Ep 80: Carbon Removal with Ben Rubin (Carbon Business Council)
Mar 1, 2024
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Discover the importance of carbon removal in fighting climate change, including nature-based and technology-based solutions. Dive into challenges such as scalability and cost, while exploring insights from Ben Rubin on the role of the Carbon Business Council and global collaboration for achieving net negative emissions.
Carbon removal is essential for combatting climate change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
There are two main categories for carbon removal: nature-based solutions and technology-based methods, each with its challenges and benefits.
Policies and initiatives play a crucial role in regulating and supporting the growing carbon removal industry, advocating for responsible deployment and social acceptance.
Deep dives
Understanding Carbon Removal: Definition and Importance
Carbon removal, as described by the Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy, involves capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to combat climate change. It is essential due to the prevailing levels of greenhouse gases causing rising global temperatures. While reducing emissions is crucial, carbon removal plays a significant role in slowing, reducing, or even reversing the negative effects of climate change.
Various Methods of Carbon Removal: Natural vs. Technology-Based Solutions
The podcast distinguishes two main categories for carbon removal: nature-based solutions and technology-based methods. Nature-based solutions leverage natural processes like reforestation and ocean management to store carbon. On the other hand, technology-based approaches involve advanced technologies such as direct air capture and storage or enhancing ocean alkalinity. These methods are crucial in achieving global commitments while addressing challenges like scalability, environmental impacts, and the high costs associated with carbon removal.
Policies and Initiatives Fostering Carbon Removal Industry Growth
Policies and initiatives are crucial in regulating and supporting the growing carbon removal industry. The Carbon Business Council, comprising over 100 companies, advocates for cohesive policies and responsible growth of carbon removal technologies. Key efforts include policy development, educating stakeholders, and highlighting the need to balance emissions reduction with carbon removal strategies. Moreover, legislative actions and international frameworks are essential in fostering the innovation and scaling of carbon removal solutions.
Importance of Social Responsibility in Carbon Removal Deployment
Having a net negative approach to carbon removal can elevate climate action ambitions by emphasizing the need for responsible carbon removal deployment. Responsible deployment is crucial to ensuring social acceptance and earning the social license to operate in communities. Studies show that addressing community concerns and engaging in meaningful dialogue are essential for successful carbon removal projects.
Scale and Challenges of Carbon Removal Technologies
Scaling up carbon removal technologies poses challenges related to land, water, and energy use. For instance, direct air capture operations can require significant land area and water resources. Utilizing a portfolio approach with multiple carbon removal pathways can help address concerns and facilitate scaled deployment without overburdening any single method. Emphasizing twin climate targets, comprising emissions reduction and carbon removal goals, can provide specificity and transparency in corporate and governmental climate action plans.
Since many of our current decarbonization and greenhouse gas reduction pathways aren’t making progress at the needed scale, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change( IPCC) found that carbon removal is now “essential” to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Many cite carbon removal as the key to addressing climate change, when combined with traditional emissions reduction strategies. In this month’s episode, we’ll give you a run down on the basics of carbon removal along with the successes and challenges in this area of climate action.
We are joined by Ben Rubin, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Carbon Business Council, who is working with a coalition of more than 100 innovative companies to responsibly restore the climate. Ben shares how organizations are working to tackle climate change through carbon removal strategies and what the future could look like for this fast moving industry.
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Sustainability Defined is the podcast that defines sustainability, one concept (and bad joke) at a time. Hosted by Jay Siegel and Scott Breen. Each episode focuses on a single topic that helps push sustainability forward. We explain each topic with the help of an experienced pro, place it within our organizational tree, and help our listeners define what exactly sustainability is, episode by episode.
We have divided our organizational tree into the following seven sectors:
Energy
Cities
Natural Environment
Transportation
Business
Policy
Social
Each episode is categorized under one of our sectors and visually depicted within our organizational tree. The more episodes we complete, the more the tree will visually define what exactly sustainability means.
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