Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for Paris climate goals
Abstract Carbon Dioxide Removal is essential for achieving net zero emissions, as it is required to neutralize any residual CO2 emissions. The scientifically recognized definition of Carbon Dioxide Removal requires removed atmospheric CO2 to be stored “durably”; however, it remains unclear what is m...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01808-7 |
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| _version_ | 1823861547594678272 |
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| author | Cyril Brunner Zeke Hausfather Reto Knutti |
| author_facet | Cyril Brunner Zeke Hausfather Reto Knutti |
| author_sort | Cyril Brunner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Carbon Dioxide Removal is essential for achieving net zero emissions, as it is required to neutralize any residual CO2 emissions. The scientifically recognized definition of Carbon Dioxide Removal requires removed atmospheric CO2 to be stored “durably”; however, it remains unclear what is meant by durably, and interpretations have varied from decades to millennia. Using a reduced-complexity climate model, here we examined the effect of Carbon Dioxide Removal with varying CO2 storage durations. We found that storage duration substantially affects whether net zero emissions achieve the desired temperature outcomes. With a typical 100-year storage duration, net zero CO2 emissions with 6 GtCO2 per year residual emissions result in an additional warming of 0.8 °C by 2500 compared to permanent storage, thus putting the internationally agreed temperature limits at risk. Our findings suggest that a CO2 storage period of less than 1000 years is insufficient for neutralizing remaining fossil CO2 emissions under net zero emissions. These results reinforce the principle that credible neutralization claims using Carbon Dioxide Removal in a net zero framework require balancing emissions with removals of similar atmospheric residence time and storage reservoir, e.g., geological or biogenic. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3fa8025916464fbbb056b6785cb90470 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-3fa8025916464fbbb056b6785cb904702025-02-09T12:55:53ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-11-01511610.1038/s43247-024-01808-7Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for Paris climate goalsCyril Brunner0Zeke Hausfather1Reto Knutti2Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science ETH ZurichStripe Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA and Berkeley EarthInstitute for Atmospheric and Climate Science ETH ZurichAbstract Carbon Dioxide Removal is essential for achieving net zero emissions, as it is required to neutralize any residual CO2 emissions. The scientifically recognized definition of Carbon Dioxide Removal requires removed atmospheric CO2 to be stored “durably”; however, it remains unclear what is meant by durably, and interpretations have varied from decades to millennia. Using a reduced-complexity climate model, here we examined the effect of Carbon Dioxide Removal with varying CO2 storage durations. We found that storage duration substantially affects whether net zero emissions achieve the desired temperature outcomes. With a typical 100-year storage duration, net zero CO2 emissions with 6 GtCO2 per year residual emissions result in an additional warming of 0.8 °C by 2500 compared to permanent storage, thus putting the internationally agreed temperature limits at risk. Our findings suggest that a CO2 storage period of less than 1000 years is insufficient for neutralizing remaining fossil CO2 emissions under net zero emissions. These results reinforce the principle that credible neutralization claims using Carbon Dioxide Removal in a net zero framework require balancing emissions with removals of similar atmospheric residence time and storage reservoir, e.g., geological or biogenic.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01808-7 |
| spellingShingle | Cyril Brunner Zeke Hausfather Reto Knutti Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for Paris climate goals Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for Paris climate goals |
| title_full | Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for Paris climate goals |
| title_fullStr | Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for Paris climate goals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for Paris climate goals |
| title_short | Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for Paris climate goals |
| title_sort | durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for paris climate goals |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01808-7 |
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