The fight against climate change demands quick and drastic emission reductions. But we also need to capture some of the CO2 from the atmosphere that has already been emitted, through carbon dioxide removal (CDR).

Why it matters

The science is clear: even if drastic emissions reductions are achieved, across all sectors, some carbon dioxide removal will be needed to achieve the EU’s climate objectives. 

Precisely how much carbon removal will be needed depends on several factors, including how quickly we can cut emissions in the next few years and with how many ‘residual’ emissions we are left with in the longer term, for example emissions in agriculture that are hard to completely get rid of. 

Currently the EU categorises carbon dioxide removals into three types: 

• Carbon farming, which includes a variety of nature restoration, farming and forestry practices designed to increase carbon stocks in agricultural soils, forests and other landscapes, or coastal and marine areas. These are sometimes referred to as ‘nature-based solutions’ to carbon dioxide removal.
• Permanent removals, where carbon captured from plants or directly from the atmosphere is pumped and stored underground or as charcoal. Methods include bioenergy combined with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and direct air capture with carbon capture and storage (DACCS). 
• Carbon storage in products, for example timber in buildings.

But this EU regulatory framework is currently full of holes and not sufficient to deliver an effective carbon dioxide removal strategy in Europe.

What WWF is doing

WWF works in Brussels and EU Member States to ensure robust rules for the deployment of carbon removals so as to stop greenwashing and avoid the use of carbon removals as a substitute for the steep emission reductions needed.

WWF is calling for:

• Strict targets and ethical safeguards: Setting separate targets for emission reductions, natural carbon sinks, and permanent removals. Strict monitoring, reporting, and ethical safeguards for both marine and land-based removals.
• Prioritisation of Nature-Based Removals: Favouring direct, quick and cheap natural removals over expensive and unproven technological solutions such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), recognising risks of reversibility and measurement challenges.
• No offsetting loopholes: Ensuring carbon removal credits are not interchangeable with emission reductions and do not enable misleading claims and greenwashing.