Selling Carbon Futures: Start-ups and Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits

Abstract: In recent years, carbon dioxide removals have gained significant attention as a potential solution to address the climate crisis, and the IPCC considers it an important component of staying within 1.5 degrees of warming. Start-ups are actively working to translate theoretical approaches into tangible biophysical actions. Many of these start-ups offer their services as carbon credits, which allow companies to make claims about offsetting their emissions. In this thesis, I conducted interviews with such start-ups to explore their involvement with carbon credits and the associated markets. Given the uncertain potential of a large-scale implementation of carbon dioxide removal and its potential to delay necessary emission reductions, this study analyzes whether there are indicators of such risks within the carbon removal credit system.