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Definitions and mechanisms for managing durability and reversals in standards and procurers of carbon dioxide removal

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Abstract

Carbon markets are expanding to include various forms of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR). Standards used in the certification of CDR must define the durability of removals and implement mechanisms to manage carbon that escapes from storage. These definitions and mechanisms will impact the ability of a global carbon management system to reach and maintain carbon neutrality targets in the long term. Collecting data from 28 international standard developing organizations (SDOs) and 268 proposals received by one large carbon removal purchaser, we reviewed the different definitions and mechanisms proposed to implement durability and manage carbon loss from storage. We find that standards most often use a stipulated contractual duration of storage of 100 years, but ranges from 10 to beyond 100 years. Project developers expect their storage to last between 1 year and 10 million years and most seem willing to provide a guarantee of storage duration. Six different mechanisms are used by SDOs to manage durability and four to manage carbon loss from storage during the contractual timeframe, but the rationale for a choice is not clearly associated with the CDR method, the stipulated duration, or the type of market. The most used mechanisms are commitment periods for durability, and buffer pools and required compensation for reversal management. Although it is an incomplete picture, this global system covers a wide range of durability and stipulated contractual durations; shows signs of common practices; shows a willingness to guarantee storage; has multiple mechanism options; and has no clear association between the choice of mechanism and the type of CDR method, stipulated duration, or type of market. Further work should focus on analyzing the trade-offs for each mechanism and informing the definition of permanent storage so a global carbon management system can develop to maintain carbon neutrality targets in the long term.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from Microsoft for FY21 (https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiOGM2MGFlNGYtMGNlNy00YzY5LWEyMTAtOTA0ODEyNzEzYTczIiwidCI6ImMxMzZlZWMwLWZlOTItNDVlMC1iZWFlLTQ2OTg0OTczZTIzMiIsImMiOjF9) and FY22 (https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiZTU5OTYwN2EtOTI3Ni00NGE0LThjNWItZTUzZTFlNWIxNzFhIiwidCI6ImMxMzZlZWMwLWZlOTItNDVlMC1iZWFlLTQ2OTg0OTczZTIzMiIsImMiOjF9) and from the dataset provided by Arcusa and Sprenkle-Hyppolite (2022) at https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2022.2094308. The datasets generated in this study are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.23561535.

Notes

  1. 2021 Microsoft Projects: https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiOGM2MGFlNGYtMGNlNy00YzY5LWEyMTAtOTA0ODEyNzEzYTczIiwidCI6ImMxMzZlZWMwLWZlOTItNDVlMC1iZWFlLTQ2OTg0OTczZTIzMiIsImMiOjF9. The page can also be accessed from Microsoft’s corporate social responsibility webpage under carbon dioxide removal under the FY21 past submissions (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/sustainability/carbon-removal-program).

  2. 2022 Microsoft Projects: https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiZTU5OTYwN2EtOTI3Ni00NGE0LThjNWItZTUzZTFlNWIxNzFhIiwidCI6ImMxMzZlZWMwLWZlOTItNDVlMC1iZWFlLTQ2OTg0OTczZTIzMiIsImMiOjF9. The page can be accessed also from Microsoft’s corporate social responsibility webpage under carbon dioxide removal under the FY22 project dashboard (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/sustainability/carbon-removal-program).

  3. Puro Earth’s carbon removal methods https://puro.earth/carbon-removal-methods.

  4. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/.

  5. Integrity Council for Voluntary Carbon Markets Core Carbon Principles Assessment Framework and Procedure https://icvcm.org/assessment-framework/.

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Acknowledgements

S. Arcusa and E. Hagood were supported by Arizona State University. The authors thank the members of the Center for Negative Carbon Emissions and S. Kloeblen for constructive discussions and feedback.

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Conceptualization: S. Arcusa; Methodology: S. Arcusa and E. Hagood; Formal analysis and investigation: S. Arcusa and E. Hagood; Writing - original draft preparation: S. Arcusa and E. Hagood; Writing - review and editing: S. Arcusa and E. Hagood.

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Correspondence to Stephanie Arcusa.

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Arcusa, S., Hagood, E. Definitions and mechanisms for managing durability and reversals in standards and procurers of carbon dioxide removal. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change 30, 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-024-10184-8

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