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US DOE Report Highlights Carbon Dioxide Removal as Crucial to Net-Zero Future

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released a significant report titled “Carbon Dioxide Removal: Purpose, Approaches, and Recommendations”, spotlighting the indispensable role of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) in the climate strategy landscape. The report offers a strategic roadmap to scale up CDR efforts while reinforcing that CDR complements—but does not replace—direct emissions reductions.

Key findings include the necessity for the US to remove between 0.5 and 2.4 billion metric tonnes of CO? annually by 2050 to meet net-zero goals. It emphasizes that hard-to-abate sectors like agriculture and aviation, as well as the need to offset legacy emissions, make CDR indispensable.

The DOE explores a suite of CDR approaches, such as Direct Air Capture (DAC), Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS), enhanced mineralization, marine-based CDR, forestry, and soil carbon storage. Each method carries unique trade-offs based on costs, environmental impact, and regional suitability.

To meet targets, the report calls for ambitious near-term goals (by 2030), accelerated R&D investment, and deployment of supporting infrastructure such as CO? transport and storage systems. It also underscores the importance of transparent MMRV frameworks (Monitoring, Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) to ensure credibility and public trust.

Moreover, the DOE stresses the need for community engagement, equity considerations, and global cooperation to harmonize standards and scale solutions worldwide. This pivotal report positions CDR not only as a technological imperative but also as a societal mission critical to achieving a sustainable, net-zero future.