Science-based carbon management services provider Carbon Direct and tech giant Microsoft have released new criteria for high-quality marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR).
The two companies are long-term partners on this initiative, having released their first mCDR criteria back in 2021.
Created as an addendum to the 2024 version, the new Criteria for High-Quality Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal is centered around abiotic mCDR pathways—technologies that influence seawater chemistry to increase the net amount of atmospheric CO2 absorbed by the ocean without increasing the acidity.
Specifically, the criteria refer to Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE), a technology that captures and stores atmospheric CO2 as bicarbonate dissolved in the ocean, and Direct Ocean Removal (DOR), an approach that removes CO2 from the ocean water to store it elsewhere.
These two technologies were selected due to their potential for delivering large-scale, durable carbon removal in the coming decades.
With growing interest and investment in mCDR solutions in recent years, the 2025 mCDR criteria aim to support the advancement of scientifically rigorous, high-quality projects, stimulating the creation and sales of high-integrity carbon credits.
To that end, the guidelines establish clear standards around various aspects of mCDR, including social and environmental harms and benefits; community engagement; additionality and baselines; measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification; durability; and leakage.
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For all these domains, the criteria lay out steps that mCDR developers must follow to make sure their work matches the highest quality levels, coupled with a list of steps they should take.
Brian Marrs, Senior Director, Energy Markets at Microsoft, stated, “With rapid technological progress and increased investment, marine carbon dioxide removal has the potential to deliver durable, large-scale CO₂ removal—potentially billions of tonnes per year in the coming decades.”
“By establishing rigorous new mCDR criteria, we aim to help project developers build high-integrity solutions that maximize both environmental and social benefits.”
Read more: Carbon Direct Highlights Urgent Need For Scaling Carbon Removal In VCM
On behalf of Carbon Direct, Chief Science Officer Dr. Matthew Potts commented, “mCDR is at a pivotal moment. Achieving high-quality outcomes requires rigorous monitoring, transparency, and scientific integrity to ensure safe and effective deployment.”
“Given the vast spatial scale, the data-intensive nature of ocean-based carbon removal, and the deep connection between these projects and marine ecosystems, clear standards are essential for responsible development.”
