News

Carbon Dioxide Removal and Certification – What is it and why is it needed?

Publish date: December 22, 2022

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is the primary goal in fighting global warming. However, to achieve net zero carbon dioxide (CO2) or GHG emissions, we will need to deploy carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to counterbalance residual emissions, as laid out in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

Together with Carbon Gap and Clean Air Task Force, Bellona Europa developed a fact sheet on the reasons why carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and certification is needed.

Recently, the EU made a first step towards certifying CDR with its Carbon Removal Certification Framework, but this will require substantial work to get right.

In its efforts to regulate the certification of CDR properly, the EU should focus on:

  • creating a real climate benefit;
  • measurability;
  • permanence;
  • additionality;
  • avoiding leakage;
  • avoiding double counting;
  • avoiding unintended impacts.

Read the fact sheet here.