Reversing Climate Change

Carbon Removal Newsroom, the sister podcast to Reversing Climate Change, was born out of a desire to explore current events in the carbon removal space from a policy perspective. But since the show debuted in early 2019, its production team has evolved and so has our approach to discussing the latest in climate news. Radhika Moolgavkar is Head of Supply and Methodology at Nori and Host of Carbon Removal Newsroom, and Asa Kamer serves as Producer of CRN. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Radhika and Asa join Ross to explain how CRN evolved to focus on the business, policy, and science of carbon removal news and share their favorite episodes from the recent past. Radhika and Asa explore how podcasting facilitates thoughtful public conversations around meaningful issues and describe how a show benefits when its host approaches the subject matter with a beginner’s mind. Listen in to understand how CRN stays up on big news in the industry and get Radhika and Asa’s take on the future of carbon removal. C

*Use discount code NORI for 20% off your online order at https://www.barnaclefoods.com/. Note: this is not sponsored content. We just dig Barnacle Foods!* Kelp could be an extraordinary tool for long-term carbon sequestration. It also happens to be delicious. And that’s why Matt Kern is on a mission to promote kelp farming in his home state of Alaska and replace some of the more carbon-intensive foods in our diet with seaweed. Matt Kern is the Cofounder of Barnacle Foods, a food manufacturing business based in Juneau that uses Alaskan kelp as its principal ingredient. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Matt joins Ross to discuss how his team sources kelp in a sustainable way and describe what differentiates foraged food from farmed. Matt explores why seaweed is not more popular in the US and explains what Barnacle Foods is doing to introduce consumers to the savory, rich flavors of bull kelp. Listen in to understand what makes kelp a fast, efficient tool for carbon sequestration and find out where y

We have talked at length on previous episodes about the flaws in compliance markets. And the team at Nori obviously believes in voluntary carbon markets, as we’re building one ourselves. But there’s a wide range of quality among voluntary markets, and the space is 1,000 times smaller than the compliance programs in progress around the world. So, have cap-and-trade markets contributed to a meaningful reduction in emissions in spite of their flaws? And are compliance markets the only way to address carbon emissions at scale? Michael Azlen is the Founder and CEO of Cabon Cap Management LLP and Co-Portfolio Manager of the World Carbon Fund. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Michael joins Ross and guest cohost Aldyen Donnelly to explain how he got interested in carbon as an asset class and share his take on the benefits of compliance markets. Aldyen offers insight on the two compliance market models, describing the problems associated with programs modeled after the SO2 Allowance Market—and why she pref

80% of Indigenous people sit on 80% of global biodiversity and 25% of land—but make up only 5% of the population. So, what can we learn about regenerative agriculture from the Native American farmers who’ve been managing our land for millennia? Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson has a PhD in Natural Resources and is a traditional Hopi dryland farmer. Dr. Johnson regularly lectures on the topic of dryland farming and advocates for indigenous farmers with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, and his work is featured in the documentary film, INHABITANTS: Indigenous Perspectives on Restoring Our World. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. Johnson joins Ross and cohost Rebekah Carlson, Agriculture Supply Lead at Nori, to explain how his ancestors learned to raise crops in the arid environment of Northern Arizona and what we can do to honor the long heritage of regenerative agriculture. Dr. Johnson discusses the benefit of applying Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge in federal decision-making, s

What happens to dreams of the future that never arrive, yet still affect our society and culture so deeply? Is it possible to be haunted by failed visions or our own anticipations, and what does that mean? Today, Dr. Holly Jean Buck, Assistant Professor of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Buffalo and author of the new book, Ending Fossil Fuels: Why Net Zero Is Not Enough, comes back on the show for a bonus episode to explain the concept of "hauntology", its origin in Jacques Derrida's writing and later popularization by Mark Fisher in his book, Capitalism Realism: Is There No Alternative?, and to what degree these ideas might help us understand the worlds of carbon removal, climatetech, and our shared planetary future. Connect with Nori Purchase Nori Carbon Removals Nori's website Nori on Twitter Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom Resources Dr. Holly Jean Buck on Reversing Climate Change S2 Bonus Dr. Holly Jean Buck on Reversing Climate Change EP103 Dr. Holly Jean Buck on

In the fight against climate change, many are working to achieve net zero by 2050. And achieving net zero means leveraging quite a lot of emissions reduction, management, and carbon removal. But Dr. Holly Jean Buck contends that we should focus less on managing the byproduct and more on phasing out fossil fuels entirely by the end of the century. Dr. Buck is Assistant Professor of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Buffalo and author of the new book, Ending Fossil Fuels: Why Net Zero Is Not Enough. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, she joins Ross to differentiate net zero from full zero and share her vision of a fully decarbonized, post-extractivist society. Dr. Buck discusses what we can do to overcome the political resistance to renewables and describes how critical theory concepts like ‘petromelancholia’ can help us understand the challenges associated with the energy transition. Listen in for insight around the government’s role in phasing out fossil fuels and learn how we can

Farmland has transformed into a financial asset class. So, what happens when land is owned by large financial institutions? How does it impact farmer autonomy? And could it be good for fighting climate change? Dr. Madeleine Fairbairn is Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz and author of Fields of Gold: Financing the Global Land Rush. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. Fairbairn joins Ross and guest cohost Dr. Lauren Gifford to discuss the emergence of the institutional farmland investments industry and describe how land has value independent of what it produces. Dr. Fairbairn explores what’s behind the steep decline in the number of farmers over the last century and explains how large-scale farmland ownership could have positive consequences for the environment and negative social consequences at the same time. Listen in for Dr. Fairbairn’s insights into Georgism as a potential policy response and find out what the financialization of farmland means for the small farmer,

Here in America, we like stories with happy endings. Our media usually comes with a clear message and unanswered questions make us uncomfortable. But Paul Greenberg knows that there’s no simple answer to complex problems like climate change. Paul is the award-winning food and environmental writer behind titles like The Climate Diet, American Catch, and Four Fish. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Paul rejoins Ross to discuss his new podcast, Fish Talk, and reflect on the advantages of podcasting as a medium for open-ended storytelling around complex issues. Paul describes the homesteading and terrace garden projects he’s working on right now, explaining why he's cautious about monetizing his hobbies and if and how a friendlier form of capitalism might support creatives. Listen in for Paul's insight on how our political system informs the way we approach both storytelling and complex challenges such as overfishing and climate change. Key Takeaways [2:33] The themes of environmentalism, eating

As listeners of Nori podcasts, you might know that we use cryptocurrency in the form of Nori tokens which may become a market-driven price for carbon removal. You also might know we issue non-fungible tokens, otherwise known as NFTs, when buyers purchase those removals. But you may not know the history of the blockchain we run on or how the system works. So, where can you go to learn Ethereum 101? Laura Shin is a crypto journalist and host of the Unchained Podcast. A former senior editor at Forbes, Laura was the first mainstream reporter to cover the blockchain full-time. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Laura joins Ross to discuss her new book, The Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze, a history of Ethereum and the ICO mania of 2017. Laura explains why Ethereum quickly became the second most important cryptocurrency, describing how it was used to raise billions of dollars for decentralized apps and what happened when the DAO to fund slock.it was

Prior to COP26, there was a big problem in international carbon accounting. Both the country where a carbon credit was generated and the country where it was sold could count those very same credits toward their Paris climate commitments. COP26 seeks to remedy this issue with the practice of double entry bookkeeping. But is it too late? What are the unintended consequences of implementing the new rules now? Aldyen Donnelly is a cofounder, advisor, and former Director of Carbon Economics here at Nori. She also serves as a carbon markets advisor to several organizations, including Terramerra, Inc. and the Livestock Carbon Exchange. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Aldyen joins Ross and Nori CEO Paul Gambill to discuss how the new rules will lead to export controls for carbon credits and describe how such protectionism is likely to impact developing nations. Aldyen and Paul share their concerns around blockchain crypto projects like KlimaDAO and weigh in on why carbon removals are preferable to carbo

Climate change is already affecting our food systems. But have you ever considered how rising temperatures might impact access to the pastries you love? What if you could no longer enjoy a croissant with your coffee in the morning? Or indulge in a slice of cake on special occasions? Caroline Saunders is the host of the Sustainable Baker podcast, coauthor of Craft Beef, former chief-of-staff at Grist and soon-to-be student in the pastry track at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Caroline joins Ross to share her interest in developing sustainable recipes and explain how her career path reflects her passions for climate and dessert. Caroline describes her concerns around climate change and the future of dessert, discussing what spices are at risk and how we can help grains adapt to rising temperatures. Listen in for Caroline’s insight on what it looks like to bake without dairy and find out how to make your favorite desserts more sustainably! Connect with Nori Purchase No

The climate crisis will be on the world stage once again in November 2021, as the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties known as COP26 convenes in Glasgow. The summit brings together 200-plus countries to tackle climate change, and it is billed as the most significant climate event since the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015 at COP21. So, how can you learn more about what’s happening at COP26 and why it’s important? Brock Benefiel is the cohost of The Climate Pod, a podcast that covers the latest news on the climate crisis. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Brock joins Ross to discuss the special focus of the show’s new series, Road to COP26, giving us a preview of the scientists, policymakers, and activists Brock and his brother Ty are highlighting in the weeks to come. Brock offers insight into what we need to accomplish at COP26, describing what success looks like and why achieving it is such a monumental challenge. Listen in as Brock shares some of his favorite episodes of The Cli

Most efforts to educate the public around climate change are pretty dour and leave people feeling hopeless and helpless. But there are things an individual or small group can do to have a meaningful impact on the climate. And now, there’s a board game that teaches people about the most effective climate solutions and gives them the agency to take action. Samuel Levac-Levey is the Founder and Game Designer behind Solutions, a collaborative board game designed to inspire hope and action on the climate crisis. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Sam joins Ross and guest host Christi Taylor, Marketing Coordinator at Nori, to explain how the book Drawdown informed the creation of the game and describe how it serves as a starting point for real-world climate action. Sam walks us through the mechanics of the game, discussing how it’s being tested both in schools and with a general audience. Listen in to understand how Solutions exposes players to job opportunities in the climate space and learn how yo

Do you take having a working sanitation system for granted? What if you didn’t have access to a public wastewater treatment plant? What if you lived with sewage running back into your home? And what if your failing septic system made YOU a criminal? MacArthur Fellow Catherine Coleman Flowers is the founder of The Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice (CREEJ) and author of Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Catherine joins Ross to discuss the neglect of water and wastewater infrastructure in rural America, explaining why septic systems are failing and how that impacts public health. Catherine offers insight on the disparities in access to sanitation for poor rural communities and people of color, describing how corrupt government officials and bad policy can contribute to the inequity. Listen in for Catherine’s advice on collaborating with people who don’t necessarily share your values and find out what CREEJ is doing to design

If you don’t have access to public transportation or you’re looking for a climate-friendly alternative to Uber, then you may have considered renting one of Revel’s electric mopeds. But do micromobility companies like this actually make money? And how should micromobility fit into the larger ecosystem of getting from point A to point B? Kate Knibbs is a Senior Writer at WIRED and the author of ‘Freedom, Mayhem, and the Uncertain Future of Revel’s Mopeds.’ On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Kate joins Ross and guest host Radhika Moolgavkar, Head of Supply and Methodology at Nori, to discuss micromobility, describing how mopeds and e-bikes should be a complement to mass transit—not the dominant form of getting around. She offers insight on the potential profitability of a company like Revel, explaining how positioning itself as an electric vehicle company increases its chances of success and why safety issues are its greatest existential threat. Listen in to understand the role of subsidies in ma

Are you missing the experience of eating out at a restaurant? Or maybe you’re itching to travel and revisit the food traditions of the places you love? What if you could recreate these experiences at home, using simple recipes to embark on a culinary journey around the world? Renee Erickson is the James Beard Award-winning chef behind several popular Seattle restaurants including The Walrus and the Carpenter, The Whale Wins, and Bateau. She is also the author of the critically-acclaimed cookbook A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Renee joins Ross and Radhika to discuss her latest release, Getaway: Food and Drink to Transport You, sharing what inspired her to design a cookbook around her favorite places. Renee weighs in on why eating locally and seasonally is not just better for the climate but better for us, explaining her decisions-making around what fish to buy for her restaurants and how to avoid wasting beef. Listen in for Renee’s insight on mak

Data in the music industry is incredibly fragmented. There is no one consistent place to go for information about a work. It’s hard to know where songs are being played or who was involved in creating a piece of music. And this means that a lot of artists don’t get royalties for their work. What if blockchain technology is the answer? Imogen Heap is the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and record producer behind The Creative Passport, an identity management platform for music makers that runs on the blockchain. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Imogen joins Ross, Paul, and Evangeline to explain how the music industry’s challenges around crediting and payment inspired her interest in the blockchain space. She weighs in on why she launched a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to raise funds for The Creative Passport and how she devoted a portion of the proceeds to Nori to offset the carbon emissions associated with minting those NFTs. Listen in for Imogen’s vision of a more diverse commer

Big-ticket investments in carbon removal innovation are newsworthy, but perhaps nothing captures the public imagination quite like a cash prize. And the $100M purse associated with XPRIZE Carbon Removal happens to be the largest in history. So, how does an award of this magnitude translate to meaningful climate solutions? Dr. Marcius Extavour is the Vice President of Energy and Climate at XPRIZE, a nonprofit using large-scale global competitions to crowdsource solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. Extavour joins Ross to discuss XPRIZE Carbon Removal, explaining how Elon Musk got involved in funding the $100M prize purse and what it takes to win the $50M grand prize. He describes how winning an XPRIZE gives a project momentum, offering insight on how the prize model complements traditional investments and sharing historic examples of awards that led to technological breakthroughs. Listen in for Dr. Extavour’s call to maintain a collaborative spirit in th

Should we genetically engineer carbon-hungry trees? Can metal-eating trees clean up abandoned mines? Does seaweed have the potential to save the planet? While these ideas might seem outlandish, they are all examples of actual solutions to our environmental issues people are working on right now. Teresa Carey is a senior staff writer at Freethink, a platform that features the passionate innovators working to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. Prior to becoming a journalist, Teresa was a professional mariner and USCG licensed captain. On this episode of the Reversing Climate Change podcast, Teresa joins Ross to discuss the outside-the-box solutions to climate change she has written about, sharing her particular interest in covering the environment, genetics, climate technology, and carbon removal. She explains how innovators are genetically engineering trees to suck more CO2 out of the atmosphere, offering her take on the debate around GMOs and the impact hybrid breeding might have on local ecosystems. Liste

For large, established companies to be sustainable long term, they need to consider how a changing climate will impact what they do. CEOs have got to ask how their businesses can be resilient in the face of climate change and what they can do to help mitigate it. Nicole Systrom is the Founder of Sutro Energy Group, a consultancy working to scale high-impact climate solutions. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Nicole joins guest host Alexsandra Guerra to discuss her recent World Economic Forum article, ‘3 Ways CEOs Can Tackle Climate Change and Build a Net-Zero Economy.’ She explains why large, established companies should lend their political capital to climate tech startups and makes the case that every business should make net-zero a part of their business strategy. Listen in for Nicole’s insight on giving innovators a voice in policy creation and learn how large corporations, legislators and climate tech startups can work together to build a net-zero economy. Connect with Nori Purchas