Green Industrial Policy and CDR in the Global South - with Amir Lebdioui

In this episode of The CDR Policy Scoop, Sebastian Manhart and Eve Tamme are joined by Amir Lebdioui, Director of the TIDE Centre at the University of Oxford, to explore whether durable carbon dioxide removal can become a credible green industrialisation pathway for the Global South.

Recorded on January 19, the conversation builds on a recent working paper authored by Sebastian Manhart and Raphael Cario in collaboration with the TIDE Centre examining how carbon removal could move beyond a niche climate instrument and instead support jobs, exports, and long-term economic development in developing economies. Amir explains why environmental policy alone often fails, and why climate action must be embedded in green industrial policy to deliver real livelihoods and political durability.

The episode dives into the concept of green windows of opportunity, what Global South countries can learn from past green industrialisation efforts, and how CDR differs from earlier sectors like renewables or green hydrogen. The discussion also tackles key risks, including extractive development models, over-reliance on imported technology, and dependence on a narrow set of buyers in the Global North.

Together, the hosts unpack what it would actually take for CDR to support local value creation—from capability building and regulation to demand creation and export strategy—and why getting this right matters not just for climate outcomes, but for development, equity, and long-term political support for climate action.

Links:

• Eve Tamme: LinkedIn and Website
• Sebastian Manhart: LinkedIn and Website
• Amir Lebdioui: LinkedIn
• Oxford Tide Center: Website
• Oxford Tide Center Working Paper: Overlooked Industrialisation Opportunity: How the Global South can Leverage CDR
• [Re]Moving on Up—Can developing countries be a powerhouse for contributing engineered removals towards net zero goals?

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