The Carbon Credit Dilemma with Kees van Santen, co-founder of Cawa

In this captivating fireside conversation, host Arjé Cahn sits down with Kees van Santen, founder of Cawa, to explore the complex world of voluntary carbon credits and the quest for genuine climate impact. Against the backdrop of a crackling campfire in the Dutch forest, they dive deep into the challenges and opportunities in the carbon credit market.

Key Discussion Points:

• The real mathematics behind carbon sequestration
• The critical difference between carbon removal and avoidance credits
• The current state of the voluntary carbon market and its transparency issues
• How intermediaries can take up to 80-85% of carbon credit value, leaving little for actual climate projects
• Cawa's mission to bring transparency and efficiency to carbon credit transactions
• The growing importance of ESG reporting and the EU's Green Claims Directive
• The challenge of greenwashing and how regulatory frameworks are evolving
• The founder's "oh shit moment" when confronted with the reality of carbon credit trading

Location: Recorded in a forest setting in The Netherlands

Chapters
👤 Follow Kees van Santen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kees-van-santen-606a22b2/
🌿 Learn more about Cawa: https://www.cawa.tech/
🔍 EU Green Claims Directive: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/green-claims_en
🌳 Gold Standard for Carbon Credits: https://www.goldstandard.org/
✅ Verra Carbon Standard: https://verra.org/

📱 Follow Arjé Cahn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjecahn/

Referenced in Episode:

• EU ETS (Emissions Trading System): https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/eu-emissions-trading-system-eu-ets_en
• CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive): https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sustainability-reporting_en

Note: This episode was recorded in late 2024. Regulations and market conditions discussed may have evolved since recording.
 
Production credits and thanks yous:
Music by Allerd van den Bremen
Production by Peter van Dijk, podcastvoorbedrijven.nl

Disclosure: Through Shamrock Ventures, the host has invested in some of the companies featured on this podcast, including Cawa.