Episode 33 is with Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct, and with Tim Bushman, Director of Policy and Research at Carbon Removal Canada.
Today Na’im speaks with Dr. Julio Friedmann and Tim Bushman about Canada's potential to scale up carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Late last year, Carbon Removal Canada released a report on Canada's readiness to scale carbon removal and the policies needed to unlock its potential. Today, Na’im speaks to two leading experts on carbon removal's future in Canada: Tim Bushman, who co authored the report and who has surveyed the Canadian landscape to understand the carbon removal potential here; and Julio Friedman, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct, a world renowned expert on carbon removal and related industries, who was kind enough to review the report and has been a huge inspiration to so many in the carbon removal field.
Tim and Julio will talk about the global CDR landscape, trends and developments to watch, Canada's advantages in scaling CDR, the policies currently in place, like an investment tax credit and a carbon management strategy, and the additional policies we will need to succeed in this new industry.
In this episode, Na’im, Julio, and Tim discuss:
The current global CDR landscape, major developments and trends in the industry;
The important use cases and benefits for scaling CDR;
The scale of CDR needed for individual countries to achieve net-zero emissions, the steps required to get there, and the need to start building capacity now;
The potential leading role that Canada can play in scaling the global CDR industry;
Reasons governments should support the carbon removal industry and the ancillary benefits for doing so;
The most important near-term policy actions to support the sector, including a government procurement program, innovation investments, and standard-setting; and
Challenges and opportunities going forward.
Relevant Links:
Ready to Removal: A Decisive Decade for Canadian Leadership in Carbon Dioxide Removal (Carbon Removal Canada, 2023)
Capturing the opportunity: A Carbon Management Strategy for Canada (2023)
About Dr. Julio Friedmann
Dr. Friedmann recently served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy where he was responsible for DOE’s R&D program in advanced fossil energy systems, carbon capture, and storage (CCS), CO2 utilization, and CO2 removal. More recently, he was a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia. He has held positions at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including Chief Energy Technologist. Dr. Friedmann is one of the most widely known and authoritative experts in the U.S. on carbon removal (CO2 drawdown from the air and oceans), CO2 conversion and use (carbon-to-value), hydrogen, industrial decarbonization, and carbon capture and sequestration.
About Carbon Direct
Carbon Direct helps organisations turn industry-leading carbon science into action through its end-to-end platform and advisory services. Their team consists of over 40 leading scientific advisors who have collectively published over 1,000 peer-reviewed papers on carbon measurement, management, and removal and engaged in meaningful climate action from restoration and conservation through to carbon project design and innovative tool development for project monitoring. This scientific foundation is enhanced by a broader team of over 20 carbon market advisors drawing upon finance, consulting, and software expertise. Carbon Direct’s scientific and market base spans decarbonisation frameworks and strategies, emissions tracking, engineered, hybrid, and nature-based solutions, and cross-cutting issues such as governance and equity in carbon markets.
About Tim Bushman
Tim Bushman is the Director of Policy and Research at Carbon Removal Canada where he helps to inform policies and regulations to support the rapid and responsible scale-up of carbon removal in Canada. We’re very lucky to have him on the team. Tim has a background in climate science and has worked extensively across the field of carbon management. His research has focused on mitigation strategies for the difficult-to-abate sectors and carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. Prior to joining our team, he was a Senior Science Analyst at Carbon Direct and a Senior Analyst at Energy Futures Initiative.
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
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Julio Friedmann and Tim Bushman take stock of carbon removal leading into 2024 and Canada's potential as a global CDR leader