Reports

Coming soon: GGR-D programme consolidated report 

This report will lay out the emerging body of evidence from the CO2RE Hub and the five Demonstrator projects and examine what needs to happen next if GGR is to sustainably scale up in the UK. 

Greenhouse Gas Removals Regulatory Review: Mapping a Novel Legal Landscape by Stakeholder Interviewing

Authors: Marsaili Van Looy, Navraj Singh Ghaleigh

A clear, established and harmonious legal framework is crucial for the operation and scaling of any emerging industry, and this is no different for greenhouse gas removals (GGRs). The framework for GGRs is not a bespoke area of law tailored to GGR activities, but rather a complex landscape of pre-existing bodies of law applicable to particular GGRs or parts of GGR value chains. Based on 31 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in governments, industry, and the research community, this report serves as the first comprehensive review of these diverse bodies of law in the UK. It explores the common legal challenges across all major GGR techniques currently being developed in the UK and looks at potential solutions. Read more. 

The UK State of Carbon Dioxide Removal

Authors: Christopher Lomax, Stephen M. Smith, Rob Bellamy, Astha Wagle

This report presents a comprehensive overview of the state of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) in the UK. It explores the research and innovation landscape, the role of UK-based companies in advancing CDR technologies, and trends in voluntary carbon market activity. The report also assesses national policy frameworks, governance structures, and public perceptions related to CDR. Finally, it takes stock of current deployment levels and examines the role of CDR in the UK’s pathways to net zero. Read more.

Policy briefings

Towards responsible innovation and societal engagement with carbon dioxide removal

Authors: Rob Bellamy, Laurie Waller, Emily Cox

Researchers, industry and policy-makers are considering carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods as a way of accelerating the near-term mitigation of climate change, balancing residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, and addressing potential overshoot of climate targets such as the 1.5°C limit set out in the Paris Agreement. However, in many cases, CDR methods are at an early stage of research and development and raise various societal concerns – so it is crucial that it is done in a way that is responsible towards society. Responsible innovation and societal engagement involves members of the public in considerations about things that concern their interests. This helps strengthen accountability and transparency of CDR through learning from citizens, and can help to strengthen trust and legitimacy by building relationships between citizens, government and non-government actors. More broadly, it helps to build public engagement with climate change. This briefing draws on evidence from CO2RE research to examine how CDR can be better understood, communicated, appraised and governed in the UK. Read more. 

Unlocking Private Investment for Greenhouse Gas Removal: Public-private collaboration and a technology-specific policy approach

Authors: Petra Bistričić, Aoife Brophy, Edoardo Taricco, Astha Wagle, Mark Workman

Coordinated mobilisation of public and private investment in greenhouse gas removal (GGR) technologies is key to developing the GGR capacity required for the UK to achieve its 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target. It is also vital to meeting the interim targets for engineered removals of 21.3 MtCO₂ by 2040 (CCC, 2025). However, current GGR market conditions are not yet conducive to attracting private capital into GGR deployment. Technological uncertainty, revenue uncertainty and the presence of an unstable market-led environment limit investor confidence and hinder the establishment of a GGR market. The policy interventions being developed by the UK government – namely the integration of GGR into the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) and the introduction of carbon contracts for difference (CCfDs) – are welcome. However, based on our analysis, they are insufficient to kick-start and support GGR deployment at the necessary scale and pace. New groups of policies which strategically reduce GGR investment risk and create a more stable environment are required. This policy brief assesses and outlines public-private collaborations (PPCs) as an important intervention to unlock private-sector investment as part of a wider GGR policy ecosystem. Read more. 

Biochar Regulation in the UK: A Wasteful Approach to Greenhouse Gas Removal

Authors: Luka Štrubelj, Navraj Singh Ghaleigh

Greenhouse gas removal (GGR) methods capture greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and store them for decades to millennia. These technologies will be required to meet the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals, alongside rapidly reducing emissions. Biochar, a charcoal-like substance derived from organic material, is one such method, offering the potential to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it durably in a cost-effective manner, while delivering other benefits for agriculture, soil remediation or construction. It can also be deployed as an emission reduction technology. In the UK, biochar is regulated by UK waste law. Current waste regulations impose high costs on biochar producers, which hinders the deployment of biochar as a GGR method at scale. This policy briefing examines UK waste regulations that apply to biochar and makes recommendations on how they could be changed to support its deployment. Read more.

Policy Evaluation and Selection to Accelerate Geological Carbon Dioxide Removal Deployment

Authors: Siyu Feng, Joseph Stemmler, Johanna Arlinghaus, Samuel Fankhauser, Stephen M. Smith

Geological carbon dioxide removal (CDR), which stores carbon permanently, is necessary to reach durable net zero. However, CDR faces numerous challenges in scaling up, including demand creation, supply promotion, and a need for better regulatory frameworks. This policy brief assesses the most commonly considered policies to support geological CDR, including integration into an emissions trading scheme, tax breaks, voluntary carbon markets, extended producer responsibility, public procurement schemes, advanced market commitments, direct grants, and carbon contracts for difference. The authors examine how each of these instruments performs against the key criteria of effectiveness, efficiency, feasibility, and strategic fit, drawing on established economic principles and emerging best practices. Read more.

Nature-based solutions and GGR: Q&A with Dr John Lynch

Author: John Lynch

In this piece, Dr John Lynch reflects on his work with CO2RE and explains what nature-based solutions are and how they can play an important role in responsible greenhouse gas removal. Read more.