Carbon market documentary

Chicago, IL — September 24, 2025 — Tradewater From the Ground Up: Voices of the Carbon Market, a new documentary short film premiering tonight at Climate Week NYC. Supported by Beyond Alliance, the film spotlights U.S. landowners, developers, and companies using voluntary carbon markets to remove legacy pollution, tackle overlooked climate challenges, and deliver community benefits through private finance.

Tradewater’s work to plug orphaned oil and gas wells–one of the most overlooked yet highly potent sources of methane emissions–is one of three projects profiled in the film. Together, these stories show how voluntary carbon markets direct private finance toward climate solutions that also strengthen communities and ecosystems.

“What gives me hope is that solutions are already in our hands. By plugging wells and preventing methane emissions, we are proving that climate progress can be immediate, tangible, and scalable when voluntary carbon markets are put to work.” – Tim Brown, CEO, Tradewater

Methane traps more than 80 times more heat than CO₂ in its first 20 years in the atmosphere, making its reduction one of the fastest, most cost-efficient strategies to slow global warming. Across the U.S., hundreds of thousands of abandoned wells left behind by defunct operators leak methane, harming both the climate and landowners.

In the film, Illinois landowner Wayne Wiltshire shares his experience working with Tradewater to identify and seal orphaned wells, and what it means for his property. “The person that drilled that well is responsible for clean up afterwards,” said Wayne. “That wasn’t happening, and it’s quite a common problem all across the United States.”