How Climate Experts Are Making the Case for Nature-Based Solutions
In a rapidly evolving carbon market, nature-based solutions (NbS) are emerging as a cornerstone in the global climate response. In a recent panel webinar, experts from The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Sylvera, and Terraformation explored the business case for NbS, the importance of quality assessments, and the role of standards in building trust.
“Forests are the most established carbon removal system we have,” explained Tom Vampola, Head of Climate Investments at Terraformation. “They’re scalable, cost-effective, and deliver real-world benefits like biodiversity, water security, and livelihoods.”
But there’s a catch: while forests grow over decades, corporate finance cycles move much faster. This mismatch is one reason NbS haven’t scaled quickly enough. The solution? Blended finance and community ownership models, like Terraformation’s, that align local stewardship with long-term project durability.
Watch the Webinar
Speakers: Maximiliano Bernal Temores, Carbon Markets Associate at The Nature Conservancy, Annalise Downey, Head of Climate Consulting at Sylvera, Tom Vampola, Head of Climate Investments at Terraformation
From Compliance to Integrity
Today’s carbon credit buyers demand more than registry validation—they seek assurance that credits represent real, measurable, and durable climate benefits. During the webinar, the speakers highlighted that integrity in 2025 requires strong data, transparency, and community engagement.
Annalise Downey, Head of Climate Consulting at Sylvera, emphasized the shift from simply trusting methodologies to operationalizing integrity at the project level. Buyers are conducting their own due diligence and turning to third-party rating tools like Sylvera to evaluate project risks, additionality, and permanence. Maximiliano Bernal Temores, Carbon Markets Associate at TNC, noted that integrity is a moving target, and frameworks like the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) are helping to define the evolving standards of high-quality carbon credits.
Nature-Based Solutions: A Bridge to Net Zero
Despite ambitious climate targets, many corporations are falling behind. Only 16% of the world’s largest 2,000 companies are on track to reach net zero by 2050, largely due to challenges in reducing Scope 3 emissions. Temores explained that these emissions are difficult to abate because of limited data, control over supply chains, and prohibitive costs.
Nature-based solutions can bridge this gap by offering cost-effective and scalable mitigation tools. Downey added that NbS such as afforestation and mangrove restoration are available today and provide critical co-benefits—biodiversity, water security, and local livelihoods.
Vampola noted that NbS are not only about creating an established form of carbon removal, they're about building something people and companies trust. But scaling them requires overcoming financing hurdles. Terraformation’s approach combines local stewardship with technological tools to ensure rapid deployment—without sacrificing ecological quality.
Standards and Market Confidence
As trust remains a linchpin in voluntary carbon markets, standards bodies like Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM), and Voluntary Carbon Market Integrity Initiative (VCMI) play a vital role. These organizations are creating a shared language for climate action, defining what high integrity looks like, and setting frameworks for responsible credit use.
They are providing the clarity companies need to engage confidently in carbon procurement. While there is ongoing debate about the appropriate use of credits, recent moves by SBTi to consider greater flexibility—such as using credits for Scope 3 underperformance or interim neutralization—may help accelerate private sector action.
Temores shared that TNC’s new Bending the Curve report outlines four use cases for credits: bridging short-term emission gaps, addressing un-abatable emissions, neutralizing residuals, and taking responsibility for historical emissions. This spectrum offers a roadmap for buyers navigating uncertainty.
Looking Ahead: Risks and Opportunities
The market still faces risks, particularly around buyer skepticism and regulatory ambiguity. However, opportunities abound. Downey pointed to innovations in dynamic baselining as a technological frontier, while Vampola stressed the growing demand for high-quality, nature-based carbon removals.
To thrive in this transition, companies must build portfolios that reflect not just carbon impact but social and environmental resilience. High-integrity NbS are not just a tool for compliance—they are foundational to a just and durable climate transition.
📌 Want to learn more?
Explore The Nature Conservancy's Bending the Curve report, Sylvera's State of Carbon Credits, and Terraformation's reforestation projects.
Meet the Speakers
About Annalise
Annalise Downey is the Head of Climate Consulting at Sylvera, helping market participants define their carbon strategy and navigate the voluntary carbon markets. Annalise brings experience in commercialization and new product development as co-founder of a subsea remote sensing company. She is passionate about bridging disciplines to develop data-driven and scalable solutions to tackle climate change.
About Tom
Tom Vampola is the Head of Climate Investments at Terraformation, where he partners with companies to scale high-integrity reforestation and nature-based carbon solutions. He brings years of experience in carbon markets, having worked at Sylvera and NCX advising corporate buyers and investors on sourcing high-quality carbon credits and navigating carbon due diligence. His background spans go-to-market strategy, investor engagement, and project commercialization across both early-stage and established carbon initiatives.
About Maximiliano
Max Bernal Temores is an Associate in the Global Carbon Markets team at The Nature Conservancy. His role focuses on researching the state of the VCM and engaging with government and independent stakeholders to promote TNC’s carbon market best practices. Max has a master's degree in environmental economics from Duke University and brings prior expertise in environmental management consulting. He is based in Washington, DC, and is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico.
