932: Mike Kelland | A Planetary Approach to Fixing the Climate Crisis

Carbon Finance

Carbon finance is a burgeoning industry, with hundreds of billions of dollars being allocated to various carbon-related initiatives. Mike Kelland explains that while current carbon finance often involves trading allowances, which helps lower emissions, it doesn't effectively remove carbon from the atmosphere 1. He highlights the importance of shifting focus towards permanent removal solutions, such as land use and natural solutions, despite their limitations in scalability and permanence 1. Kelland also discusses the role of companies like Shopify and Stripe in advancing market commitments for carbon removal, emphasizing the need for innovative funding models to drive progress 2.

It's a huge international conversation. There's things like what's called article six, which is about trading carbon between countries.

--- Mike Kelland

The future of carbon finance is expected to evolve, with a potential trillion-dollar annual industry by 2050 if IPCC goals are met 3.

   

Sustainable Solutions

Sustainable solutions for carbon sequestration involve innovative technologies and careful material sourcing. Mike Kelland discusses the potential of using mine tailings and industrial waste as sources of antacid, which can help in carbon capture 4. He emphasizes the importance of managing waste byproducts effectively, noting that while metals are easier to manage than plastics, careful characterization and management are crucial 5. The focus is on utilizing existing clean sources to accelerate progress, allowing time to develop more advanced technologies.

We're just taking a little emphasis off that and putting the emphasis on, hey, what's available today, because that'll get us there faster.

--- Mike Kelland

This approach aims to address the urgent need for scalable solutions in the face of the climate crisis 5.