Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 1 — Meta-analysis / systematic reviewPeer-reviewed

Negative emissions—Part 1: Research landscape and synthesis

Jan C. Minx, William F. Lamb, Max Callaghan, Sabine Fuss, Jérôme Hilaire, Felix Creutzig, Thorben Amann, Tim Beringer, Wagner de Oliveira Garcia, Jens Hartmann, Tarun Khanna, Dominic Lenzi, Gunnar Luderer, Gregory F. Nemet, Joeri Rogelj, Pete Smith, José Luis Vicente‐Vicente, Jennifer Wilcox, Maria del Mar Zamora Dominguez

Environmental Research Letters · 2018

Read source ↗ All evidence

Summary

This comprehensive systematic review synthesises the global literature on negative emissions technologies, using scientometric analysis and qualitative assessment to clarify their role in achieving Paris Agreement climate goals. The authors conclude that whilst large-scale NET deployment is essential for 1.5 °C targets, a diverse portfolio of modest-scale technologies is more realistic than single-NET solutions, and substantial gaps remain between scenario assumptions and actual implementation progress. The work identifies severe barriers to NET commercialisation and weak policy incentives, highlighting the urgent need to align science, policy, and ethical discourse with evidence.

UK applicability

The findings are globally relevant but apply to UK climate policy insofar as the UK is committed to net-zero targets by 2050. The review's emphasis on portfolio approaches to NETs and the implementation gap between model projections and real-world deployment may inform UK strategy on negative emissions, though country-specific NET potential assessments would be needed for detailed UK applicability.

Key measures

NET deployment potentials under economic and biophysical constraints; dependency of 1.5 °C and 2 °C warming scenarios on NETs; implementation gaps between modelled scenarios and actual innovation progress; barriers and incentive structures for NET scaling

Outcomes reported

The study synthesised literature on negative emissions technologies (NETs) using scientometric tools and in-depth assessment, clarifying their role in climate mitigation scenarios, ethical implications, and implementation challenges. The research identified six major findings regarding NET deployment requirements, potentials, feasibility, and barriers across different warming scenarios.

Theme
Climate & resilience
Subject
Climate & greenhouse gas mitigation
Study type
Systematic Review
Study design
Systematic review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Other
DOI
10.1088/1748-9326/aabf9b
Catalogue ID
BFmowc2b4w-9h0zzz

Topic tags

Pulse AI · ask about this record

Dig deeper with Pulse AI.

Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.