The Carbon Curve A year of renewal: carbon removal in the climate pullback era
Episode 60 is a special ask me anything style episode with Na’im Merchant and Rahima Dosani
In this annual “flip the script” episode of The Carbon Curve, Na’im is back in the hot seat as his wife Rahima Dosani interviews him AMA-style to reflect on the past year in carbon removal and life outside of work.
The conversation starts with personal (and intentionally uncomfortable) questions—turning 40, parenting two young kids, and hard-earned life lessons—before zooming out to the state of carbon removal in 2025. Na’im shares why 2025 felt like a year of renewal at Carbon Removal Canada, what climate pullback has meant for the sector, why he’s even less patient than last year with narratives that dismiss carbon removal as a “distraction”, and the people who inspire him in the carbon removal community.
In this episode, Na’im and Rahima discuss:
* Turning 40: practical life lessons and hot takes
* Parenting a 3.5-year-old and 1.5-year-old and why year two can feel harder than year one.
* Why 2025 felt like “renewal” at Carbon Removal Canada
* What climate pullback is changing: a shift from targets and rhetoric toward delivery, results, and co-benefits.
* 2025 carbon removal highlights: record contracting volumes, the XPRIZE outcomes, and policy momentum in Europe
* Leadership lessons and people who have inspired Na’im in 2025
Relevant links
* Carbon Removal Canada and registration link for Carbon Removal Day (March 5th in Ottawa)
* The Carbon Console tracking 12+ megatonnes of carbon removal projects in Canada
* Tank Chen and team’s excellent work over at CDR.fyi tracking sales and deliveries
* XPRIZE Carbon Removal winners Mati Carbon
* Vaclav Smil white paper on physical infrastructure transition
* Erin Burns Substack (Carbon180 Executive Director)
* Sebastian Manhart, the CDR Policy Scoop podcast, and Gigaten Monthly newsletter
* Robert Höglund on carbon removal as mitigation, not a last resort
* Chris Neidl (High-Level Climate Champions) and Chris Sherwood (The Negative Emissions Platform) on getting carbon removal on the COP agenda and its own pavilion
About Rahima Dosani
Rahima Dosani is the Director of Strategy, Learning, and Innovation at Global Health Visions, a women-owned global health consulting firm . She previously worked at USAID’s Center for Innovation and Impact and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, with experience in Myanmar and Malawi, after starting her career in strategy consulting in New York City .
Rahima holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health .
About Na’im Merchant
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada . He publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and hosts The Carbon Curve podcast, exploring the people, policies, and technologies needed to scale carbon removal globally.
This episode was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Consecon Foundation.
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is on the advisory board of the Carbon Removal Standards Initiative and Terraset, and a former policy fellow with Elemental Impact. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is the Head of Content and Community at CDR.fyi, a public benefit corporation dedicated to accelerating carbon removal through transparency. He is also the co-founder of CDRjobs, a career platform for the carbon removal industry. Based in Taiwan, Tank is a carbon removal advocate focused on educating policymakers, corporate leaders, and the public on the importance of carbon removal, using data-driven insights to support communication and policy advocacy.
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