Carbon Dioxide Removal

To avoid catastrophic climate change, the IPCC has concluded that in addition to slashing emissions, we must remove more than a gigaton of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere by 2050. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) refers to the removal of carbon dioxide from the air or the oceans while point-source carbon capture involves the capture of carbon emissions from fossil fuel plants and industry.

Governments, corporations, and philanthropists are exploring CDR’s potential as a long-term solution, and RMI is committing resources and expertise to better understand the CDR field and catalyze its development in a sustainable and equitable way, alongside continued decarbonization and mitigation efforts. We are doing this through an initiative dedicated to CDR, while our clean tech startup accelerator, Third Derivative (D3), is supporting new technology through the First Gigaton Captured cohort.

RMI is committed to advancing innovation, building the ecosystem for CDR, and managing its risks. Below, learn what RMI is “thinking” and “doing” on this emerging issue.

Think

Given the importance of understanding CDR for a climate-secure future, RMI is producing analyses for policymakers, the private sector, and interested parties on this topic.

Do

RMI’s clean energy startup accelerator, Third Derivative, has joined forces with The Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust to launch a new ecosystem to rapidly deploy, scale, and commercialize viable carbon capture and removal solutions. First Gigaton Captured will find, fund, and scale the most promising carbon removal startups and solutions around the world by uniting focused capital, corporate partners, and investors with this common goal.

Expertise

RMI has experts with perspectives across CDR solutions, including direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), geochemical CDR, and biomass, in addition to the larger CDR ecosystem. For media inquiries or speaking opportunities, please contact us below.