Emerging carbon removal technologies are increasingly seen as a vital tool to help offset hard-to-abate emissions, particularly from industries were reducing or eliminating carbon emissions is difficult. These sectors include agriculture, cement production, heavy industry, and aviation, where the technologies to fully decarbonize processes are not yet available. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods, which capture and permanently store carbon from the atmosphere, offer the potential to balance out the emissions these industries continue to produce, making them essential to achieving global climate targets.

Despite the significant promise of carbon removals, experts caution against viewing these technologies as a one-size-fits-all solution to the climate crisis. There is a real concern that carbon removals could be used as an excuse to continue emitting carbon at unsustainable rates, rather than as a complement to direct emissions reductions. “Removals need to be on top of emission reductions, not instead of,” Stoefs argues. This sentiment reflects the growing concern that carbon removals should not replace efforts to reduce emissions at the source, which remains the most effective and cost-efficient way to tackle climate change.

While carbon removal technologies may be necessary to offset emissions from certain sectors, they are unlikely to be sufficient on their own to meet ambitious climate goals like the EU’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. There is no technology, for instance, that allows to produce cement, the raising of cattle, or the operation of commercial flights without producing emissions. In these instances, carbon removals will be essential to neutralize the carbon footprint. However, relying too heavily on this technology without reducing emissions in other sectors could lead to delays in addressing the climate crisis.

One of the key challenges to scaling up carbon removal technologies is the sheer scale needed to meet global climate targets. Some estimates suggest that the carbon removal industry must grow by over 40% annually for the next 26 years to have a meaningful impact.

Another significant challenge is the scalability of current carbon removal methods. Traditional approaches such as reforestation and afforestation, or even ocean-based solutions like promoting algae growth, have potential but are limited in their ability to absorb large quantities of CO2 at the global scale required. More attention is now being given to novel technologies like biochar, which locks carbon into plant matter through pyrolysis, as well as direct air capture (DAC) technologies, which extract CO2 directly from the atmosphere. Biochar projects have shown promise, but they are still at an early stage, and many of the pilot projects are limited to small-scale applications. North America currently leads in biochar contributions, with an estimated 48% of global removals, while Europe follows with 17%.

However, while regulatory frameworks are an important step forward, that are agreed on carbon removal technologies that should be used to supplement efforts to reduce emissions at the source, not replace them. The global push for carbon removal will require significant innovation and investment, but it must also be accompanied by stronger emissions reduction policies and the widespread adoption of clean technologies. In this way, carbon removals could play a crucial role in the fight against climate change, but only if they are part of a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes emissions reductions across all sectors of the economy.