NCEC Interview Questions

1.     How does the Global Carbon Management Academy contribute to removing carbon from the atmosphere?

The Academy was developed with the knowledge that carbon management cannot scale effectively without global collaboration and resource sharing, and the goal is for the platform to grow into a robust network of researchers advancing this critical field.

The Academy focuses on strengthening research connections to support the deployment of carbon management technologies. Our goal is to foster stronger collaboration between academia and other stakeholders, increase knowledge sharing and innovation across borders, and produce a globally recognized workforce, equipped to advance climate solutions. Together, these goals build the foundation for the accelerated deployment of carbon management technologies.

The Academy works with universities and research institutions around the world to:

1.       Create a virtual directory of carbon management experts, available courses, jobs and careers.

2.       Foster collaboration amongst universities and research institutions worldwide to exchange knowledge and form partnerships for non-commercial purposes.

3.       Provide and/or promote virtual and in-person training through established programs or newly developed, audience-tailored course offerings

2.     What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in carbon removal? 

As the world races to reach Net Zero, a gap has emerged in how we train, connect, and equip people to advance carbon management at scale. Limited investment has gone into building the shared knowledge, skills, and infrastructure needed to deploy carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and carbon removal technologies effectively at a global scale. Within the climate research community, researchers often work independently, training and funding opportunities are unevenly distributed, and many regions lack access to technical expertise or collaboration networks essential for climate innovation.

The Global Carbon Management Academy was created to bridge this divide. By uniting leading universities and research institutions, it serves as a hub for training, collaboration, and knowledge exchange in carbon management. The Academy’s directory of courses, expert network, and project spotlight aim to build a skilled, connected workforce capable of driving real progress toward Net Zero.

3.       Who are the key stakeholders in the carbon removal space?

Since the Academy focuses on amplifying the research, training, and capacity building, our key stakeholders include universities and research institutions. We are able to facilitate connections between these actors and key beneficiaries of their research, including governments, companies, and community groups who may wish to train and upskill in carbon management.

4.       How are you measuring carbon removal?

o   How is it verified?

While not directly related to the Academy as a platform, the measurement and verification of carbon removal is critically important to our overall mission. We work with the Carbon Management Challenge (CMC), an international climate initiative between 24 countries, that has the goal of managing 1 gigatonne of CO₂ annually by 2030. The CMC has a workstream focused on project deployment and tracking, that involves the measurement and verification of carbon management projects towards the gigatonne goal. These joint tracking efforts rely closely on knowledge-sharing, conversation and trust between governments and other key players.

5.       How do groups like the New Carbon Economy Consortium allow you to further your progress? 

The Academy is, first and foremost, a coalition-building effort. As we bring together members of the global carbon research community, groups like the New Carbon Economy Consortium play a critical role in allowing us to broaden our reach to funders, grantees, and thought partners. Crucially, groups like NCEC allow us to build cross-sectoral connections between nonprofit, government, private and academic players, united by the common goal of advancing carbon solutions.

6.       Anything else you’d like to share?

We invite universities and research institutions globally to join us as Academy Partners via this link. We also welcome interest from Funders seeking to contribute to climate mitigation solutions: https://gcmacademy.org/join-the-academy/

LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-carbon-management-academy/

Website: https://gcmacademy.org/

Contact Academy Lead, Vanshika Goel, at vanshika.goel@carbonfound.org

Photos: Sally Benson, Precourt Family Professor in the Department of Energy Resources Engineering at Stanford (Academy partner), teaching an Academy-led course in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.