Alternative Approaches to Carbon Dioxide Removal I

Sacha Corby

In this video, Sacha explores the essential role of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in addressing climate change by reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. She explains how trees store carbon through photosynthesis, the durability challenges they face, and how biochar offers a more stable carbon storage option while enhancing soil health. She further discusses the importance of sustainability, lifecycle assessments, and effective project management to maximise the impact of CDR solutions.

Regulation and Initiatives

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Alternative Approaches to Carbon Dioxide Removal I

10 mins 20 secs

Key learning objectives:

Understand the definition of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and its importance in reducing atmospheric CO2
Understand the differences between nature-based and engineered CDR solutions, including their permanence and co-benefits
Identify how afforestation, reforestation, and biochar projects remove and store carbon, along with their limitations
Outline the role of sustainability and lifecycle assessments in ensuring the effectiveness of CDR projects

Overview:

Carbon dioxide removal encompasses processes that remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it durably. Solutions are categorised as nature-based or engineered and vary by permanence, scalability, and co-benefits. Two key nature-based solutions include afforestation/reforestation and biochar. Trees store carbon through photosynthesis but have limited durability compared to engineered solutions. Biochar, created via pyrolysis of biomass, stores carbon more durably and enhances soil health. Both approaches require careful management to ensure effectiveness and minimise risks like leakage or reversal. Sustainable, diverse CDR strategies are vital for addressing excess CO2, with all approaches contributing to meeting global climate goals.

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Summary

What qualifies as carbon dioxide removal (CDR)?

CDR refers to natural or engineered processes that remove CO2 from the atmosphere and durably store it to delay re-release. This definition includes activities driven by human intervention and excludes natural processes occurring without management. CDR solutions are often classified by their duration of carbon storage, with short-cycle storage like forests and long-cycle storage like geological sequestration offering varied benefits and challenges.

How do afforestation and reforestation contribute to carbon removal, and what are their limitations?

Afforestation and reforestation remove carbon by storing it in tree biomass through photosynthesis. The carbon is sequestered for decades to centuries, but the method is less durable than geological storage. Effectiveness depends on factors like project scale, species, location, and management. While forestation enhances biodiversity and is affordable, it is susceptible to risks such as wildfires or pests, limiting its permanence compared to engineered solutions.

What is biochar, and how does it remove and store carbon?

Biochar is a carbon-rich product created by heating biomass in a low-oxygen environment through pyrolysis. It locks carbon in a stable form for over a century, providing additional benefits like improved soil health and crop yields. The effectiveness of biochar depends on biomass quality, reaction conditions, and sustainable sourcing. Lifecycle assessments are critical to minimise risks like emissions leakage and ensure net carbon removal.

What factors are critical for the effectiveness and sustainability of CDR solutions?

Key factors include permanence, scalability, co-benefits, and accurate carbon quantification. Sustainability hinges on using residual biomass, minimising land-use displacement, and robust project management to prevent carbon leakage or reversal. Full lifecycle assessments ensure that CDR solutions genuinely contribute to atmospheric CO2 reduction, making them a vital component of global climate strategies.

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Sacha Corby

Dr. Sacha Corby, Director of CDR Science & Technology at Climeworks, is dedicated to identifying the best carbon dioxide removal methods. With a PhD in Chemistry from Imperial College London and experience in solar energy conversion, she combines science skills with business insights from three years at Bain & Company in Switzerland. Her team at Climeworks screens carbon removal approaches and suppliers to ensure that a CDR credit accurately represents one ton of CO2 removed.

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