Speaker: Morgan Edwards, Assistant Professor, La Follette School of Public Affairs, UW–Madison
Scenarios to meet the Paris climate goals frequently project a massive scale-up of carbon dioxide removal (CDR). While almost all current removals come from conventional methods (e.g., afforestation and reforestation), many models feature widespread adoption of novel methods whose feasibility is uncertain. In this talk, Edwards will discuss the current state of CDR and its role in climate action. There are indications of growing innovation and diversity in removal methods – but uncertainty remains, particularly in demand for CDR at scale. Edwards explores these issues using insights from several recent modeling projects. Taken together, these studies highlight the benefits of policies that simultaneously pursue ambitious emissions reductions and innovation and upscaling for CDR.