Invest in Carbon Removals at SIX Swiss Exchange, Zurich
The Negative Emissions Platform and SIX Swiss Exchange co-hosted the third session in the Invest in Carbon Removals series, bringing together investors, buyers, policymakers and innovators to accelerate the flow of capital into durable carbon removal.
Capital must move, and in sync
Durable carbon removal is entering a new phase of growth. The demand curve is steepening fast: in 2024, nearly 8 million tonnes of durable removals were contracted. In the first half of 2025 alone, 15.48 million tonnes were added, more than all previous quarters combined. But while demand accelerates, investment in infrastructure still lags behind.
The Zurich edition of Invest in Carbon Removals focused on one key challenge: how to align capital from venture funding to offtake buyers and institutional investors so carbon removal can scale in time to meet climate targets.
Hosted at SIX ConventionPoint, the session brought together more than 50 leaders from finance, industry and government for an evening of insight, discussion and networking.
Switzerland: from ambition to execution
Switzerland is fast becoming one of Europe’s most dynamic carbon removal hubs. The country has made CDR a formal pillar of its Climate and Innovation Law, with net zero targets for 2050 for the economy and 2040 for the federal government, mandatory CO₂ capture for waste incinerators, and targeted public funding for pilot projects.
Through cross border cooperation and early Article 6 partnerships, Switzerland is showing how to move from ambition to execution, creating policy backed investment environments that build confidence for investors, corporates and cities alike.
Turning ambition into reality
The evening opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. Maneesh Wadhwa (SIX Swiss Exchange) and a keynote from Chris Sherwood (Negative Emissions Platform), who outlined the growth trajectory of the global CDR market and the urgent need to scale financing mechanisms.
Two NEP Members showcased their business models:
Sirona Technologies presented their solid sorbent Direct Air Capture system and growth journey from pilot to scale.
Cotierra highlighted their biochar based soil regeneration model connecting carbon removal with agricultural benefits.
The central panel, Invest in Carbon Removals: Turning Ambition into Reality, brought together:
Dr. Sophie Wenger, Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)
Anna Asikainen, Head of Sustainability and Climate Risk Framework, UBS
Max Zeller, Partner, Carbon Removal Partners
René Estermann, Director of Environmental and Health Protection, City of Zurich
Moderated by Leila Toplic, Chief Communications and Trust Officer, Carbonfuture.
Discussions focused on practical pathways to scale:
✅ Capital moving in sync by aligning offtake, venture and project finance to reduce friction from pilot to infrastructure scale.
✅ Policy backed investment environments with Switzerland leading through clear mandates and funding incentives.
✅ Procurement by cities and corporates with Zurich’s early purchases and UBS’s long term offtake commitments setting market examples.
The evening concluded with insights from Adrian Siegrist (Climeworks), who reflected on Climeworks’ evolution from a university spin off to a global carbon removal leader, underscoring that “the regulation is coming but action cannot wait.”
Momentum toward the next phase
As part of the broader Invest in Carbon Removals initiative led by the Negative Emissions Platform, the Zurich session strengthened investor confidence, built new partnerships and set the stage for the upcoming European Invest in Carbon Removals Summit 2026.
Together, we are turning ambition into execution, building the financial architecture for a carbon negative future.
Invest in Carbon Removals is an initiative of the Negative Emissions Platform
Designed to connect finance with carbon removal innovators worldwide, the series builds the foundations of a trusted, investable CDR market.
Learn more: negative-emissions.org/invest-in-carbon-removals
