💭 Are you curious about carbon?

Hi there,

Do you know a company considering engaging with the voluntary carbon market? Is there a business leader who is interested in carbon credits, but doesn't know where to start? If so, we highly recommend a new report from Carbon Growth Partners and Bloomberg. Summarised below, this report is ideal for companies looking to add carbon credits to their net zero strategy. Scroll on for more.

Elsewhere in the newsletter you can find the latest instalment of our Tech in Action series where we interview founder and CEO of Puro.earth, Antti Vihavainen. We also share details of an event we look forward to hosting with Heriot-Watt University as part of COP28 activities in Dubai. Gathering a panel of experts from across the nature-based and technological removal sectors, this is a chance to learn more of these vital climate mitigation strategies. 

Finally, we ask that if you are enjoying receiving this newsletter, you consider sharing it with your colleagues and network. Remember, it is possible to subscribe via email or on LinkedIn so can you read our updates where suits you best.

Newsflash

• Carbon Herald reports that Ecosystem Restoration Standard (ERS) and Kita intend to collaborate on a carbon insurance solution for ERS’s buffer pool. This announcement follows the launch of Kita's new Carbon Supplier Pool, of which Respira is a founding member. Read more here.
• The WSJ interviews Mike Korchinsky of Wildlife Works and writes that he is fighting a ‘crisis of confidence’ in the industry. 
• Bloomberg reports that it is not just companies who are interested in carbon removal, individuals are also paying companies like Climeworks AG.
• Balmford et al. write for the journal, Nature Climate Change. Their research investigates an alternative approach to carbon credits which they liken to a lease agreement. This method uses front-loaded valuations and pessimistic predictions of when stored carbon might be released.
• Carbon Herald covers the startup combatting the methane emissions of rice farming. The new company, CarbonFarm technology, has raised USD $2.6 million to decarbonise rice farming, implement satellite monitoring and engage in the carbon market.
• MarketWatch shares a piece by Jennifer Jenkins of Rubicon Carbon. She argues that climate advocacy groups are making a grave error in discouraging investment in carbon credits.
• Bloomberg covers carbon market acceleration in Asia. It highlights the nations adopting new mechanisms and the problems of low pricing. TIME also writes on Asian carbon pricing, explaining how the region is accelerating fast through the launching of exchanges (Japan, Indonesia) and plans from China.

Don't miss this report

Investing in carbon markets: Cleared for takeoff

Who's it for? Published by Carbon Growth Partners and Bloomberg, this new report is aimed at the ‘carbon curious’ (AKA those who are aware of the market but who have not yet learned enough to participate). 

Why now? Despite research showing that companies using carbon credits are decarbonising faster, there remains much confusion and doubt in the market.

What's inside? In this report, you can learn the fundamentals of carbon markets and inform yourself of emerging market dynamics. Particularly useful is the section on participating in the market where new stakeholders can see safeguards, examples of best practice and read of the projects leading the way in climate mitigation.

Is there a key takeaway? Yes, this report shows that engaging with carbon markets is easy. However, it also makes clear that adopting carbon credits sooner rather than later is more beneficial. Those corporates biding their time are likely to experience higher carbon prices.

Honourable mentions: Developed with Serena and MRV Collective, Nature4Climate's latest report considers the current state of nature tech, highlighting how venture capital investments in nature tech startups have grown rapidly in the last three years. Also worth your time is a new guide from Potential Energy Coalition which provides clear suggestions for communicating effectively about climate.

Project news

RSPB pays visit to Gola Rainforest Conservation Project

RSPB Global Conservation Executive Director, Katie Jo Luxton, visited the Gola Rainforest Conservation Project in Sierra Leone. The Calabash Newspaper reported that Luxton spent time in the Kenema district, working with the Lalehun Community. She praised community conservation efforts and reiterated the importance of the national park in Sierra Leone. The Gola Rainforest Conservation Project conserves 70,000 hectares of highly threatened tropical habitat while supporting the livelihoods of local people. Learn more here.

BURN announces green bond for clean cooking

On 27th October, BURN, the cookstove manufacturer, announced the first ever green bond to support clean cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa. With a value of USD $10 million, this bond will allow BURN to increase manufacturing capacity in Kenya and launch a new manufacturing facility in Lagos, Nigeria. As a result, production will increase from the current 400,000 units per month to 600,000. Since 2021, BURN's cookstoves have prevented 1.2 million tonnes of CO2e emissions from entering the atmosphere. To find out more, visit our portfolio here. 

Respira's News

Respira and Heriot-Watt University to host event as part COP28 activities

Will you be joining activities at COP28? And are you interested in carbon removals? If that was a yes, then mark the 6th of December in your diaries and register for The Removals Roadmap: What are we missing? As part of Heriot-Watt University's Climate Hub activities, we are gathering a panel of speakers from both the nature-based removals and the engineered carbon removals sectors. While the speakers themselves are yet to be announced, Heriot-Watt University, Sylvera, Delta Blue Carbon, Octavia Carbon, Puro.Earth and, of course, Respira International will be on the panel to discuss the current state of play in the carbon removals market. Register yourself here.

Removal in action: How Antti Vihavainen is growing the engineered carbon removal market

Have you read our Tech in Action series yet? Every two weeks, we have been speaking to business leaders shaping the future of climate and nature tech to shine light on their innovations. This week, we are pleased to share our interview with Antti Vihavainen, founder and CEO of Puro.Earth, a carbon crediting program dedicated to engineered carbon removal. In the past five years, Puro.earth has validated the technological removal activities of more than 50 companies and facilitated the sale of verified credits to corporate stakeholders to support their decarbonisation strategies. Head to our blog to discover more.

Dates for the diary

• On the 8th of November, edie is hosting a 45-minute masterclass. Join online at 1pm to learn all about integrating carbon credits into a climate action strategy. Register here.

• Our CEO, Ana Haurie, will be speaking at the Energy & Mining Forum. Hosted by Natural Resources Forum, both in London and online, the event will run from the 6th to the 10th of November. Please reach out if you would like to connect at the Forum.

• Ana will also be speaking at Compensate and Abate - the pathway towards net zero on the 14th November. Organised by MakeUK and ICE this event will take place in London between 1pm and 6.30pm. Again, please drop us a message if you will also be in attendance.

• Finally, on the 16th of November, Women in Carbon and Sylvera are hosting a panel and networking event in London. This is a great chance to learn more of the role of science and technology in the carbon markets. Join between 6.45pm and 8.30pm. 

Enjoyed this newsletter? Follow Respira on LinkedIn to be notified of the latest editions and subscribe via our website to receive weekly updates straight to your inbox.

Respira International is an impact-driven carbon finance business. Respira’s high-quality carbon credits allow corporations and financial institutions to mitigate their environmental impact. Respira channels private capital into climate solutions ensuring long-term relationships with trusted carbon project developers that enable its clients to use predominantly nature-based solutions to build sustainable, climate-positive businesses and portfolios. Respira’s team combines deep and varied experience working in global financial markets with a robust understanding of carbon project development in leading international conservation organisations. Respira operates with an innovative offtake and profit share model which reinvests back into local communities.