Criteria for High Quality Carbon Removal
Innovations in climate-stabilizing technologies are happening every day, in every corner of the world. We love learning about the strides being made in Kenya and Oman, alongside the efforts underway in North America and Europe.
Quality, of course, remains a crux topic when it comes to advancing carbon dioxide removal, regardless of where it is occurring. How can we judge whether the carbon dioxide removal we’re supporting is “high quality”? What even constitutes quality when it comes to carbon dioxide removal and storage?
Tomorrow’s Air selects its carbon removal supply partners according to an established set of principles and we also take advantage of the thoughtful work and due diligence shared by corporate leaders in this area like Microsoft and CarbonDirect, which released in July, 2023 an update to their Criteria for High Quality Carbon Dioxide Removal. The report’s authors have incorporated more with the goal of catalyzing “CDR market maturation that facilitates just, effective climate action at scale.” The promotion and adherence to quality standards such as these will help bolster and entrench trust in carbon dioxide removal.
Visualizing Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere with NASA
On June 16th, NASA published an incredible visualization of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Have a look as fossil fuel emissions (depicted as orange plumes) begin primarily over the US, Europe, and China and expand to envelop the globe. As we know, we all share the same air. It’s harrowing to watch as carbon dioxide permeates our entire atmosphere, but at the same time energizing because we know it is possible to do something about it!
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Tackles Carbon Dioxide Removal
In June, 2023 the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its research agenda focused on carbon dioxide removal: Strategy for Carbon Dioxide Removal Research. NOAA was created to study the connection between the ocean and the atmosphere, including weather and climate. They set up this carbon removal research agenda carefully to protect the “academic freedom and scientific integrity” of the scientists working on the subject, recognizing that the outcomes of their work will be important in establishing regulations that will eventually affect businesses and local communities. Researchers from American University’s “Scrubbing the Skies” webinar reviewed the report in detail.