The European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC), along with various NGOs and climate justice groups, warns that carbon markets and carbon dioxide removal methods could worsen the climate crisis. They argue these solutions are misleading and do not provide real relief from emissions.
According to the Hands Off Mother Earth! (HOME) Alliance, a global network of around 200 organizations, there’s strong evidence that carbon markets often fail to reduce emissions effectively. These markets can also lead to serious social issues like human rights violations and land grabs, particularly affecting Indigenous communities.
During the recent launch of a report titled “Scaling Up Carbon Dioxide Removals – Recommendations For Navigating Opportunities And Risks In The EU,” experts highlighted that technological fixes such as Direct Air Capture (DAC), Carbon Capture Use and Storage (CCUS), and Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) are risky. They do not tackle the root causes of climate change.
As the group pointed out, these high-tech solutions distract from genuine efforts needed for a just transition away from fossil fuels. They emphasize the importance of restoring ecosystems and supporting community-led initiatives that directly address climate challenges. “These distractions allow major polluters to keep emitting without consequence,” the group noted.
Last year, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) reinforced its caution regarding geoengineering and upheld a global moratorium on such practices. Linda Schneider, a senior climate policy officer at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, expressed concerns about the EU’s plans to increase carbon removal technologies. “Many of these methods are unproven and come with significant uncertainties,” she said.
Schneider added that claims of “permanent removals” from Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) are misleading. She stated, “These technologies are not only unsafe and unreliable but can also lead to more emissions.” There’s a pressing need to protect and restore Europe’s natural ecosystems to draw down CO2, but this must not be a cover for continuing fossil fuel emissions.
Coraina de la Plaza from HOME Alliance voiced similar concerns, emphasizing that scaling up Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies could be detrimental. “While CDR is often presented as a solution, it is not the answer we need,” she said. These technologies are costly, untested, and based on uncertain outcomes. Instead of relying on these speculative solutions, we should focus on immediate, rights-based actions that can genuinely transform our approach to the climate crisis.
Check out this related article: Time for Action: Why the Era of Climate Rollback Demands Urgent Policy Changes
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