When we moved our HQ to DC last year, it was in preparation for an opportunity like the one we now face: a Congress and new administration committed to acting on climate at a scale that will accelerate the US towards a carbon-removing future. With agencies grabbing up some of carbon removal’s brightest stars (including C180 alumni!), it’s clear that carbon removal is gaining mainstream momentum — and fast. In the last year alone we saw historic wins for carbon removal, including the first-ever dedicated federal carbon removal innovation program at the Department of Energy, extensions for and finalization of the 45Q tax credit, and hundreds of millions of dollars in federal appropriations funding for carbon removal.
Policy will continue to be a highly impactful driver to scale all carbon removal solutions, and as the field picks up speed, we know our organization has to be ready to act on any (and every) opportunity. We see an inflection point before us — to ensure we’re situated for what’s to come, we’ve made some changes around the house that center policy expertise at every level and prepare us for the incoming era of momentous carbon removal action.
A bright future for carbon removal
As of today, we’re welcoming Erin Burns, our current policy director and Hill veteran, as our new executive director. Erin is a leader on US carbon removal policy and in this role will continue to ambitiously drive the change we need to see at the federal level. Her progressive and pragmatic approach has defined our organization for years, and will guide Carbon180 through one of our most exciting political landscapes to date.
Noah Deich, co-founder, will assume the role of president and focus on partnership development, operational excellence, and fundraising. Giana Amador, a pioneer across philanthropic and policy carbon removal efforts as well as Carbon180 co-founder, will assume the role of policy director, building on a slew of recent efforts she’s led — including Carbon180’s transition book for the Biden administration and our years-long Leading with Soil work — to transform our team’s ideas into action.
We have big plans to build the groundswell of support needed to catalyze carbon removal development and deployment. To capitalize on the current moment and build a diverse and politically durable coalition of carbon removal champions, we’re going to be scaling up our efforts to develop innovative policy ideas, bring new advocates into the carbon removal tent (including environmental justice, labor, and corporate sustainability leaders), and support Congress and the administration in implementing bold action.
The future for carbon removal has never looked brighter. With our updated leadership structure, Carbon180 is best positioned to continue blazing the path forward.
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