Unlocking Carbon Value
Andy is Executive Director of the Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub, driving climate tech innovation in Georgia and the Southeast. With over a decade of experience spanning battery storage, solar, smart grid and refrigerants, he connects entrepreneurs with resources to accelerate sustainable solutions. Andy’s work combines expertise in growth strategy and alliance building to support the region’s transition to a sustainable future.
Jason Rubottom is an experienced CEO with a strong track record in growing software, climate tech, eCommerce, and tech-enabled services companies. He led Ally Commerce to the Inc. 5000’s #338 fastest-growing company ranking. With expertise in leadership, strategy, sales, digital transformation, and building high-performance teams, Jason has driven success across multiple industries, including eCommerce, SaaS, and enterprise software.
This panel featuring Trenton Spindler (Puro.earth), Andy Marshall (Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub) and Jason Rubottom (Cloverly) explored the Southeastern U.S.’s role in the evolving $1 trillion carbon market. Framed not as a fringe environmental effort but as an emerging financial and infrastructure opportunity, the discussion focused on the region’s assets, the market’s transformation and the infrastructure and integrity required to scale carbon removal with commercial viability.
A Trillion-Dollar Opportunity Meets Regional Readiness
The carbon market is shifting rapidly from experimental to essential. Global projections indicate that to meet net-zero targets by 2050, the world must remove 10 billion tons of CO₂ annually—a scale requiring exponential growth and sustained investment. This represents a $1 trillion annual opportunity, but panelists noted that only a sliver of the market—about 5%—currently involves high-integrity carbon removal.
The Southeast, with its 30% share of the nation’s forest cover, extensive farmland and decommissioned oil fields suitable for sequestration, is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this shift.
Panelists highlighted that while U.S. policy frameworks lag behind, voluntary carbon markets are thriving. Corporate climate commitments, especially around Scope 3 emissions, are driving demand. The Southeast is already home to many of these companies, giving it a built-in customer base. However, participation remains limited due to fragmented infrastructure and small-scale land ownership. One panelist noted that the region’s potential lies in aligning these natural and corporate assets with scalable, trusted market tools.
Market Integrity and Financial Discipline Are Reshaping the Landscape
Trust in carbon markets hinges on quality and integrity. The panel emphasized that early market criticism—over-crediting, unverifiable claims, and low-impact projects—has accelerated reform. Organizations are now developing more robust standards and third-party ratings. Tools such as the Core Carbon Principles and financial-grade risk management are helping reframe carbon as a credible, investable asset.
Importantly, the carbon market is not failing—it is maturing. One speaker pushed back against the notion of “uncertainty,” calling it a transitional phase driven by rising corporate demand and higher expectations for transparency. Credits are increasingly being treated like commodities. Insurance-backed guarantees, standardized contracts, and fungibility are enabling carbon to function more like oil or steel, thereby attracting institutional capital. Another panelist underscored the importance of treating carbon credits with the same rigor expected of other financial instruments to unlock broader investment.
The Southeast’s Distinctive Path: From Fragmentation to Participation
Although the Southeast is often seen as trailing in market adoption, the panelists suggested a more nuanced view. The region’s slow uptake is due less to disinterest and more to operational complexity—particularly the dominance of small landowners. Effective participation demands tools that are not only technically sound but also accessible to these stakeholders.
Panelists cited successful carbon removal pilot projects with small farmers in the Carolinas as proof of concept. However, many of these efforts are funded by out-of-region investors, raising questions about why local ecosystems haven’t produced more developers. Making carbon markets viable for local stakeholders—through straightforward platforms, trusted intermediaries, and clear risk frameworks—was positioned as key to broader participation.
Building a Regional Playbook Around Commercial Viability and Narrative
Unlocking the Southeast’s potential will require a regional playbook centered on economic development and accessibility. Panelists proposed four pillars: first, help corporate buyers see how local credits meet both climate and business goals; second, simplify participation for landowners through transparent tools and consistent standards; third, build local talent pipelines in project development and verification; and fourth, reframe carbon markets as a tool for regional resilience and prosperity.
Rather than waiting for national mandates, the Southeast can lead by leveraging its natural capital and aligning it with private-sector momentum. The key, one speaker noted, is cohesion—linking policy, infrastructure, and storytelling to move from potential to leadership in a market where financial, environmental, and community benefits converge.
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