Skip to main content

Main navigation

• Home
• Participants
• FAQ

Carbon Management Challenge

Advancing carbon management at gigaton scale to address our shared climate challenge

Learn more

The Carbon Management Challenge (CMC) is a joint effort and call to action by countries
worldwide to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture, removal, use, and storage
technologies. Participating countries recognize that limiting warming to 1.5°C with
minimal overshoot requires a dramatic increase in the pace and scale of deployment of
carbon management technologies and infrastructure.

Seventeen countries plus the European Commission have joined the CMC to-date, which
was launched at the April 2023 Major Economies Forum, to accelerate the scale up of
carbon capture, utilization and storage and carbon dioxide removal as necessary
complements to aggressive deployment of other zero-carbon technologies and energy
efficiency.

The Need for a Carbon Management Challenge

Global rates of carbon management deployment are far below those in modelled
pathways limiting global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C, according to recent analyses by
international authorities. The science is clear that even as we strive for deep
decarbonization and to scale renewable energy and energy efficiency, carbon
management at gigaton scale -- that is, collectively managing 1Gt or more of CO2
annually, achieved as soon as possible – will play a vital role in addressing our
shared climate challenge.
To put the scale of the challenge ahead of us in clearer terms, the current inventory of
carbon management projects in operation globally are only mitigating 0.05 Gt of CO2
annually – a tiny of fraction of the amount scientists say is necessary. We cannot bridge
this gap without significant public and private leadership right now.

Participants in the CMC agree on the need to accelerate carbon management

technologies to address emissions that cannot otherwise be avoided and to help enable a
broader zero-emissions energy portfolio. Participants recognize the urgency of deploying
carbon management technologies at scale beginning this decade to address the
significant gap

What is Carbon Management?

Carbon management refers collectively to carbon capture, use, and storage, which
consists of capturing carbon dioxide emissions at a source such as an industrial facility,
and carbon dioxide removal, which removes already emitted carbon directly from the
atmosphere. In both approaches, the carbon is used in products and/or permanently and
safely stored in a way that prevents it from being released.

Reaching Gigaton Scale

Participants aim to raise ambition by supporting a global goal of advancing carbon

management projects that will reach gigaton scale by 2030 -- that is, collectively
managing 1Gt or more of CO2 annually -- to ensure our actions align with the science.
Participants call on other governments to join the CMC and on the private sector to play
a leadership role in deploying carbon management technologies and infrastructure.

Carbon Management to Address Our Shared Climate Challenge

Participants acknowledge that carbon management is not a substitute for accelerating

other mitigation efforts, including vast deployment of clean energy and electrification
technologies, elimination of net deforestation, and non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions
reductions. Nonetheless, capturing carbon dioxide at large emission sources is required,
both to reduce emissions in sectors where alternative low emission technologies are
expensive or lacking, such as heavy industrial process emissions, and to help enable a
broader low or zero emissions energy portfolio that also supports the economic
aspirations of developing countries in the Global South.

Removing carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere through technological approaches
is required to counterbalance unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions from sectors such
as agriculture and aviation, where it may be too challenging to completely decarbonize.
Advancing these carbon capture and carbon removal pathways responsibly will require
robust monitoring, reporting and verification systems; prioritizing meaningful public
participation; and maximizing safety and co-benefits for surrounding communities.

Participants in the Carbon Management Challenge:

• Will carry the message that carbon management, in addition to

traditional mitigation efforts, is integral to keeping pathways that limit
warming to 1.5°C within reach.
• Agree on the urgent need to scale up carbon management, striving
towards gigaton scale, a global goal of advancing projects by 2030 that
will collectively manage at least 1 Gt CO2 annually.
• Aim to take action, as appropriate, to support scale up, such as pursuing
or planning to pursue one or more of the following opportunities:
Opportunities to Advance Carbon Management

Participating governments may choose to take action, under the auspices of the Carbon Management Challenge, such as in the following ways:

Joining Collaborative Efforts:

• Advocate for advancing policies and efforts that support carbon management
technology and infrastructure development.
• Participate in multilateral initiatives such as the MI CDR Mission, MI Net Zero
Industries Mission, CEM Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative, and CEM
CCUS Initiative.

Building Project Demonstration:

• Announce progress on demonstrations and deployments of carbon capture, use,

and storage and/or carbon removal projects.

Setting National Targets or Initiatives:

• Set cumulative or annual carbon capture deployment and/or carbon removal

project targets by 2030.
• Update or clarify nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to include specific
expectations for carbon capture, use, and storage and/or carbon removal
milestones.
• Quantify the role of carbon management technologies in national long-term
development strategy.
• Set targets for percentage of total CO2 emissions permanently stored by 2030.

Developing Policy:

• Provide resources and funding for carbon management initiatives, including for
CO2 transport and storage infrastructure hubs and measurement, monitoring,
reporting and verification.
• Expand incentives for carbon capture, use, and storage and/or carbon removal
projects.
• Improve permitting of CO2 storage and transport projects.
• Establish comprehensive legal and regulatory frameworks for carbon capture,
use, and storage and/or carbon removal projects.

• Home
• Web Policies
• Privacy
• Accessibility
• Vulnerability Disclosure Program

2023 © Carbon Management Challenge - All rights reserved