Scaling Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR): Beyond Carbon Markets

Abstract

Due to limited emissions abatement to date, there is a scientific consensus that carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be required on the gigaton scale annually by mid-century to limit global warming to 1.5°C. One challenge for achieving CDR at scale is that it operates primarily as a waste management industry in markets which most often lack mandates for managing CO2 waste. As such, expected demand and deployment of CDR is currently on track to fall vastly short of required levels. Given demand for CDR as a waste management product is insufficient, this research sought to characterize the potential for CDR-based products that offer value beyond waste management. It identifies CDR methods that generate a useful product or service in addition to removing CO2 and evaluates their performance to determine the potential, if any, for a significant impact on scaling CDR.