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Today, I'm joined once again by Jen Stebbing, CEO and Co-Founder of Sotora Global, to unpack the biggest conversations from London Climate Action Week 2026 and what they mean for forest investors, carbon markets, and nature finance.
Jen shares why this year's discussions marked a noticeable shift from questioning whether carbon markets work to focusing on how to scale them with greater integrity. We explore the emerging demand signals from corporate buyers, the evolving role of standards such as SBTi, and why a communications gap—not necessarily a market gap—may be holding back investment confidence.
We also take a deep dive into one of the week's most promising developments: the concept of Contracted Durability and the Permanence Trust, an innovative approach that could fundamentally change how reversal risk is managed in forest carbon markets. Along the way, we discuss portfolio approaches to climate investing, REDD+, forest carbon pricing, nature-based removals versus avoided emissions, and why protecting existing forests remains just as critical as planting new ones.
If you want a concise overview of where climate finance, forest carbon, and nature markets are heading—and what investors should be watching next—this episode provides an invaluable temperature check from one of the sector's most connected voices
\"I think there's now a communications gap between where carbon markets actually are and where people think they are. Much of the public narrative is still stuck in 2023, while the market itself has moved forward substantially.\"
00:00 – Introduction and overview of London Climate Action Week
01:00 – What London Climate Action Week is really like
03:33 – The biggest takeaway: markets and finance are working
05:16 – Missed sessions, FOMO, and key workshops on permanence
06:28 – Permanence, durability, and the Permanence Trust explained
10:04 – Demand-side challenges and signals from carbon buyers
12:42 – New standards, policy developments, and future demand drivers
16:47 – Reframing carbon market risk for investors
18:33 – Why buyers remain cautious despite growing confidence
20:27 – Portfolio investing and emerging buyer strategies
22:08 – Practical successes and innovations from the field
24:23 – REDD+, governance improvements, and social value measurement
25:46 – The true cost of high-integrity forest carbon
26:56 – Major announcements and promising new initiatives
28:00 – Policy discussions and the European outlook
30:22 – Investor preferences across forest carbon project types
33:28 – Super pollutants as an entry point to carbon markets
35:36 – Behind-the-scenes conversations and AI in climate finance
37:01 – Frustrations and three key messages from the week
38:29 – Looking ahead to London Climate Action Week in 2036
40:13 – Book recommendation and final reflections
40:51 – Revisiting the Permanence Trust and contracted durability
46:47 – Investment advice for newcomers to forest finance
47:44 – Closing remarks and where to learn more
Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink
Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives
Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud
Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud
Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay)
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