The Carbon Unbound Summit has wrapped up yet another successful edition, concluding a two-day Europe event held on October 21-22 in London that filled a sizable venue with individuals ambitious to make a positive change.
Hosted at a time of shifting global carbon dioxide removal (CDR) axis, the event brought suppliers and buyers together, providing a much-needed discussion platform for experts and stakeholders to engage in a deep-dive market overview, pinpointing the next key steps on the journey towards the gigatonne removal milepost.
The event was kicked off with the opening remarks that set the scene for a series of hot topic panels, presentations, upbeat campfire sessions, and industry idea-sharing that kept the large crowd of attendees engaged throughout the two-day agenda.
A Major Focus On Buyers
While a CDR.fyi market review presentation reflected on the tremendous growth witnessed in durable carbon removal in 2025, the need for new buyers is still a pressing concern, and Carbon Unbound Europe looked into buyers’ needs and perspectives in an effort to clear up the expectations on both ends of sales and catalyze bolder purchasing action.
A session held under Chatham House Rules helped pin down some major issues holding back new buyers, like the need for good commercial CDR deals, where prices of $500-$600 per tonne are not a feasible offer.
Buyer action and scale could be unlocked through more SBTi or company-level milestones, while standards need to make a clear business case for companies to invest in CDR.
Noting that custom due diligence is not viable, panel discussions stressed that while there is progress in supply-side standards, the industry needs more demand-side standards that would clarify who does what and how quality is maintained, helping establish liability.
Sacha Corby, CDR Science & Technology Director at Climeworks, pointed out that the next wave of buyers beyond the current corporate market drivers will need better education across the different CO2 removal pathways.
There was an overall consensus among panelists that buyers are focused on quality, durability, and reputation, and the market is currently a complex space for new buyers to enter—an issue the industry needs to address with priority.
Relevant: New Supercritical Offering Opens Doors For More CDR Buyers
Will Policy Meet Scaling Needs?
Another major focus was the policy side of CDR and Article 6.4, or the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism, that will allow countries to transfer carbon credits earned from the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to one or more other countries looking to meet climate targets.
A campfire session moderated by Article 6.4 Supervisory Body Chair Olga Gassan-Zade and a panel discussion on building a credible VCM shed more light in this direction, with panelists voicing that the sector needs clarity on use cases and compliance, as well as better organization and unification around resources, rules, and vocabulary.
The importance of vocabulary was also highlighted in a presentation by the Carbon Business Council, where survey data showed the sensitivity towards different phrasing, confirming the need for standardized terms in carbon-related communication.
Challenges And Opportunities In Specific CDR Pathways
When it comes to specific CDR pathways, discussions signaled that soil carbon developers still have work to do on improving measurements and risk management, but the industry has the chance to scale into supply chains and Scope 3 emissions.
For mCDR, panelists pointed out that the approach needs better methods, sharing that the MRV is the most expensive part of these kinds of projects, and conveyed optimism about the potential unlocking of cost reductions through data collection innovations being developed in non-carbon contexts like defense or oil and gas operations and the prospects of partnering with wastewater infrastructures.
Speakers on a panel on CDR in tropical regions attested that a lack of funding is hindering further progress, while another session underlined the opportunity that CDR integration presents for the booming AI industry and CO2-heavy data centers.
In a comparative perspective on engineered and nature-based solutions, discussions showed the scale is currently tipped in favor of nature-based ones, while engineered approaches will have the compliance markets on their side.
Read more: New Analysis Highlights Equal Importance Of Nature-Based And Tech CDR For Climate Goals
For carbon capture and storage (CCS), the takeaway message was that the industry needs to ensure there is enough storage capacity to meet scaling needs, advising on a combined portfolio that would use both storage and utilization for the captured CO2.
During a lively debate hosted by Sebastian Manhart on whether compliance or the voluntary carbon market will reach the gigatonne level first, Eve Tamme and Tito Jankowski presented compelling arguments on each side, and in an in-session poll, 65% of the audience voted in favor of compliance, while 35% voted pro-VCM.
A panel on the role of financial institutions presented viewpoints from J.P. Morgan, Standard Chartered, Lloyds, and HSBC, where it was underlined that risk mitigation is important, and financiers should be at the CDR deal-making table.
Which Global Region Will Take The Lead On CDR?
A prevalent topic during the Carbon Unbound Europe event was the new US climate landscape being redefined by President Trump’s administration, with panelists sharing the sentiment that this new reality presents a valuable opportunity for other global regions to take the CDR lead.
A dedicated panel session reflected on the progress made so far in this regard in the EU, UK, and Nordic countries, where policy frameworks seem to be paving the way for CDR deployment at scale. On day 2 of the summit, one of the most crowded campfire sessions was the table discussing the Nordic CHP market and the 70 million tpa CDR opportunity it presents.
In a comment, Ryo Yamada, Commercial Lead of Decarbonization EMEA at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, noted that Europe is getting more and more strategically important, attracting stakeholders with the strong support provided by government.
Canada is also well positioned to emerge as a CDR leader, powered by vast resources and a government that recognizes the opportunities this industry could bring for the country.
Optimism For The Future
As the insights-packed event was wrapping up, the venue vibrated with energetic networking and conversations, where stakeholders shared perspectives on what’s next.
Reflecting on the event, A.J. Kumar, PhD, and Indigo Ag VP of Science & Innovation, commented:
“It’s helpful to get feedback and to see how various folks are thinking about the field. The Chatham House panel with the demand, the folks on the buyers’ side, was super helpful to get some honest thoughts on what buyers care about and are looking for, and I’m encouraged that there’s still a lot of interest globally in this space even if there are individual jurisdictions where things may be a little less clear in the last few years.”
Panelist Dr. ir. Samantha Eleanor Tanzer, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management at Delft University of Technology, shared:
“People seem interested in learning and figuring out how do we get this going. I think the bottlenecks really haven’t changed in the past couple of years, especially with all the market uncertainty that’s happening and with the geopolitical developments in the U.S., but it’s really nice to talk. I think everyone here is very open and very interested in how do we get this right.”
The overall feel of Carbon Unbound Europe was that the industry is looking ahead to see what compliance markets will change for the sector and which global geography will have the most success in spearheading CDR, as well as what pathways will keep momentum as the market progresses.
