Why Carbon Removals are Required to Meet Net Zero

The Path to Climate Resilience 

Introduction 

Carbon removals are not just complementary to reducing emissions—they are essential for meeting net-zero emissions targets. With sectors like agriculture and industry proving difficult to decarbonize completely, carbon removals bridge the gap between residual emissions and the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.[1] 

Why Carbon Removals are Required to Meet Net Zero

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underscores that achieving net-zero CO2 emissions is pivotal for halting warming at 1.5°C.[3] Carbon removals help neutralise emissions from hard-to-abate sectors.[2] Whether through afforestation, soil carbon sequestration, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), or direct air capture (DAC), these solutions create pathways to achieve the balance between emissions and removals.[4] 

The Current State of Carbon Removals 

While the need for carbon removals is clear, their current scale is far from adequate. The IPCC estimates gigatonnes of CO2 removals per year will be required by 2050,[5] yet today's capacity is only a fraction of that target.[6] Challenges include high costs, insufficient policy frameworks, and limited public awareness. 

Challenges Facing Carbon Removals 

Carbon removals face obstacles that hinder their widespread adoption: 

• High Costs: Technologies like DAC currently cost $250 to $600 per tonne of CO2 removed[7], limiting their competitiveness compared to emission reduction strategies. 

• Policy Gaps: Lack of regulations and incentives slows the development and scaling of carbon removal solutions.[8] 

• Public Awareness: Limited understanding and acceptance of carbon removals reduce momentum for their deployment.[9]

Opportunities for Growth 

Despite the hurdles, there are promising opportunities to expand carbon removals: 

• Technological Advances: Innovations and economies of scale can drive costs down, making solutions like DAC more accessible.[10] 

• Policy Support: Tax credits and carbon pricing mechanisms could incentivize investments and deployment.[11] 

• Co-Benefits: Techniques such as soil carbon sequestration can improve soil health, adding agricultural and ecological benefits.[12] 

  
  

Conclusion 

Carbon removals are indispensable for achieving net-zero emissions. While challenges persist, the opportunities for innovation, policy integration, and co-benefits provide a strong foundation for scaling these solutions. A concerted effort to bridge the gap between current capacities and required targets will be key to forging a sustainable and resilient future. 

1. IPCC, 2021: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. [IPCC]

2. Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector. [International Energy Agency (IEA)]

3. IPCC, 2018: Global warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. [IPCC]

4. Fuss, S., et al., 2018: Negative emissions—Part 2: Costs, potentials and side effects. Environmental Research Letters, 13(6), 063002. [Environmental Research Letters]

5. IPCC, 2021: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. [IPCC]

6. The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal. [The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal]

7. Direct Air Capture. [National Academy of Sciences]

8. Nemet, G. F., et al., 2018: Negative emissions—Part 3: Innovation and upscaling. Environmental Research Letters, 13(6), 063003. [Environmental Research Letters]

9. Cox, E., et al., 2020: Public perceptions of carbon dioxide removal in the United States and the United Kingdom. Nature Climate Change, 10(8), 744–749. [Nature Climate Change]

10. Keith, D. W., et al., 2018: A Process for Capturing CO2 from the Atmosphere. Joule, 2(8), 1573-1584. [Joule]

11. Carbon Capture and Storage: A Key Technology for Net-Zero Emissions. [International Energy Agency (IEA)]

12. Soil Carbon Sequestration. [FAO]