think about disaster response in a climate context!
Connect with Nori
Purchase Nori Carbon Removals
Nori's website
Nori on Twitter
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Carbon Removal Memes on Twitter
Carbon Removal Memes on Instagram
Resources
Survive and Thrive: How to Prepare for Any Disaster Without Ammo, Camo, or Eating Your Neighbor by Jeanne Chilton Devon & Bill Fulton
The Blood of Patriots: How I Took Down an Anti-Government Militia with Beer, Bounty Hunting, and Badassery by Jeanne Chilton Devon & Bill Fulton
Homestead Survival: An Insider's Guide to Your Great Escape by Marty Raney
The episode of Reversing Climate Change where we discuss insurance, how to choose a physical location for your dwelling, which parts of the country to live in, etc.: "Climate Prepping: How Should Your Family Adapt?—w/ David Pogue, author of How to Prepare for Climate Change"

Dec 21, 2023 • 52min
307: The Rise of Corporate Insetting?!—w/ Lia Nicholson, Head of Sustainability at Terrascope
Lia Nicholson, Head of Sustainability at Terrascope, discusses the shift from offsetting to insetting. She explains the importance of accounting for carbon-negative behavior within the value chain. The podcast explores emissions accounting, the EU carbon border adjustment tax, and using disasters to drive environmental change.

Dec 14, 2023 • 46min
306: Carbon removal boots on the COP28 ground—w/ Tito Jankowski, CEO of AirMiners
What's the hallway buzz about carbon removal in Dubai? Is carbon removal a fringe topic or top of mind for attendees? And what's it mean for major climate events to happen in petrostates? Who's ready for Baku, 2024?!
It’s COP28, the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the international gathering at which member nations converge to outline their ambitions and responsibilities in regards to climate change.
Reversing Climate Change host Ross Kenyon spoke with Tito Jankowski, CEO of Airminers, who was literally in Dubai while recording. Tito shared a firsthand account of what it is like being on the ground at this controversial COP chatting about climate action and carbon removal.
Tito finds that the critical question he keeps coming back to is “Do you think carbon removal is necessary for a sustainable climate?”If the answer to that is no, where do you go from there? Every nine days we put another billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Ross and Tito talk about temperature control as a possible reframe (and its possible geoengineering connotations and whether that matters), the cultural landscape of the UAE, and whether next year's COP in Azerbaijan gives OPEC nations a stake in fossil fuel phaseout or enables delay.
Connect with Nori
Purchase Nori Carbon Removals
Nori's website
Nori on Twitter
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Carbon Removal Memes on Twitter
Carbon Removal Memes on Instagram
Resources
AirMiners website
AirMiners Boot Up
Tito Jankowski on LinkedIn
AirMiners on Twitter
COP28
Tito’s previous episode on the Kiloton Fund

Dec 7, 2023 • 59min
S3E64: Disease and Health Risks of a Changing Climate—w/ Zoya Teirstein, staff writer at Grist
Forget merely about melting polar ice caps—expansion of deadly diseases is possibly the true Pandora’s Box that climate change is rapidly opening.
In this episode of Reversing Climate Change, host Ross Kenyon is rejoined by Zoya Teirstein, staff writer at Grist, to discuss the intricate and chilling intersection of climate change and disease.
The way Zoya puts it, climate change is taking the Earth and shaking it like a snowglobe: pathogens are meeting up in new configurations and wreaking havoc. She covers these proliferating diseases and their connection to climate change in her timely beat at Grist.
Learn how bacteria is traveling up the coast due to warming temperatures - accessing geographies where doctors are not familiar and not prepared to deal with the resulting, often fatal, illnesses.
Beyond the rising temperatures creating breeding grounds for deadly mosquitoes, and disrupted ecosystems with unpredictable consequences, the episode explores the challenging discussions around managed retreat and adaptation.
While the threat of mass death from heat waves exceeds critical thresholds, the conversation also unveils rays of hope—community resilience, the potential for preventable deaths through early action, and the ultimate cure lying in reversing climate change.
This critical wake-up call and call to action underscore the urgency of addressing the disease dilemmas caused by climate change. Share, discuss, and unite in the fight for a healthier planet.
Connect with Nori
Purchase Nori Carbon Removals
Nori's website
Nori on Twitter
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Carbon Removal Memes on Twitter
Carbon Removal Memes on Instagram
Resources
Zoya Teirstein website
Zoya Teirstein on Grist
The New York Times article on oyster-related deaths
Valley Fever CDC
Wet Bulb Temperatures, National Weather Service
Zoya Teirstein’s previous Reversing Climate Change episodeBoots on the Ground article