Summary
This systematic review of negative emissions technologies provides a comprehensive synthesis of literature on seven approaches to atmospheric carbon removal—including afforestation, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, direct air capture, enhanced weathering, ocean fertilisation, biochar, and soil carbon sequestration. The authors present best estimates for sustainable deployment potentials in 2050 (ranging from 0.5–5 GtCO₂ yr⁻¹ depending on technology), document cost variations and permanency characteristics, and conclude that no single technology is likely to sustainably meet climate mitigation requirements for 1.5 °C warming scenarios, highlighting the need for a diversified portfolio approach.
UK applicability
The review's findings on afforestation potential, soil carbon sequestration, and biochar are relevant to UK land-use and agricultural policy, particularly given the UK's climate commitments and the prominence of soil-based carbon sequestration in lowland farming systems. However, the global-scale assessment requires contextualisation to UK-specific constraints around available land, soil types, and policy frameworks.
Key measures
Cost per tonne CO₂ removed, sustainable global potential in 2050 (GtCO₂ yr⁻¹), permanency duration, cumulative potential beyond 2050, environmental side-effects and trade-offs
Outcomes reported
The study systematically reviewed literature on seven negative emissions technologies (NETs) and provided best estimates of their sustainable global potentials in 2050, cost ranges, permanency characteristics, and environmental side-effects. It assessed whether any single NET could sustainably meet carbon uptake rates required for 1.5–2 °C climate pathways.
Topic tags
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