This document is intended to serve as a reference for exploration of carbon removal research at NOAA. The report was drafted by authors from across NOAA to provide strategic direction to relevant labs and programs in multiple line offices. The goal has been to assemble as much information as possible in order to facilitate conversations about Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) at a high level within the agency. This document will be used to develop an implementation plan for CDR research at NOAA in the event that Congress instructs the agency to engage in this emerging research front.
This report does not endorse any specific CDR activity, technique, or application. Rather, it is similar to recent reports released by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (NASEM); the Department of Energy; and the Energy Futures Initiatives, which note that more research is necessary. This report also does not compare or contrast nature-based and engineered CDR techniques focused on emissions reductions, such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). The goal is to explore NOAA’s role in assessing negative emissions strategies, which are techniques that remove carbon directly from the atmosphere and marine systems.