Interview With Carbon Removal India CEO Asitava Sen On Scaling CDR In India

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What was it that first made you interested in carbon removal, and when?

Honestly speaking, a year ago, I did not know about CDR — except having heard of only biochar — but that too as a soil carbon enhancement “product” and not as a carbon removal method. I come from a management consulting background with significant specialization in sustainable agriculture and agribusiness, which includes leading a large well-established agribusiness industry association. I had fair exposure to the growing intersection between agriculture and climate issues. Carbon Removal India Alliance (CRIA), although in existence as a consulting project, were looking for a CEO to formally establishing the entity and growing it. That was the first time I heard and read about CDR, and I could immediately see the huge potential — both as a climate mitigation solution and the added co-benefits, and how nicely they all can fit into the India story in coming years.

How would you describe what you’re doing to someone new to the topic, and to an expert?

For someone new to carbon removal, I’d explain it like this: We all know the planet is getting warmer because we’ve emitted too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over centuries of industrialization. Think of it as an overflowing bathtub — we need to turn down the tap of emissions (decarbonization), which is crucial, but we also need to actively bail out some of the water (removal) already in there to stop the overflow. That’s what Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) is all about — taking that extra CO₂ out of the air and storing it safely, for the long term.

Now, for an expert, I would delve into the science and strategic imperative. CDR, as defined by the IPCC, involves anthropogenic activities that intentionally extract CO₂ from the atmosphere and durably sequester it in geological, terrestrial, or ocean reservoirs, or in stable products. It’s vital to distinguish this from Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) at point sources, which is primarily about emissions avoidance. A cornerstone of effective CDR is durability, meaning the sequestered CO₂ must remain isolated for centuries to millennia. CDR not only removes CO2, but also has significant co-benefits for agriculture and industry.

CRIA’s mission is to accelerate the development, commercialization, deployment, and realization of the co-benefits of these durable carbon removal technologies within India. We actively engage in research, foster ecosystem building, undertake policy advocacy, and pursue international engagement to drive demand and capital towards Indian CDR projects. Our vision is for India to become a global leader in carbon dioxide removal.

Where do you hope, and where do you think, the carbon removal industry is in 3 years?

Looking ahead three years, my hope is to see the industry experience significant advancements in scaling durable removal technologies, moving beyond pilot projects to larger deployments, thus narrowing the supply-demand gap for high-quality CDR credits. I also hope for a more mature and robust global marketplace with greater transparency and standardized MRV processes, fostering trust and wider adoption. From India’s perspective, I particularly hope that the Indian Compliance Carbon Market will fully integrate various durable CDR methodologies beyond biochar, such as Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), creating strong domestic demand, and that policies will facilitate the international sale of Indian CDR credits. Furthermore, I hope for substantial progress in R&D leading to cost reductions and a greater monetization of the co-benefits of CDR, especially in India’s agriculture — all of which will bring down the credit cost and thus expand the demand base beyond a handful of global buyers.

Being an optimist, I expect a phase of significant acceleration and increasing maturity, with stronger policy signals, growing demand, and continued technological advancements, particularly in India and the Global South in general. Realistically however, large-scale, gigaton-level removal may still be further out and will take longer time to materialize. I also anticipate an intensified demand in favor of the durability/permanence of carbon removal, with capital increasingly favoring projects demonstrating long-term storage and low reversal risk.

Who are your biggest supporters, and what’s their reason to support your work, if you can say?

We’ve been fortunate to have support from a diverse range of stakeholders who understand the crucial role of durable carbon dioxide removal, and India’s strategic importance in materialize the opportunity. Firstly, we’ve seen encouraging engagement from governmental institutions. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)’s inclusion of Biochar Carbon Removal as an approved technology in the Indian Carbon Market offset regime is a significant step. Our dialogues with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) regarding the integration of biochar and ERW into sustainable agriculture initiatives, highlighting the co-benefits, also demonstrate their interest. At a provincial level we engaged with the Government of Punjab for leveraging biochar for crop residue management and air pollution abetment.

The global CDR community has also been incredibly supportive. Stripe and Frontier supported us by way of selecting me for the prestigious Stripe Climate Fellowship. So did Grantham Foundation and Cascade Climate through project contracts.  Our invitation to the Oxford Offsetting Principles Practitioners Forum underscores our alignment with international best practices. We also organized an important convening with the World Bank’s 2030 Water Resources Group on integrating durable carbon removal technologies into sustainable agriculture, and the role CDR can play in enhancing agricultural systems. Our partnership in the ‘City CDR Initiative’ and our Observer status at the Carbon Business Council (CO2BC) provide valuable platforms for international collaboration. Our involvement in the RMI-led Action Group focused on responsible scaling of CDR further highlights the global interest in India’s potential.

Crucially, the CDR ecosystem within India itself is a major source of support. As an industry-led coalition, our members comprise leading CDR developers and start-ups in the country, demonstrating a collective commitment to building this sector. CDRJobs launched India’s first CDR Job Board with us, which was their first venture in Global South

We’ve also benefited from the vision of philanthropic organizations, such as the Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation for their support of our convenings; and our strategic partnership with leading think tanks like the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) to drive research and policy initiatives are noteworthy.

In essence, our supporters recognize the pivotal role of durable CDR in achieving climate goals, and they see India’s unique potential to be a global leader in this space due to its scale, abundance of raw materials, favorable climatic conditions, cost-effectiveness, and entrepreneurship.

If you were not dedicating so much resources to carbon removal, where else would you dedicate them?

This is a tough question for me, since I am passionate and totally dedicated currently in making CRIA and CDR in India a success story. But if at all forced, I would have diverted the time and resources to another such promising new area in the intersection of climate and agriculture. Perhaps promoting biochar to be recognized as an organized large industry in India for soil conditioning and as an agriculture bio-input product.

What are the main angles for carbon removal that are specific to India?

Several key angles for carbon dioxide removal are particularly pertinent to India. Firstly, there’s India’s sheer potential for scale and cost-effectiveness in durable CDR, driven by our optimal climate, vast alkaline rock reserves, and the second-largest quantity of surplus biomass globally. A whitepaper by the Carbon Removal India Alliance (CRIA) has highlighted that the country could remove 900 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year, which translates into 10-30% of the global durable CDR requirement by 2050.

Secondly, the significant co-benefits, especially within the agricultural and industrial sectors, are a major angle. CDR approaches like biochar and enhanced rock weathering offer tangible improvements such as increased agricultural yields, soil regeneration, enhanced water resilience, improved food security, reduced reliance on fertilizers, and even a way to tackle air pollution from biomass burning. These align strongly with India’s developmental priorities.

Thirdly, we see a strong alignment with climate justice and economic development. Given India’s limited historical carbon footprint despite a large population, developing a robust CDR sector can attract financial flows from historical emitters in the Global North, adhering to the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’. This can drive economic growth, create jobs, and generate export revenue through high-quality carbon credits.

Finally, India has the potential to establish itself as a major hub in the global CDR market. Our growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and engineering capabilities position us to be at the forefront of innovation in CDR technologies, as evidenced by increasing international interest and investments.

In essence, India’s CDR opportunity is defined by its potential for scale, innovation capabilities and cost-effectiveness, the significant agricultural co-benefits, the alignment with climate justice and economic growth, and its emerging role as a global CDR leader.

What trends are you most excited about? Where are the biggest holes in the carbon removal industry?

Several trends are particularly exciting. Firstly, the increasing global recognition of CDR’s fundamental role in achieving Net Zero targets is a major positive. The IPCC’s findings and the growing commitments from corporations like Microsoft, Frontier, and Google are driving rapid demand for durable CDR credits. The projected growth of the sector to a potentially $1 trillion industry underscores the scale of this opportunity.

Secondly, the development of specific CDR policies and targets by governments globally such as the EU’s CRCF is very encouraging. This policy momentum is crucial for creating an enabling environment.

Thirdly, India’s unique potential to be a world leader in durable CDR is incredibly exciting, and getting noticed by stakeholders concerned. The inclusion of biochar in the Indian Carbon Market offset mechanism is a vital first step.

Finally, the emergence of a dedicated CDR ecosystem in India, exemplified by CRIA’s growth and activities, along with increasing international recognition, signals a coalescing of efforts. The potential for financial flows from the Global North to India based on market dynamics and climate justice principles is also a very positive prospect.

However, significant holes need addressing. Firstly, there’s a critical need for greater awareness and clarity and understanding of the differences between emissions reduction/avoidance, CCUS, LULUCF, and durable CDR. Policies and targets for CDR must be distinct due to differences in purpose, durability, and economics.

Secondly, ensuring the long-term durability and permanence of carbon storage is paramount. High-reversal-risk approaches undermine CDR’s effectiveness. Robust MRV frameworks and risk mitigation solutions are crucial.

Thirdly, while demand grows, a fully mature and trusted marketplace for durable carbon removal is still evolving. Domestic demand from Indian corporates remains limited, and the interaction between voluntary and compliance markets in India needs clarification regarding CDR credits.

Fourthly, supply side is constrained due to gaps in finance, policy, and capacities. We need large players to invest in CDR methodologies, not just startups. Also, as the sector scales, potential social and environmental risks associated with large-scale deployment need careful consideration and mitigation, including equitable use of biomass, long term soil impact, and equitable benefit distribution to local communities.

Addressing these holes through robust research, clear policy frameworks, transparent markets, and careful safeguards will be crucial to unlocking the full potential of the carbon removal industry, particularly in India.

What are overlooked opportunities in cleantech, carbon, or specifically carbon removal, in your opinion?

There are several overlooked and underserved opportunities. To name a few in the Indian context, I would point at a) lack of deep tech big ticket innovations in climate and cleantech space, barring a few exceptions; b) lower standards of measurement, credibility and trust in the emission avoidance / reductions methodologies; c) lack of distinct recognition and focus on removal as a net zero pathway and in NDCs at a national level; and d) policy gaps which poses a hindrance for monetization of co-benefits and rapid market expansion

And lastly, if you could enact one policy for climate, what would it be?

It would be an “India CDR policy” from the Government of India — like the EU’s CRCF, beginning with formation of an inter-ministerial Task Force led by an organization such as NITI Aayog — to arrive at a long-term roadmap for removal as a distinct and important pathway for “green growth!” In the medium term, a policy from the Agriculture Ministry to recognize the potential for biochar and ERW as effective agricultural soil inputs and facilitate their growth at an industrial scale.