Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Carbon Removal Threatens Biodiversity Hotspots
Coverage from Nature World News, Nature, and others
Articles
4
Latest Article
04/01
Active Days
62
Executive Summary
Studies warn land-based carbon removal could overlap major biodiversity hotspots, making careful siting and conservation safeguards critical
- Global decarbonization scenarios show land for carbon dioxide removal overlaps areas of high biodiversity importance
- The analysis spans five modeling projects and about 135000 species across 70 biodiversity hotspots
- In ambitious 1.5 C pathways, up to 13 percent of CDR land may overlap key biodiversity sites
- Land-based options include afforestation and BECCS, which can reduce warming but compete for land
- Avoiding high-biodiversity areas can cut CDR land needs by more than half by 2050
- Impacts differ by location and implementation, so site selection and monitoring matter
- Low and middle income countries face a larger land burden than wealthy countries
Quick Facts
- What: Assessed biodiversity risks from land-based carbon removal
- Where: Global modeling across biodiversity hotspots and land systems
- Why: To avoid climate solutions harming ecosystems and species
- Who: Researchers at Potsdam Institute and partners
- When: Future pathways through 2050 and 2100
Coverage Timeline: 62 Days
Featured Article
Researchers map cdr land use tradeoffs worldwide to meet Paris goals by 2050.
Additional Articles
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Researchers assess global decarbonization pathways in the 2020s, showing land allocation for carbon dioxide removal overlaps biodiversity hotspots.
A Nature Climate Change study maps 1.5 C carbon dioxide removal scenarios against biodiversity habitats and finds substantial overlap, with reduced feasible land by mid-century.
Scientists map land based carbon removal siting and assess biodiversity tradeoffs under 1.5 C futures across five models.