A new suite of resources released by the initiative called Supporting Tribal Sovereignty in Carbon Removal aims to back Tribal Nations in the United States in navigating the growing carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry.
Launched in 2025, the initiative brings together the Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions, the Indigenous Greenhouse Gas Removal Commission, the Carbon Business Council, and the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal at American University.
Its main goal is to help Tribes and Indigenous communities evaluate whether and how carbon removal might serve their environmental, cultural, and economic priorities.
U.S. Tribal Nations are at the front line of severe climate change. These communities are also faced with important decisions around the deployment of CDR solutions, with questions concerning land use, socio-environmental impacts, infrastructure, governance, and long-term stewardship.
The newly released resources intend to stimulate informed decision-making on CDR topics, with a main focus on Tribal priorities, values, and goals.
As part of this effort, the initiative has released a report, called Supporting Tribal Sovereignty in Carbon Dioxide Removal: A Report and Resource Guide.
This resource gives Tribal Nations a central role as climate leaders and strategic partners in shaping the CDR sector, outlining the critical importance of Tribal ownership and governance for project outcomes.
Developed with insights from Tribal representatives, the report evaluates what CDR at scale could signify for Tribal lands and resources, and it also examines ownership models, drawing on case studies performed across diverse projects and geographies.
Additionally, the report includes evaluation questions for proposed projects and prompts for discussions that support Tribes’ internal decision-making.
Together with the report, the initiative has also released Guardrails and Considerations for CDR Project Developers Engaging With Tribes and Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal and Tribal Interests and Rights: a Reference Guide.
Fawn Sharp, president of the Indigenous Greenhouse Gas Removal Commission, commented, “The CDR sector will grow at a scale that is difficult to fully grasp. Our responsibility is to ensure that future generations inherit not only the consequences of that growth but meaningful roles in shaping it as the next stewards of this knowledge and these systems.”
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