To limit global warming to 1.5°C and avoid climate breakdown, carbon dioxide removals (CDR) will be needed to supplement urgent, deep and sustained emissions reductions. They will be unavoidable in balancing out those residual emissions society deems necessary and dealing with historical pollution in the atmosphere. However, carbon removals cannot replace decarbonisation.

There is a need to clarify the supplementary climate function of carbon removals, to distinguish between different types of removals and address the potential risks associated with their deployment. In order to ensure that attention remains focused on slashing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting natural sinks, while we prepare the ground for a sustainable deployment of permanent removals, we can start by setting separate targets for gross emissions reductions, temporary carbon sequestration by natural sinks and permanent removals.

This explainer answers key questions related to the topic of carbon removals, the principle of separate targets, and their implications for implementation.