ggr technologies
current greenhouse gas removal technologies
Removal is achieved through a wide variety of approaches, involving either biology, accelerating natural inorganic reactions with rocks, or engineered chemical processes.
While some GGR methods are already operating somewhere in the world, others require significant development and demonstration before they can remove emissions at scale.
GGR methods also require resources, like land, energy or water, placing limits on the scale and location of their application, and leading to resource competition between them and with other human activities, such as food production.
Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) technologies which recapture already emitted greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and ocean, can play a significant role in achieving net zero.
Current examples on GGR technologies include Climeworks, Carbon Engineering, Drax and Project Vesta.
Carbon Cure and Charm Industrial are also examples of carbon storage technologies.
While some GGR methods are already operating somewhere in the world, others require significant development and demonstration before they can remove emissions at scale.
Types of greenhouse gas removal
Forestry
Growing new trees and improving the management of existing forests. As forests grow they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in living biomass, dead organic matter and soils.
Habitat Restoration
Restoring peatlands and coastal wetlands to increase their ability to store carbon. This also prevents carbon release through further degradation, often providing a number of other co-benefits.
Ocean fertilisation
Applying nutrients to the ocean to increase photosynthesis and remove atmospheric CO2.
Ocean alkalinity
Increasing ocean concentration of ions like calcium to increase uptake of CO2 into the ocean, and reverse acidification.
Enhanced terrestrial weathering
Spreading ground-down rocks on agricultural land, which react with CO2 in the air.
Biochar
Burning biomass in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) to create a charcoal-like product which can stabilise organic matter when added to the soil.
Soil carbon sequestration
Changing agricultural practices such as tillage or crop rotations to increase the soil carbon content.
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)
Using biomass for energy, capturing the CO2 emissions and storing them to provide lifecycle GGR.
Direct air capture and carbon storage (DACCS)
Using engineered processes to capture atmospheric CO2 for subsequent geological storage.
Low-carbon concrete
Altering the constituents, the manufacture, or the recycling method of concrete to increase its storage of CO2
Building with biomass
Using forestry materials in buildings extends the time of carbon storage of natural biomass and enables additional forestry growth.
Mineral carbonation
Accelerating the conversion of silicate rocks to carbonates either above or below the surface to provide permanent storage for CO2.
greenhouse gas removal case studies
carbon engineering
Carbon Engineering uses Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology to capture carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.
Climeworks
Climeworks develops, builds and operates direct air capture machines to capture carbon dioxide directly from the air.
News and Events
The Race to Zero strengthens and clarifies campaign criteria with support of Oxford Net Zero
Originally posted on the Race to Zero site by climate champions | APRIL 29, 2021 As net zero commitments proliferate, the refined criteria outline the minimum standard for initiatives of businesses, investors, cities, regions and universities ... Read more
Developing countries need to chart their own course to net zero emissions
By Navroz K. Dubash, Harald Winkler, and Lavanya Rajamani Originally published on The Conversation, 5 May 2021. Translating complex climate science into language people understand has always been difficult. At various times, the aim of different Read more
Oxford Net Zero to Co-host a Climate Neutrality Forum: Register Your Interest
Bringing together leading researchers, policymakers and practitioners working on achieving climate neutrality, the meeting will take place simultaneously at three hubs – Berlin, Milan and Oxford – linked together to create a blended event that ... Read more
Majority of Americans Covered by a Net Zero Target: Policy Opportunity for the Biden Administration
Climate policy in the United States is at an inflection point. A new Oxford Net Zero report demonstrates that for the first time, a majority of Americans live in a jurisdiction with a net zero emissions target. Furthermore, US companies ... Read more
Oxford Net Zero Is Recruiting Fellows!
We are delighted to announce several new roles as part of the new Oxford Net Zero Initiative. The University is investing £2.2m in this transformative new programme, bringing together its world-leading expertise across Geography, Physics, ... Read more
COP26 Universities Network Briefing on Carbon Offsetting
How can carbon offsetting help UK further and higher education institutions achieve net zero emissions? Download the Briefing Paper There are a range of views on the use of carbon offsetting among academics, higher and further education ... Read more
See more news and events
Join us for this upcoming webinar "Net Zero Targets: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" featuring discussion with @stv_smth @katecullen_ from @OxfordNetZero & @_richardblack from @ECIU_UK
on systemic problems w/ net-zero pledges
Moderated by @wil_burns
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/net-zero-targets-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-tickets-154106798583?aff=estw&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-source=tw&utm-term=checkoutwidget
Our new paper just out in @nature shows how, combined with vital cuts in emissions, #naturebasedsolutions can reduce peak temperatures reached this century.
Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01241-2
Summary: https://www.naturebasedsolutionsinitiative.org/news/natural-based-solutions-can-help-cool-the-planet-if-we-act-now/
@cop26 | #climateaction
#naturenow
@Nature4Climate
@IUCN
Same goal, different paths – developing countries need to chart their own course to net zero emissions by 2050 writes Professor Lavanya Rajamani @OxfordLawFac @OxfordNetZero for @ConversationUK https://theconversation.com/developing-countries-neet-to-chart-their-own-course-to-net-zero-emissions-159655 #TheParisAgreement