Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is a cornerstone of achieving global net zero ambitions. To meet these goals, we must tackle two distinct challenges: decarbonizing active industries and removing emissions from the atmosphere. While these efforts are equally vital, current carbon standards aren't capable of differentiating between negative emissions and emissions reductions, complicating the process of matching fit-for-purpose projects with desired climate outcomes. The Absolute Carbon Standard (ACS) introduces Mitigation Types as a solution to this challenge, providing a clear assessment of project impacts and aligning market mechanisms with tangible climate outcomes.
Achieving Climate Goals Requires Both Emissions Reductions and Removals
The IPCC makes clear the challenge we face: achieving massive emissions reductions while simultaneously scaling negative emissions. Together, these tools are essential for achieving our net zero goals.
The scale of this dual requirement is illustrated in the IPCC curve (below). The purple section represents the emissions reductions needed to achieve net zero, while the pink section highlights the removals required to address residual and historical emissions. Both reductions and removals are vital to getting to net zero, and targeted large-scale investments in both areas are imperative for progress.
Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is often treated as a “catch-all” solution, positioned to make up for emissions that are hard to account. While high-quality negative emissions are an irreplaceable tool in the fight against climate change, they are likely to remain a costly intervention for the foreseeable future. This means that their use makes the most sense in scenarios where no other options exist.
In contrast, emissions reductions often offer a more efficient and fit-for-purpose approach to decarbonizing active industries. Incentivizing reductions whenever possible is critical for curbing emissions at scale. This is especially important because of the sheer scale of emissions reductions we’re going to need, likely 3-5x as much as negative emissions.
Even with large scale emissions reductions efforts, to hit net zero by 2050 the IPCC estimates that we’ll need 5-10 gigatons of annual negative emissions. Generating those 5-10 gigatons of annual negative emissions is going to require purpose built technologies and approaches that are distinctly different from the technology and approaches used for emissions reductions.
To achieve both objectives, we must avoid conflating emissions reductions with negative emissions. Negative emissions need investment today to ensure they are ready at scale when needed. Unfortunately, many carbon standards fail to distinguish between these two pathways. This conflation puts negative emissions at a disadvantage compared to lower-cost reductions, even though their respective climate impacts are not interchangeable. Both are critically needed to meet our climate ambitions.
Mitigation Types: A New Framework for Carbon Markets
The Absolute Carbon Standard addresses these challenges by introducing two distinct Mitigation Types: Recoveries and Restorations. These additional credit labels establish a clear boundary between efforts to decarbonize active emitting sectors and those aimed at removing emissions directly from the atmosphere. By focusing on measurable climate outcomes, ACS ensures that each credit reflects a precise and transparent contribution to each of these critical net-zero strategies.
Recoveries
Recoveries target the decarbonization of active industries and value streams by addressing emissions directly within the production process. Unlike traditional reduction credits, Recoveries emphasize creating measurable climate benefits that are specific to the activity generating emissions. For example, a project might use carbon capture and storage (CCS) to mitigate emissions associated with a specific industrial process. The Recovery credits generated by the project could be used in a number of different ways: supporting mitigation efforts tied to their supply chains or demonstrating a transparent and targeted way to decarbonize a specific emitting sector. Referring back to the IPCC Curve, Recoveries make up the area above the x-axis and can drive emissions down to zero.
Restorations
Restorations focus on removing and permanently storing atmospheric CO₂ to address historical emissions. These projects represent the inverse of an emission, removing dispersed gases from the atmosphere and sequester them in stable carbon sinks. Restorations are resource-intensive and require significant investment, and just like Recoveries their role in achieving net-negative emissions is irreplaceable. By distinguishing Restorations, ACS protects these projects from competing with less expensive reduction efforts, ensuring that buyers know their investments contribute directly to scaling impactful technologies that are needed for atmospheric CO₂ removal. Restorations make up the area under the x-axis of the IPCC Curve and provide negative emissions that can remediate residual and historic emissions.
Whether a project generates Recoveries and Restorations is not defined by CDR pathway type. Instead, it is determined by tracking the project-specific emissions fluxes, and the net impact the project will have on the climate. For example, a Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) project could be classified as a Recovery or a Restoration, depending on how project boundaries are selected, and the net emissions flux the project generates. This approach ensures that Recoveries and Restorations remain consistent across various methodologies, emphasizing the climate outcome rather than the technology or industry associated with the project. By applying uniform criteria, ACS provides a clear, objective basis for defining and assessing Mitigation Types.
Mitigation Types solve pressing pain points for Buyers, Project Developers, and Policy Makers
For buyers, Mitigation Types offer transparency and enable targeted purchasing. By distinguishing between credits that decarbonize emitting sectors (Recoveries) and those that remove historical emissions (Restorations), buyers can make informed decisions that reflect their specific goals. This clarity fosters trust and reduces risks by ensuring that purchased credits deliver on their stated climate claims.
For project developers, the framework encourages innovation and market differentiation. Recoveries and Restorations provide clear pathways to communicate the value of their projects, attracting buyers who want to prioritize a specific climate outcome. Objective criteria and transparent definitions help developers secure funding and regulatory support, creating a foundation for both early-stage innovation and mature solutions to thrive.
At a systemic level, Mitigation Types address market distortions and drive innovation. By categorizing projects within distinct markets, ACS prevents the undervaluation of different efforts and ensures that both decarbonization and atmospheric + ocean removal scale in tandem. This structure aligns the industry with net zero goals and creates a robust foundation for future growth.
Mitigation Types enhance transparency and build trust
Mitigation Types represent a transformative shift in how we approach carbon markets. By distinguishing two specific types of credit types: Recoveries and Restorations, the Absolute Carbon Standard aligns market incentives with the climate outcomes essential for achieving net zero targets. Both Recoveries and Restorations are critically needed for mitigating the worst harms of climate change. This framework enhances transparency, builds trust, and ensures that carbon markets drive systemic change. As the CDR industry scales to gigaton levels of both Recoveries and Restorations, Mitigation Types provide the clarity and structure required to maximize impact and create a sustainable future.
You can read more about the specific requirements of Mitigation Types in the upcoming release of the Absolute Carbon Standard.
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