Negative Emissions

38 posts

Regulating Ocean Regulating Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement in Washington State

Our planet is undergoing significant changes due to climate disruption, with especially severe impacts on the ocean. Most climate action today rightly focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, these efforts are necessary, but not sufficient to meet global climate targets. The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on […]

International Governance of mCDR: Small Steps Forward, but Much More Work to do

Late last year, members of the international community convened in London to discuss issues relating to implementation of the 1972 Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (“London Convention”) and the 1996 Protocol to that Convention (“London Protocol”). Among the topics up for […]

Sabin Center Publishes New Report on the Legal Framework for Removing Atmospheric Methane via Soil Amendments

The Sabin Center published a report that explores the international and U.S. laws governing atmospheric methane removal (“AMR”) via soil amendments. AMR refers to human interventions to accelerate the conversion of methane in the atmosphere to a form that causes less warming (e.g., converting it to carbon dioxide). Scientists have […]

Navigating the Legal Landscape of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement: Federal Preemption and State Authority

  The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change underscores the need for carbon dioxide removal (“CDR”) to complement emissions reductions in meeting global climate targets. Ocean-based CDR strategies, which aim to increase the ocean’s natural carbon sink capacity, are gaining attention. One such strategy, ocean alkalinity […]

An Important New Report from the National Academies on Atmospheric Methane Removal

Last month, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a report on a relatively new field of research – atmospheric methane removal. Addressing methane is critically important in addressing climate change – methane is the second largest contributor to human-driven warming after carbon dioxide. Although the concentration of […]

Upcoming Developments in International Governance of Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal

The next week has the potential to bring important developments for international governance of marine carbon dioxide removal (CDR). That’s because the parties to the London Convention and London Protocol are meeting from October 28 to November 1 in London to discuss, among other things, governance of ocean alkalinity enhancement […]

CCS

The Evolving Legal Landscape for Geologic Carbon Sequestration in the United States

  Geologic carbon sequestration—i.e., the storage of carbon dioxide in underground rock formations—has been the subject of much debate in recent years. Many see it as an important tool for combatting climate change. It is, after all, a necessary component of point-source carbon capture and storage (“CCS”) systems that seek […]

View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 65, by Astronaut Shane Kimbrough.

Removing Methane from the Atmosphere: New Sabin Report on Atmospheric Methane Destruction via Oxidation Enhancement

A highly potent greenhouse gas, methane makes a significant contribution to climate change, but has historically received relatively little attention in climate mitigation discussions. That is now beginning to change. In addition to investigating new ways to control methane emissions, scientists are also researching the possibility of removing methane already […]