A new report presented in Milan shows carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is capturing only about 5 percent of global annual CO2 emissions, with 99.9 percent of that coming from natural methods like tree planting. Engineered solutions such as direct air capture and biochar remain tiny in scale, removing just 2 million tonnes of CO2 last year against over 40 billion tonnes emitted by human activity. Cost is a major barrier: most removal methods exceed $200 per tonne of CO2, well above current carbon prices. Scientists argue CDR is a public good that will ultimately require government funding, not just corporate purchases. They stress that cutting current emissions remains the priority, with removal reserved for residual emissions. The report warns that political shifts, including the return of Donald Trump to power, have cooled interest and investment in the sector. Scaling up will take years and billions of euros, making the next few years critical for the technology's future.
