A Primer on Negative Emissions Technologies

Stabilizing the planet’s climate through carbon dioxide removal

As of 2022, our planet has warmed by an average of 1°C (1.8°F) since the industrial revolution (1760 — 1840), with most of that happening in the last century. While this might not sound like very much, there is a strong scientific consensus that this warming is already leading to an increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heat waves, tropical storms, and wildfires.

The primary driver of global warming is the emission of heat-trapping gasses into the atmosphere. The primary culprit is carbon dioxide (although methane, nitrous oxide, and several others also play a role). Carbon dioxide, or CO₂, is emitted into the atmosphere from a wide range of human activities as well as some natural processes and much of this carbon dioxide is also removed through natural processes as part of the carbon cycle.

When the oceans absorb CO₂, they become more acidic, which harms sea life. Since pre-industrial times, the oceans have absorbed approximately 152 gigatons of CO₂.

When plants absorb CO₂, they use the carbon atoms as building materials to grow new cells or make simple sugars. This is a great natural carbon sink, but plants also give off carbon when they decompose or burn.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has determined that 2 degrees of global warming is the upper “safe” limit. Any warming…