Engineered Carbon Removal in Focus: From Innovation to Policy
Exploring how Canada is addressing the removal of excess carbon at scale.
Hello Climate North fam! 🌿
On November 19th, we hosted Engineered Carbon Solutions: Exploring Innovation at Industrious Toronto. With a buzzing room of 60+ attendees and an expert panel, the evening showcased how Canada can lead the charge in addressing legacy and future CO2 emissions.
From breakthrough innovations to the power of policy, we explored why engineered carbon removal is the missing piece in our climate puzzle—and how we can all help put it in place.
🌍 WHY CARBON REMOVAL?
Why Engineered Carbon Removal Matters
Canada is home to several companies working on carbon removal, supported by our unique landscape, world-class talent, and climate-forward policies. Engineered solutions, like Direct Air Capture (DAC) and river alkalinity enhancement, are critical to achieving the gigaton-level removal needed by 2050. While reducing emissions is the top priority to address the climate crisis, excess carbon will require a mix of nature-based and engineering-based solutions to reach the required scale.
Global carbon emissions and sinks show a complex balance, with human activities significantly impacting atmospheric CO2 levels. Here are some high-level statistics:
Emissions
Global CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and cement reached 36.4 billion tonnes (Gt) in 2021, nearly returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Energy-related CO2 emissions grew by 0.9% or 321 Mt in 2022, reaching a new high of over 36.8 Gt.
Fossil fuel emissions account for the majority of CO2 emissions, with 82% coming from industrialized northern regions.
Natural Sinks
Natural sinks on land and in the ocean absorb about half of the anthropogenic CO2 emitted into the atmosphere.
Oceans absorb between 1.4 to 4.0 Pg C (petagrams of carbon) per year.
The terrestrial biosphere acts as a net sink of CO2, primarily due to CO2 fertilization and human land-use practices.
Regional Variations
North American ecosystems have been a net sink of 0.7 (range 0.4 - 1.0) Pg C per year over 2001-2020, offsetting about one-third of the region's fossil fuel emissions.
China's emissions were relatively flat in 2022, declining by 23 Mt or 0.2%.
Trends
Between 2005 and 2021, global greenhouse gas emissions increased by 24%, from 39,001 to 48,210 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Per capita global greenhouse gas emissions increased by 2.67% from 2005 to 2021, reaching 6.15 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person.
These statistics highlight the ongoing challenge of reducing global carbon emissions while enhancing natural carbon sinks to mitigate climate change impacts.
Key Insight: Without scaling engineered solutions, scientists warn we risk overshooting the 1.5°C global warming limit as early as 2030.
💡 EXPERT PANEL
Meet the Speakers Driving Innovation
Our stellar panel brought expertise, actionable insights, and fresh perspectives to the stage:
Tim Bushman, Director of Policy & Research at Carbon Removal Canada, highlighted the importance of long-term government support to accelerate the adoption of innovative carbon solutions.
Todd Scheidt, Co-Founder and CEO of E-quester, shared how data-driven tools are enabling businesses to integrate carbon management at scale.
Elena Nikonova, VP Strategy North America at Skytree, explained how innovations in solid sorbents and co-location with data centers can reduce the energy intensity of DAC.
Andy Lam, Director of Business Development at CarbonRun, showed how river alkalinity enhancement improves aquatic ecosystems while capturing carbon, demonstrating a co-benefit that wins community trust.
Moderated by Niyat Gebreab (MaRS), the conversation was dynamic, insightful, and packed with actionable takeaways.
🔑 GAME-CHANGING INSIGHTS
Key Themes from the Event
Innovation Enables Scale
Direct Air Capture (DAC) currently costs $500-$1,000 per ton of CO2 removed, but ongoing advancements like Skytree’s solid sorbents are increasing efficiency while reducing energy demands.
The global carbon removal market is projected to grow to $2 trillion by 2050, and innovation is paramount to bringing down costs.
Canada’s talent pool in clean tech is among the top 5 globally, creating fertile ground for innovation-driven climate solutions.
The Power of Co-Benefits
It is estimated that removing one billion tons of carbon dioxide (GtCO₂) using Direct Air Capture (DAC) would require around 1,200 terawatt-hours. Using waste heat from data centers to power DAC could reduce DAC energy consumption by up to 40%, according to recent studies.
River alkalinity projects, like those in Nova Scotia, have increased fish populations by 30% in restored areas, highlighting dual benefits of carbon removal and ecosystem recovery.
Projects with clear co-benefits are more likely to gain community trust and long-term policy support, making them crucial for adoption at scale.
Policy Drives Progress
The Canadian government has committed to purchasing at least $10 million in carbon dioxide removal services by 2030 as part of its Greening Government Strategy.
Some provinces, including Alberta and Quebec, are supporting carbon removal initiatives through funding and tax credits for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects.
Canada's climate policies are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with industrial carbon pricing being the single biggest driver, expected to contribute between 23 and 39 percent of avoided emissions from all policies implemented to date by 2030.
Why Start Now?
Scaling engineered solutions like DAC takes 5-10 years, meaning today’s investment is crucial for future readiness.
The current cost of DAC is approximately $600/ton of CO2 removed, but early-stage innovation has shown potential to cut this by half within a decade.
Delaying action risks not only higher costs but also irreversible climate impacts—starting now means staying ahead of the curve.
Additional resources for further reading:
1. Engineered Carbon Removal - Curriculum Slides.pdf
2. Road to 10 Gigatons
3. AirMiners
🎉 A Night to Remember
With lively discussions, thoughtful Q&A, and tasty bites courtesy of Animal Liberation Kitchen, the energy in the room was palpable. Attendees stayed long after the panel ended, brainstorming ideas and building connections. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and a special shout-out to our sponsors—Industrious, Carbon Removal Canada, and Animal Liberation Kitchen—for making this event possible!
💬 YOUR TURN
Spread the Green
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Let’s keep the green ripple going! 💚
Written by Tejas Shah. Supported by Julian Cheah.
The Climate North team - Chloe D'Agostini, Rebeka (Becky) Romanovsky, Fab Barrillot.