Carbon dioxide definition series#

Definitions Part of a series on theĬarbon dioxide removal (CDR) is defined by the IPCC as:Īnthropogenic activities removing CO 2 from the atmosphere and durably storing it in geological, terrestrial, or ocean reservoirs, or in products. : 8 There is potential to remove and sequester up to 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year by using those existing CDR methods which can be safely and economically deployed now.

: 114ĬDR methods include afforestation, reforestation, agricultural practices that sequester carbon in soils ( carbon farming), wetland restoration and blue carbon approaches, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), ocean fertilization, ocean alkalinity enhancement, and direct air capture when combined with storage, : 115 To assess whether negative emissions are achieved by a particular process, comprehensive life cycle analysis of the process must be performed.Īs of 2023, CDR is estimated to remove around 2 gigatons of CO 2 per year, which is equivalent to 4% of the greenhouse gases emitted per year by human activities. CDR can counterbalance emissions that are technically difficult to eliminate, such as some agricultural and industrial emissions. Achieving net zero emissions will require both deep cuts in emissions and the use of CDR. : 2221 In the context of net zero greenhouse gas emissions targets, CDR is increasingly integrated into climate policy, as an element of climate change mitigation strategies. Ĭarbon dioxide removal ( CDR), also known as carbon removal, greenhouse gas removal ( GGR) or negative emissions, is a process in which carbon dioxide gas (CO 2) is removed from the atmosphere by deliberate human activities and durably stored in geological, terrestrial, or ocean reservoirs, or in products. Planting trees is a nature-based way to temporarily remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. For technologies that remove carbon dioxide from point sources, see Carbon capture and storage. This article is about removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide definition