A Progressive Vision for Carbon Dioxide Removal

To address climate change and limit catastrophic global warming, the world must rapidly cut emissions and phase out fossil fuels, while scaling up carbon removal technologies to draw down past emissions in order to achieve net-zero and ultimately net-negative emissions. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) refers to a suite of technologies, like direct air capture (DAC) and biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCRS), which aim to capture and permanently store past emissions of carbon dioxide. 

Importantly, rapid decarbonization which tackles the root causes of climate change and works to phase out fossil fuels cannot come second to investments in CDR. Through research, polling, and community engagement, Data for Progress is working to build a just, climate-positive future for carbon removal — one that creates new good-paying jobs and addresses systemic environmental injustices while putting America on a path to net-zero emissions and a phase out of fossil fuels.

Goals of Our Work / A Foundation for Progressive Carbon Dioxide Removal / Community Perspectives on Carbon Dioxide Removal

Goals of Our Work

As one of the few progressive groups working on carbon dioxide removal, we aim to: 

  1. Leverage public opinion research and policy analysis to support a progressive, climate-positive vision for carbon dioxide removal;

  2. Educate the public and policymakers on carbon dioxide removal, including both its opportunities and limitations; and

  3. Advance carbon dioxide removal as a public good.

A Foundation for Progressive Carbon Dioxide Removal

We offer guiding principles, policy recommendations, and polling to underpin a progressive approach to carbon removal as part of a comprehensive plan to reach net-zero – and, eventually, net-negative – emissions.

Policy Memo: Guiding Principles 

In this memo, we lay the foundation for a progressive carbon removal strategy by defining what does and does not constitute a progressive carbon removal strategy and establishing guiding principles for progressive carbon removal policymaking.

Policy Memo: Federal Action Plan

This report reviews existing legislative building blocks for progressive carbon removal innovation and deployment, and lays out recommendations for American leadership in this critical and underdeveloped area of climate policy.

Policy Brief: Summary for Policymakers

This summary highlights the key elements of a progressive net-negative emissions strategy and outlines the goals that Congress and the White House must take to enact these proposals.

Polling Memo: Voters Support Investments in Carbon Removal Legislation

In this poll, we find that voters across party lines agree that the government should do more to remove carbon from the atmosphere and widely support federal investments in carbon removal research and development.

Community Perspectives on Carbon Dioxide Removal

Through community workshops, focus groups, interviews, and surveys, Data for Progress works to understand community perspectives and attitudes toward carbon dioxide removal across the U.S.

One-Pager: Advancing Equitable Deployment of Regional DAC Hubs

This one-pager offers a concise summary of our qualitative workshops and polling research on the deployment of regional direct air capture projects.

A Green New Deal for California Cities: Empowering Communities Through Climate Infrastructure

This report analyzes five community workshops and a statewide survey, finding that California adults prefer climate infrastructure projects that seek to distribute the economic and environmental benefits equitably.

Report: Advancing Equitable Deployment of Regional DAC Hubs

This report describes and analyzes key takeaways from community workshops across the country as well as national survey analysis to examine community needs and attitudes toward the deployment of regional direct air capture hubs.

Brief: Most Voters Have Heard Nothing About Carbon Removal, but Support Investing in It After

This brief summarizes findings from a national likely voter survey, which aimed to understand attitudes toward CDR.

Report: DAC Hubs in Fossil Fuel Country - Recommendations from the Gulf Coast

This report summarizes findings from three community workshops conducted in Texas and Louisiana and the implications of community opinion for the Department of Energy’s allocation of DAC funding.

What’s in a Just Transition: Colorado Communities on Coal, Carbon Removal, and Climate Change

Data for Progress conducted three workshops in the Colorado coal communities of Pueblo, the West End, and Craig — in addition to a statewide survey — to understand how these communities are experiencing the transition away from coal.

Report: Public Perceptions of Carbon Dioxide Removal in Wyoming, Texas, Louisiana, and Colorado

This report offers findings from four statewide surveys in Wyoming, Texas, Louisiana, and Colorado on attitudes toward CDR and DAC.

Questions? Contact catherine@dataforprogress.org for more information about Data for Progress’ work on carbon removal.