The Urgency of Carbon Removal

Episode 24 is with Professor Gregory Nemet, a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the La Follette School of Public Affairs and Convener of the State of CDR report.

Today Na’im speaks with Professor Gregory Nemet to learn more about the current state of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) globally, the varying magnitudes of carbon removal needed by midcentury as they correspond to different decarbonization scenarios, and the gap between the amount of carbon removal needed and the amount countries are planning to deploy.

Greg Nemet is a convener of the State of CDR report - the first comprehensive global assessment of the current state of CDR. It describes the gap between how much CDR countries are planning to deploy and what is needed in scenarios to meet Paris climate goals. It finds that the size of the “CDR gap” differs across scenarios, depending on how the global economy is transformed to achieve net-zero emissions. It also finds that there are currently few plans by countries to scale CDR above current levels, exposing a substantial shortfall - which we’ll get into today.

About Prof. Gregory Nemet

Gregory Nemet is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the La Follette School of Public Affairs.  He teaches courses in policy analysis, energy systems, and international environmental policy.  Nemet's research focuses on understanding the process of technological change and the ways in which public policy can affect it.  He received his doctorate in energy and resources from the University of California, Berkeley. His A.B. is in geography and economics from Dartmouth College.  He received an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship in 2017 and used it to write a book on how solar PV provides lessons for the development of other low-carbon technologies: “How Solar Energy Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation” (Routledge 2019).  He was awarded the inaugural World Citizen Prize in Environmental Performance by APPAM in 2019.  He is currently a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 6th Assessment Report.

In this episode, Na’im and Greg discuss:

* Past emerging technologies such as ammonia and solar PV that can serve as useful analogues to carbon removal;

* The varying magnitudes of carbon removal needed by midcentury as they correspond to different decarbonization scenarios;

* The gap between the amount of carbon removal needed and the amount countries are planning to deploy;

* The urgency of investing in carbon removal in the next 10-15 years to ensure that we reach the needed scale by midcentury;

* Trends and gaps across academic literature on carbon removal;

* The importance of public perception and acceptance of carbon removal;

* What comes next after the State of CDR Report.

Relevant Links:

* How Solar Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation

* State of CDR Report

* Follow Professor Greg Nemet on LinkedIn and Twitter

This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.

Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.

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