The Role of Carbon Removal: Tech, Policy, and Business Insights

Often cited as the “net” in net zero plans, carbon removal technologies – such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), direct air capture, and nature-based solutions – play a heavy role in decarbonization strategies around the world. As businesses like Microsoft, Meta and Stripe invest billions of dollars in Carbon Dioxide Removal, how can companies navigate high costs and limited availability of high-quality CDR options?

In this conversation between Na’im Merchant (Co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada) and Stacy Kauk (Chief Science Officer, Isometric), moderated by our CEO Dan Wicklum, we explored the landscape of carbon removal technologies and policies, with an eye toward scalability, cost-effectiveness, and readiness. Our conversation covered the following:

• Carbon removals are the « Net » in « Net Zero ». We are already removing carbon from the atmosphere now to achieve net-zero by 2050. If we reach net-zero by 2050, we need to continue to increase removals to avoid further warming from legacy CO2.
• Carbon removal technologies can be viewed in two broad categories: permanent and non-permanent solutions. Permanent methods are defined as having the ability to store carbon for 1,000 years or more. For example, carbon mineralization, which uses natural processes to convert CO2 into stable minerals, ensures carbon is durably stored out of the atmosphere. Planting trees, meanwhile, is a non-permanent solution in that a forest fire or deforestation would lead to the release of stored carbon.
• The challenge at hand is scaling projects to reach gigaton scale carbon removal.
• Robust Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems are critical to carbon removal. MRV is essential to ensure transparency, credibility, and scalability in carbon removal efforts. As carbon removal technologies grow, scalable MRV enables accurate quantification of captured and stored CO₂, builds stakeholder trust, facilitates compliance with regulations, and ensures alignment with carbon market standards, driving investment and global climate impact.
• High-quality carbon credits are essential for ensuring durability, fostering market trust, and driving meaningful climate impact. Rigorous, science-backed standards, accurate measurement, and transparency ensure that each credit represents verifiable and durable carbon removals.