The CDR Policy Scoop

In this episode of The CDR Policy Scoop, Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme are joined by Robert Höglund, Manager of the Milkywire Climate Transformation Fund and co-founder of CDR.fyi, to unpack a new way of thinking about corporate net-zero targets.

Recorded in early February, the conversation explores Robert’s proposal for conditional net-zero targets - a framework that distinguishes between emissions companies can realistically control and those that depend on broader systemic change. The discussion examines why today’s net-zero paradigm often obscures these realities, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors, and how this lack of clarity risks undermining credibility and action.

The episode dives into the practical challenges of operationalising conditional targets, including questions of agency, financial feasibility, governance, and accountability. Sebastian and Eve probe whether this approach simplifies or complicates an already crowded standards landscape, and whether it risks creating loopholes - or instead forces companies to be more honest about what reaching net zero actually requires.

The discussion also explores how this reframing could affect near-term demand for carbon removal, particularly through operational net-zero claims for Scope 1, Scope 2, and business travel, and whether conditional targets could unlock more realistic and durable corporate engagement with removals over the next decade.

Links:
Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
Robert Höglund: LinkedIn, Website and Substack on this topic
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In this episode of The CDR Policy Scoop, Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme are joined by Josh Becker, California State Senator representing Silicon Valley, to discuss the future of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) policy in California.

Recorded live on Presidents’ Day, the conversation explores how California quantified its carbon removal needs - 7 million tons by 2030 and 75 million tons by 2045 - and what it will actually take to deliver on those targets.

The episode dives into the legislative history of SB 308 (Carbon Dioxide Removal Market Development Act) and subsequent efforts to establish quality standards for removals, including durability and additionality requirements. Senator Becker explains the political challenges of designing compliance mechanisms, aligning with California’s Cap-and-Invest system, and navigating tensions between the legislature, regulatory agencies, and the Governor’s office.

Sebastian and Eve also explore the implications of recent bills - including funding through California’s climate innovation programs and new mandates for developing CDR protocols - and what they mean for integrating removals into compliance markets. The discussion touches on voluntary market demand, infrastructure enablers such as CO₂ pipelines, and how California can attract private investment amid federal headwinds.

The episode concludes with a forward-looking discussion on what policymakers globally can learn from California’s experience: focus on quality standards, clarify who pays, and build durable political coalitions to scale carbon removal alongside deep emissions reductions.

Links:
Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
Senator Josh Becker: LinkedIn
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In this episode of The CDR Policy Scoop, Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme are joined by Jannick Buhl, Head of CCUS, CDR and Biomass at the Danish District Heating Association, to unpack what happened in Denmark’s highly anticipated CCS subsidy tender.

Recorded in early February, the conversation examines why nine out of ten pre-qualified bidders withdrew from a tender worth nearly €4 billion, leaving just two final applications. Jannick explains why Denmark’s approach - requiring bidders to take responsibility for the entire CCS value chain, from capture to transport to storage - proved too risky for most projects under the current market conditions

The episode dives into the key bottlenecks behind the withdrawals, including limited access to CO₂ storage, strict delivery timelines tied to Denmark’s 2030 climate target, and heavy penalties for delays. The discussion explores why Aalborg Portland, Denmark’s largest emitter, was still able to submit a bid, and what assumptions it is making around onshore storage availability.

Sebastian, Eve, and Jannick also examine broader lessons for governments designing CCS and CDR funding schemes: whether tenders should cover the full value chain or be broken into separate components, how much delivery risk the state should absorb, and how tight climate deadlines can unintentionally undermine project development.

The episode concludes with a forward-looking discussion on what Denmark might do next, how withdrawn projects could be revived under different tender designs, and what other countries can learn from Denmark’s experience as they roll out large-scale CCS and CDR support mechanisms.

Links:
Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website - post on this topic
Jannick Buhl: LinkedIn
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Germany is emerging as one of Europe’s most active carbon removal markets - with new public funding, a growing startup ecosystem, and heavy industry exploring large-scale CDR. But can policy, infrastructure, and demand keep pace with ambition?

In this special episode, Sebastian Manhart shares insights from a two-day CDR experience tour across Germany, featuring conversations with policymakers, researchers, startups, and industry leaders. The episode explores Germany’s carbon removal potential, the key barriers to scale, and what governments can do now to de-risk projects and unlock investment.

From public procurement and contracts for difference to compliance markets and infrastructure, this episode looks ahead to where Germany’s CDR strategy is heading in 2026 and beyond.

Links:
Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
Oscar Schily: LinkedIn
Tank Chen: LinkedIn
Tony Oehm: LinkedIn
Florian Hildebrand: LinkedIn
Manuel Wessel: LinkedIn
Stefan Schlosser: LinkedIn
Saskia Kühnhold-Popischil: LinkedIn
Julian Joswig: LinkedIn
Sascha van Beek: LinkedIn
DVNE Experience Tour
Carbon Gap: Germany Carbon Removal Readiness Assessment (report) - to be released; launch event here
EU ETS
German Federal Government – Carbon Management Strategy (CO₂ transport & storage framework
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How will the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) handle carbon price paid abroad, and what does that mean for carbon removal and international carbon markets?

The European Commission is now working on detailed rules for deducting a carbon price paid in third countries, including how carbon credits under compliance schemes and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement might be taken into account. The stakes for CBAM’s global impact just got much higher.

This CDR Policy Scoop episode unpacks what this new direction could mean in practice: from the principle of equivalence, to the role of Article 6. This new direction has attracted varied reactions to date. What’s the outlook?

To navigate this evolving landscape, we’re once again joined by leading CBAM expert Dan Maleski from Redshaw Advisors, bringing frontline insight on how policymakers and market participants are preparing for the next phase.

Join co-hosts Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme for another fast-paced 30‑minute session that connects the dots between EU trade policy, carbon markets, and carbon removal.

Links:
Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website - post on this topic
Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website - post on this topic
Dan Maleski: LinkedIn - post 1 and post 2 on this topic
The European Commission CBAM website
The European Commission report on the application of CBAM

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