New peer-reviewed analysis published this week in the academic journal Climate Policy highlights the importance of employing both nature-based and tech-powered carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approaches for meeting global climate goals on time.
The research was put together by a group of 15 industry experts representing 20 different organizations active in the carbon removal industry.
In it, the experts point out that a disproportionately larger funding channeled towards tech-based, durable CDR solutions would limit the support for shorter-term, nature-based approaches, which are important for balancing CO2 sources and sinks in the second half of this century.
Companies and countries are projected to invest a quarter of a billion in CDR by 2050, and the analysis states that most of these funds will go towards tech-based visions that are not yet operational but get promoted to investors for offering a more stable form of CO2 storage than nature-based CDR.
The analysis stresses that CDR decisions should be made not based solely on durability but also on factors like readiness, feasibility, policy compatibility, and co-benefits, pointing out that nature CDR is tested, can be deployed now, and can yield benefits for nature and people.
Charlotte Streck, a professor at the University of Potsdam, the founder of Climate Focus, and the lead author of the analysis, explained,
“In recent years, innovative high-tech CDR companies have introduced promising solutions for capturing carbon. However, these solutions are still in research and development stages, and they are not yet proven at the scale needed.”
Relevant: New Oxford University-Backed Report Says Tropical Reforestation Outperforms Tech CDR
“At the same time, it’s well established that forests and other ecosystems are effective at storing carbon—while also providing clean air and water, safeguarding biodiversity, and keeping the planet cool. We must embrace both high-tech and natural methods of CDR to succeed,” she adds.
Instead of a duration-driven strategy that often pits tech against nature CDR, the analysis demonstrates that a balanced, comprehensive investment approach that would include both types of CDR offers the best prospect of meeting the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.
Read more: Rubicon Carbon & Microsoft Ink A Deal For An Eye-Catching 18M Tonnes Of CDR
