Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations

Cara Maesano of RMI: Can Heavy Industry Scale CDR?


Listen Later

Bonus content - wickedproblems.earth


As we talked about with folk from Carbon Technology Research Foundation and Robert Höglund last week, Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) is going through some things. The Trump administration is slashing funding for Direct Air Capture (DAC) hubs, poster child CDR firm Climeworks is laying off 20% of staff and stands accused of overpromising an underdelivering on removals.

But in a week when a Swiss village was wiped off the map by a collapsing glacier, and the World Meteorological Organisation predicted we’re likely facing years of staying at 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels - the existential threshold for small island states they demanded be included in the Paris Agreement - the need to find ways to take greenhouse gases out of the air (while electrifying and decarbonising) has not gone away.

Cara Maesano has one of the most comprehensive views of the state of CDR technologies as the head of CDR research at RMI. Recent reports she helped craft point out pragmatic opportunities for joined-up thinking by integrating carbon removals in industry and agriculture - and even using captured carbon in building materials.

In Conversation

01:30 Challenges in the Direct Air Capture Sector

07:54 Exploring Different Carbon Removal Technologies

12:06 Industrial Carbon Removal Opportunities

23:40 Industry Partnerships for Carbon Removal

24:03 Economic Benefits of Carbon Removal

25:41 Momentum in Climate Action

27:50 Innovative Building Materials for Carbon Storage

32:44 Engaging Stakeholders in Carbon Removal

33:28 Highlighting Successful Carbon Removal Projects

35:13 Challenges and Opportunities in Policy and Regulation

37:25 The Ongoing Climate Conversation

38:52 Connecting Climate Solutions Across Sectors

42:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Further Reading

RMI: Seizing the Industrial Carbon Removal Opportunity

RMI: Harnessing Carbon Removal Opportunities in Biomass Residue Building Products

The CO280 project Cara mentioned at a pulp and paper mill


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Wicked Problems - Climate Tech ConversationsBy Richard Delevan

  • 4
  • 4
  • 4
  • 4
  • 4

4

3 ratings


More shows like Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations

View all
The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

10,700 Listeners

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas by Sean Carroll | Wondery

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

4,142 Listeners

Redefining Energy by Laurent Segalen and Gerard Reid

Redefining Energy

129 Listeners

Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast by Persephonica and Global Optimism

Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast

456 Listeners

Inevitable by an MCJ podcast

Inevitable

168 Listeners

Tech Won't Save Us by Paris Marx

Tech Won't Save Us

537 Listeners

Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change by Michael Liebreich, Bryony Worthington

Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change

77 Listeners

Planet: Critical by Rachel Donald

Planet: Critical

86 Listeners

Volts by David Roberts

Volts

597 Listeners

Catalyst with Shayle Kann by Latitude Media

Catalyst with Shayle Kann

262 Listeners

The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens by Nate Hagens

The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

392 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,287 Listeners

Zero: The Climate Race by Bloomberg

Zero: The Climate Race

198 Listeners

Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins by Heatmap News

Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins

93 Listeners

Open Circuit by Latitude Media

Open Circuit

141 Listeners