About DECO₂
Our Mission
DECO₂ exists to explore scalable, biologically autonomous systems for climate adaptation and carbon drawdown.
We focus on low-cost, low-input solutions that can operate in degraded or infrastructure-limited environments; places where conventional greening fails. Our aim is to develop and test passive, plant-based systems that reduce atmospheric carbon while creating microclimate benefits and long-term ecological resilience.
How the Project Began
DECO₂ was founded in response to a growing need for decentralised climate adaptation tools that are scientifically grounded, field-scalable, and viable without engineered infrastructure. Initial research began during the early stages of the COVID pandemic, exploring Tillandsia usneoides, a self-replicating epiphyte capable of surviving extreme conditions without soil, irrigation, or fertilisers.
What started as independent experimentation evolved into a formal research inquiry:
Could a species like T. usneoides function as passive climate infrastructure and could it be tested, scaled, and shared in open collaboration with institutions and communities?
Guiding Values
Our work is shaped by five core principles:
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Scientific integrity: All claims must be tested, measured, and reviewed
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Open collaboration: We share methods, data, and credit
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Field relevance: Systems must work where resources are scarce
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Equity by design: Focus on underserved regions and infrastructure-poor zones
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Low-barrier scaling: Minimise technical, financial, and maintenance requirements
Current Phase
DECO₂ is currently in its early research and field-validation phase. We are engaging with university departments, environmental researchers, and community partners to:
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Design scalable trial protocols
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Define environmental limits and success metrics
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Measure biomass growth and carbon performance
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Document open-access methodologies for future deployment
We are actively seeking institutional collaborators to support these activities through research partnerships, grant applications, and field implementation.
About the Founder
Matt Gall is a systems strategist with experience across legal, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors. He co-founded a mental health initiative in Southeast Asia that grew to serve over 60,000 patients, and has led digital infrastructure projects for organisations focused on public impact.
With academic training in systems analysis and environmental science, he now focuses on bridging low-tech ecological systems with large-scale climate adaptation needs. He founded DECO₂ to explore the real-world viability of passive carbon drawdown systems and to invite scientific collaboration at the earliest stage of development.
Legal Structure
DECO₂ is a registered Australian business (ABN 96 658 045 455), operating as an early-stage social enterprise. All project activities are conducted in alignment with ethical research practices and public-good objectives.