The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn Chevron deference – the principle that granted federal agencies leeway in interpreting ambiguous laws – marks a pivotal shift in administrative law. This ruling is part of a broader pattern of Supreme Court decisions reflecting skepticism toward agency authority and heightened scrutiny of environmental regulations. In this episode, Ann Carlson, the Shirley Shapiro Professor of Environmental Law and Co-Director of the Emmett Institute on...

As global efforts to combat climate change intensify, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) is at the forefront of establishing robust standards for the voluntary carbon market (VCM). In this episode, we'll hear from Gerald Ouellette, Director, Offset Advisory at ClearBlue Markets and explore how the ICVCM is setting the global standard via the Core Carbon Principles (CCPs), the role of governance in ensuring credibility and impact, and what’s on the horizon for the...

Intense wildfires are an ever-growing threat to California's ecosystems, communities, and climate goals. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) plays a crucial role in safeguarding the state from increasingly frequent and intense wildfires. In this episode, with CAL FIRE’s very own Alan Talhelm, Assistant Deputy Director for Climate & Energy, we delve into the challenges posed by California's unique landscape and climate, and the innovative solutions CAL FIRE...

Scope 3 emissions can be seen as the most complex and wide-reaching category of greenhouse gas emissions for organizations. Accounting for them is an important piece of addressing global emissions and achieving climate goals, which makes support for companies taking action on Scope 3 critical. In this episode, we’re joined by Marielle Canter Weikel, Senior Director, Corporate Climate Solutions at Conservation International, to discover the opportunities and challenges associated with using...

As COP29 in Baku approaches, members of the global climate community will gather to discuss the next phase of climate action. In this episode, we sit down with Kaveh Guilanpour, Vice President for International Strategies at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) and explore what’s at stake and the goals for this year’s conference. From international carbon markets to climate finance, we’ll dive into the critical issues on the table and examine how the decisions made at COP29...

In recent years, the US federal government has taken important climate action by setting an emissions reduction target and introducing new climate programs and financial support. One landmark policy that is critical for the US to reach its climate goals is the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which is the largest investment in reducing GHG emissions in the country’s history and the most comprehensive federal climate legislation to be signed into law. In this episode, we’ll hear from Kristina...

Initiative 2117 (I-2117) on the Washington state ballot could fundamentally alter the state’s approach to climate policy. I-2117 seeks to prohibit state agencies from implementing any form of carbon tax credit trading, including cap-and-trade/invest programs, and would repeal significant portions of the landmark 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act. In this episode, we’re joined by Isaac Kastama, Managing Partner of Water Street Public Affairs LLC and who lobbies on behalf of Clean &...

The intersection of carbon markets and agriculture is evolving, with the Reserve’s U.S. Soil Enrichment Protocol (SEP) leading the way in incentivizing greenhouse gas reductions and enhancing carbon storage in soils. Currently undergoing an update, the SEP will soon feature improvements designed to encourage broader adoption and advance climate-positive agricultural practices. In this episode, McKenzie Smith, Associate Director, and Alison Nord, Manager at the Climate Action Reserve, share...

The Climate Action Reserve’s Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) program has experienced significant growth and development over the past years. In this episode, we sit down with Amy Kessler, the Reserve’s Director of Latin America, to explore key updates on this expansion, including new partnerships and emerging opportunities in the region. We’ll delve into what makes a carbon project successful in LAC, discuss the positive impacts these initiatives are having on local communities and...

Welcome to Season 3 of Carbon Connection! Join us as we kick off with an insightful conversation with Craig Ebert, President of the Climate Action Reserve, and take stock of the past year’s achievements for the Reserve and evolution of the carbon market. In this special year-in-review episode, Craig shares his reflections on the progress made in 2024 for carbon markets, the impact of key initiatives, and the future direction of the Reserve. From policy shifts to innovative partnerships, we...

Initiatives are underway to address integrity and scale in the voluntary carbon market (VCM). These international efforts to establish high-quality carbon market standards need to succeed to build confidence and move the market forward. In this special episode, President of the Climate Action Reserve Craig Ebert will discuss the work of these initiatives and how the Reserve continues to support scale and integrity by developing GHG accounting standards that achieve real emissions reductions,...

You may have heard the term 'biochar' thrown around in recent climate conversations but may not know the carbon in biochar resists degradation and can hold carbon in soils for hundreds to thousands of years. In this episode, our Reserve in-house expert and Director of Nature-Based Solutions Jon Remucal, and CEO of Pacific Biochar Josiah Hunt will explore the potential uses of biochar, its ability to bring co-benefits to communities, and what a biochar project may look like under Climate...

The benefits of offsets go beyond emissions reductions and have historically provided new environmental, social, and economic opportunities for local and rural communities. These co-benefits can touch on many aspects of community livelihoods: biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, water conservation and management, and social equity and justice. In this episode, Ana Moreno, Coordinator of Climate Change at MiAMBIENTE, will share experiences from Panama on how carbon project...

In just over a month, leaders from countries around the world will be heading to Dubai for the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) where carbon markets will take a front seat in conversations. COP28 has the opportunity to make further progress on solidifying the rules governing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the role of the carbon market in delivering significant global emissions reductions. In this episode, Lisa DeMarco, Senior Partner and CEO at Resilient LLP, will review what to...

The Reserve is excited to launch its first-ever U.S. Low-Carbon Cement (LCC) Protocol, but what exactly is low-carbon cement? Join McKenzie Smith, our Reserve in-house expert and Associate Director, and Danny Gray, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Business Ops at Eco Material as they provide valuable insights into the significance of LCC in addressing market demands and realizing emission reduction goals via carbon projects utilizing the Reserve’s new LCC Protocol.

As global interest in carbon markets has exploded, the financial industry has increased its focus on potential investment opportunities and the necessity for investments to drive climate action. How have capital flows into carbon markets changed in recent years? What is the significance of these developments? What are the implications of these developments for mitigation? Tune in to hear from Luke Oliver, Managing Director, Head of Climate Investments, and Head of Strategy at KraneShares as...

Latin America is a critical region for the global carbon market as one of the largest suppliers of voluntary credits. At the same time, a number of countries are forging ahead with government-backed offset protocols, national ETS, or other carbon pricing schemes. Hear from Eduardo Piquero, CEO of MexiCO2, on the advances of carbon markets across the region.

In 2021, the Washington Legislature passed the Climate Commitment Act, which established the state’s cap-and-invest program. The program is one important tool for the state in achieving its greenhouse gas limits set by law: 45% below 1990 levels by 2030, 70% below 1990 levels by 2040, and 95% below 1990 levels and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In this episode, join Claire Boyte-White, who leads Cap-and-Invest Policy Relations with the Washington Department of Ecology, as we explore the...

With the global expansion of the voluntary carbon market, efforts have increased to ensure it is equipped to play a critical role in global mitigation efforts. This has led to a variety of efforts to support this market, including the Integrity Council on the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM), the Voluntary Carbon Market Initiative (VCMI), and the Carbon Credit Quality Initiative (CCQI), among others. This episode will discuss with Amy Zell, Technical Director, Voluntary Carbon Markets with the...

As companies and jurisdictions strive to meet their climate goals, carbon credits are an important tool to address their current carbon footprint while they work on reducing that footprint size. How does the VCM ensure these credits being used are of high quality and integrity? How do buyers know carbon credits benefit our environment and truly contribute to ambitious climate goals, as well as ensure projects provide positive economic and social benefits? In this episode, Alexia Kelly,...

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) refers to the methods and technologies that capture carbon emissions from large point sources like coal-fired power plants and reuse or store them so they will not enter the atmosphere. Although the use of CCUS has been on the rise, rapid global deployment and adoption of these technologies are required to limit the detrimental impacts of climate change according to the IPCC. This episode will review the latest technological developments,...

We are halfway through 2023 and have seen immense movement in the global voluntary carbon market. In this episode, Fiona Oliver-Glasford, Chief Revenue Officer of ClearBlue Markets, will discuss what developments have been underway in North America and internationally, including pricing, new players and projected growth.

Through 2023 compliance markets in North America remain important tools for reducing emissions, gathering financing to support other climate change options, and reaching climate change goals. In this episode, Justin Johnson, Partner at MMR, will discuss the developments that have been underway, including pricing, new players, projected growth, and potential impacts of these compliance markets.

Offsets are used by organizations and individuals around the world in both compliance programs and voluntary markets to meet emissions reduction goals. Tune in to this ‘Covering Your Basics’ episode with Business Development Manager Lauren Napuck to learn more about the numerous reasons why organizations choose to include offsets in their environmental and sustainability plans.