With support from the Julia R. Brown Education and Research Fund, MAS Climate Science and Policy student Colleen Cochran attended the North American Carbon World Conference in San Diego to deepen her capstone research on corporate climate-risk disclosures and local adaptation planning under California’s SB 261. The conference connected her with policymakers, sustainability professionals, and market innovators, including experts behind Verra’s new Coastal Resilience Credit Methodology, which directly informed her policy recommendations. The experience strengthened her interest in advancing public-private collaboration, nature-based solutions, and coastal resilience through climate policy and market mechanisms.
Purpose and Overview
I attended the North American Carbon World (NACW) Conference, North America’s premier carbon markets event, to deepen my understanding of corporate climate accountability and market mechanisms as they relate to my capstone research. My capstone examines how corporate physical climate risk disclosures submitted under California’s SB 261 can be better aligned with local adaptation planning, with a focus on sea level rise in California to develop actionable policy recommendations for public-private collaboration on coastal resilience. NACW brought together policymakers, corporate sustainability professionals, scientists, and market innovators, making it an ideal space to advance both my research and my professional development in climate science and policy. It was also exciting to have such a large conference with so many thought leaders and market innovators right in San Diego.
Contribution to Research and Studies
One of the central challenges of my research is identifying incentives for corporations to meaningfully engage with local adaptation planning rather than just disclosing their risk exposure. An immensely helpful moment was when I connected with the lead from Verra to discuss their newly published Coastal Resilience Credit Methodology. This methodology quantifies the flood protection and ecosystem benefits of coastal projects like mangrove and wetland restoration, allowing corporations to claim and measure their investment in coastal adaptation.
This is directly applicable to my capstone’s policy recommendations, as it offers a market-based mechanism that could incentivize corporate participation in local adaptation planning. I had heard of the draft methodology and was hoping to learn more about it at the conference. But being able to discuss my research in person with the methodology lead and explore its applicability was an unexpected and invaluable outcome of attending. The timing of the meeting was also perfect as they released the long-awaited final version of the methodology a couple of weeks after the conference. Having that insight directly was helpful for my research planning.
The conference also connected me with several professionals who will contribute to the Phase Two interview portion of my capstone, where I am surveying corporate sustainability professionals and public adaptation planners to validate my findings and refine my alignment framework.
Increased Understanding of Climate Impacts and Adaptation
NACW significantly expanded my understanding of how market mechanisms can support climate adaptation and nature-based solutions. A session that stood out was Indigenous-Led Impact Through Integrity, which explored how high-quality carbon markets can support indigenous leadership and long-term land stewardship. This panel introduced the concept of “core benefits,” a reframing from the traditional notion of “co-benefits,” where climate projects are designed around a broader suite of outcomes including nature restoration, land stewardship, community health, and environmental equity, rather than treating these as secondary to emissions reductions. I’m excited about this shift in perspective, and it reinforced for me the potential for corporations to invest positively in projects that go far beyond offsetting their emissions footprint.
Professional Development and Career Interests
Earlier this year I had the incredible opportunity to attend COP with Scripps, where there was significant focus on nature and biodiversity credits. It was exciting to see those ideas developed further at NACW into tangible market opportunities and methodologies. The conference reinforced my belief that market mechanisms can be a powerful tool for mobilizing the climate and restoration finance that is so urgently needed, and that there is enormous potential at the intersection of corporate accountability, nature-based solutions, and coastal resilience. These themes sit at the core of my career interests in standard and policy development and public-private collaboration on climate action.
Products and Results
My capstone report and findings will be presented at the Climate Science and Policy Capstone Symposium on June 10, 2026. The insights gained at NACW, particularly around the Verra Coastal Resilience Credit Methodology and the concept of core benefits as well as interview connections, have directly informed the policy recommendations of my capstone and will be reflected in the final report.
Blog content and images provided by Colleen Cochran – thank you!