Grant Announcement: Press Release

Cross Post: The release below is from the Carbon Development Council

Carbon Development Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 10, 2022 

Carbon Development Council Receives Grant from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to Support Responsible Growth & Innovation for Carbon Removal

--Announced During COP27, Grant Focuses on Community Building and Engagement to Scale Carbon Removal Responsibly-- 

The Carbon Development Council announced $100,000 in grant support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) to advance the responsible deployment of carbon removal and to support innovators who are working to make gigaton-scale climate solutions a reality. The Carbon Development Council is a sister organization to the Carbon Business Council, a trade association with more than 70 member companies. 

“We’re extremely grateful for support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to help ensure that carbon removal scales not only economically, but also responsibly and in a way that benefits communities. Philanthropic leaders like the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative help enable a pathway to gigaton-scale carbon removal that maximizes benefits, especially for impacted communities that bear the brunt of climate change,” said Ben Rubin, Executive Director of the Carbon Development Council.

“Authentic community engagement is essential as carbon dioxide removal expands. Connecting innovators with solutions to communities most impacted by climate change can lead to durable projects with broad-based benefits. We are pleased to support the Carbon Development Council's work to foster the responsible growth of the carbon removal field,” said Caitlyn Fox, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. 

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is investing in carbon removal and other decarbonization efforts as part of accelerating action on climate change. This includes support for developing and scaling promising technologies to help address climate change.

The grant will support Carbon Development Council programming, including monthly training sessions for companies on responsible deployment, storytelling to highlight emerging leaders and the diversity of the field, and community building among entrepreneurs and nonprofits. The Carbon Development Council is a sponsored project of Goodnation Foundation, which helps donors address urgent needs, find solutions, and create lasting impact.

The Carbon Development Council’s programming builds on the Carbon Business Council’s Ethical Oath to Restore the Earth, which establishes an ethical standard for growing the carbon removal industry responsibly. Invoking long-standing medical and legal oaths, it builds alignment around a set of principles, including that removing emissions should work in tandem with mitigating them. 

The grant announcement was made during COP27, where carbon removal is rising in prominence on the international stage. Scientists globally have reached consensus that the world needs to remove and manage gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, working in tandem with mitigation. Carbon removal events are being featured at Carbon Removals at COP, a dedicated online platform for events, daily commentary, news and thinking throughout COP27 and beyond. The Carbon Business Council, the sister organization to the Carbon Development Council, is a core partner for Carbon Removals at COP, and is hosting and co-hosting multiple events in Egypt. 

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Carbon Development Council, a sponsored project by Goodnation Foundation, is focused on reaching gigaton-scale carbon removal responsibly and economically by supporting innovators who are leading the charge and educating stakeholders and the general public about carbon removal. 

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our communities. Through collaboration, providing resources and building technology, our mission is to help build a more inclusive, just and healthy future for everyone.