Stock Take: Halfway through 2023 – Voluntary Markets

To ensure they are contributing to climate goals and supporting high-quality emissions reductions, buyers must prioritize quality when incorporating carbon credits into their sustainability strategies. In this episode, we dive into the world of carbon credit buyers with Andy Kruger, Senior Director, Environmental Markets at ClimeCo, to explore their unique perspectives on navigating the intricate carbon market landscape. We’ll discuss their purchasing methods, how they evaluate various standards to secure high-quality credits, and the role of carbon credits in sustainability plans. Join us to gain valuable insights into how credit buyers foster successful carbon markets and provide critical financing to support global climate goals.

The SEC’s newly finalized "Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors" rule marks a significant shift for public companies, requiring them to disclose climate-related risks, governance practices, and greenhouse gas emissions. This regulation is poised to rewrite corporate climate strategies, with far-reaching effects on the carbon market and sustainability reporting. In this episode, we'll explore with two experts from Ceres, Carolyn Ching, Director, Food and Forests and Jake Rascoff, Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets, what the rule means for companies navigating these new requirements, the growing role of carbon credits, and how these changes will influence the future of the carbon market in the United States. Join us as we break down the implications for businesses and the broader climate action landscape.

California stands as a global leader in climate action and a champion of carbon markets. Yet, even after more than a decade of building a robust compliance market and witnessing its positive impacts across sectors and communities, a single legislative bill has the potential to bring progress to a halt. Over the past year, bills like SB1036 and AB2331 have sparked significant concern within the carbon space. Now, as AB1305 takes center stage, we’re joined by Alfredo Arredondo, Partner at RESOLUTE, to explore how these proposals could impact California’s market and what stands to be gained or lost. Join us as we discuss the broader implications of these legislative issues and examine how the carbon community can move forward to safeguard the market as an essential tool for addressing climate change.

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 Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA, joins us to explore the implications of these trends for climate and environmental policies. Together, we examine the role of the Supreme Court in ensuring effective regulation, strategies for navigating this evolving legal landscape, and what these shifts mean for the future of environmental governance in the United States.

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 ICVCM as they continue to lead the way in transforming the VCM. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on the future of voluntary carbon markets and their critical role in global climate action.

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 is implementing to mitigate these risks. We’ll also explore how CAL FIRE collaborates with organizations to protect California's natural resources and communities. Tune in to learn more about the importance of government intervention and partnerships in addressing this urgent issue.

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 carbon credits for Scope 3 and discuss how their inclusion fits into broader sustainability strategies. Join us as we unpack the nuances of Scope 3, and the role carbon credits can play in forging a sustainable future.

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 could shape the future of global climate policy. Join us for a roadmap to the pivotal discussions and potential breakthroughs expected at this international stage.

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 Wyatt, Deputy General Counsel and Chief Sustainability Officer at Persefoni, about what has been implemented under the IRA to date and the impact it can have.

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 & Prosperous Washington, and Tom Wolf, bp America’s Senior Government Relations Manager, U.S. West Coast. Together we will explore potential consequences of the initiative, what it means for Washington’s climate goals and investments, and the broader question – should this measure become law? Whether you’re following the initiative closely or just tuning in, this episode will provide an in-depth look at a pivotal moment for climate policy in Washington and beyond.