Building Climate Businesses, Not Just Carbon Projects – David Antonioli
During the IETA European Climate Summit held in Lisbon, we spoke with some inspiring voices at the conference. In this European Climate Summit Special Episode, we're joined by David Antonioli, former Founder & CEO of Verra.Topics discussed in this episode:00:00 – Introduction02:32 – David’s new paper: “Financing the Transitions the World Needs”03:41 – Rethinking carbon markets: key insights from the report06:03 – Biochar: a case for real-world carbon solutions09:04 – Developer vs. biochar business: shifting identities11:29 – “On paper” vs. reality in project scalability14:58 – The “three buckets” of climate project economics18:03 – Keeping projects operational & long-term thinking21:03 – Market incentives and insetting as cost strategies24:03 – Rewriting the climate narrative & new leadership27:03 – Global insights and financial infrastructure reform28:26 – A new paradigm for transition-focused markets30:03 – Carbon credits as tools, not destinations
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Turning Waste into Worth: Circular Solutions & Carbon Innovation – Sandra Pinzón García
During the IETA European Climate Summit held in Lisbon, we spoke with some inspiring voices at the conference. In this European Climate Summit Special Episode, we're joined by Sandra Pinzón García, Founder & CEO of Global Zero Waste. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the episode! Topics discussed in this episode: 00:00 – Introduction & Sandra’s mission in circular economy 01:26 – From carbon markets to plastic credits 02:54 – Defining circular economy: water, energy & materials 06:03 – The rise of plastic credits & Cercarbono partnership 09:04 – Building a new methodology for global recycling projects 10:24 – Innovation, R&D and project transformation 14:53 – Scaling impact through zero-waste strategies 18:37 – Sandra’s reflections on climate leadership
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How Carbon Markets Grow: Clarity, Confidence & the Will to Act - Oi-Yee Choo
In this new episode of the Carbon Exposure Project, Rene Velasquez sits down with Oi-Yee Choo, CEO of Climate Impact X. Together, they dive into a dynamic conversation on the evolution of carbon markets, regulatory clarity, and the future of climate finance—offering sharp insights from both financial and sustainability perspectives.In this episode, the following topics are discussed: 00:00 – Intro & Oi-Yee’s path into carbon markets06:43 – From banking to fintech to impact11:08 – REITs, tokenization & new asset classes15:37 – Market building: trust, structure & growth18:15 – Risk aversion & regulatory clarity20:36 – ASEAN cooperation & Singapore’s role26:58 – Why governments must build confidence29:43 – Oi-Yee's market experience as CEO35:34 – The myth of oversupply & demand lag38:40 – What the market needs now44:43 – Aviation & urgency in decarbonization48:30 – Shipping & new sectoral demand51:39 – Tech players & CDR57:30 – The future of the market
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Why Education Could Be the Most Powerful Tool in Climate Finance - Daniel Lee
this episode, we're joined by Daniel Lee, an Associate Professor in Carbon Markets at the Nanyang Business School. Before transitioning to academia full-time, he spent close to 18 years in the industry, where he undertook a variety of roles across the Energy and Decarbonization value chains, including Commodity Trading, Acquisitions & Divestments, and Capital Project Delivery.This episode's discussed topics: 00:00 – Welcome & IntroductionSetting the stage for the conversation and the importance of carbon market education.01:50 – Daniel’s Journey: From Trading Desks to AcademiaA look at Daniel’s professional background, early involvement in carbon markets, and the winding path to teaching.07:23 – Why Academia? Daniel’s Motivation to TeachWhat inspired the transition from industry to education—and why giving back matters.10:13 – Building the Carbon Market Academy at NTUHow NTU’s new initiative is shaping future talent for the carbon services and trading sector.21:50 – Evolving Carbon Markets & The Need for Continuous LearningInsights into the current state of carbon markets and the importance of staying sharp in a transforming space.30:10 – Why Education is the Backbone of Climate FinanceExploring the critical role of structured learning in empowering new and existing professionals in the space.34:52 – What Motivates the Next Generation to Join Carbon Markets?Understanding the perspectives, anxieties, and hopes of students and young professionals entering the field.42:25 – Singapore’s Carbon Hub VisionHow Singapore is positioning itself as a global carbon market hub—and what’s driving its rapid ecosystem growth.
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What Makes a Project Investable and Bankable? - Alvin Lim
Welcome back to the first episode of the Carbon Exposure Project season 3! Our guest for this episode is Alvin Lim, former Executive Director and head of Asia Environmental Products at Morgan Stanley. He is also a Senior Fellow at the NUS Business School. In this episode, the following topics are discussed: 00:00 – IntroductionRene welcomes Alvin Lim and sets the stage for a deep dive into carbon markets, investing, and impact.02:06 – Alvin’s Journey into Climate and CarbonFrom COP15 in 2009 as a student to building a carbon thesis at a sovereign wealth fund.09:21 – Understanding the Private Carbon MarketWhat are ecosystem enablers? Exploring infrastructure, data, and services in the carbon value chain.11:00 – Compliance vs. Project-Based MarketsHow these two market types differ and intersect—and how fungibility is starting to emerge.17:35 – Article 6.2 and 6.4: The Road AheadAlvin breaks down international cooperation, policy trends, and cost-saving potential from the 2019 IETA–Maryland study.20:30 – What Makes a Carbon Project Bankable?Alvin outlines three key risks investors look for: country/political, merchant/price, and performance risk.26:00 – Methodological Shifts & Issuance UncertaintyHow changing methodologies (e.g. REDD+ VM0048) affect future credit issuance and investor confidence.29:49 – De-risking the Market: The Role of Public CapitalPhilanthropy, DFIs, and blended finance mechanisms that help crowd in institutional investors.31:15 – Assessing Project Performance RiskWhy track record, conservative estimates, and insurance matter in evaluating project reliability.33:00 – Does Vintage Matter? A Carbon Market MythA myth-busting segment on vintage bias and the time value of carbon, including a reflection on how trading norms shaped perceptions.41:07 – The Power of Mentorship and EducationAlvin shares his personal story, teaching roles at NUS and Columbia, and why giving back is essential.48:46 – Carbon Markets & the Energy TransitionThe role carbon finance plays in enabling large-scale transition—especially in Asia.50:25 – Accelerating Coal Phase-Out in Emerging MarketsFinancing and incentives needed to speed up coal retirement.53:10 – How Do We Actually Accelerate the Transition?The importance of investment, innovation, and international alignment.57:16 – Reflections on Progress and What’s NextA look at where we stand in the global decarbonization journey—and what it will take to reach net zero.
Welcome to the Carbon Exposure Project! A platform for peer-to-peer conversations with people who are driving forward the carbon markets of tomorrow.
Join your host Rene Velasquez we get to discuss topics at the intersection of ESG and finance over cocktails, with the amazing backdrop of the lion city, Singapore.
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