If the IPCC report is the “alarm,” the CDR Primer is the “instruction manual.” Created by over 100 international experts, it is the most comprehensive open-access resource on the fundamentals of CO2 removal.
The Science Behind the Need
The Primer establishes the indisputable scientific baseline: Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) is not optional. It details how the carbon cycle requires that, to stabilize the climate, we must not only stop new emissions but actively manage the historical stock of CO2 in the atmosphere. Gigatons (billions of tons) need to be removed to offset hard-to-avoid emissions.
Social Justice as a Core Pillar
Unlike other technical manuals, this resource dedicates its very first chapter (“The Case for CDR”) to integrating Social Justice. It argues that CDR deployment must not repeat the mistakes of the fossil fuel industry. It must be designed to avoid harming vulnerable communities and to equitably distribute environmental benefits and burdens.
The Building Blocks (CDR Systems)
The document breaks down solutions not by “hype,” but by their physical and chemical foundations:
- CO2 Mineralization & Ocean Alkalinity: Accelerating geological processes to fix carbon in rocks or the sea.
- Biological Solutions: From coastal blue carbon to forest management and soil sequestration.
- Technological Systems: Direct Air Capture (DAC) and Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS).
Rigorous Quantification: LCA & TEA
To avoid “greenwashing,” the Primer teaches how to evaluate projects using two critical tools:
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): To ensure the entire process removes more carbon than it emits during construction and operation.
- Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA): To determine the actual financial feasibility and cost per ton removed.
