🚨Is carbon dioxide removal (#CDR) in the Arctic really feasible?
A new peer-reviewed study systematically assessed proposed Arctic CDR pathways and finds that feasibility is far more limited than often assumed.
DETAILS🧵1/14
2/ As Arctic warms rapidly (4x) & attracts attention for climate interventions, can it host CDR at meaningful scale?
To answer this, authors conducted a comparative assessment of major CDR approaches proposed for Arctic regions, spanning both nature-based & engineered methods.
3/ The analysis draws on existing empirical studies, pilot projects, and modeling literature, evaluating each CDR pathway against biophysical constraints, technical readiness, environmental risks, and governance requirements.
4/ The researchers examined nature-based options first, including peatland restoration, wetland conservation, and coastal blue-carbon ecosystems, which are often cited as low-risk Arctic CDR opportunities.
5/ They find that while these systems already store substantial carbon, their additional removal potential is limited and highly variable, constrained by short growing seasons, permafrost dynamics, hydrology, and methane emissions.
6/ Importantly, the study notes that many benefits of nature-based approaches come from avoided emissions and protection of existing stocks, rather than large increases in net CO₂ uptake.
7/ The authors then assessed engineered CDR approaches, including direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), enhanced rock weathering, and ocean-based methods proposed for cold regions.
8/ Here, the findings are more restrictive.
Arctic conditions pose major challenges related to energy availability, infrastructure, transport, and long-term monitoring, all of which are essential for engineered CDR.
9/ While low temperatures may marginally improve capture efficiency for some technologies, the study finds that these gains are outweighed by logistical complexity, high costs, and operational risks.
10/ Across all pathways, the authors identify measurement, reporting, and verification as a central unresolved issue, given the remoteness, seasonality, and environmental sensitivity of Arctic systems.
11/ Governance is another key finding.
The study highlights the absence of clear regulatory frameworks for Arctic CDR, particularly where projects intersect with Indigenous lands, shared ecosystems, and international jurisdictions.
12/ Taken together, the evidence leads to a consistent conclusion: no assessed CDR method currently demonstrates high feasibility for large-scale deployment in the Arctic under present conditions.
13/ The authors caution that Arctic CDR cannot substitute for emissions cuts, given its limited, uncertain & slow potential.
They argue near-term priorities should be protecting existing carbon stores, minimizing ecosystem disturbance, and strengthening governance & monitoring.
📝For more details, read the study entitled "Is Carbon Dioxide Removal in the Arctic Region Really Feasible?" here:
🧵14/14 #CDR #CarbonSequestrationsciencedirect.com/science/articl…
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