Introducing the Vancouver Declaration

Join the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal for the next event in its webinar series, “Scrubbing the Skies: The Role of Carbon Dioxide Removal in Combating Climate Change.” The series focuses on scientific, technological, legal, political, and justice-focused issues associated with carbon dioxide removal, and is hosted by the Institute’s Co-Director Wil Burns.

Overview

We need to massively scale CDR as soon as possible, but do so in a way that is safe, scientifically sound, and doesn’t create a new world of unintended consequences. Hundreds of companies are working on this challenge, as well as many philanthropies, think tanks, governments, and IGOs. However, this effort isn’t coordinated. There is no single goal for this work, no mobilizing plan of action, and no policy focus or institutional uniformity. Policymakers who want to engage are understandably confused about what efforts and organizations to support and what should happen next.

To address this need, 250 high-level experts in climate policy, research, and governance convened online earlier this year to discuss what global policy for CDR should look like. This discussion resulted in the development of an agreement named The Vancouver Declaration (in recognition of the city where it will be signed next year by IGOs and national and sub-national governments). The Declaration is the first global agreement to focus solely on the challenge of carbon removal, and the first to treat carbon removal as a key pillar in our fight against global warming, not an afterthought addition to an existing policy.

Guest:
Glenn Hampson, Executive Director, Science Communication Institute (SCI); Program Director, Carbon Dioxide Removal Action Network (CDRANet)

Moderator:
Wil Burns, Co-Director, Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal, American University