Evaluating carbon removal: Integrating technical potential with environmental, social, governance criteria, and sequestration permanence
Jan Mertens,
Christian Breyer,
Ronnie Belmans,
Corinne Gendron,
Patrice Geoffron,
Carolyn Fischer,
Elodie Du Fornel,
Richard Lester,
Kimberly A. Nicholas,
Paulo Emilio V. de Miranda,
Sarah Palhol,
Peter Verwee,
Olivier Sala,
Michael Webber,
Koenraad Debackere
Affiliations
Jan Mertens
ENGIE Research, 1 PL. Samuel de Champlain, Paris-la Défense, 92930 Paris, France; Department of Electromechanical, System and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 131, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; Corresponding author
Christian Breyer
LUT University, Yliopistonkatu 34, 53850 Lappeenranta, Finland
Ronnie Belmans
Electrical Energy and Computer Architectures, K.U.Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; EnergyVille, Thor Park 8310, 3600 Genk, Belgium
Corinne Gendron
Université Du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Département de Stratégie, Responsabilité Sociale et Environnementale, École des Sciences de La Gestion (ESG), Québec, Canada
Patrice Geoffron
Dauphine Economics Laboratory, Université Paris Dauphine-PSL, Place Du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 75016 Paris, France
Carolyn Fischer
Sustainability and Infrastructure Team, World Bank Group, 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433, USA
Elodie Du Fornel
ENGIE Research, 1 PL. Samuel de Champlain, Paris-la Défense, 92930 Paris, France
Richard Lester
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA
Kimberly A. Nicholas
Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
Paulo Emilio V. de Miranda
Hydrogen Laboratory at Coppe-Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Moniz Aragão, 207, Rio de Janeiro 21941-594, Brazil
Sarah Palhol
Engie Impact, Simon Bolivarlaan 34 1000 Brussel, Belgium
Peter Verwee
Engie Impact, Simon Bolivarlaan 34 1000 Brussel, Belgium
Olivier Sala
ENGIE Research, 1 PL. Samuel de Champlain, Paris-la Défense, 92930 Paris, France
Michael Webber
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 204 E. Dean Keeton St, Stop C2200, Austin, TX 78712-1591, United States
Koenraad Debackere
KU Leuven, ECOOM, Department of Managerial Economics, Strategy and Innovation, Faculty of Economics and Business, Naamsestraat 69, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
Summary: Climate modeling suggests that achieving international climate goals requires a reduction in current CO2 emissions by over 90%, with any remaining emissions to be addressed through carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions. Sixteen CDR strategies are evaluated by integrating technical potential, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, along with sequestration permanence. This evaluation, conducted by ENGIE’s scientific council using an interdisciplinary Delphi panel methodology, proposes a “quality” measure for each technology. This measure combines ESG scores and sequestration timescales to rank and select the most promising solutions. The findings highlight the necessity for further research to understand and mitigate ESG impacts, aiming to inform both future research and current decision-making to support the effective and legitimate use of CDR strategies.
