5. Let's pay Lao PDR to Grow Carbon

The last idea that Martin shared that was exciting to hear was how this could all be funded.

He mentioned that unlike other still forested tropical countries like Brazil and Indonesia, the opportunity cost of preserving forests for carbon sequestration is low in Laos. Brazil and Indonesia can make a lot of money deforesting in favor of oil exploration or beef production. Laos doesn't have that infrastructure at all. If they could be convinced to do simply nothing- no logging- and be paid for it, it might be a win-win, as Martin mentions there are plenty of western companies looking for ways to purchase carbon credits. "We'll pay you lots to grow carbon," he says the companies will be saying when cap and trade or carbon taxes come into effect.

Maybe he was doing his funders' pitch, but it sounded pretty convincing.