Achieving long-term climate stabilization targets that limit warming to 1.5oC or 2oC requires deep decarbonization, with total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions eventually falling to net zero. Because some emissions in the economy are difficult to eliminate, most 1.5oC or 2oC pathways rely on negative emissions strategies to offset residual positive GHG emissions in hard-to-abate sectors. Among carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and natural-climate solutions such as afforestation and reforestation (A/R) are among the most widely considered options. The deployment of these options will depend on their availability as well as the climate policy regime, particularly the availability of international emissions trading. In fact, CDR and international trade in GHG permits mutually reinforce each other. This relationship and its implications for the scale of CDR and emissions trading, regional deployment, carbon prices, and GDP will be discussed in this talk.
Robert Stoner Deputy Director for Science and Technology MIT Energy Initiative Jennifer Morris Research Scientist MIT Energy Initiative Tim Schittekatte Postdoctoral Associate Sloan School of Management Bilge Yildiz Breene M. Kerr (1951) Professor, Departments of Nuclear Science and Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering