Forget the climate Hail Mary pass —scientists say over-relying on carbon removal tech won’t save us if global temperatures blow past the critical 1.5°C threshold. A Nature study reveals that even with massive CO2 extraction, melting permafrost, rising seas, and shifting ocean currents could lock us into a ‘new normal’ of irreversible damage.
Why It Matters
CDR (carbon dioxide removal) methods like reforestation and high-tech air filters are like hitting pause, not rewind. But as Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, a study co-author, warns: \"Even if temperatures drop, the planet won’t look the same.\"
By the Numbers
Current CDR capacity removes ~2B tons of CO2/year. We need 7B–9B tons to meet climate goals.
A 0.5°C overshoot would require removing over 1 TRILLION tons of CO2—equivalent to 25 years of current global emissions.
The Catch
Scaling CDR isn’t just about tech. Land used for carbon farms could clash with food security and biodiversity . Plus, melting permafrost could unleash methane—a greenhouse gas 80x stronger than CO2.
Bottom Line
\"Slashing emissions now is non-negotiable,\" says Imperial College’s Joeri Rogelj. The IPCC’s best-case scenario still allows a tiny overshoot, but every fraction of a degree raises the stakes. The message? Cut carbon FAST —or face a planet that’s forever changed.
—scientists say over-relying on carbon removal tech won’t save us if global temperatures blow past the critical 1.5°C threshold. A Nature study reveals that even with massive CO2 extraction, melting permafrost, rising seas, and shifting ocean currents could lock us into a ‘new normal’ of irreversible damage.
and high-tech air filters are like hitting pause, not rewind. But as Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, a study co-author, warns: \"Even if temperatures drop, the planet won’t look the same.\"
and biodiversity 
. Plus, melting permafrost could unleash methane—a greenhouse gas 80x stronger than CO2.
—or face a planet that’s forever changed.
– But Is…
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