Solving Climate, Naturally

About Solving Climate, Naturally

We are a show about nature’s role in tackling climate change. A new industry is taking shape, and our goal is to host a candid, cross-disciplinary conversation on nature and its role in addressing climate change. We are three friends with diverse backgrounds who met in business school at Stanford and share a common interest in demystifying natural climate solutions. Together, we’ll unpack this growing field and connect the dots across the people and ideas shaping its future. Whether you work in the space already or are hearing the term “nature-based solution” for the first time, this show is for you. Join the conversation with industry juggernauts, environmental thought leaders, and entrepreneurs around the world who are operating at the frontier of nature-based solutions.

Publisher

Solving Climate, Naturally

Category

business · science · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Apr 2021

Latest episode

5 Jan 2025

Latest episodes

3 of 19 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   5 Jan 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Episode 19: 10X Conservation in Silicon Valley with the Peninsula Open Space Trust

   Peninsula Open Space Trust's Walter Moore and Peter Cowan discuss POST's history, land conservation strategies, and approach to climate resilience in Silicon Valley, highlighting the importance of continued conservation efforts in this interview.

2. 

   16 Sept 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Episode 18: Community-Centric Blue Carbon Projects in West Africa with Elizabeth Littlefield, Senior Partner @ West Africa Blue

   In this episode, we speak with Elizabeth Littlefield, Senior Partner at West Africa Blue, a community-centric blue carbon project developer operating in Sierra Leone and Guinea. Elizabeth brings unique perspective to the conversation from her time as the President and CEO of OPIC, now renamed the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), where she served from 2010 until 2017, as well as from her decade as CEO of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), a policy and research center housed at the World Bank dedicated to advancing poor people’s access to financial services, and her 16 years at JP Morgan including as Managing Director in charge of capital markets and financing in emerging Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Elizabeth also spent 1988-1990 living in West Africa setting up microfinance institutions with local communities. In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics including: - West Africa Blue’s projects in Sierra Leone and Guinea, and why carbon is necessary to the success of these projects - What the voluntary carbon market can learn from microfinance - Importance of transparent benefit-sharing agreements, and what carbon project developers tend to get wrong - Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and how it is done in practice - The case for developing carbon projects with local communities and indigenous peoples - Lessons from the EU and the concept of a buyer of last resort to stabilize carbon markets - Role of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in carbon markets, and understanding the diversity and limitations of DFIs’ mandates - adding nuance to the exhortation to “take more risk” - Need for rapidly-disbursing, pragmatic early stage capital for nature-based carbon projects Want to learn more? Check out these resources: West Africa Blue (https://www.westafricablue.org/) & its Living Labs (https://www.westafricablue.org/living-labs) of open-source information The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild (https://www.enricsala.com/the-nature-of-nature), by Enric Sala Episode recorded on: March 8, 2024

3. 

   9 May 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Episode 17: Phones, Drones, and Satellites: Measuring Forest Carbon with Aakash Ahamed, CEO @ Working Trees

   In this episode, we speak with Aakash Ahamed, a remote sensing scientist developing methods to measure forest carbon using instruments deployed on phones, drones, planes, and satellites. He is the co-founder and CEO of Working Trees, a start-up focused on leveraging mobile phone sensing technology to improve ease, accuracy, and transparency in tree carbon monitoring. In this episode, Aakash shares Working Trees’ origin story at Stanford, the company’s journey to find product-market fit, plans for scale, and the challenge with measuring trees from space. In this episode, we touch on: How forest carbon is measured today, and the challenges and costs of doing so The sensors already in our mobile phones, and their usefulness for measuring forest carbon at low cost today… and on the flip-side, the limitations of satellites Carbon credits as bridge for financing for critical natural climate solutions Why Aakash is excited about the SEC’s climate disclosure regulation The importance of the scientific process and peer-reviewed papers to building trust with new technology Want to learn more? Check out these resources: Working Trees website (https://www.workingtrees.com/) Working Trees dashboard of project sites (https://dashboard.workingtrees.com/sites) Comprehensive Analysis of the SEC’s Landmark Climate Disclosure Rule (https://dart.deloitte.com/USDART/home/publications/deloitte/heads-up/2024/sec-climate-disclosure-rule-ghg-emissions-esg-financial-reporting) Working Trees iOS Application (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/working-trees/id1621922176) Working Trees Android Application (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.workingtrees.working_trees) Working Trees’ peer reviewed research (https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/10/2027) Episode recorded on: March 8, 2024

4. 

   2 Dec 2023

   Episode 16: Takeaways from NY Climate Week 2023

   SCN host Julia Strong and field correspondent Morrison Mast report from New York Climate Week 2023, bringing listeners voices from the Brazilian Amazon, London, New York, and more to experience one of the climate community’s biggest weeks and understand the state-of-play of nature-based solutions during this tumultuous time in carbon markets. In this episode, we share our takeaways from climate week by sharing recordings from panels and conversations at Nature4Climate’s Nature Positive Hub throughout the week. Our three main takeaways were: NY Climate Week should be rebranded to Nature and Climate Week given the plethora of not only climate but also nature focused events. Indigenous peoples are increasingly included in the conversation and recognized as critical and influential stewards of and stakeholders in nature-based solutions. Concern about the current state of the market exists alongside optimism about ongoing efforts to resolve current issues and a general belief in the importance of this tool to protect, restore, and better manage nature for climate, biodiversity, and nature outcomes. Other themes covered include: Increasing corporate engagement in nature conservation and NbS spurred by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures. Alignment between climate action and biodiversity conservation via 30x30 commitments and Convention on Biological Diversity. The importance of indigenous sovereignty in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. Balancing necessary improvements with optimism, and views from some of the world's largest REDD+ project developers on rebuilding trust in carbon markets. Featured Voices (in order of appearance): Lucy Almond, Chair, Nature4Climate and Strategic Communications Lead for Nature-based Solutions at World Economic Forum Roman Czebiniak, Nature Based Solutions & Climate Private Sector Lead, WRI Eric Wilburn, founder and principal consultant, NatureBridge Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, former UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples from a Nia Tero panel (https://crm.nature4climate.org/civicrm/event/info?id=46&reset=1) Nemonte Nequimo, Indigenous activist, member of the Waorani Nation from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador, and co-founder of the Indigenous-led nonprofit organization Ceibo Alliance from a Nia Tero panel (https://crm.nature4climate.org/civicrm/event/info?id=46&reset=1) Nara Baré, Indigenous leader and first woman elected to lead Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), Brazil Renat Heuberger, co-Founder South Pole Joshua Tosteson, President, Everland from a Nature Positive Hub panel (https://crm.nature4climate.org/civicrm/event/info?id=39&reset=1) Want to learn more? Check out these websites for more information on the organizations, efforts, and events mentioned in the podcast: Nature Positive Hub Day One Agenda (https://nature4climate.org/events/nature-positive-hub-nycw-2023-monday-18th/) Nature Positive Hub Day Two Agenda (https://nature4climate.org/events/day-2-tuesday-19th/) Nature Positive Hub Day Three Agenda (https://nature4climate.org/events/day-3-wednesday-20th/) Nature Positive Hub NYCW 2023 panel recordings (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZwFPkUsoHXl5ll80TfEDWoJwYg0MXGFV&si=ZadSq0q_bYlpjgUc) Nature for Climate (https://nature4climate.org/) Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (https://tnfd.global/) Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Markets (ICVCM) (https://icvcm.org/) Nia Tero (https://www.niatero.org/) New Yorker article on South Pole’s Kariba Project (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/10/23/the-great-cash-for-carbon-hustle) South Pole announces senior leadership change (https://www.southpole.com/news/south-pole-announces-senior-leadership-change) Interviews and panels recorded on: September 18th-22nd, 2023 Solving Climate, Naturally commentary recorded on: November 5th, 2023

5. 

   7 Sept 2023

   Episode 15: Leading Private Sector Action for a Nature Positive Future with Tim Christophersen, VP, Climate Action @ Salesforce

   Tim Christophersen leads Salesforce’s nature positive strategy - internally defining Salesforce’s nature-related goals and how to meet them, partnering with other corporations to help them advance action for nature, and driving cross-sector partnerships to unlock nature-based solutions at scale. Tim shares the challenges for nature-based solutions investments and corporate action today, provides his take on the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) and other recent regulatory and standards developments, discusses misconceptions in the market today, and gives tips on how to make the business case for nature in the private sector. In this episode, we also touch on: > Tim’s journey from the UN to Salesforce > The role of regulators and supranational organizations in driving impact for nature > Why Tim chose to join Salesforce in particular > How Tim makes the business case internally and externally for nature > Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) and how it can be made more approachable to corporates > Tim’s perspectives on the future of biodiversity markets > Misconceptions of nature-based solutions in the market today > Financing barriers and the status of the pipeline of nature-based projects > The role of philanthropy in unlocking capital > How to get involved in nature-positive action Want to learn more? Check out these resources: > Salesforce’s nature positive strategy (https://www.salesforce.com/content/dam/web/en_us/www/documents/white-papers/nature-positive-strategy.pdf) > Salesforce goes ‘nature positive’ (https://www.greenbiz.com/article/salesforce-goes-nature-positive) > Salesforce outlines strategy to boost private sector support for nature conservation and restoration (https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/nature-crisis/) > Salesforce’s FY23 Impact Report - A nature positive future (https://stakeholderimpactreport.salesforce.com/environment/a-nature-positive-future) > GIST Impact study on “natural farming through a wide-angle lens: true cost accounting study of community managed natural farming in andhra pradesh, india” (https://gistimpact.com/news-insights/groundbreaking-comparative-study-reveals-natural-farming-leads-for-yields-livelihoods-and-health/) > UN Decade on Restoration (https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/) Episode recorded on: July 21, 2023

6. 

   17 Aug 2023

   Episode 14: Creating a Nature Positive Tourism Industry with Megan Morikawa, Global Sustainability Office Director @ Iberostar

   In our first episode featuring a corporate sustainability leader focused on nature-based solutions, we interview Megan about her role at Iberostar, her priorities as they relate to nature-based solutions, and the challenges and opportunities driving innovation for both adaptation and mitigation internally and with partners externally. Megan shares her thoughts on what a nature positive, responsible tourism industry looks like, and what she wishes her peers in corporate sustainability knew about nature-based solutions. In this episode, we also touch on: > Megan’s journey from PhD student at Stanford to leading sustainability at Iberostar > Iberostar’s sustainability goals and making the business case for sustainability > How Iberostar’s action contribute to broader, industry-wide efforts > The role of nature - both for adaptation and mitigation - in the hospitality sector > Megan’s experiences investing in nature-based solutions projects > How to build trust with on-the-ground communities for meaningful impact > Driving innovation and action on sustainability in the private sector Want to learn more? Check out these resources: > Wave of Change (https://waveofchange.com/) - Iberostar’s commitment to responsible tourism > Iberostar’s decarbonization roadmap (https://waveofchange.com/resource/decarbonization-roadmap/) Episode recorded on: June 23, 2023

7. 

   26 Jul 2023

   Episode 13: Using Tech to Spark the Restoration Movement with Clara Rowe, CEO @ Restor

   In this episode, we talk with Clara about Restor, an online platform that hosts more than 100,000 restoration and conservation projects worldwide and connects on-the-ground land stewards of these projects with the financing and information they need to succeed. Clara speaks about what these projects actually look like, the opportunities and limitations of digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (DMRV) technology, and the role of Restor in driving the overall restoration movement forward. In this episode, we touch on: > Clara’s journey from the cloud forests of Monteverde, Costa Rica to CEO of Restor > How Restor works - its users, business model, and tech > Nuances of DMRV for projects in the global south > Examples of project successes and failures > Intersection between restoration and productive land uses like agriculture > Misconceptions and barriers to scale for restoration projects Want to learn more? Check out these resources: Restor’s Home Page (https://restor.eco/?lat=26&lng=14.23&zoom=3) Restor on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@restoreco6738) Episode recorded on: June 16, 2023

8. 

   4 May 2023

   Episode 12: Trust, Tech, and Transparency for Scaling Carbon Finance with Ariel Hayward, Climate Strategy & Solutions @ Patch

   In this episode, we talk with Ariel about her work at Patch scaling carbon removal solutions through innovative finance mechanisms and tech, what’s holding the voluntary carbon market back today, and the ins and outs of soil carbon relative to other nature-based solutions out there. In this episode, we touch on: > Ariel’s personal journey from her family’s background in farming and ag to her work in business to drive capital to climate solutions > Patch’s role in the climate tech ecosystem > The nuances of soil carbon particularly as it relates to MRV > Pillars of high-integrity carbon credits > Offtake agreements and strategies for managing risk in carbon projects > Corporate claims and carbon credit buyer misconceptions Want to learn more? Check out these resources: Compensation vs. contribution: Comparing climate spending models (https://www.greenbiz.com/article/compensation-vs-contribution-comparing-climate-spending-models) Introducing CarbonOS: the infrastructure for the carbon market of the future (https://www.patch.io/blog/introducing-carbonos-the-infrastructure-for-the-carbon-market-of-the-future) Patch Offtake: A business solution driving outsized impact for our climate future (https://www.patch.io/blog/offtake-a-business-solution-driving-outsized-impact-for-climate) 5 climate commitments and how to identify yours (https://www.patch.io/downloads/5-climate-commitments) A buyer's guide to trusted carbon credits: 3 things to consider when purchasing carbon credits (https://www.patch.io/webinars/a-buyers-guide-to-trusted-carbon-credits) Episode recorded on: April 7, 2023

9. 

   13 Sept 2022

   Episode 11: Unlocking Capital for Nature with Megan Reilly Cayten, Senior Investment Manager @ Climate Asset Management

   In this episode, we speak with Megan Reilly Cayten. Megan has developed, financed, and managed projects to deliver positive impacts for people and the planet on four continents, and is currently Senior Investment Manager with Climate Asset Management, a new institutional natural capital platform. She has a background in power and infrastructure development, finance, and asset management , and has advised funds, companies and projects on climate and carbon offset strategy and impact. She is a Senior Adviser to the Oceans 2050 Foundation, board member of the largest conservation NGO in Mexico and Environmental Voter Project and is on the National Council of World Wildlife Fund. Her passion is climate restoration, with the goal of leaving our children a habitable planet. In this episode, we touch on: The specific opportunities and challenges around scaling natural climate solutions in emerging markets, and the importance of centering indigenous communities as partners and stewards The power of the ocean as a climate lever, the climate impacts to oceans of absorbing incredible amounts of energy and heat, and the status of emerging methodologies to unlock seaweed as a form of at-scale carbon sequestration Climate Asset Management’s mandate, how it addresses the unique dimensions of investing in NCS, and how NCS investing differs from conventional infrastructure and real asset opportunities What’s required for making natural capital an asset class, the path to making nature-based projects bankable, and what’s needed to drive more investment into natural climate solutions Why “nature is the new climate” - why nature and biodiversity considerations are as essential to our focus as addressing greenhouse gas emissions Want to learn more? Check out these resources: Nature is the New Climate (https://www.environmental-finance.com/content/analysis/nature-is-the-new-climate.html) (Megan Reilly Cayten, Environmental Finance) The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/final-report-the-economics-of-biodiversity-the-dasgupta-review) Financing the Earth’s Assets: The Case for Mangroves (https://earthsecurity.org/report/financing-the-earths-assets-the-case-for-mangroves/) (Earth Security) Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (https://tnfd.global/) France’s Article 29 (https://globalcanopy.org/insights/insight/frances-article-29-biodiversity-disclosure-requirements-sign-of-whats-to-come/) on biodiversity disclosures and the UK’s 2021 Environment Act (https://www.local.gov.uk/pas/topics/environment/biodiversity-net-gain-local-authorities#:~:text=Under%20the%20Environment%20Act%202021,for%20at%20least%2030%20years.) mandating that projects deliver a biodiversity net gain “Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered” (http://www.daastol.com/books/Schumacher%20(1973)%20Small%20is%20Beautiful.pdf) (E.F. Schumacher) Episode recorded: February 1, 2022

10. 

    28 Jul 2022

    Episode 10: Mobilizing Private Sector Finance for Tropical Forest Countries with Eron Bloomgarden, Executive Director and Co-Founder @ Emergent

    In this episode, we speak with Eron Bloomgarden of Emergent, a non-profit designed to channel large flows of private capital into protecting the world’s tropical forests. In 2021 Emergent launched the LEAF Coalition, which works with jurisdictions (countries or large states) on the supply side of REDD+ carbon credits, and large corporates on the buy-side, to provide forward purchase agreements. Donor countries - the US, UK, and Norway - act as buyers of last resort. To date, the LEAF Coalition has raised over $1 billion in funding for forest protection. Eron brings two decades of carbon markets experience to the conversation. He shares his unique perspective on how carbon markets have evolved, and what’s still needed today. In this episode, we touch on: History of carbon markets, from the more top-down Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), to the more bottom-up Paris Agreement, to present day Rapid ramp-up of the voluntary carbon market over the last 18-24 months, and institutional catch-up Emergent’s LEAF Coalition connecting corporates with jurisdictional REDD+ carbon credits through forward purchase agreements ART’s TREES standard for jurisdictional crediting, and why this was developed Ins and outs of developing a jurisdictional-level REDD+ programme and how LEAF connects the dots between buyers and suppliers Want to learn more? Check out these resources: Emergent (https://www.emergentclimate.com/) TREES: The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard (https://www.artredd.org/trees/) EDF announcement regarding LEAF at COP26 in Glasgow (https://www.edf.org/media/leaf-coalition-delivers-tropical-forests-and-forest-defenders) What’s next for the LEAF coalition (https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2022/01/13/whats-next-for-the-leaf-coalition-an-outlook-for-tropical-forest-protection-in-2022-and-beyond/) News and views from the LEAF coalition and Emergent (https://www.emergentclimate.com/news-views/) *** Episode recorded on: January 28, 2022

11. 

    5 Jun 2022

    Episode 09: Regenerative Ranching and Learning from the Land with Doniga Markegard of Markegard Family Grass-Fed

    Doniga is a regenerative rancher, wildlife tracker, author and thought leader around nature and our role within it. She and her husband own and operate Markegard Family Grass-Fed, and lease land encompassing over 11,000 acres across the Bay Area in Northern California. In this episode, we explore the lessons Doniga has learned in her many years of actively managing land and applying regenerative practices and witnessing first hand all the climate, biodiversity and systemic benefits that stem from them. Topics covered in this episode: Doniga’s journey from wildlife tracking to regenerative ranching Connection between ranching and biodiversity and soil carbon outcomes Barriers to switching to regenerative practices Role of corporations versus policy in promoting regenerative agriculture Want to learn more? Check out these resources: Markegard Family Grassfed (https://www.markegardfamily.com/) - Doniga’s regenerative ranching company Point Blue Conservation (https://www.pointblue.org/) - Conservation organization referenced by Doniga in the episode Move Your DNA: Restore your Health through Natural Movement (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0718X8N7H/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1)- Book by Katie Bowman referenced by Doniga in the episode Doniga’s incredible story as written by her in her books Dawn Again (https://propriometricspress.com/dawn-again/) and Wolf Girl (https://www.wildernessawareness.org/store/c-ya/young-adult/wolf-girl-finding-myself-in-the-wild/) These cattle ranchers are raising better beef, spending less — and reducing carbon emissions (https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/19/regenerative-ranching-changing-how-cattle-graze-reducing-emissions.html) (CNBC) Regenerative Agriculture: Good for Soil Health but Limited Potential to Mitigate Climate Change (https://www.wri.org/insights/regenerative-agriculture-good-soil-health-limited-potential-mitigate-climate-change) (World Resources Institute) *** Episode recorded on: February 18, 2022

12. 

    28 Feb 2022

    Episode 08: Harnessing Kelp and the Oceans for Gigaton-Scale Impact with Marty Odlin, CEO of Running Tide

    In this episode, we speak to Marty about the urgency of the climate crisis and the role that ocean ecosystem restoration and carbon sequestration have to play in solving it. Having grown up around commercial fishing and received formal training as an engineer, Marty is combining his passion for our oceans with his technological know-how to build Running Tide, working to scale our ocean’s ability to sequester carbon, create more resilient shorelines, and provide nutritious food to our changing and ever-more populous planet. Kelp as a natural climate solution is still new, and largely untested and Marty speaks to both the opportunity and challenge of his work to test and drive this solution forward. Topics covered in this episode: - Marty’s personal journey - How technology, data science, and automation play a role in oyster farming and kelp deployment - Marty’s views on how tackling climate change is the “largest industrial effort in history” - How kelp works as a form of carbon removal - The science behind kelp sinking - what we know, what we don’t know Want to learn more? Check out these resources: - Running Tide (https://www.runningtide.com/) - This startup grows kelp then sinks it to suck carbon from the air (CNN) (https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/03/business/running-tide-kelp-carbon/index.html) - Carbon removal ‘is the biggest industry in the history of the world,’ Running Tide CEO says (https://news.yahoo.com/carbon-removal-industry-running-tide-ceo-223235858.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACeHL6ou1Axh8VOQ15IC6o1cjLTO7USZGwVKIMj0CbSiuTdNoF0GJIrr31DixDxuY2rX3mAcoqoffYe5GrVX2HRrsIJQMGCWPhQmjvZ6z2tMYEThKtELS7-w-0R6CNnkMyOvYYeC8i8pTGiIfceUAVmeO-eQa6InhqOvMoXjN06r) (Yahoo Finance) - Companies hoping to grow carbon sucking kelp may be rushing ahead of the science (https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/19/1035889/kelp-carbon-removal-seaweed-sinking-climate-change/) - Book recommendation: Freedom’s Forge (https://www.amazon.com/Freedoms-Forge-American-Business-Produced/dp/0812982045) by Arthur Herman *** Episode recorded on: November 19, 2021

13. 

    22 Dec 2021

    Episode 07: Community-Managed Forests, Wildlife Corridors, and Biodiversity in the Congo Basin with Dominique Bikaba, Executive Director of Strong Roots Congo

    In this episode, we sit down with Dominique Bikaba, Founder and Executive Director of Strong Roots Congo, a grassroots conservation and sustainable development organization operating in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that is securing land tenure for community forests and creating an ecological corridor for the critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla. The corridor preserves primary forest and enhances reforestation of degraded areas, while creating economic opportunity for community members. Born in the area that is now that Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Dominique has dedicated his life to conservation in the region. He holds a master's degree from the Yale School of Forestry. We wanted to feature stories from the DRC because when it comes to addressing climate change, DRC stands to play an outsize role. Beyond its status as the largest country by area in Sub-Saharan Africa and the 15th most populous country in the world, DRC is home to 80% of the Congo Basin rainforest - the only remaining significant carbon sink among the world’s three largest tropical rainforests. It is also the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a critical component of lithium-ion batteries, and thus electric vehicles. Yet the DRC is also plagued by long-running violent conflict, an exploitative history of mineral and natural resources extraction, poverty, and corruption. It is both one of the most important, and most challenging, frontiers for conservation and climate action. In this conversation, we touch on: - The importance of the Congo Basin for both preservation of biodiversity and as the world’s largest carbon sink - The idea that people are a part of nature, not enemies to it - The need to combine, rather than replace, traditional knowledge with science and technology - DRC’s legal framework for community-managed forests, and Strong Roots Congo’s efforts to secure community land rights to create a 600,000 ha ecological corridor between Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Itombwe Nature Reserve - crucial habitat for three species of great apes - Drivers of deforestation in the DRC, most notably energy needs of a growing population - The need for sustainable conservation financing that enables a holistic, long-term approach to landscape management Want to learn more? Check out these resources: - Strong Roots Congo (https://strongrootscongo.org/) - Nia Tero (https://www.niatero.org/) - Kahuzi-Biega National Park (https://www.kahuzibieganationalpark.com/) - Nature article, “Age, extent and carbon storage of the central Congo Basin peatland complex” (https://www.nature.com/articles/nature21048) - National Geographic article, “Inside the search for Africa’s carbon time bomb” (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/inside-search-for-africa-carbon-time-bomb-peatland) *** Episode recorded on: September 30, 2021

14. 

    14 Nov 2021

    Episode 06: Getting to Quality & Quantity in Carbon Markets with Duncan van Bergen, Co-Founder at Calyx Global

    In this episode, we talk with Duncan about his new venture, Calyx Global, the role of different actors in the voluntary carbon market, how this market is evolving, and the challenges of driving both quality and scale. In this episode, we touch on: - The challenges of ensuring quality in the carbon markets and the state of voluntary carbon markets today - How Calyx Global assesses quality of carbon credits, using new assessment processes, technology, and data - The current state of the carbon markets ecosystem and how standards bodies, verifying bodies, intermediaries, and end users interact - and how it parallels (or could parallel) the evolution of our traditional financial system - How Duncan thought about structuring Calyx, an organization focused on driving climate impact at scale - Duncan’s views on key developments in the carbon markets, such as work by the Taskforce for Scaling Voluntary Carbon Market and other ongoing initiatives - How do we get nature-based solutions to the scale required by big corporations and the economy at large Want to learn more? Check out these resources: - Calyx Global (https://www.calyxglobal.com/) - The TSVCM’s final report (https://www.iif.com/Portals/1/Files/TSVCM_Report.pdf)*** More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/ Tell us what you think! solvingclimatenaturally@gmail.com *** Episode recorded on: October 6, 2021

15. 

    25 Aug 2021

    Episode 05: Restoring Degraded Landscapes: Regenerative Agroforestry & Greening the Desert with Neal Spackman, CEO of Regenerative Resources Co.

    In this episode, we talk to Neal about his work transforming degraded landscapes through regenerative agroforestry. From the Al Baydha Project in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, where he lived and worked alongside the bedouin tribesmen to convert deserts into savannahs, to his current work establishing regenerative seawater agroforestry systems in Mexico and beyond, Neal brings a wealth of knowledge as well as a dose of inspiration for the ecological transformation that can be accomplished even in some of the most difficult environments. Topics covered in this episode: - [01:35] Neal’s personal journey into regenerative ecosystems - [07:35] Why, when, and where of desertification - [18:53] Can we feed a world with regenerative agriculture? - [25:58] Neal’s years as co-founder of the Al Baydha project in Saudi Arabia - [36:13] Mangroves afforestation and developing regenerative seawater agroforestry systems - [47:18] Regenerative Resources Co’s business model and the challenges of financing regenerative projects more broadly Want to learn more? Check out these resources: - Regenerative Resources Co (https://regenerativeresources.co/) - The Story of Al Baydha: A Regenerative Agriculture in the Saudi Desert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T39QHprz-x8) - Sustainable Design MasterClass (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNQTz57XtBSKAlxd3iOUTwg/featured) - 150+ hours of webinars on YouTube - Jevons paradox (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox) - Book recommendations: Natural Capitalism (https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Capitalism-Creating-Industrial-Revolution/dp/0316353000), When the Rivers Run Dry (https://www.amazon.com/Rivers-Fully-Revised-Updated-Water/dp/0807054895/ref=sr_1_1), N. K. Jemisin’s The Broken Earth Trilogy (https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Earth-Trilogy-Season-Obelisk/dp/031652719X/ref=sr_1_1/) (https://www.weforum.org/uplink) *** More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/ Tell us what you think! solvingclimatenaturally@gmail.com *** Episode recorded on: April 9, 2021

16. 

    20 Jul 2021

    Episode 04: Public Private Partnerships to End Deforestation and Accelerate Restoration with Justin Adams, Executive Director of the Tropical Forest Alliance at WEF

    In this episode, we talk with Justin about his work bridging worlds in order to unlock the potential that nature has to be a bigger part of the climate story. He discusses the critical importance of putting people at the center of natural climate solutions (NCS) and funneling more resources to farmers, foresters, environmental organizations, and communities that are on the forefront of climate change. He also shares a number of stories to inspire hope and optimism, and the dream that we could be the first generation in 10,000 years to begin to reverse environmental damage. In this episode, we touch on: - The role of the Tropical Forest Alliance, 1 Trillion Trees, and other global initiatives in the NCS movement - Centering people in natural climate solutions - The role of corporations, and the need for standardized, transparent reporting against corporate pledges - The promise of carbon finance - and where it might fall short - The importance of indigenous peoples’ land rights, and stories of indigenous leadership - Opportunities for environmental restoration in post-conflict regions If Justin had a magic wand, how would he scale-up natural climate solutions? Put the farmers, those that have a direct impact on nature and dependence on nature, at the center of major discussions on NCS. Want to learn more? Check out these resources: - Investing Less than 1% of World GDP into Nature-Based Solutions Can Tackle Climate Change and Biodiversity Crisis (https://www.weforum.org/press/2021/05/investing-less-than-1-of-world-gdp-into-nature-based-solutions-can-tackle-climate-change-and-biodiversity-crisis/) - NCS Alliance website (https://www.weforum.org/natural-climate-solutions-alliance) - 1t.org Sahel and the Great Green Wall (https://www.1t.org/sahel) - Uplink (https://www.weforum.org/uplink) *** More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/ Tell us what you think! solvingclimatenaturally@gmail.com *** Episode recorded on: April 14, 2021

17. 

    21 May 2021

    Episode 03: Sizing the Prize and Unlocking Natural Climate Solutions at Scale with Bronson Griscom, Senior Director of NCS at Conservation International

    In 2017, Bronson Griscom published a landmark study on the impact potential of natural climate solutions, suggesting that a portfolio of conservation, restoration and land management actions can enable at least 30% of required emissions reductions by 2030 to remain on a 2C pathway. In this episode, we explore how Bronson thought about pursuing these questions, how likely we are to actually get it done, and how we can unlock NCS at scale. In this episode, we touch on: - How to fix nature’s ‘branding problem’ - How to think about impact measurement, permanence and leakage for NCS - How future warming impacts the potential of these solutions - What needs to happen to create momentum behind NCS projects Want to learn more? Check out these resources: - Bronson’s essential research on the enormous impact potential of different natural climate solutions (http://www.pnas.org/content/114/44/11645.full), and a related piece on natural climate solutions for the United States (https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/11/eaat1869) - CI blog post on “What on earth are natural climate solutions?” (https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-are-natural-climate-solutions) - Bronson’s paper on the role of soil carbon in NCS (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0491-z) - Bronson’s piece on protecting irrecoverable carbon in Earth’s ecosystems (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0738-8) - …and many more (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=abfEKR4AAAAJ&hl=en)! *** More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/ Tell us what you think! solvingclimatenaturally@gmail.com *** Episode recorded on: February 26, 2021

18. 

    28 Apr 2021

    Episode 02: Tropical Forests, REDD+ Finance, and Nature-Based Carbon Offsets with Frances Seymour, Distinguished Senior Fellow at World Resources Institute

    In this episode, we discuss the importance of tropical forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and we take a tour of natural climate solutions over the years. Frances discusses the evolution of global programs to pay developing countries to protect against deforestation, the merits of conservation vs. tree planting, and her recent work around nature-based solutions as offsets in corporate sustainability strategies. In this episode, we touch on: - Non-carbon pathways through which forests help moderate the climate, and why “a ton is not a ton, is not a ton” of emissions abatement - Evolution of REDD+ over the years, and the importance of a jurisdictional (vs. project-based) approach to carbon crediting - Why both “climate world” and “development world” underinvest in natural climate solutions - Advice for corporate sustainability teams on how to think about offsets If Frances had a magic wand, how would she scale up natural climate solutions? In addition to reducing their own emissions, we need big corporate buyers to make forward commitments to paying good prices for jurisdictional-scale REDD+ credits that meet a high standard. Want to learn more? Check out these resources: - Consideration of Nature-Based Solutions as Offsets in Corporate Climate Change Mitigation Strategies (https://www.wri.org/publication/consideration-nature-based-solutions-offsets-corporate-climate-change-mitigation-strategies) (Frances Seymour and Paige Langer, March 2021) - 3 Tips for Companies Navigating the Use of Carbon Credits from Nature (https://www.wri.org/blog/2021/03/insider-3-tips-companies-navigating-use-carbon-credits-nature) (Frances Seymour and Paige Langer, March 2021) – WRI blog accompanying the working paper - Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) (https://www.artredd.org/trees/) – developed TREES standard for ensuring environmental and social integrity on the supply side of REDD+ credits - Global Forest Review (https://research.wri.org/gfr/global-forest-review) – Global Forest Watch (GFW)’s new website that provides insights on 2020 tree cover loss - 2021 Must Be a Turning Point for Forests. 2020 Data Shows Us Why (https://www.wri.org/blog/2021/03/2021-must-be-turning-point-forests-2020-data-shows-us-why) (Frances Seymour, March 2021) - Seeing the Forests as well as the (Trillion) Trees in Corporate Climate Strategies (https://www.cell.com/one-earth/pdf/S2590-3322(20)30211-6.pdf) (Frances Seymour, May 2020) - 4 Reasons Why a Jurisdictional Approach for REDD+ Crediting Is Superior to a Project-Based Approach (https://www.wri.org/blog/2020/05/insider-4-reasons-why-jurisdictional-approach-redd-crediting-superior-project-based) (Frances Seymour, May 2020) - Reducing Tropical Deforestation (https://science.sciencemag.org/content/365/6455/756.full?ijkey=ORUVMCo67JUNc&keytype=ref&siteid=sci) (Frances Seymour and Nancy Harris, August 2019 in Science) – brief read on the drivers of tropical deforestation - Why Forests? Why Now? (https://www.cgdev.org/publication/why-forests-why-now-science-economics-and-politics-tropical-forests-and-climate-change) (2016) *** More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/ Tell us what you think! solvingclimatenaturally@gmail.com *** Episode recorded on: February 5, 2021

19. 

    14 Apr 2021

    Episode 01: Forest Carbon, Tech, and Planetary Market Failure with Max Nova, COO & Co-Founder at NCX (formerly SilviaTerra)

    In this episode, we explore how technology is changing the way we measure, value, and drive natural climate solutions at scale. Max shares the story of SilviaTerra, discusses with us the importance of data in building functioning natural capital markets, and shares how SilviaTerra is using that data to build the Natural Capital Exchange, their forest carbon marketplace. In this episode, we touch on: - Translating data to change on the landscape - Role of markets versus government in resource management - Key factors in evaluating forest carbon impact - The time-value of carbon If Max had a magic wand, how would he scale-up natural climate solutions? Make sure governments get the rules right to actually change landowners’ behavior. Want to learn more? Check out these resources: - https://www.silviaterra.com/ - SilviaTerra’s white paper on forest carbon economics (https://blog.silviaterra.com/guide-to-forest-carbon/) - Blog post (https://blog.silviaterra.com/big-news-for-us-bigger-news-for-the-planet/) announcing Microsoft as SilviaTerra’s first NCAPX buyer *** More at: https://www.solvingclimatenaturally.com/ Tell us what you think! solvingclimatenaturally@gmail.com *** Episode recorded on: December 5, 2020 Note: Julia Osterman (co-host) now works at SilviaTerra but did not at the time of recording.

Inside a recent episode

Episode 19: 10X Conservation in Silicon Valley with the Peninsula Open Space Trust

Published 5 Jan 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Very inspiring visions for the coming decade as the last question before we move to the lightning round I wanted to ask a little bit about what we can all take away from post success I'm struck that we often look to Silicon Valley for all the learnings on technology and innovation and I think if there's one thing that I'm taking away from this conversation is that we should also be learning from Silicon Valley on conserving critical landscapes at scale and obviously poses quite a remarkable organization that's ahead of the curve with already more than a third of land in the working area under protection so we'd love to ask just very simply what do you think has really driven post success as an organization that others might learn from and replicate in other parts of the world. […]

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