At COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, South Pole’s leadership and global experts will convene alongside governments, businesses and civil society to champion the transition from policy pledges to structural execution.
As Article 6 and J-REDD+ advance into active implementation, COP31 serves as a moment to further develop high-integrity market frameworks and unlock sovereign climate finance.
Article 6 has reshaped global carbon markets, raising ambitions for buyer countries and catalysing carbon projects and low-carbon industries in host countries. Our team is focused on connecting governments buying Article 6 credits with supply from host countries seeking to unlock cross-border climate finance.
While ART TREES programmes allow tropical forest nations to mobilise finance, governments face challenges like jurisdictional readiness, data gaps, and upfront financing to create credits eligible for CORSIA and Article 6. At COP31, South Pole will explore partnerships and focus on pioneering multi-million-hectare J-REDD+ frameworks that turn national climate ambitions into bankable carbon assets.
South Pole’s COP delegation of senior policy, technical, and market experts will be on the ground in Antalya to facilitate high-level bilateral discussions, share market insights, and forge partnerships. South Pole's COP delegation brings together global leadership in carbon policy, Article 6, J-REDD+ and project execution and includes:
Nadia Kaddouri is the Chief Executive Officer of South Pole.
Nadia Kaddouri is a finance, strategy, and operations executive with over 18 years of international experience across aviation services, automotive, and climate solutions – leading from the frontlines of sustainability and navigating complex decarbonisation challenges of emissions-intensive industries.
Prior to joining South Pole as CFO in 2024, she was Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer at Swissport International, where she led the company's strategic roadmap, ESG transformation, and expansion initiatives — driving both organic and inorganic growth, including the successful closing of two major acquisitions.
As EMEA Chief Financial Officer at Swissport, she guided the company through the COVID-19 crisis while implementing a major finance transformation and performance turnaround, strengthening profitability and operational discipline across multiple markets.
Throughout her career, Nadia has combined strategic vision with hands-on execution, leading large-scale acquisitions, integrations, commercial growth programs, and governance enhancements to create sustainable, long-term value.
Karolien brings 20 years of experience in climate finance, development finance, and carbon markets. She tracks policy developments across compliance and voluntary markets to steer South Pole's go-to-market strategy. Covering topics ranging from Article 6, CORSIA, and jurisdictional REDD+ to domestic markets and voluntary governance frameworks like SBTi, she oversees policy analysis, market intelligence, government affairs, and commercial strategy. Before joining South Pole, she held positions with the Belgian Foreign Ministry, the United Nations, and Global Green Growth Institute, advising governments across Africa and Asia on climate finance and green investments.
Ritika leads the global Article 6 team at South Pole, overseeing policy, government engagement, sovereign ITMO transactions, and market strategy across 30+ country offices in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She has nearly 15 years of experience advising host country governments, international organizations, and the private sector on carbon markets and climate policy. She has led the development of national Article 6 frameworks, operating manuals, and flagship pilot projects, and serves on the Article 6.4 Roster of Experts for Methodology and Policy in her independent capacity.
Basanta brings over 20 years of international experience in forestry, carbon markets, and nature-based solutions (NbS) across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. At South Pole, he leads global strategy and implementation for high-integrity forest carbon programs, specialising in jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) design under ART TREES. Basanta coordinates South Pole’s participation in the Scaling J-REDD+ Coalition, managed by the Forest and Climate Leaders' Partnership (FCLP), and contributes to IETA’s NCS Working Group. Previously, he served as REDD+ Innovation Manager at Verra, where he led activity data development for the innovative REDD+ methodology (VM0048), and at Arbonaut Ltd., where he advised governments, NGOs, and multilateral institutions on climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives. Basanta holds an M.Sc. in Agriculture and Forestry and an M.Tech. in Remote Sensing and GIS.
Antonio leads South Pole’s technical carbon project execution. Bringing over a decade of expertise in carbon management and environmental impact assessment, he has a proven track record of developing global project pipelines, executing go-to-market strategies, and driving business performance. Antonio holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Florence, an M.Sc. in Carbon Management from The University of Edinburgh, and a degree in Business Economics from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan.
Michele oversees project sourcing and origination, structuring, and market intelligence across a diverse portfolio of climate technologies and markets. He brings nearly 20 years of expertise in sustainability consulting and project development, specifically focused on climate mitigation and biodiversity. His academic background includes an MSc from the LSE and an MA in International Relations.
Tajiel is a climate policy and carbon markets expert with over a decade of experience driving sustainable development, climate finance, and policy implementation across Africa. He has actively engaged in international climate negotiations and policy processes since COP20. Specialising in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, carbon project development, and national regulatory requirements, Tajiel brings solid expertise in bilateral and multilateral engagement. Spanning advisory roles, diplomatic partnerships, and civil leadership, Tajiel connects policymakers and private sector stakeholders across the continent to translate global climate mechanisms into practical, on-the-ground implementation.
To schedule a 1:1 meeting with our experts or explore sovereign partnership opportunities during COP31, please reach out to our team through the contact form.
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