Last week, co-founder Richard Nimmons and CCO Sanjay Parekh attended Carbon Unbound in London. They share their thoughts on where the industry is heading, its tailwinds and headwinds, and the topics everyone should monitor closely.

Our thoughts in just a few words

Positive policy momentum that should translate into growth in the next couple of years, new carbon credit buyers entering the market, real headwinds requiring resilience, and a continuing challenge to connect with the broader public beyond the carbon removal bubble.

Co-founder Richard Nimmons took the stage during Carbon Unbound Europe 2025 in London

The UK’s ambition to integrate Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) into its own Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) is a strong move forward, with legislation expected by the end of 2028 and an operational system by 2029. The move echoes the European ETS.

That alignment will create a bigger market for carbon and more price transparency.

The CRCF quality standard for carbon removal is expected to go live in 2026, with certification of the first units starting in 2026–2027.

This is massively positive news for the industry,” says Sanjay. “There are no legal frameworks fully operationalised right now, even for those working with Isometric or Puro, at the higher end of the quality bracket, like The Carbon Removers.

There are also first-time CDR buyers entering the space, with more organisations taking their first steps into carbon removal and looking for guidance and education.

At the same time, headwinds from the US are driving ‘greenhushing’, with many corporates keeping their climate actions quiet.

A final observation

The carbon removal industry needs to connect with people,” says Sanjay. “At The Carbon Removers, we saw how buyers connected with our simple story around whisky, as we capture and store the carbon emitted by Scottish distilleries. The industry language is still highly technical. Making carbon management relatable in the real world remains a challenge for everyone in the ecosystem.