Effective greenhouse gas removal

Delivery fit for the future

Overview

Greenhouse gas removal (GGR), such as nature based carbon removals or future engineered options, are expected to play an important role in halting climate change. This is the case at a global and UK level, with both the UN’s intergovernmental panel on climate change, and the UK’s Climate Change Committee pointing to the need for GGR if we are to keep global temperature rise in the region of 1.5 degrees.

The use of GGR raises a number of concerns, including the risk of GGR delaying action to reduce actual emissions and the level to which GGR can be scaled sustainably. Questions also remain about how to allocate GGR across different segments of the economy.

This project investigates the governance framework required to ensure the sustainable, effective delivery of GGR. It also explores what role different types of nature based and engineered GGR solutions should play in achieving the UK’s net zero emissions target.

Ensuring effective governance of greenhouse gas removal

In our 2020 report, we proposed a new Office for Carbon Removal to help ensure the sustainable deployment of greenhouse gas removal (GGR). We made the case for the UK to set two net zero linked targets (one for emissions reduction and one for carbon removals) to ensure the use of GGR does not delay emissions reduction.

This project will further develop the evidence base and consider the best structures for strengthening governance of GGR.

Read the report:

 

Using greenhouse gas removal to reach net zero

Greenhouse gas removal (GGR) will be necessary for the UK to meet its net zero emission target, but there are questions around the scale and pace of deployment, as well as the associated trade offs. 

This project will explore the role of different nature based and engineered GGR solutions to achieve net zero, and will develop proposals for how the government can both deploy low regrets options and reduce locking in solutions with significant trade offs and uncertainty. 

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