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Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal

Building responsible carbon removal futures
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The Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal is a research center in the School of International Service at American University, Washington DC.

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What we do

Large amounts of carbon dioxide will need to be removed and durably stored in order to meet climate targets. To scale carbon removal responsibly will require more than demonstrating techno-economic feasibility.

Our mission is to build ways of doing carbon removal that are responsible, democratic, just, and equitable. To do this, we produce action-oriented research; facilitate open dialogues on policy and governance; contribute to frameworks and best practices; and educate both experts and non-experts through fellowships, training, and workshops. 

We aim to prioritize the inclusion of oft-excluded groups, and to facilitate collaboration between communities, scientists and engineers, technology developers, funders, and others. 

Read Our Agenda for a Progressive Political Economy of Carbon Removal  

Our Latest Work

As carbon removal increasingly plays a major role in response to climate change, the Institute partnered with the National Wildlife Federation to launch this fellowship summer of 2002 which aimed to center justice and equity considerations in carbon removal policy.

The series focuses on scientific, technological, legal, political, and justice-focused issues associated with carbon dioxide removal.

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Launched in December 2022, Co-Director Wil Burns has developed a new ocean CDR focused podcast series. Episodes will focus on ocean-based climate geoengineering options that seek to reduce incoming solar radiation (solar radiation modification) or remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (carbon dioxide removal).

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This listing includes all working papers, articles, reports, book and book chapters from our staff at the Institute around topics of carbon dioxide removal.

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6

years as a leading carbon removal research center

2

podcast series