The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal

Since the release of the previous edition, the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) landscape has continued to evolve rapidly. Deployment of novel CDR approaches has expanded, new policies have emerged, and growing evidence has strengthened understanding of CDR’s role in achieving climate goals. This latest edition brings these developments together in a comprehensive assessment of the global state of carbon dioxide removal.

Key findings from this year's report

• Analysis of costs and potential: A dedicated deep-dive chapter examines the latest scientific evidence on the costs, scalability, and potential of different CDR approaches.
• Continued growth in novel CDR: While novel CDR remains small at approximately 0.002 GtCO₂ per year, deployment continues to expand rapidly, growing at around 40% annually.
• Scaling is ambitious but achievable: The growth rates required for novel CDR to align with Paris-compatible pathways are challenging, yet comparable to those achieved by other rapidly scaling climate technologies such as solar photovoltaics (PV) and electric vehicles.
• Investment remains resilient: Despite a broader slowdown in climate technology investment, funding for CDR companies has remained relatively robust. At the same time, expectations around future demand have become more uncertain.
• Expanded evidence on future CDR needs: New scenarios developed in collaboration with modelling teams provide a targeted multi-model comparison, combining global modelling with national-level analyses to strengthen understanding of future CDR pathways and requirements.
• A persistent ambition gap: Significant differences remain between the levels of CDR included in national climate pledges and those required in Paris-compatible pathways.

Released ahead of COP30, this Insight Report assesses how carbon dioxide removal is reflected in the climate pledges of G20 countries. It finds that while many governments implicitly rely on CDR to meet net zero targets, current pledges remain limited, opaque, and lack credibility. The report highlights a persistent gap between national plans and Paris-aligned pathways, and outlines the actions needed to improve transparency, credibility, and preparedness for scaling CDR.

The second edition builds on this foundation with expanded data, deeper analysis, and new thematic focus areas, reflecting how rapidly the field is evolving. Key additions include:

• Updated estimates of current CDR deployment, aligned with the Global Carbon Budget
• New chapters on demonstration and upscaling, the voluntary carbon market, and monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV)
• Expanded analysis of policy developments, innovation trends, and public perceptions
• A clearer picture of the CDR gap between Paris-consistent pathways and national proposals

The 2nd edition highlights that while innovation and investment are accelerating, CDR deployment remains far below what climate scenarios suggest may be needed, and that governance, sustainability, and credibility will be decisive for its future role.

The first edition provided the first comprehensive global assessment of CDR. It established a shared evidence base on:

• What counts as CDR and how different methods compare
• Current levels of CDR deployment worldwide
• The role of CDR in Paris-aligned climate scenarios
• Key gaps between ambition and reality

The report helped shape international conversations by clarifying the scale of the challenge and the limits of existing approaches, while emphasising that emissions reductions must remain the top priority.