TORONTO, ONT., August 27, 2024 – Carbon Removal Canada, along with 12 other organizations, have submitted an open letter to Ministers Steven Guilbeault and Jonathan Wilkinson, urging them to hold a public consultation on establishing a target for permanent carbon removal. A permanent carbon removal target would set a goal for how many megatonnes of carbon pollution is removed long-term from the atmosphere, per year.
Policies to date have focused on shorter term carbon storage methods, such as planting trees. However, carbon removal is most effective when it actually stores carbon away durably, for thousands of years, through permanent methods like direct air capture, enhanced rock weathering, ocean-based removals and others.
The International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) has acknowledged carbon removal’s necessary role in achieving global net-zero emissions by 2050. In anticipation of the Government of Canada setting its 2035 climate targets before December 2024, in adherence to the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (CNZEAA), the inclusion of permanent carbon removal solutions is imperative. A permanent carbon removal target in addition to an emissions reductions target will propel Canada’s climate ambitions.
By committing to a public consultation, Ottawa will raise awareness around the need for carbon removal as well as put Canada in step with the European Union and the United Kingdom, which are already discussing their own carbon removal targets. A national target will also ensure that these technologies are invested in at home and ready to scale as needed.
“Canada is already leading the world in carbon removal innovation. Setting a target for carbon removal in our forthcoming climate plans based on informed and inclusive public consultations is a no-cost way for Ottawa to signal that Canada is serious about maintaining its leadership in developing this much-needed climate solution and that we use it appropriately, alongside steep emissions reductions, to combat climate change,” said Na’im Merchant, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada.
In addition to Carbon Removal Canada, signatories of the letter include environmental organizations and members of the carbon removal industry. They are as follows: MaRS, Pembina Institute, Ocean Networks Canada, Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions, Ocean Frontier Institute of Dalhousie University, Clean Prosperity, Deep Sky, Carbon Engineering, Planetary, Climeworks, Svante, and Exterra.
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To learn more about Carbon Removal Canada, please visit carbonremoval.ca.
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Media Contact:
Rachel Chen
Associate Director, Communications
[email protected]
About Carbon Removal Canada:
Carbon Removal Canada is an independent think tank focused on the rapid and responsible scaleup of carbon removal, to meet Canada’s climate goals and help the world achieve net-negative emissions by 2050. Based in Toronto, Carbon Removal Canada is a project of the Clean Prosperity Foundation and the first group in Canada dedicated to shaping policies and strengthening systems to build an innovative and inclusive carbon removal sector.
