Powered by RND
PodcastsScienceThe Carbon Curve

The Carbon Curve

Na’im Merchant
The Carbon Curve
Latest episode

Available Episodes

5 of 54
  • Mati Carbon's $50M leap forward
    Episode 54 is with Shantanu Agrawal, Founder and CEO of Mati Carbon and Nikki Batchelor, Executive Director for the $100M Carbon Removal XPRIZE.In this episode, Na’im delves into the groundbreaking achievements in carbon removal led by Mati Carbon and the XPRIZE Carbon Dioxide Removal Competition. Shantanu Aggarwal, CEO of Mati Carbon, discusses winning the $50 million grand prize of the XPRIZE competition. Nikki Bachelor from XPRIZE highlights the competition’s impact in catalyzing the carbon removal market, with insights into scaling solutions and responsible deployment. The conversation covers the intersection of carbon removal, economic development, and global collaboration to combat climate change.In this episode, Na’im, Nikki, and Shantanu discuss: * The journey and development of the XPRIZE Carbon Removal Prize; * The catalytic impact of XPRIZE on the carbon removal industry; * The significant achievements and challenges faced by the finalist teams; * Mati Carbon’s strategy and successes, specifically their work with small holder farmers; * The importance of maintaining high standards for carbon removal verification and community engagement; * The ambitious goals and global development impact driven by Mati Carbon's enhanced rock weathering approach; and* Future directions and initiatives for XPRIZE.Relevant Links:* XPRIZE Carbon Removal - Website* XPRIZE Carbon Removal Winners - Article* Meet the Winners - Video* Mati Carbon - WebsiteAbout Shantanu:Shantanu Agrawal is a serial entrepreneur with over 22 years of experience in the energy and sustainability sectors. He holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is a Schmidt Innovation Fellow and a Henry Fellow, recognized for his work in advancing scalable climate solutions in the Global South. As the Founder & CEO of Mati Carbon, he directs strategy,fundraising and leads cross functional teams to deliver large-scale carbon-removal initiatives that strengthen climate resilience for smallholder farmers. Prior to founding Mati Carbon, Shantanu co-founded Sustaera, a Direct Air Capture company. He has also led investments in a number of energy and industrial tech startups in the past as a general partner in a venture capital fund.About Nikki:Nikki Batchelor is the Executive Director for the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal, a competition supported by the Musk Foundation to drive innovation, market adoption, and responsible deployment of carbon removal solutions. In this capacity she oversees program operations, develops partnerships, and leads strategic initiatives on topics such as environmental justice and investor engagement, including the Circular Carbon Network that provides market insights for the growing carbon tech and carbon removal sectors. Nikki also supports XPRIZE’s work across the Energy & Climate Domain and previously managed operations and impact programs for the $20M NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE from 2015-2021. She also serves on the Carbon Business Council Board of Directors and Puro.Earth Advisory Board.Background on Mati:Mati Carbon does durable carbon removal through Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) with smallholder farmers of the Global South. The company partners with smallholder farmers to apply finely ground basalt to croplands, accelerating the natural geochemical process of rock weathering that permanently removes atmospheric CO₂ while restoring soil fertility and increasing crop yields.Mati Carbon is the winner of the $50M XPRIZE Carbon Removal Grand Prize, and its high-quality carbon credits are purchased by marquee buyers including Stripe, Shopify, H&M, and Siemens. By the end of 2025, the company is on track to engage 30,000 Background on XPRIZE:XPRIZE is an established global leader in designing, launching, and executing large scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. The XPRIZE unique model democratizes innovation by incentivizing crowd-sourced, scientifically viable solutions to create a more equitable and abundant future for all. This episode was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Consecon Foundation.This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is on the advisory board of the Carbon Removal Standards Initiative and Terraset, and a former policy fellow with Elemental Impact. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.Tank Chen is the Head of Content and Community at CDR.fyi, a public benefit corporation dedicated to accelerating carbon removal through transparency. He is also the co-founder of CDRjobs, a career platform for the carbon removal industry. Based in Taiwan, Tank is a carbon removal advocate focused on educating policymakers, corporate leaders, and the public on the importance of carbon removal, using data-driven insights to support communication and policy advocacy.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com
    --------  
    43:19
  • Special Episode: Canada's Carbon Edge
    Episode 53 is a Special Episode with Ed Whittingham of Advance Climate Solutions and Grégoire Baillargeon, President of BMO Québec and Vice Chair of BMO Capital Markets.In this special live episode of The Carbon Curve, Na’im is joined by Ed Whittingham of Advance Climate Solutions and host of the Energy vs. Climate podcast and Grégoire Baillargeon, President of BMO Quebec, Vice Chair of BMO Capital Markets, and Board Member of Carbon Removal Canada. Recorded at the Climate Solutions Prize Festival, the “multi-host” panel discusses the potential of Canada to scale carbon removal technologies and seize a leadership role in this burgeoning field. Key topics include the integration of policy, markets, and innovation, the economic and job creation potential of carbon removal in Canada, and the role of the government and private sector in supporting this sector. The conversation also highlights existing challenges and the need for concerted action to realize Canada's carbon removal ambitions.This episode was cross-published on the Energy vs. Climate podcast.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He was a policy fellow with Elemental Impact. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. This post represents his personal views and not those of Carbon Removal Canada. You can get in touch with him on LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com
    --------  
    38:37
  • Special Episode by Plan Sea and The Carbon Curve: Insights from the Carbon to Sea 2025 Annual Convening
    Episode 52 is a special joint episode with Plan Sea host Anna Madlener and Lennart Bach, Associate Professor and ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) scientist at the University of Tasmania.In this episode, Na’im joins Anna Madlener for a special co-hosted episode between Plan Sea and The Carbon Curve, recorded live at the Carbon to Sea 2025 Annual Convening. Anna and Na’im speak with Lennart Bach, to share insights and key takeaways from this year’s convening.Last month, Carbon to Sea hosted its third Annual Convening in Washington, D.C., bringing together scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to share recent progress and discuss a path forward for OAE. Building on the conversations started during the convening, Na’im and Bach highlight the importance of aligning on MRV approaches, cross-sector partnerships, increased community and policymaker engagement, and new funding pathways as key avenues to explore. Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He was a policy fellow with Elemental Impact. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. This post represents his personal views and not those of Carbon Removal Canada. You can get in touch with him on LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com
    --------  
    34:08
  • What's in store for carbon removal under America's policy pivot?
    Episode 51 is with Erin Burns, Executive Director of Carbon180.This episode highlights the critical need for long-term strategies and adaptability in carbon removal policies amidst changing political landscapes. Key takeaways include the importance of making carbon removal efforts tangible and real for policymakers by emphasizing measurable impacts and local benefits, the necessity of building broad coalitions and engaging various stakeholders to sustain and expand carbon removal initiatives, and the focus on developing new, specialized carbon removal policies while defending existing programs to ensure continued progress in the sector.In this episode, Na’im and Erin discuss:* Erin's unique journey into the carbon removal sector;* The mission and strategic direction of Carbon180;* Key policy wins and challenges faced in the carbon removal field;* The importance of taking a long-term view in carbon removal efforts;* Strategies for adapting to changing political landscapes;* Practical advice for carbon removal professionals and companies on maintaining momentum and engagement;* The necessity of building broader coalitions for durable policy success. Relevant Links:* Carbon180 - Website* Six defining moments for carbon removal in 2024 - Carbon180 Blog* A Carbon180 cofounder reflects on his time in Biden’s DOE - Carbon180 Blog* The Carbon Removal Industry’s Trump Playbook - Heatmap News [🔒Paywall ]About Erin Burns: Erin shapes the organization's strategic direction while growing the organization's influence in both policy and the carbon removal field. Previously, she worked in the Senate for Joe Manchin handling energy environment, labor, and agricultural issues, including staffing for the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the public land subcommittee.She also worked at third way, a DC-based think tank, managing carbon capture and removal innovation and clean energy. A native of West Virginia. She has worked on the Coal Community transition. Erin sits on the Board of the Good Energy Collective and serves as an advisor to the University of Michigan's global CO2 initiative, the Carbon Removal Standards Initiative, and Absolute Climate.About Carbon180: Carbon180 is reversing two centuries of legacy carbon emissions. They work with policymakers, entrepreneurs, and peer organizations across the US to design policies that will bring necessary carbon removal solutions to gigaton scale.This episode was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Consecon Foundation.This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is on the advisory board of the Carbon Removal Standards Initiative and Terraset, and a former policy fellow with Elemental Impact. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.Tank Chen is the Head of Content and Community at CDR.fyi, a public benefit corporation dedicated to accelerating carbon removal through transparency. He is also the co-founder of CDRjobs, a career platform for the carbon removal industry. Based in Taiwan, Tank is a carbon removal advocate focused on educating policymakers, corporate leaders, and the public on the importance of carbon removal, using data-driven insights to support communication and policy advocacy.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com
    --------  
    46:46
  • We need to stand up for carbon removal in a turbulent 2025 to build on the gains of the past few years
    Episode 50 is a special AMA style episode with Na’im Merchant and Rahima DosaniIn this special “ask me anything” episode of the Carbon Curve podcast, the tables are turned and Na’im is interviewed by his wife, Rahima Dosani, to discuss the past year's accomplishments and challenges, as well as future plans for 2025 in the carbon removal space. With Na’im leading Carbon Removal Canada, he shares insights on policy achievements, the growth of the sector, and the balancing act of managing an organization and parenthood. The conversation covers significant policy milestones and Na’im shares frustrations about the negative discourse aimed at carbon removal technologies, future goals and personal priorities for 2025, and a leadership framework needed to address climate change as a complex systems problem. In this episode, Na’im and Rahima discuss:* Discussion about the challenges and experiences of running a carbon removal organization, including balancing work and family life.* Highlights of exciting experiences in 2024 and a review of policy wins and successes.* Anticipating the future: looking ahead to 2025 and addressing criticisms of carbon removal.* Sharing future plans for the Carbon Curve and sharing personal goals and reflections.Relevant links in the episode:* Carbon Removal Canada website* Write-up following Na’im’s Mammoth visit: We’ve come a long way. We have a long way to go.* Episode on adaptive leadership with Josh Albert (Konu)About Rahima Dosani: Rahima is the Director of Strategy, Learning, and Innovation at Global Health Visions, a women owned and operated global health consulting firm.She previously worked for the Center for Innovation and Impact at USAID and the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Myanmar and Malawi, after she did strategy consulting in New York City. Rahima holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and a master's in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health.This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is on the advisory board of the Carbon Removal Standards Initiative and Terraset, and a former policy fellow with Elemental Impact. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.Tank Chen is the Head of Content and Community at CDR.fyi, a public benefit corporation dedicated to accelerating carbon removal through transparency. He is also the co-founder of CDRjobs, a career platform for the carbon removal industry. Based in Taiwan, Tank is a carbon removal advocate focused on educating policymakers, corporate leaders, and the public on the importance of carbon removal, using data-driven insights to support communication and policy advocacy.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com
    --------  
    37:18

More Science podcasts

About The Carbon Curve

Few people realize this, but fending off the worst effects of climate change is going to require the removal of billions of tons of CO2 from the air every year. To even comprehend that scale - imagine running today's oil and gas sector... in reverse. Every two weeks, carbon removal specialist Na'im Merchant speaks to entrepreneurs, innovators, activists, and policy experts advancing bold ideas to scale up carbon dioxide removal to bend the curve on climate change. If you're concerned about climate change and want to learn about an entirely new pathway to doing something about it, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode! carboncurve.substack.com
Podcast website

Listen to The Carbon Curve, Science Weekly and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features
Social
v7.20.2 | © 2007-2025 radio.de GmbH
Generated: 7/11/2025 - 6:29:38 AM