104: How tech can help save the Amazon—w/ Diego Saez Gil of Pachama

If you want to verify carbon capture for a reforestation or forest conservation project, you’re looking at a price tag of anywhere between $100K and $400K, depending on the size of the forest. But a new company called Pachama is working to make the process much more affordable and add trust to the system, harnessing AI to measure carbon capture in forests.

 

Diego Saez Gil is the Cofounder and CEO of Pachama, a startup developing the technologies to bring trust, transparency and efficiency to the forest carbon market. His team leverages machine learning to accelerate the validation of carbon captured in reforestation and forest conservation projects.  On this episode of the podcast, Diego joins Alexsandra, Ross and Christophe to explain how LiDAR technology works and discuss how Pachama is using it to measure carbon capture with stunning accuracy.  

 

Diego shares the benefits of using Pachama’s platform in terms of adding trust to the system and reducing the transaction costs associated with verifying reforestation projects in carbon markets. He also discusses the fight over development versus conservation in Brazil and describes his take on the role of corporations in reversing climate change. Listen in for insight around the need for an abundance mindset in developing climate solutions and learn how Diego thinks about carbon markets as a mechanism to align incentives on the path to reversing climate change.

 

Key Takeaways

 

[1:40] The work Diego and his team do through Pachama

Build tools to measure + monitor carbon capture in forests Use data to validate offset projects in carbon markets

 

[3:29] How Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology works

Device uses laser to create 3D image of environment Apply deep learning to measure biomass, carbon capture (

 

[7:08] Why we should trust that Pachama’s algorithm works

Works by comparing shapes and volumes to ground truth Results consistent with traditional forester’s measurements

 

[9:08] The expense associated with verifying reforestation projects

Must send forester to take sample, do carbon stock assessment Costs between $100K and $400K depending on size

 

[10:46] Pachama’s approach to onboarding new clients

Go to projects using traditional protocols for verification Add trust to system and reduce transaction costs

 

[13:47] How we can improve the design of forestry projects in carbon markets

Base contribution to buffer pool on risk profile of individual project Bodies that create standards usually open to ideas for improvement

 

[15:51] Pachama’s progress in its first year in business

Onboarded 10 projects in US and Brazil Continue to add data, improve algorithm

 

[17:10] Pachama’s needs around data collection

LiDAR and ground truth numbers Data lives in governments, universities and companies

 

[18:11] The complexity of land and development politics 

Large reforestation projects up against armed illegal loggers Political narrative emboldens developers to exploit resources Carbon markets create income for people in those areas Indigenous communities should benefit most from projects

 

[24:06] Diego’s insight into the role of corporations in reversing climate change

Responsibility to benefit society at large for long term Reduce emissions and offset what can’t in short term

 

[27:51] Diego’s entrepreneurial path to reversing climate change

Grew up in Argentina between rainforest + Andes Took sabbatical to live with native community in Amazon Inspired by power of nature, shocked by deforestation Apply technology for scaling solutions to climate change

 

[30:44] How the scarcity vs. abundance mindset plays into Diego’s work

Scarcity mindset created climate crisis, abundance will solve We’re all connected and must come together for challenge

 

[34:50] How David Grinspoon’s work influenced Diego

Love big-picture view of humanity (one of many species to change planet) Attracted to optimism, potential for humans to be stewards

 

Connect with Alexsandra, Ross & Christophe

 

Nori

Nori on Facebook 

Nori on Twitter

Nori on Medium

Nori on YouTube

Nori on GitHub

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Email hello@nori.com

Nori White Paper

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Carbon Removal Newsroom

 

Resources

 

Pachama

Pachama on Twitter

Email info@pachama.com 

VERGE 19

Paris Agreement

American Carbon Registry

Verified Carbon Standard

Climate Action Reserve

The Gold Standard

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells

GreenBiz

Y Combinator

Buckminster Fuller

Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet’s Future by David Grinspoon

David Grinspoon on RCC EP047

Carl Sagan

Lynn Margulis

James Lovelock

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle

Eric Kornacki on RCC EP082