Carbon removal is still a young industry, and its future depends on whether trusted standards can give buyers, policymakers, and communities the confidence to engage at scale. We’ve seen before how the right framework can transform an idea from niche to mainstream.
Two decades ago, sustainability in construction was more aspiration than practice. LEED changed that by creating a clear framework for how sustainability would be measured, trusted, and rewarded. Today, more than 100,000 projects worldwide carry the certification, proof of how a standard can reshape an entire industry.
At Climate Week NYC, Absolute Climate invited Rob Watson, the father of LEED, to share what it takes to build standards that last. His lessons from the standard’s early days shine a light on what carbon removal will need to scale with integrity. Here are the key takeaways.
1. Speak the language of your audience
When LEED was first taking shape, scientists pushed for complicated energy and carbon metrics. Developers, the people LEED needed to win over, thought in dollars per square foot. Rob’s team reframed energy use into cost savings, and suddenly the standard clicked.
That translation mattered. Developers didn’t have to learn a new vocabulary; they could see sustainability in terms of something they already tracked on every project. That bridge between science and practice gave LEED its early momentum.
If you want people to adopt a new idea, speak in the terms they already use. For carbon removal, that might mean translating tons of CO₂ into something buyers care about: confidence and reliability in their investments.
2. Keep it simple
Rob likes to tell the story of the “quick checklist.” Initially, scientists proposed an 800-page manual to measure green building performance. LEED went the opposite direction: a short, clear checklist that made sustainability accessible, not intimidating.
That choice made the difference between a framework that sat on a shelf and one that got used in the field. By lowering the barrier to entry, LEED invited participation and then raised expectations over time.
As Rob put it, “Complex, 800-page manuals get ignored. Simple checklists get adopted.” For carbon removal, the same principle applies: clarity wins trust, and usability drives adoption.
3. Voluntary beats mandatory
Participation in LEED was never forced. And that was the point. It became a badge of leadership, not a compliance exercise. Developers and architects pursued it because it signaled credibility in the market, not because a regulator told them to.
For carbon removal, the same dynamic will matter: companies are more motivated by aspiration than obligation. Standards that feel like recognition, not red tape, will spread faster.
4. Independence builds trust
At one point, Rob realized that the same organization writing LEED’s rules should not also be the one checking compliance. It was like grading your own homework. Splitting standard-setting from certification made the system credible and avoided conflicts of interest.
That separation gave stakeholders confidence that LEED wasn’t just rubber-stamping projects. Independence became a core reason governments, companies, and communities trusted the certification.
Trust is everything. For nascent industries like carbon removal, separating the roles of rule-maker and verifier is essential to avoid capture and maintain integrity.
5. Find the right pace
“When a leader is 100 paces ahead of their followers, they are revered and called a visionary. When they are a thousand paces ahead, they are called a heretic,” Rob said.
LEED succeeded because it asked the market to stretch, but not snap. The standard raised the bar high enough to inspire architects and developers, yet kept the requirements achievable with the tools and budgets they already had. That balance created momentum — each project that earned certification made the next one feel possible.
Carbon removal standards will face the same test. If expectations feel unreachable, companies won’t even try. But if they balance ambition with achievability, they can set the pace for an industry to follow. Standards need to stretch industries, but not so far that they break.
6. Branding and timing matter more than you think
Before “LEED,” the team almost named the standard “DOMEC.” It lasted about eight weeks before everyone realized it simply did not stick. Then “LEED” came along and landed in 15 minutes. The rest is history.
The name mattered. It was short, memorable, and instantly gave the standard an identity. Timing mattered too: the framework arrived just as the building sector was looking for a way to prove its environmental leadership. Together, brand and moment helped LEED break through.
Standards are not just technical documents. They are brands. A strong name, a clear identity, and showing up when the market is ready can make all the difference between obscurity and global impact.
Why this matters for carbon removal
Rob closed by reminding us that standards are not about perfection. They are about creating a trusted, repeatable framework that helps an industry scale without losing integrity.
For carbon removal, that means these standards must be:
- Be clear enough for newcomers to adopt,
- Credible enough for leaders to trust, and
- Flexible enough to evolve with science and markets.
At Absolute Climate, that is exactly what we are working toward: standards that accelerate trust and adoption in carbon removal, just as LEED did for buildings. Standards aren’t just rules; they’re blueprints for a future people want to be part of.
