Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Definition

Carbon Dioxide Removal - abbreviated to CDR and sometimes just called Carbon Removal - is the process of taking CO₂ out of the atmosphere and storing it somewhere safely where it can't contribute to global warming and climate change.

About 76% of greenhouse gas emissions that are causing the temperature increases the planet is experiencing are CO₂ being released into the atmosphere, caused primarily by our use of fossil fuels over the last 200 years or so.

The definition of Carbon Removal that the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) uses, and we agree with is:

Any human (aka anthropogenic) activity that removes CO₂ from the atmosphere and durably store it in geological, terrestrial or ocean reseviors, or in products.

At Zopeful, whenever we say Carbon Removal we always mean solutions that actively draw down and safely store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for hundreds to tens of thousands of years. The science shows that to effectively combating climate change we need to develop and grow every tool we can.

This includes everything from nature-based solutions like reforestation to more engineered approaches like Direct Air Capture and Storage, Biochar, Enhanced Rock Weathering, Bio-oil as well as enhancing the oceans natural carbon sink.

This is an almost completely new industry. And it's essential. It's estimated that for a scientifically defensible Net Zero - 90% decarbonization and 10% durable removals - and to draw down already released CO₂ we'll need between 5 to 15 billion (gigatonnes) of carbon removal per year by 2050.

Demystify more climate-related terminology with our Climate Buzzword Dictionary (yes, it's more of a glossary, but hey, this is what it's called now!).