The Carbon Removal Scoop

Europe’s forests and soils have been acting as an indispensable cushion for our climate targets, currently offsetting around 6% of the EU’s GHG emissions. 

But the LULUCF sink - the EU’s natural carbon safety net - has dropped by 30% compared to the previous decade. Recent projections highlight a crucial gap between the climate target and the current sink.

Is Europe’s land carbon sink slipping away? What will it take to bring it back? Can smart and innovative policy design turn the tide on the EU’s carbon sink? 

Enter Asger Strange Olesen, one of Europe’s leading voices on climate and land sector policy. He’s the Global Head of Climate and Biodiversity at the International Woodland Company and is heavily involved in the CRCF as an Independent Member of the EU Carbon Removal Expert Group.

Join co-hosts Eve Tamme and Sebastian Manhart as they learn from Asger the science behind the shrinking sink, explore current EU policy responses, and uncover the best CDR policy solutions to enhance land-based removals.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Asger Strange Olesen: LinkedIn and Medium
• Supercharging Carbon Removal from the EU’s Land Sector
• DG CLIMA: EU Land Use Sector

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The Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM, also known as the Article 6.4 mechanism) is going through another round of public consultations. One key document on the table is the draft standard on non-permanence/reversals, which has sparked a lot of questions.

What are the options on the table? What does it mean for different types of carbon removal projects? How are the various documents up for public consultation via the Methodology Expert Panel and the PACM Supervisory Body connected?

There is no better person to help with deciphering the content and process than Danny Cullenward, a member of the PACM Methodological Expert Panel. Co-author of the influential book “Making Climate Policy Work”, his research and advice have influenced the architecture of carbon markets globally. Danny speaks in his individual capacity and does not represent the MEP or the PACM at our live session.

Join co-host Eve Tamme and Danny as they discusses the reversals standard under consideration, and what it means for building international carbon markets under the Paris Agreement.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Danny Cullenward: Bluesky and Website
• PACM draft standard on addressing non-permanence/reversals
• PACM concept note on the applicability of removal guidance to emission reduction activities and vice versa
• PACM standard on requirements for activities involving removals
• Consultation response by Perspective Climate Research
• Call for input - Draft Standard: Addressing non-permanence/reversals

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We’ve covered a lot of CDR policy developments in Europe and across the pond in the United States. But, truth be told, the UK is a bit of a blind spot for us.

The UK’s Net-Zero Strategy was one of the first to establish an engineered Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR aka CDR) target. And only days before our scoop, the UK government has confirmed its plan to integrate removals into the UK ETS by 2029, with legislation targeted for 2028.

Is the UK quietly and humbly leading the way in CDR? What will it take for it to truly become a global leader in carbon management?

To help us better understand it all, we’re delighted to welcome special guest Ted Christie-Miller, co-founder of Residual. He’s shaped the UK’s conversation on CDR market frameworks and policy strategy.

Join co-hosts Eve Tamme and Sebastian Manhart as they learn from Ted about the UK’s CDR landscape, including the government’s approach to carbon markets and the expansion of the UK ETS, as well as the future outlook.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Ted Christie Miller: LinkedIn and Residual
• UK Government response on Integrating Greenhouse Gas Removals in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme
• UK Government GGR Business Model Publication

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Like it or not, the “like-for-like” debate in carbon removal isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Conversations around temporary versus durable, conventional versus novel removals are increasingly diverging. 

Should carbon markets foresee separate roles for these removal types, or strive for a common ground that makes all removals comparable? Is true compatibility even possible?

Co-hosts Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme are delighted to welcome Gabrielle Walker, co-founder of Rethinking Removals and CUR8, as their guest. Scientist-turned-CDR powerhouse, Gabrielle has a deep understanding and passion for these topics like no other. 

Join the conversation to find out what “like-for-like” really means, why it matters for policy and net-zero claims, and how to build integrity with today’s knowledge.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Gabrielle Walker: LinkedIn, CUR8, Rethinking Removals
• Geological Net Zero and the need for disaggregated accounting for carbon sinks

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The first methodologies for permanent removals under the EU’s Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming Regulation are being finalised.

The European Commission’s 8th Carbon Removal Expert Group meeting, held on 10 July, was dedicated to a draft delegated act on DACCS, BioCCS, and biochar.

Does this draft piece of legislation do justice to the CDR methods under consideration? Or does it fall short, and the Commission consultants should be sent back to the drawing board?

Join co-hosts Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme as they analyse the heated discussions in the expert group and the next steps.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Carbon Removal Expert Group meeting on permanent removals, 10 July 2025 - agenda, slides, recording

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Not one week passes without news of major developments coming out of Germany: earlier in the year, Europe’s biggest economy became the first country in the world to enshrine a net-zero target (2045) into its constitution.

Following the recent election, the ruling coalition then included carbon removal in its coalition treaty. More recently, a line dedicated to CDR was added to the federal budget and rumour has it that large sums of funding could soon be allocated to this as early as 2026.

Could Germany become the global powerhouse for CDR? And what will it take exactly to get there?

Co-host Eve Tamme discusses this and more with Nadine Walsh, the Policy Manager from the Deutscher Verband für negative Emissionen e.V. (DVNE) - Germany’s national CDR association.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Nadine Walsh: LinkedIn
• DVNE: Website and LinkedIn

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A day after the European Commission published its legislative proposal for the EU’s 2040 climate target, Eve Tamme and Sebastian Manhart sat down for a timely session to analyse the proposal.

Although the expected 90% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 (compared to 1990 levels) is the headline target, several key elements in the proposal have elicited strong reactions among stakeholders.

And what does it all mean for carbon removal?

The CDR Policy Scoop co-hosts cut through the noise and analyse how the proposal could evolve during the upcoming negotiations.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• EU 2040 climate target proposal
• Eve’s LinkedIn post on the EU’s 2040 climate target proposal
• EU climate chief lobbied Germany to back weakened 2040 goal
• The EU’s 2040 Climate Target — context, scope and design
• Will the Carbon Removal Certification Framework count in the race to climate neutrality?
• Wijnand Stoefs (Carbon Market Watch) highly critical post on the proposal

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This gets to the core of the carbon market debate.

Reductions, including avoidance credits, currently account for over 95% of credits in the VCM. Meanwhile, removal credits are rapidly gaining momentum, with $6.5B in purchases to date, outpacing the growth of all other credit types.

In the Reductions corner, no less than Renat Heuberger, CEO at Terra Impact Ventures and Founder / former CEO at South Pole, who has been at the forefront of the VCM for nearly two decades.

In the Removals corner, the one and only Marta Krupinska, CEO at CUR8, and tireless champion for permanent carbon removals. From afforestation to biochar to DAC, Marta is leading the charge for all of CDR every day.

The debate is expertly moderated by our co-hosts Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme, who will ensure its punchy, informative, and fair. 

Disclaimer: This is intended to inform and engage, not divide. Both debaters agree: we need both reductions and removals to tackle the climate crisis.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Renat Heuberger: LinkedIn, Terra Impact Ventures
• Marta Krupinska: LinkedIn, CUR8

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One of the world's first regulations to fight corporate greenwashing is on the final stretch. Or is it?

The final trilogue, the negotiations between the three EU institutions, was pushed back to June 23rd but was ultimately cancelled. A push by the German government and the conservative EPP group in Parliament has led the policy process off the rails, with the European Commission considering withdrawing its proposal.

Critics of the GCD highlight the increased complexity and costs for industry, which is already struggling across Europe. Proponents see it as an essential tool to help ensure companies back up environmental claims with scientifically sound measures.

And what about CDR? If passed, the GCD could make the use of carbon removal a requirement, leading to significant demand.

Eve Tamme and Sebastian Manhart will be joined by Elisabeth Harding, one of Brussels' finest CDR policy experts, to discuss the latest developments and next steps.

Show notes:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Elisabeth Harding: LinkedIn
• Green Claims Directive proposal
• EU Commission announces withdrawal of Green Claims Directive
• Why a little greenwashing law set off a political explosion in Brussels

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Should the VCM shape or follow government policy?

The Voluntary Carbon Market is at a crossroads as governments ramp up climate ambition and explore carbon markets.

What would a genuine alignment between VCM and government policy look like? What are the risks and opportunities? How can the VCM support both national and global net-zero goals? 

To help us dig into these questions and more, we’re thrilled to welcome a leading voice in carbon markets and climate policy, Alexia Kelly from High Tide Foundation.

Join as co-hosts Eve Tamme, Sebastian Manhart, and Alexia Kelly unpack the latest developments and spotlight some of the big questions. This is a discussion policymakers, market participants, and climate advocates won’t want to miss.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Alexia Kelly: LinkedIn
• The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM)

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