In a world increasingly shaped by the consequences of climate change, few areas are as complex and consequential as climate finance. And within that vast domain, there may be nothing more technically dense or politically sensitive than Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, a key part of the global rulebook for carbon markets. But as Dr. Alexandra Soezer reminds us, you can’t start there; you have to start with people.

Alexandra, Director of the Climate Action Center of Excellence (CACE) and an engineer by trade, has spent over a decade navigating the friction zones between ambition and implementation. From helping design Ghana’s Article 6 framework to advising countries like Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi more recently, she operates at the nexus of policy, politics, and climate systems.

In this episode of The Future of Trust, hosted by Demia’s Founder & CEO, Mat Yarger, we unpack how trust is both the hidden currency and missing infrastructure of climate markets  and how Alexandra is working to change that.

From Forests to Frameworks

Born in Austria to a biologist father, Alexandra’s connection to nature began early. “I grew up in pristine forests,” she recalls, “and that gave me a real sense of responsibility.” That love of nature evolved into a career path, first as an environmental engineer and then as a UNDP specialist, helping countries transform carbon markets from abstract tools into real-world incentives for green infrastructure.

But it wasn’t just the science that fascinated her,  it was the potential of carbon finance to unlock private sector participation in global climate efforts.

“We’re no longer in an era where public funding alone can meet climate goals,” she says. “Carbon markets are essential. They bring measurable, verifiable outcomes, but only if trust is there.”

Why Article 6 Is So Hard (and So Important)

If you’re unfamiliar with Article 6, you’re not alone. It governs how countries (and soon, corporations) can trade emissions reductions,  known as "Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes" (ITMOs), in a way that ensures real climate benefits and avoids double counting.

But unlike its Kyoto-era predecessor (the Clean Development Mechanism), Article 6 introduces far more complexity, including corresponding adjustments, national transparency reporting, letters of authorization, legal structures, and bilateral oversight. “The reporting burden alone is immense,” Alexandra explains. “And most developing countries simply don’t have the capacity to meet it without support.”

That’s where CACE comes in.

Operating out of Qatar, CACE was founded on one core insight: climate finance is moving too slowly for those who need it most. Whether it’s the Democratic Republic of Congo or Tunisia,  Alexandra’s team helps governments build the systems, frameworks, and knowledge needed to unlock carbon finance effectively.

“We act as trusted advisors,” she says, “helping countries draft frameworks, respond to Article 6 questions, and design pipelines that are investable and aligned with national goals.”

One of CACE’s most recent innovations is an AI-enabled Article 6 tracker, which was developed and hosted by Emsurge. The tracker informs investors and developers of country-specific readiness and opportunities based on real-time policy progress. (You can apply to access the Article 6 Tracker here.)

Redefining Risk in Climate Finance

A recurring theme in the episode is the concept of risk. Legal risk. Revocation risk. Trust risk. Investors fear that LOAs (Letters of Authorization) can be withdrawn mid-cycle if timelines for Biannual Transparency Reports are not met. Governments fear selling off emissions reductions they might need later. Everyone fears the uncertainty of reporting under the Paris Agreement’s BTR (Biannual Transparency Reporting) framework.

“Without trust in the process, there’s no market,” Alexandra explains. “And without a functioning market, we can’t scale solutions.”

That’s why she’s calling for a new Prototype Carbon Fund,  a massive, multi-billion-dollar initiative that can implement standards set by UNFCCC, stabilize prices, and send a strong signal to both the private sector and governments that carbon markets are ready for scale. There was an initial prototype carbon fund developed and run by the World Bank, but a new one bridging private and public funding with the increasing urgency and interest in sustainable developments would go a long way to accelerating the market and increasing trust in the process. 

Trust as a Practice, Not a Policy

When asked about her personal definition of trust, Alexandra doesn’t reach for theory. She reaches for practice: “Trust is delivering on your promise. It’s staying engaged, especially when things get hard.”

It’s a sentiment that runs through her entire career,  from her tight-knit relationship with her brother, to the way she advises governments today. Trust isn’t built overnight, and it isn’t built from the top down. It’s earned, relational, and deeply cultural.

And in the volatile landscape of climate finance, it’s also the one thing we can’t afford to fake.

What Comes Next

From high-impact composting projects in West Africa to green infrastructure in the Middle East, Alexandra’s work is quietly changing how trust is understood, not just as a virtue, but as an operating system for international climate action.

If carbon is the currency, trust is the plumbing. And leaders like Alexandra are doing the behind-the-scenes work of building that plumbing,  pipe by pipe, partner by partner.

As carbon markets move toward full integration under Article 6.2 and 6.4, one thing is clear: the future of climate finance won’t be determined by who can buy the most credits, but by who can build the most trusted systems to deliver them.

To follow Dr. Soezer’s work or get in touch with CACE for support on Article 6 implementation, find her on LinkedIn and stay tuned to The Future of Trust for more conversations at the edge of climate, governance, and the systems that hold them together.

Full episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1LYGT4lEQ5VmCk1xzrsC6m