Sustainability beyond doom and gloom — with Rene Velasquez

In this episode, we dive into the realities of building large-scale carbon projects in Africa with Rene Velasquez, Founder of the Carbon Exposure Project and Co-Host of This Week in Carbon.

Rene brings invaluable insights from the front lines of carbon market development, with years of experience working at APX (now part of CBL), where he helped build the registry infrastructure that underpins how carbon credits are issued, transacted, and retired.

In this episode, we explore:

• The challenges and opportunities of developing infrastructure-level reforestation and agroforestry projects
• What makes a carbon project stand out from the crowd and attract investment
• Key parameters for project success: from integrity and design to ratings and compliance
• Why communication matters in carbon markets, and how to move beyond fear-based messaging
• The psychology of market participation: appealing to passion, purpose, and yes, even greed
• How to democratize access to carbon markets and encourage broader engagement

Whether you're new to carbon markets or a seasoned professional, this conversation offers a refreshingly honest look at what it really takes to build successful nature-based solutions at scale.