 | | | | Links to recent scientific papers, web posts, upcoming events, job opportunities, podcasts, and event recordings, etc. on Carbon Dioxide Removal TechnologyDurable CDR Demand Structure Snapshot: Microsoft, Frontier, and the Rest of the Market (CDR.fyi)JUMP TO SECTIONTHIS WEEK’S TOP CDR HIGHLIGHTSUS DOE Restores Funding to CDR Projects: The U.S. Department of Energy has reinstated previously awarded grants worth up to $1.2 billion total for major carbon removal projects after a review, including two direct air capture hubs in South Texas (led by 1PointFive with Carbon Engineering) and Louisiana (led by Heirloom, Climeworks & Battelle). The projects, backed with over $1 billion, are expected to remove more than 2 million tonnes of CO₂ annually once operational. Durable CDR Demand Structure Snapshot: CDR.fyi has released a market snapshot comparing Microsoft’s activity with Frontier-linked and other buyers. The report shows a highly concentrated durable carbon removal market, where Microsoft dominates 78.5% of contracted volumes (36.4Mt), far ahead of Frontier buyers at 4%. It also finds 259 active suppliers, though most deals remain small, with Microsoft the only buyer exceeding 1Mt. While large buyers lead contracting, smaller buyers account for 90% of deliveries and 94% of retired credits. Microsoft Rejects Speculation It’s Axing Its Carbon Business: Microsoft has rejected speculation that it is ending its carbon removal program, clarifying it is only adjusting procurement pace under a “disciplined approach,” according to CSO Melanie Nakagawa. The company said its climate strategy still combines emissions cuts, efficiency, and carbon removal. Reports of a pause in CDR buying had earlier unsettled market sentiment. OAE Workshop: Carbon to Sea has opened applications for an OAE Model Skill Assessment Workshop in Germany from June 29–July 4, 2026. The event will convene researchers and industry experts to develop guidelines for evaluating biogeochemical models used in ocean alkalinity enhancement. It aims to deliver practical standards and a peer-reviewed paper. Applications close April 24, 2026. Drax Pulls Out of UK Climate Plan: Energy company Drax has withdrawn from the UK climate plan, according to E&E News. The company had been expected to support emissions reductions through its biomass operations and planned carbon capture projects, but has now stepped back from those commitments. The move raises questions about the role of BECCS in the UK’s net-zero strategy and how the government will replace expected carbon removal capacity linked to the project. The CORE Framework: Carbon180 has launched the Community-Informed, Open Access, Reviewed, and Evaluated (CORE) Carbon Removal Framework, a first-of-its-kind guideline for responsible CDR. It promotes community-informed, transparent, and equitable approaches, aiming to align carbon removal projects with ecosystem and local community needs while ensuring measurable climate and environmental outcomes. EPA Approves mCDR Pilot Louisiana: The United States Environmental Protection Agency has issued its second-ever Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) permit, greenlighting a mCDR pilot in Louisiana. Call for Input: As part of a project financed by the European Commission, Deloitte has launched a survey to shape an EU Buyers’ Club under the CRCF, seeking input on barriers, incentives, and demand mechanisms for carbon farming. Deadline: May 26, 2026. Read on to unpack more updates: For those building, investing, or leading in CDR, Carbon Removal Updates aims to deliver a consistent edge. Please consider supporting its continued growth with a paid subscription. Donate < $10 Get 20% off a group subscription COMMERCIAL NEWS NOTE: If you’d like to submit CDR-related news for our next newsletter, please send it here: Message Andrew Lockley RESEARCH PAPERSAuthors: Barbara Carrapa, Mark T. Clementz, Nicolás J. Cosentino, et al.Synopsis: This study investigates how volcanic ash from the Andes influenced ocean productivity and climate during the Late Miocene. Combining data and models, it shows that ash supplied nutrients to the Southern Ocean, boosting biological productivity and deep-ocean carbon sequestration. Findings suggest Andean volcanism played a significant, previously underrecognized role in shaping marine ecosystems, nutrient cycles, and contributing to global cooling.
Authors: Shiimi, R; Savage, W; Mouchos, E; Brussee, O; Ronne, E; Pearce, SSynopsis: This study presents the first EU pilot testing monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) for ERW using mine tailings at Finland’s Kevitsa Mine. A sensor-equipped test cell tracks CO₂ capture through continuous monitoring and chemical analysis. Results demonstrate a scalable approach to quantify carbon removal, supporting sustainable deployment of ERW at active and closed mine sites.
Authors: Leon Stephan, Ingrid Schulte and Sabine FussSynopsis: This study examines how afforestation and reforestation (A/R), key carbon dioxide removal strategies, affect Earth’s albedo and temperature outcomes. Reviewing existing literature, it finds A/R generally reduces albedo, with varied temperature effects across regions. The evidence base remains uneven and limited, highlighting the need for more detailed, site-specific research to fully assess how albedo changes influence the overall climate benefits of A/R.
Authors: Chao-Wen Wang, Kai Ling, Hwai Chyuan Ong, Brandon Han Hoe Goh, Cheng-Tang PanSynopsis: This review explores microalgae-based BECCUS as a pathway to net-negative emissions by combining bioenergy production with carbon capture. It highlights advantages such as CO₂ fixation, nutrient recycling, and circular bioeconomy integration. However, most systems remain at pilot stages due to high costs and technical challenges. Life cycle and economic analyses underscore potential, while emphasizing the need for innovation to improve scalability and feasibility.
Authors: Sina Acksen, Dr. Wolfgang Koeve, Dr. Markus Pahlow, Dr. Christopher J. Somes, and Prof. Andreas OschliesSynopsis: This study evaluates the long-term durability of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) using 10,000-year simulations. Results show that 35–59% of added alkalinity is lost over millennia due to deep-sea sediment processes, with significant CO₂ outgassing reducing stored carbon. While OAE remains effective in the short term, its long-term storage is less stable than assumed, highlighting key uncertainties in its role as a durable carbon removal strategy.
Authors: Kamasela, Dianti Farhana, Shinichiro Fujimori, Tomoko Hasegawa and Saritha VishwanathanSynopsis: This study assesses whether afforestation alone can meet global CDR needs aligned with IPCC targets. It finds that afforestation is insufficient on its own, delivering about 180 GtCO₂ by 2100. When combined with soil organic carbon sequestration and biochar, total removal could reach ~480 GtCO₂, suggesting that multiple land-based strategies are required to meet long-term climate goals.
Authors: Mara Y. McPartland, Tomas Lovato, et al.Synopsis: This paper outlines the CMIP7 Earth System data request, designed to support next-generation climate modelling and the IPCC AR7. It emphasizes improved tracking of energy, carbon, and water cycles, alongside emissions-driven simulations and expanded ecological and biogeochemical variables. CMIP7 aims to reduce key uncertainties, improve understanding of feedbacks and tipping risks, and provide more robust climate information for research, policy, and decision-making.
Authors: Yixuan Wang , Yijie Wang , Ziming Zhang , Tingting Li , et al.Synopsis: This study evaluates how different land-use changes in mangrove ecosystems affect CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes in Qi’ao Island, China. Results show strong variation across ecosystems, with exotic mangroves acting as the strongest carbon sinks but also emitting more methane, offsetting some benefits. Overall, regional restoration has shifted the area from a net carbon source to a sink, highlighting trade-offs in mangrove-based climate mitigation strategies.
Authors: Sumit S. Sonar, Susmita Raulo, Suchismita Srichandan, et al.Synopsis: This paper reviews marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) approaches and their potential application in the Indian Seas. It examines biological, chemical, and physical methods such as seaweed cultivation, ocean alkalinity enhancement, and artificial mixing. The study highlights region-specific opportunities like mangroves and macroalgae while emphasizing ecological, technical, and governance challenges, calling for inclusive, science-based integration of mCDR into India’s climate and blue economy strategies.
Authors: Sijin Dong, Jie Wang, Shuai Wang, Jinjie Liang, et al.Synopsis: This review examines biomass-derived carbon materials as promising adsorbents for DAC of CO₂. It highlights their advantages, including low cost, renewable sourcing, and tunable structures, while evaluating key performance factors and design strategies. Despite strong potential, challenges remain in structural precision and energy-intensive regeneration. The study emphasizes future development of green synthesis and low-energy regeneration using photothermal and electrothermal properties.
Authors: Weiming Li, Can Jin, Huida Duan, Fangcao Li, Zhangxun Huang, Haodong Zhao et al.Synopsis: This study presents a dual-function approach to improve dark fermentation for biohydrogen production while capturing CO₂ using wollastonite. At an optimal dosage, it enhances hydrogen yield and shifts microbial metabolism toward more efficient pathways, while also enabling in-situ CO₂ mineralization as CaCO₃. A two-stage process further resolves trade-offs between hydrogen production and carbon capture, achieving both high hydrogen content and reduced lifecycle emissions.
Authors: Ms. Ruby M Yee, Dr. Ruth Musgrave, Dr. Dariia Atamanchuk,, Mr. Mathieu Dever et al.Synopsis: This study uses dye tracer experiments in Halifax Harbour to examine dispersion dynamics relevant to ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE). Results show strong stratification limits vertical mixing, while tidal and wind-driven flows create highly variable lateral transport and dilution patterns. Using these observations, the study models hypothetical alkalinity releases and finds that carbon uptake from OAE is most efficient in environments with strong lateral but weak vertical dilution.
Authors: Vitor Gama, Kyle Shank, Madison Morgan, Owen Gerdes, et al.Synopsis: This study explores an integrated approach combining membrane-based direct air capture (m-DAC) with steel slag carbonation to enhance carbon dioxide removal and utilization. m-DAC concentrates atmospheric CO₂ for use in mineralization of industrial slag, producing carbonated cementitious materials. The process also enables hydrogen production from slag using waste heat, creating a dual-revenue, low-emission system that improves both CO₂ removal efficiency and techno-economic viability.
Authors: Sinéad M. Crotty, Peter W. Reiners, Leah K. Clayton, et al.Synopsis: This paper develops a framework for evaluating the durability of Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) systems by distinguishing between carbon “forms” and their storage “fates.” It shows that carbon stability varies widely depending on material type (e.g., residues, biochar, bio-oil) and storage method (surface, anoxic, or geologic). The study highlights major uncertainties and outlines research needs to better assess long-term carbon storage risks and effectiveness.
Authors: John Hegarty, Michael L. Barsoum, Megan BurrillCayden Shen, et al.Synopsis: This study investigates moisture-swing carbon capture using ion-exchange resins for efficient direct air CO₂ removal. It finds that performance depends strongly on pore structure, polymer backbone, and ion chemistry. Macroporous resins with well-connected pores perform best, while ammonium type and counterions influence capacity and kinetics. The work establishes key design rules to improve low-energy, humidity-driven direct air capture systems.
Authors: Robert Sager, Nils Hendrik Petersen, Manfred WirsumSynopsis: This study evaluates the techno-economic potential of repurposing coal power plant cooling towers in Germany for direct air capture (DAC). It finds that existing infrastructure could enable up to 2.3 MtCO₂/year of capture at an average cost of ~174 €/tCO₂, balancing lower capital costs against higher operating expenses. The work highlights repurposing as a promising pathway for scaling DAC, while emphasizing the need for further technical, social, and ecological validation.
Authors: Joel Jensen, Haben Blondeel, Chloe MacLaren, et al.Synopsis: This study examines how tree species mixing affects functional traits and above-ground biomass across forest experiments in Europe and Brazil. Mixed forests show higher specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf area index (LAI), along with increased woody and litterfall biomass. These trait shifts—especially in SLA and LAI—drive greater carbon accumulation in wood, highlighting how biodiversity influences forest carbon sequestration through changes in canopy structure and light use.
Authors: Arthur Vienne, Patrick Frings, Jet Rijnders, Lucilla Boito, et al.Synopsis: This mesocosm study evaluates enhanced weathering of basalt as a carbon dioxide removal strategy under crop conditions. Despite measurable rock weathering, no significant inorganic CO₂ removal was observed over 101 days due to retention of weathering products in soil rather than leaching. Most base cations were bound to soil pools or taken up by plants, suggesting limited short-term CO₂ sequestration but potential longer-term benefits for soil fertility and carbon stabilization.
Weathering without realizing inorganic CO 2 removal revealed through base cation monitoring (Source)THESISAuthor(s): Xia, JinyinSynopsis: This study assesses the carbon dioxide removal potential of enhanced weathering using basalt and mill ash on farmland in North Queensland, Australia. Life cycle analysis shows basalt performs better than mill ash, delivering significantly higher net CO₂ removal and greater robustness to soil and transport variability. Transport emissions are identified as the main cost and emissions driver, with overall costs estimated at 52.5–273.8 USD per tCO₂, alongside potential soil fertility co-benefits.
WEB POSTSShare REPORTSUPCOMING EVENTSApril 2026May 2026We have curated a “Carbon Removal Events Calendar.” Explore and stay informed about upcoming events, conferences, and webinars on Carbon Dioxide Removal technology. Sync specific events / all events to your default calendar to ensure you never miss out on important CDR updates. Carbon Removal Events Calendar Add our Carbon Removal Events Calendar to your default calendar in 2 ways:Sync specific event: Click the event → menu (≡) → Share → choose your calendar → Save.Or sync all events: Menu (≡) → Preferences → iCalendar Feeds → Copy URL → Add to your calendar settings → Subscribe.JOB OPPORTUNITIES“Mati Carbon is a durable carbon removal enterprise with a mission to empower 100 million smallholder farmers by 2040.”
“CERES-CERT AG is an ISO 17065 accredited certification body based in Switzerland.”
“Goodcarbon aims to empower leading companies to achieve their net-zero goals with confidence through high-integrity Nature-Based Solutions (NbS).”
“Greenlyte is reshaping the global fuel economy with our novel, IP-protected, direct air capture to fuels technology, which shows superior economic potential compared to existing approaches, even reaching fossil prices.”
“Timber Carbon Solutions is a young climate tech venture at the forefront of the intersection between real estate, modern timber construction, and carbon removal, driving decarbonization in the construction sector.”
“Terraformation accelerates the restoration of native forests to reverse climate change.”
“Patch is the platform scaling unified climate action.”
“Klim work with farmers and food companies to make regenerative agriculture scalable and financially rewarding for farmers.”
“OCO Technology specialises in carbon capture, sustainable construction products and waste treatment.”
“Chestnut Carbon help U.S. forest landowners unlock the financial and conservation benefits of voluntary carbon markets.”
Looking for your dream job in CDR? There are 518 jobs available *right now*: check them all out at: CDRjobs Board PODCASTS“@geoengineering1 interviews Rudolf Wessels, Director of Technology and Innovation at Avantium R&D Solutions in the Netherlands (founded in 2000 as a Shell spin-out). The discussion examines Avantium’s contribution to advancing Direct Air Capture (DAC) through high-throughput experimentation platforms designed to accelerate the discovery and optimization of sorbent materials, enabling rapid, parallel testing under controlled conditions.Wessels also discusses the company’s recent collaboration with the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Carbon Dioxide Removal Consortium, focused on improving measurement protocols, benchmarking practices, and validation in DAC systems. The episode highlights how standardized testing, process optimization, and material innovation can support the scale-up and credibility of carbon removal technologies.”
“US federal carbon dioxide removal policy is a fragment of its former self. But are rumors of its death greatly exaggerated? (Sorry, Mark Twain.)Eli Cain, Deputy Director of Policy at the Carbon Removal Alliance, comes on the show to give a reality check on US federal policy for carbon removal. Where is the action still happening, and what do we have to look forward to?Despite a political environment that looks grim from the outside, Eli makes the case that real progress is happening:-$125 million in FY26 appropriations-Bipartisan congressional support that tripled year over year-FY26 appropriations: $80 million for DOE R&D and $45 million for the CDR purchase pilot prize-CRA’s fly-in day: from 5 Republican congressional meetings last year to 17 this year a messaging strategy built around industrial integration that is opening doors across the aisle.When enhanced rock weathering can save farmers money, or carbon mineralization can reduce mining waste liabilities, there is a path forward. We also dig into why 45Q survived the reconciliation process, and what it takes to build durable policy in a volatile political moment.”
“Peter Reinhardt co-founded the analytics firm Segment, and built it into a company that sold for $3.2 billion. But before it worked, everything else they tried didn’t.In this episode, Peter and his co-founder, Calvin French-Owen, share their humbling story of finding product-market fit: hospital panic attacks, a crisis of faith, and how, with just a few weeks of runway left, they published a Hail Mary concept on Hacker News -- that blew up. It’s a story about how giving up control finally led them to build something people wanted. And forced them to mourn their attachment to vision.”
“In part two of our buyers deep dive, Tom and Emily move from motivation to mechanics. Because deciding to buy carbon removal is only the beginning. The real challenge is everything that comes next.In this episode:Buying CDR Is Not Exactly A Trip To The Shops: Tom and Emily step inside the deal room to ask what buying carbon removal actually involves, and why the process still looks different from buyer to buyer.Direct, Marketplace, Or Somewhere In Between?: We explore the major routes into the market, and how each path shifts who carries the burden of due diligence, education, risk, and relationship management.A Tiny Language Check-In: Offtakes. Pre-purchases. Payment on delivery. Emily makes sure we are all still speaking the same language.Buy Now, Pay Earlier: We look at catalytic buying, and why paying early can matter as much as buying at all. For early-stage suppliers, pre-purchases can unlock cash flow, credibility, and further finance. But for buyers, they also mean taking on very real delivery and technology risk.Money, Money, Money: Eventually, every lofty climate intention runs into the same question: which budget line is paying for this? We explore the internal mechanics of getting CDR through procurement, finance, legal, and contract systems that were not really designed with carbon removal in mind.Internal Carbon Pricing, Revenue Shares, And Other Ways To Fund The Madness: Klarna explains its internal carbon fee model. Wise explains why it ties climate finance to revenue. The wider point: there is still no single standard approach, but serious buyers are finding ways to make climate spending durable.Why It Still Feels So Higgledy-Piggledy: Buyers, suppliers, and intermediaries are all building the path as they walk it, and that friction has consequences for who enters the market, and who gets left waiting for capital.”
“For the past few years, Microsoft has basically carried the carbon removal industry on its shoulders. The software company has purchased 72 million tons of carbon removal, more than 40 times what any other organization has financed, according to third-party sources.Now it’s pulling back. As we reported last week, Microsoft has told suppliers and partners that it’s pausing new purchases. Though the company says that its program “has not ended,” even a temporary pullback will have significant implications for the nascent carbon removal industry. What happens next for these companies? And is a bloodbath on the way? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob speaks to Jack Andreasen Cavanaugh from Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy about Microsoft’s singular importance and what could come next.”
“In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Sambuddha Misra, a chemical oceanographer, associate professor of earth sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, and the chief scientist at Alt Carbon. Dr. Misra has spent two decades studying how chemical weathering shapes the planet’s climate over millions of years, and is now actively applying that science to draw down atmospheric carbon at scale.”
“Noah Deich is back. When he last joined the show in February 2025, the US DOE had just gutted its CDR programmes. This time, he returns to debrief on a very different project: his attempt to build a government-led advanced market commitment for carbon removal, modelled on the GAVI Vaccine Alliance in global health.He spoke to around two dozen governments. The outcome wasn’t what he hoped for, but his diagnosis of why is sharper than you might expect, and it points to a fundamental gap that no country has yet closed.Noah draws on the history of renewables to explain what CDR policy is still missing, identifies the two interventions he’d prioritise above everything else, and makes the case for why the current political moment, however bleak it looks, may be exactly the right time to be thinking big.”
“Last week, Heatmap reported that Microsoft — the single largest buyer of durable carbon dioxide removal in the world, accounting for 80–90% of all purchases ever made — is pausing new CDR purchases. Jack Andreasen Cavanaugh, Director of the Carbon Management Program at Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy, published a piece over the weekend arguing this isn’t really a Microsoft story. The real story is that Microsoft was ever alone in the first place.In this conversation, Jack makes the case that voluntary corporate buying was never going to get us to gigatonnes, and that policy has to do the heavy lifting — just like it did for solar and wind. We get into what the next 12 months actually look like for CDR companies, why enhanced oil recovery deserves a fresh look, the limits of 45Q, and the one policy Jack would write into law tomorrow if he could.”
Share YOUTUBE VIDEOSCarbon Sequestration in Oceans: I Chat on the Vital Importance of Ekman Pumping, Sucking and Spirals | Paul Beckwith “Ekman Pumping, Suction and Spirals: Vitally Important for Inorganic and Organic Carbon SequestrationIn order to understand how gases like CO2 are sequestered (stored) in the ocean, it is very important to understand Ekman pumping (pumping of water from the surface to ocean depths hundreds of meters down), Ekman sucking (upwelling of cold nutrient laden water from hundreds of meters down to the surface), the Ekman spiral, and other such phenomena.In this tutorial style video, I attempt to explain these vital concepts, since they are essential processes for sequestering carbon in the worlds oceans.”
Potential impacts of climate interventions on marine ecosystems | European Marine Board “This edition focused on the “Potential impacts of climate interventions on marine ecosystems” linked to EMB Future Science Briefs No. 13 ‘Monitoring, reporting and verification for marine carbon dioxide removal’ with a presentation by Kelsey Roberts.”
Harvard Voices on Climate Change: Measuring Forest-Based Carbon Emission Reductions | The Salata Institute at Harvard University “The Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability and the Harvard Alumni Association presents the next installment of Harvard Voices on Climate Change, a virtual series showcasing Harvard faculty and fellows on different dimensions of the climate challenge.This session explores the science and measurement behind forest-based carbon emission reductions. Featuring Missy Holbrook, Charles Bullard Professor of Forestry, and Benton Taylor, Associate Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, the discussion examines how researchers measure carbon stored in forests and assess the role of forest conservation and restoration in climate mitigation.”
NACW 2026 - Path 3: Durability of Nature based Solutions | climatereserve “Nature-based solutions (NbS) remain a core component of carbon markets. As with any type of project involving the removal and/or storage of carbon, permanence is fundamental to NbS integrity. Innovations and advancements in policy, process and technology have changed the discussion around NbS and how the durability of credits associated with projects can be strengthened and measured. This session will discuss the current challenges, opportunities and innovations around NbS permanence, as well as what the market is looking for in terms of durability.”
Weekly Carbon Removal Updates from 13 April - 19 April 2026 | Carbon Removal Updates BulletinDEADLINESFollow us on:Twitter | Bluesky | LinkedIn | YouTube | Substack | Podcast 1 | Podcast 2
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