Carbon removal framework

Carbon180 on April 14 rolled out a shared framework for “responsible” carbon removal, as developers and governments race to build projects that pull carbon dioxide from the air. (carbon180.org) Carbon dioxide removal means taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and storing it in soils, trees, rocks, the ocean, or underground formations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says these methods vary widely in cost, permanence, risks, and governance needs. (ipcc.ch) The new standard is called CORE, short for Community-Informed, Open Access, Reviewed, and Evaluated. Carbon180 said it published the framework in Washington on April 14 and designed it for policymakers, funders, developers, purchasers, and communities near projects. (markets.financialcontent.com, carbon180.org) Carbon180 said the framework sets out 8 values and 11 operational practices for the full life cycle of a project or program. The group said those practices cover issues including full-system carbon accounting, environmental health, and enforcement when projects miss commitments. (markets.financialcontent.com) The push comes as carbon removal moves from research papers to real facilities and land projects. Carbon180 said the sector has attracted nearly $12 billion in funding and now has dozens of projects breaking ground around the world. (markets.businessinsider.com) The timing also reflects a basic problem in the field: removing carbon is not the same as proving that the carbon stayed out of the air. A recent technical review from Greenhouse Gas Research and Development Programme of the International Energy Agency said measurement, reporting, verification, and accounting remain central challenges across carbon removal methods. (ieaghg.org) Carbon180’s own framing goes beyond carbon math. In its launch materials, the group said successful projects should be judged by effects on three beneficiaries: communities, climate, and environmental systems. (carbon180.org) That emphasis addresses a recurring criticism of climate infrastructure: projects can promise global benefits while shifting local risks onto nearby residents or land stewards. Ugbaad Kosar, Carbon180’s director of equity and justice, said communities living next to projects should have “actual power” over what happens. (markets.financialcontent.com) The framework is voluntary, not a government rulebook. Carbon180 paired it with an online resource hub that includes case studies, templates, and recommendations meant to help buyers, developers, and public agencies apply the standard in actual projects. (carbon180.org, markets.financialcontent.com) Scientists and governments have said carbon removal will be needed alongside deep emissions cuts, not instead of them. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cites 2024 estimates that 7 to 9 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide removal a year may be needed by 2050 to meet Paris Agreement temperature goals. (climate.gov) Carbon180 is betting that the next fight in carbon removal will be less about whether projects can be built than about who sets the terms. CORE is its attempt to make those terms legible before the sector gets much bigger. (carbon180.org)