The role and prospects of negative emission technologies for carbon neutrality

[Geoengineering News]

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11027-026-10354-w

Authors: Yinglei Wu, Jihu Wang, Zhongyi He & Sirui Wang 

03 September 2026

Abstract

This review systematically examines negative emission technologies (NETs) as essential tools for carbon neutrality, covering major approaches, including bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), enhanced rock weathering (ERW), ocean-based methods, soil and forest carbon sequestration, and emerging hybrid systems, all categorized under the unified framework of nature-based solutions (NbS) versus technology-based solutions (TbS), a central distinction in climate governance. It assesses these technologies by technology readiness, demonstration status, scalability, and geographical suitability. Key findings underscore NETs’ critical role in offsetting residual hard-to-abate emissions and enabling net-negative emission scenarios. However, large-scale deployment faces challenges, including environmental impacts (land, water, biodiversity) and long-term sequestration safety, requiring rigorous monitoring. Future priorities include overcoming bottlenecks in materials, hydrogen storage, and electrochemical reduction; improving multi-scale modeling with life-cycle assessment and uncertainty quantification; and advancing cross-sector integration. Ultimately, success demands interdisciplinary collaboration, sustained innovation, and strategic portfolio optimisation to balance environmental, economic, and technical feasibility in the low-carbon transition. Notably, with particular focus on emerging hybrid systems, this review complements and extends earlier overviews of the NETs field.

 Source: Springer Nature Link