For the next week, I’ll be exploring the world of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and sharing daily insights. Today, we dive into a crucial and debated topic: “High-Quality CDR.”
Having spent years developing avoidance projects, the term “High-Quality CDR” often raises questions for me. In avoidance projects, quality is measured by clear indicators like SDG contributions, environmental impacts, project boundaries, carbon credit revenue utilization, and benefits to biodiversity and communities. These factors influence demand and pricing.
In engineered CDR, technologies like Direct-Air-Capture (DAC), Ocean CDR, Biofuel, Biochar, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and Solar Geoengineering are still emerging. Establishing a quality benchmark feels premature for projects that have yet to sequester their first ton of carbon. Research and methodologies for monitoring, measuring, and reporting are still maturing. Comparing these early-stage projects’ quality might be unfair, as no single technology can resolve atmospheric warming alone.
Looking ahead, while a highly efficient DAC project might securely stabilize carbon with zero leakage, the transportation sector’s reliance on biofuel or SAF highlights the need for diverse solutions. Only by embracing a mix of approaches can we support a sustainable, net-zero global society.
What do you think defines “High-Quality CDR”? Share your thoughts below.