Current Carbon Removal Plans Fall Short
New research suggests that current carbon removal plans are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. More ambitious policies and significant reductions in global energy demand are needed.
While carbon removal methods play a vital role, countries need to increase awareness, ambition, and action to scale up these methods alongside deep emissions reductions.
Current plans could increase carbon removal by 0.5 gigatonnes by 2030 and 1.9 gigatonnes by 2050. However, a 'focus scenario' requiring 5.1 gigatonnes of removal by 2050 highlights a significant gap.
An alternative scenario with reduced energy demand could close this gap, but sustainability issues like land demand require careful consideration.