{"id":171884,"date":"2026-01-05T07:37:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T06:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=171884"},"modified":"2025-12-19T15:34:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T14:34:29","slug":"unless-we-rapidly-ramp-up-co%e2%82%82-removal-climate-neutrality-by-2045-will-be-scarcely-achievable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/unless-we-rapidly-ramp-up-co%e2%82%82-removal-climate-neutrality-by-2045-will-be-scarcely-achievable\/","title":{"rendered":"Unless we rapidly ramp up CO\u2082 removal, climate neutrality by 2045 will be scarcely achievable"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>LMU-coordinated research program CDRterra calls for swift action and clear political frameworks for removing CO\u2082\u00a0from the atmosphere.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Various land-based CO\u2082 removal methods can help offset German residual emissions by 2045 \u2013 provided that legal and structural barriers are removed and emissions reduction is pursued on a very ambitious scale.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Innovative methods such as artificial photosynthesis and novel building materials are expanding the portfolio, but still need time for development.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>According to the Federal Climate Change Act, Germany is supposed to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. To do this, it is not sufficient to massively reduce emissions: A significant portion of CO\u2082 needs to be removed from the atmosphere as well. Over 100 scientists in the large-scale interdisciplinary program CDRterra, working in ten research projects, have investigated various carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods \u2013 from biological to (geo-)chemical techniques. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the program is coordinated by LMU Munich.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Our CO\u2082 removal efforts must accelerate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The researchers are devising a scenario with ambitious transformation measures. This foresees the sequestration of up to 80 million metric tons of CO\u2082 equivalent each year as of 2045 through various CDR methods \u2013 when existing and new approaches are combined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, however, Germany removes just a fraction of this amount from the atmosphere. Even with extremely ambitious reductions, some 60 to 130 million metric tons of residual emissions per year will remain from 2045, according to estimates.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWithout ambitious emissions reductions and CO\u2082 removal, we will miss our climate targets. To ramp up CDR, we need clear rules, the build-out of new methods, the protection of natural sinks \u2013 and dialog with society,\u201d says <strong>Julia Pongratz, CDRterra spokesperson and professor at LMU<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Established methods require new laws<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Proven methods such as afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, and carbon farming techniques like cover cropping can be implemented in the short term and accelerate the sequestration of carbon dioxide. Modeling shows that large-scale afforestation and reforestation programs can measurably slow climate change. But to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, current global levels of CO\u2082 removal must be at least doubled by 2050. In Germany, this significantly intensifies competition for land areas. In addition, there are legal and structural barriers: For example, the conversion of grassland into forest is prohibited in many places, and farmers often lack the know-how and long-term planning certainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Innovative CDR methods with potential<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To expand the portfolio, the researchers have investigated novel techniques. They see potential, for example, in artificial photosynthesis, which uses solar energy to convert carbon dioxide into carbon flakes \u2013 and is more efficient than natural processes. Novel CO<sub>2<\/sub> \u2013 sequestering building materials based on gabbro, biochar, and bio-based carbon fibers are also promising. However, these options need more time to be developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Society and infrastructure as key factors<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Carbon dioxide removal is also a technical challenge which requires good planning of infrastructure for CO<sub>2<\/sub> transport and storage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cMoreover, it\u2019s a task for society as a whole. Farmers, industry, local authorities, and citizens need to be involved from the beginning \u2013 only this engagement can create the acceptance and trust that are decisive when it comes to implementation,\u201d emphasizes <strong>LMU geographer Dr. Felix Havermann, scientific coordinator at CDRterra<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The conclusion of CDRterra is unambiguous: In order to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality, land use and agriculture have to be fundamentally reformed, suitable infrastructure needs to be developed, and the right political frameworks need to be created \u2013 in close dialog with society. This will also allow a wide variety of ecological and social benefits to be leveraged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>The CDRterra scientists<\/strong> emphasize: \u201cWe\u2019ve got no more time to lose \u2013 the next few years are decisive.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Background information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Detailed research results from the ten projects can be found in the CDRterra factsheet \u201cPotential and risks of land-based CO\u2082 removal in Germany \u2013 what we know and what has to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5281\/zenodo.17277505\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>To the Synthese Fact Sheet<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An overview of key findings and recommendations for action is available in the summary of the result factsheets for the interested expert audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/zenodo.org\/records\/17710459\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>To the Summary<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All materials relating to the CDRterra synthesis fact sheet and the results of the first research phase can be found on the CDRterra&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/cdrterra.de\/en\/results-phase-1\/\">Phase 1 Results landing page.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"409\" height=\"135\" src=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/12\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-12-19-um-15.04.00.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-171910\" srcset=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/12\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-12-19-um-15.04.00.png 409w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/12\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-12-19-um-15.04.00-300x99.png 300w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/12\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-12-19-um-15.04.00-150x50.png 150w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/12\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-12-19-um-15.04.00-400x132.png 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 409px) 100vw, 409px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:22px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to the Federal Climate Change Act, Germany is supposed to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. To do this, it is not sufficient to massively reduce emissions: A significant portion of CO\u2082 needs to be removed from the atmosphere as well. Over 100 scientists in the large-scale interdisciplinary program CDRterra, working in ten research [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":171910,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"To limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, current global levels of CO\u2082 removal must be at least doubled by 2050","footnotes":""},"categories":[5571],"tags":[19406,10744,12330,10416,18764,10743],"supplier":[26736,27383,5036],"class_list":["post-171884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-co2-based","tag-artificialphotosynthesis","tag-carboncapture","tag-ccu","tag-circulareconomy","tag-climategoals","tag-useco2","supplier-bundesministerium-fur-forschung-technologie-und-raumfahrt-bmftr","supplier-cdrterra","supplier-ludwig-maximilians-universitaet-muenchen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171884","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=171884"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171884\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171884"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171884"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171884"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=171884"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}