The Environment

To prevent a climate crisis and adhere to the Paris Agreement, it is essential to extract between 7 to 9 billion tons of CO? from the atmosphere each year — a feat comparable to the absorption capacity of approximately 322 to 413 billion trees annually. But how can we achieve this?

As a climate change scientist with over a decade of experience, my journey has encompassed various fields, including biology, geology, environmental studies, and policy-making. However, I identified a significant gap in our research endeavors: the extent to which we must go to fulfill the Paris Agreement’s objectives. Are our current measures sufficient?

My anticipation grew when a recent report synthesized data to address this very question.

The latest “State of Carbon Dioxide Removal” (CDR) report underscores a crucial necessity: to limit global warming to 1.5°C, as outlined by the Paris Agreement, the world must remove 7 to 9 billion tons of CO? from the atmosphere annually by mid-century. To put this in perspective, achieving this target is akin to the carbon absorption capacity of around 322 to 413 billion trees each year.

CDR encompasses any human-led activity that captures CO? from the atmosphere and stores it for decades to millennia. In conjunction with drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions, scaling up innovative CDR methods and enhancing land-based CDR is critical for meeting the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement.

Various CDR techniques exist, ranging from the much-discussed artificial carbon capture and storage (CCS) to nature-based solutions like tree planting and peatland restoration. Each technique possesses distinct levels of readiness, potential, and durability.

Led by experts from Oxford University’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment and the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC), the new report stresses the importance of amplifying CDR efforts while simultaneously cutting emissions. Pursuing one without the other will lead us nowhere.

Despite considerable efforts, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, posing a significant obstacle to the targets of the Paris Agreement. As Dr. Jan Minx, head of the MCC working group on Applied Sustainability Science, notes, “While reducing emissions is the primary method to achieve net-zero, CDR plays a vital role.”

You may wonder where we currently stand regarding annual CDR efforts. At present, the world removes about 2 billion tons of CO? each year, primarily through conventional methods like afforestation and reforestation. While these approaches are effective, they are insufficient on their own to meet the targets set by the Paris Agreement. An increase in scale and innovation is urgently required.

Let’s consider the potential of amplifying nature-based methods such as afforestation, reforestation, and soil carbon sequestration, which present a promising avenue to achieve our climate objectives. The advantage of these methods lies in their ability to enhance natural processes for capturing and storing carbon, boasting the highest readiness and mitigation potential.

Soil carbon sequestration, in particular, holds tremendous promise. By adopting improved agricultural practices like no-till farming, cover cropping, and agroforestry, we can significantly increase carbon storage in soils. These methods not only enhance carbon storage but also bolster soil health, improve agricultural yields, and provide resilience against climate impacts—offering a win-win scenario for all stakeholders in the long run.

Nonetheless, to scale up these nature-based solutions, we need supportive policies, financial incentives, and widespread adoption of best practices. Governments can play a crucial role in this endeavor. For instance, offering subsidies for sustainable farming, funding research on soil carbon sequestration, and establishing carbon markets that reward farmers for their contributions can be effective strategies.

Moreover, education and outreach programs can assist farmers and land managers in understanding the advantages of these practices and how to implement them efficiently. Having participated in numerous such programs, I can attest to their effectiveness! Collaboration among governments, NGOs, and the private sector is vital to driving the widespread adoption of nature-based solutions, significantly impacting global carbon removal efforts. Although we are currently lagging, that does not mean we cannot catch up in the future.

What additional steps can be taken? Can technology contribute to Carbon Dioxide Removal as well?

The report indicates that innovative CDR methods such as biochar, enhanced rock weathering, direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) currently account for only a minuscule fraction of the total—less than 0.1%. While these methods are essential for achieving durable and scalable carbon removal, they require considerable advancement and investment. Alone, they are insufficient.

Dr. Steve Smith from Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment highlights the urgency: “Considering that the world’s decarbonization is not on track to meet the Paris temperature goal, there’s a pressing need to increase investment in CDR as well as in zero-emission solutions overall.” This call to action is critical. The report reveals that merely 1.1% of the total investment in climate-tech start-ups is allocated to CDR, exposing a significant gap that must be bridged.

The report also outlines various challenges and considerations regarding the scaling up of CDR technologies. One major concern is the potential impact on other crucial areas such as food security, biodiversity, water supply, and the habitats of indigenous communities. Dr. Jan Minx emphasizes that “when scaling up carbon removal technologies, we must ensure we do not compromise other goals.” Consequently, sustainability criteria have been integrated into the analysis to guarantee that CDR methods do not undermine other essential objectives, taking both environmental and social needs into account.

Dr. Oliver Geden from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) stresses the importance of a diversified approach: “Implementing a diverse CDR portfolio is a more resilient strategy than concentrating on just one or two methods.”

This diversity in methodologies is crucial for mitigating the risks tied to any single technology and enhancing the overall effectiveness of carbon removal initiatives. However, current deployment and government proposals remain heavily focused on conventional forestry methods, which must change if we aim to meet the necessary targets.

Governments play a decisive role in creating the conditions necessary for scaling up CDR sustainably. The report urges policymakers to integrate CDR strategies within their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This integration is crucial for establishing a cohesive and coordinated global response. Furthermore, improved monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems are essential for ensuring transparency and accountability in CDR activities. In other words, synergy among international treaties and parties could prove vital in achieving these objectives.

Much of the current demand for CDR is fueled by voluntary commitments from companies to acquire carbon removal credits. While this trend is encouraging, it falls short of achieving the necessary scale. Dr. Matthew J. Gidden, a Senior Scholar at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), warns of the risks associated with procrastination: “Delaying essential emissions reductions only intensifies the need for mitigation in the future. However, the longer we delay, the more constrained the role that sustainable CDR can play.”

The path to fulfilling the Paris Agreement objectives is clear yet challenging. It necessitates a concerted effort to swiftly reduce emissions while scaling up a diverse range of CDR methods. Though complex, this dual approach is indispensable for mitigating climate change impacts and ensuring a sustainable future. There is no alternative.

The “State of Carbon Dioxide Removal” report offers a detailed roadmap for achieving the necessary CO? removal to meet global climate objectives. The insights and recommendations from this report are invaluable for policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders as they collaborate to tackle the pressing challenge of climate change. However, they must be taken seriously; otherwise, they risk becoming ineffective.

To echo the words of the renowned naturalist John Muir, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” This interconnectedness lies at the core of the climate challenge.

Published in The New Climate. Follow for the latest in climate action.