Carbon Removal Policy Summit: Local Governance Session – 16/9/2026

On 16 September, Europe’s leading carbon removal non-profit organization held its first ever Carbon Removal Policy Summit in Brussels. With a general focus on the multi-level governance needs for carbon removal planning, CityCDR organized and moderated the local governance session. 

Joining the conversation:

• Christiaan Gevers Deynoot (moderator), Founder and Executive Director, City CDR Initiative

• Signe Kongebro (keynote speaker), Global Director for Future Resilient Design, Ramboll

• Danila Gaudino, Head of Climate Action, Holcim

• Dominique HELAINE, Carbon Solutions Director, SUEZ

• Iina Oilinki, Project Director, Climate Unit Helsingin kaupunki – Helsingfors stad – City of Helsinki

• Sandy Dominique, Head of Sustainable and Innovation Procurement, ICLEI 

Take-aways:

• This was the first time that the local perspective was an integral part of a discussion on the multi-level governance of CDR policy and decision-making in Europe. We successfully communicated the potential this level holds for rapid action. That is real progress!
• The idea of the built environment as a gigantic potential carbon sink is still not fully understood in the CDR community. There is a disconnect with the community of urban practitioners. More effort is needed to connect the two.
• Some questioned the focus on using biochar as aggregate given the hurdles developers face due to limiting quality standards. More advocacy is needed to upgrade EN 206 (European concrete standard) and EN 15804 (Environmental Product Declarations).
• Bringing in global players such as Holcim, SUEZ and Ramboll was refreshing. They and deeply embedded in our cities and represent critical scaling mechanisms. But we should not forget the CDR solutions providers behind them, such as Paebbl, neustark, and Pyreg.