By no later than mid-century, will need to be removing billions of tons of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere every year in order to stabilize our climate. Yet today, we have neither the capacity to remove CO2 at anything close to the required scale, nor the policies, institutions, financing systems, and international agreements needed to get there. Bridging this enormous gap will require sustained cooperation among governments, researchers, industry, civil society, finance, and many other stakeholders.
SCI began working on this challenge in 2024 by creating the Carbon Dioxide Removal Action Network (CDRANet), a global network of more than 250 experts and leaders representing governments, research institutions, industry, civil society, finance, and other sectors. Its initial task was to identify what the world needs to do to make large-scale CDR possible—and begin building the international policy architecture to support it.
The Carbon Dioxide Removal Action Network (CDRANet) is a global network of experts and institutions working across the many fields needed to make large-scale carbon dioxide removal possible. Its members span research, government, industry, finance, civil society, policy, law, communications, and other sectors, creating a forum where different parts of the CDR community can exchange knowledge, identify common challenges, and develop new approaches.
CDRANet’s first major undertaking was the Vancouver Declaration, developed through an international collaborative process to identify the principles, priorities, and government actions needed to responsibly scale CDR. With that work complete, CDRANet continues to connect the broader CDR community, develop new initiatives, and help move knowledge and ideas into action.
The Vancouver Process is an international forum created to help governments prepare for the enormous policy and institutional challenge of scaling carbon dioxide removal. It gives participating governments a dedicated space to compare approaches, identify common problems, share experience, and explore opportunities for cooperation.
Its work encompasses the practical issues governments will need to address as CDR grows—from policy, regulation, finance, procurement, and infrastructure to standards, monitoring, long-term stewardship, and international coordination. The Vancouver Process draws on expertise from CDRANet and the wider CDR community while remaining focused specifically on the needs and responsibilities of governments.
Vancouver Process website
