Nick Osborne

Nick has been with Shell for more than 25 years and worked in the UK, the USA and the Netherlands. He has worked in trading since 2000 covering gasoline, Chemicals and Chemical products. He led the ethanol business from 2006 to 2012 building it from a single trader (him) to a global team. His previous role was GM of freight in Crude trading. He is a firm believer that markets are the best way for participants to understand the choice available to them.

As General Manager for Environmental Products Trading, Nick is responsible for supporting customers meet their compliance obligations, as well as driving advocacy and demand for voluntary carbon markets sourcing and trading high-quality carbon credits. Shell has been involved in carbon markets for more than 20 years and has one of the largest portfolios of carbon credits in the world.

Session Overview

Thursday, 6 November

11:20

Decarbonisation Conference Room B 11:20 - 12:00

Carbon markets 101: policy, price, and the path to global integration

Carbon markets are evolving rapidly, shaped by new international frameworks, regional trading platforms, and voluntary initiatives working toward greater structure and interoperability. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is gaining traction through bilateral agreements such as those of Japan and Ghana and the operationalisation of the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism, enabling cooperative emissions reductions. Programmes like the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) are driving progress on credit quality, tracking, and transparency. In 2023, the value of traded carbon markets reached a record US$949 billion, reflecting rising private sector interest despite ongoing concerns around integrity and double counting. Today, countries are developing carbon credit infrastructure and regulatory frameworks. At the same time, corporate buyers such as energy-intensive industries and digital platforms are reshaping demand by tightening procurement criteria and exploring direct investment in nature-based and engineered carbon removal. For energy producers, investors and developers, credibility, liquidity and policy alignment remain key to building confidence and scale.

Attendee insights:

Gain strategic insights into the policy, financial, and operational foundations of global carbon markets, and explore how companies, banks, and regulators are responding to evolving buyer expectations, new demand signals, and the future of cross-border carbon credit trading.

Wednesday, 6 November

11:00

Decarbonisation Conference Decarbonisation Theatre 11:00 - 12:00

View Session

The role of carbon markets in accelerating decarbonisation

Carbon markets have a pivotal role in accelerating the energy transition, supporting large-scale climate goals, and aiding countries and businesses in achieving their net-zero emissions targets. While carbon markets hold immense promise, challenges such as fragmentation and the lack of standardised crediting mechanisms can undermine both the credibility and effectiveness of carbon markets. Establishing clear guidelines on the accepted uses of carbon credits, along with improved standards and infrastructure for their development and sale, can make carbon markets a more effective tool for driving the rapid emissions reductions needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C. However, they should be seen as a complement to, not a substitute for, strong climate policies and corporate action to decarbonise operations

Attendee insights:

Understand the significant role carbon markets play in reducing emissions as well as the barriers to increasing their uptake and delivering improved decarbonisation results.