GHGT-17: Panel Discussion 4 – Let’s Get Real About Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)

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By Abdul'Aziz Aliyu

31 October 2024

On the 22nd October 2024, the technical panel discussion 4 at GHGT-17, titled “Let’s Get Real About CDR,” brought together experts in the field of CDR to share their insights and perspectives. Moderated by Saviz Mortazavi from NRCan, the panel included:

  • Sean McCoy, Professor at the University of Calgary
  • Mark de Figueiredo, Director of Policy Analysis and Engagement, US DOE Office of Carbon Management
  • James Fann, CEO of the International CCS Knowledge Centre
  • Paul Feron, Science Leader in CO₂ Capture at CSIRO
  • Grace Meike, Director of Technology Impact at Emissions Reduction Alberta

This panel focused on addressing the realities, challenges, and urgency of scaling up CDR solutions to meet global climate goals.

Why CDR is Critical for Climate Goals
The world is on a path to exceed the carbon budget required to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the mid-2030s.[1] With the cumulative impact of emissions pushing us closer to the limit, the role of CDR becomes essential. As the panellists highlighted, CDR is not just about capturing emissions from current sources but also removing CO₂ that has already accumulated in the atmosphere.

Key Takeaways from the Panellists

Each panellist shared unique insights based on their experience in policy, science, and technology, shedding light on the multifaceted approach required to make CDR scalable, effective, and sustainable.

  • Sean McCoy highlighted essential steps for advancing CDR, emphasising the need for innovation to make approaches more cost-effective. He stressed the importance of developing markets and protocols that accurately account for real carbon removals, ensuring transparency and credibility. McCoy also pointed out that potential negative impacts of CDR must be considered in market design to prevent unintended consequences. He discussed the necessity of growing the CDR market for both voluntary and compliance sectors while also building human capacity to support the growth of both CCS and CDR. Finally, he underscored the need to clearly identify the limits of CDR technology, cautioning against overselling its potential without acknowledging practical constraints.
  • Mark de Figueiredo discussed the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) initiatives under the Carbon Negative Shot, aimed at addressing both supply and demand for CDR. On the supply side, DOE is supporting innovation through funding programmes that include:
    • $45 million SEA-CO₂ programme for marine CDR
    • $15 million MRV Technology Commercialization Fund
    • Mission Innovation’s CDR Launchpad

The DOE has also launched pilot and demonstration projects, including:

  • $3.5 billion for Regional DAC Hubs
  • $100 million for Carbon Negative Shot pilots
  • $52.5 million Commercial DAC Pilot Prize

On the demand side, the DOE has introduced initiatives such as the:

  • $35 million CDR Purchase Pilot Prize, the world’s first government-led CDR credit purchase programme
  • $100 million Carbon Negative Shot Pilots Funding, aimed at establishing monitoring and verification baselines and demonstrating first-of-a-kind commercial-scale CDR projects
  • Voluntary CDR Purchasing Challenge to encourage organisations to buy CDR credits

James Fann discussed the importance of aligning CCS and CDR strategies with industry practices, stressing that CDR must not only be technologically feasible but also economically viable to gain wide adoption. He advocated for creating frameworks that allow CDR solutions to integrate seamlessly into existing carbon management structures.

Paul Feron shared insights on Australia’s unique advantages for deploying CDR technologies. He pointed out that Australia has abundant land resources, with over 7.4 million km², of which 90% is classified as inhabitable. The country also has significant geological storage capacity, with over 400 gigatonnes of CO₂ storage potential. Additionally, Australia’s vast marine estate, with 25,000 km of coastline accessing oceans in three directions, provides further opportunities for marine-based CDR. The country’s well-developed carbon market, with several approved methodologies under the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) programme, supports CDR deployment. Furthermore, Paul highlighted some of the DAC projects at CSIRO, including Airthena™, CarbonAssist™, and ACOHA, along with commercial developments that include AspiraDAC, Fugu, and Mk Collect. This wave of projects demonstrates the strong momentum and opportunities for DAC in Australia.

Grace Meike focused on the impact of CDR on emissions reduction strategies. She underscored the importance of measurable outcomes and accountability in CDR projects, noting that Emissions Reduction Alberta is actively working to support innovative CDR projects that align with emissions reduction targets. 

The Path Forward: Balancing Urgency and Practicality

A key theme throughout the discussion was balancing the urgent need for CDR with practical implementation challenges. The panellists agreed that while CDR is critical to meeting climate targets, achieving its full potential will require:

  1. Significant Investment: Scaling up CDR to make a meaningful impact on global CO₂ levels will require billions of dollars in investment. Public and private sectors must work together to create a viable financial ecosystem for CDR technologies.
  2. Policy Support and International Collaboration: Policy frameworks that support innovation, provide incentives, and remove barriers to CDR deployment are essential.
  3. Public Awareness and Acceptance: CDR, like many climate technologies, needs public support to succeed. Education and awareness campaigns can help the public understand the role of CDR and address misconceptions.

Reflections

The discussion concluded on a cautiously optimistic note, acknowledging that while CDR has made progress beyond theory, pilot and demonstration projects are still in their early stages. As illustrated in Figure 1, only a small fraction of current CDR results from novel methods such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), biochar, and enhanced rock weathering, with conventional approaches dominating total CDR capacity.

Figure 1. Smith et al., University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal. 2nd Edition 2024.

Most methods are considered scalable, consistent with estimated technical potentials. However, in terms of timeliness, all CDR methods face deployment challenges that hinder their ability to rapidly contribute to climate mitigation by mid-century or shortly thereafter.[2] Finding underscores that, while there is optimism, substantial progress is still needed to achieve the scale of CDR required to significantly impact global emissions. The next challenge will be to expand both innovative and conventional CDR efforts from these early stages to widespread, practical implementation that can truly support global climate goals.


[1] Fraser-Baxter et al. Imperial college London. Window to avoid 1.5°C of warming
will close before 2030 if emissions not reduced. October 2023

[2] IEAGHG, “Measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and accounting for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in the context of both project-based approaches and national greenhouse gas inventories (NGHGI)”, 2024-09, October 2024, doi.org/10.62849/2024-09

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