Untangling Climate Finance

Tuesday, March 4, 2025Sliced: Pro Forma Tools 101In this edition of Sliced, we offer a 101 on Pro Forma Tools - a suite of key financial tools that could help scale climate finance to much needed projects and sectors. Used in other industries such as renewable energy, pro forma tools can help de-risk investments, standardize projections, and boost investor confidence. Now, it’s time to apply them to carbon markets, forestry, and climate-smart agriculture to unlock climate finance for urgent solutions.--Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here. And if you want to receive Sliced to your inbox, click ⁠here⁠. Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Tuesday, February 18, 2025Sliced: The Importance of Carbon Credit Purchasing CoalitionsIn this edition of Sliced, we dive into the power of Carbon Credit Purchasing Coalitions in driving climate action. We look at how coalitions like Symbiosis, LEAF, and Frontier are creating much-needed demand for high-quality carbon credits. By joining forces, these companies are sending clear market signals, supporting innovative carbon removal projects, and providing critical financing for communities around the world. Demand is the engine of the voluntary carbon market, and these coalitions are stepping up to keep it running.--Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here. And if you want to receive Sliced to your inbox, click ⁠here⁠. Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

In a fascinating conversation, Natalia Dorfman, CEO and Co-Founder of Kita Insurance, sheds light on the intersection of insurance and climate finance. She discusses how innovative insurance solutions are vital for mitigating risks in carbon markets. Natalia highlights the growing investor demand for reliable carbon credits and the significance of tailored risk strategies in attracting capital. The talk also touches on the evolution of insurance models that bolster trust in carbon offset standards, driving both climate action and financial returns.

Tuesday, February 4, 2025Sliced: Blended Finance – A Key Catalyst for Climate ActionIn this edition of Sliced, we dive into blended finance and its role in scaling climate solutions. With climate finance needing a massive boost, we explore how public, private, and philanthropic capital is unlocking funds for sustainable projects and driving real impact in the fight against climate change.--Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here. And if you want to receive Sliced to your inbox, click ⁠here⁠. Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025Sliced: Offsetting My 2024 Carbon FootprintIn this edition of Sliced, Jay Tipton reflects on his 2024 carbon footprint and explains the steps he took to purchase carbon credits that support clean cookstove projects in Guatemala. From personal accountability to impactful climate solutions, Jay points out how actions like these can drive meaningful change for communities and the planet.--Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here. And if you want to receive Sliced to your inbox, click ⁠here⁠. Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025Sliced: Los Angeles's Wildfires and the Path ForwardIn this edition of Sliced, Jay writes about Los Angeles's wildfires, reflecting on their personal impact and the financial tools driving forest resilience and climate action. From carbon markets to impact investing, Jay points out how these solutions can help amid the devastation.For those who want to help those impacted by the LA fires, there are numerous avenues. If you’re local, a list of volunteer opportunities is here. If you want to donate money, try the following: All Hands and Hearts Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation California State Parks Foundation California Community Foundation--Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here. And if you want to receive Sliced to your inbox, click ⁠here⁠. Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

In this episode, Jay sits down with Peter Stangel, Alicia Cramer, and Trevor Cutsinger from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities to explore their groundbreaking Impact Investing Program. They discuss how this initiative is reshaping forestry and conservation finance by blending financial returns with meaningful environmental and community impacts.Peter shares the origins and framework of the program, Alicia highlights success stories like Tanbark’s eco-friendly packaging solutions, and Trevor looks ahead to future opportunities, including scaling through co-investment and addressing challenges like low-value wood utilization.Tune in to learn how the U.S. Endowment is driving innovative solutions for forests, communities, and the climate!Show Resources: Link - --About:⁠Untangling Climate Finance⁠ explores the dynamic field of climate change finance through conversations with industry experts about topics including climate solutions, global carbon markets, carbon projects, novel technologies such as AI and distributed ledger, and much more.If you have any questions, comments, a future guest recommendation, or are interested in joining Jay for an episode, please shoot him a message at: ⁠jtipton@gordianknotstrategies.com⁠Credits:The podcast is produced by ⁠⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠⁠.It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠⁠Jay Tipton⁠⁠.Special thanks to ⁠Sean Penrith⁠, Jacoba Gundle, Maggie Tipton, and Julie Witherspoon. Music is by ⁠⁠Diamond_Tunes⁠. 

Tuesday, December 3, 2024Sliced: What Is Credit Enhancement? A Simple IntroductionIn this edition of Sliced, we offer an introduction to credit enhancement and how it can effect impact investing. --Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here. And if you want to receive Sliced to your inbox, click ⁠here⁠. Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Tuesday, November 19, 2024Sliced: United Kingdom - Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)In this week’s Sliced, we explore the recently confirmed United Kingdom Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and its potential impacts and risks. --Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here. And if you want to receive Sliced to your inbox, click ⁠here⁠. Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

In this episode, Jay connects with Sheri Hickok, CEO of Climate Impact Partners, to discuss the role of carbon markets in accelerating climate solutions. Sheri shares her career journey from engineering in Detroit to leading a global company dedicated to addressing climate change. Sheri explains Climate Impact Partners’ mission to drive impactful climate action by collaborating with corporations and governments worldwide. She highlights innovative projects, like their partnership with Form Ghana, a reforestation initiative that both removes carbon and supports local communities with sustainable jobs.This conversation also explores the latest trends in the voluntary carbon market, where companies are increasingly leveraging high-quality carbon credits to meet net-zero targets and bolster climate resilience.Show Resources: Reforesting Ghana: Form Ghana's Mission to Restore Forests and Benefit Communities Form Ghana and Climate Impact Partners Announce Exclusive Agreement on 400,000 Carbon Removal Credits Climate Impact Partners’ Annual Fortune Global 500 Report Shows Quiet Climate Action--About:⁠Untangling Climate Finance⁠ explores the dynamic field of climate change finance through conversations with industry experts about topics including climate solutions, global carbon markets, carbon projects, novel technologies such as AI and distributed ledger, and much more.If you have any questions, comments, a future guest recommendation, or are interested in joining Jay for an episode, please shoot him a message at: ⁠jtipton@gordianknotstrategies.com⁠Credits:The podcast is produced by ⁠⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠⁠.It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠⁠Jay Tipton⁠⁠.Special thanks to ⁠Sean Penrith⁠, Jacoba Gundle, Maggie Tipton, and Julie Witherspoon. Music is by ⁠⁠Diamond_Tunes⁠.