Opening Remarks

Hannes Junginger

CEO & Co-Founder, Carbonfuture

CDR is Key to Reaching Net-Zero and a Trillion-Dollar Potential

Emma Parry

Leader of Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice in the UK, McKinsey

CDR Buyer Perspective: Why CDR and Why Now?

Mischa Repmann, Ph.D.

Senior Sustainability Risk Manager, Swiss Re

Panel Discussion "Achieving Net-Zero Targets: Best Practices from Real-World CDR Procurement"

moderated by Emily Jackson-Kessler

SVP of Sustainability at The Economist Group

Panelists

Diego Justiniano

President, Exomad

Mischa Repmann

Senior Sustainability Risk Manager, Swiss Re

Philip Moss

Chairperson, NextGen CDR

As companies worldwide strive towards ambitious net-zero goals, understanding the essential role of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in corporate sustainability strategies becomes paramount. Featuring the early CDR buyers Swiss Re and NextGen CDR and the leading biochar carbon removal supplier Exomad Green, this panel provided practical examples to help you confidently navigate the voluntary carbon removal market (VCM) and meet your sustainability goals. This session offered a glimpse into real-world CDR procurement and shared best practices and lessons learned in navigating CDR purchasing.

Panel Discussion "Investing in CDR with Confidence: The Key Role of Digital Trust Infrastructure"

moderated by Leila Toplic

Chief Communications & Trust Officer at Carbonfuture

Panelists

Helen Bray

Vice President Policy, Puro.earth

Nasim Pour

Carbon Removals and Market Innovation Lead, World Economic Forum

Natalia Dorfman

CEO & Co-Founder, Kita

Businesses need to be able to trust that what they are purchasing is of the highest quality and reliability to protect and enhance their reputation, minimize financial risks, and confidently navigate the sustainability landscape. 

In carbon removal, trust is achieved through the combined efforts of organizations responsible for setting the rules (independent third-party standards), digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems tracking the carbon removal projects and providing data for third-party verification, those overseeing the process (independent verifiers and auditors), and mitigating risk (insurance, legal providers). Together, they represent a digital Trust Infrastructure for carbon markets. 

This discussion centered on the crucial role of digital trust infrastructure in building confidence in the integrity of carbon removal and enhancing efficiency in carbon removal processes. We explored how businesses can use this infrastructure to navigate the carbon market with confidence, turning their net-zero commitments into measurable and impactful climate outcomes.

Panel Discussion "Government as Catalyst: Strategic Financing Paths for Scaling Carbon Dioxide Removal"

moderated by Sebastian Manhart

Senior Policy Advisor at Carbonfuture

Panelists

Andrea Klaric

Policy Officer for Carbon Removal, DG Climate Action, European Commission

Eli Mitchell-Larson

Co-founder and Chief Science & Advocacy Officer at Carbon Gap, and Associate at Oxford Net Zero

Achieving net-zero emissions and mitigating climate change demands substantial carbon dioxide removal (CDR) efforts. The IPCC estimates that by 2050, 5 to 10 gigatonnes of CDR annually will be necessary, equivalent to 5,000 times the current production of the oil and gas industry. While the voluntary carbon market (VCM) is growing, government financing will be paramount to funding the 10 Gt of carbon removal we need per year by 2050. In this session, panelists explored policy options to finance and scale CDR, recognizing the diverse needs of economies and geographies.

CDR Innovation Showcase: Strategic Insights into Cutting-Edge Carbon Removal Solutions for Your Business

presented by Nikki Batchelor

Executive Director, XPRIZE Carbon Removal

Chloé Bigio

Head of Business Development, InPlanet

Duncan Kariuki

Product Lead, Octavia Carbon

Erik Rylander

Commercial Director, Stockholm Exergi

Eva van der Want

Head of Carbon Removals Business Development, Airfix

Jan Cihlar

VP Climate Finance, PYREG

Lisa Braune

Head of CDR, neustark

Tim Preisenhammer

VP of Carbon Markets, Eion

Tom Buchanan

Strategic Partnerships Manager, Climeworks

To accelerate progress toward our climate goals and effectively address growing climate risks, we need to rapidly innovate, implement, and scale up a diverse range of durable carbon removal technologies. In this session, we heard from nine leading companies that are shaping the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry, from Direct Air Capture (DAC) to Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) and more. This showcase was more than a series of pitches—it was an opportunity to gain crucial insights into the latest CDR technologies, learn how these can align with your sustainability goals, and position yourself at the forefront of accelerating this crucial industry.

Closing Remarks

Dominic Lüdin

Chief Growth Officer at Carbonfuture