With the urgency to reduce global emissions, the topic of net negative-emissions technologies or so-called carbon removals is creeping into conversations and strategies on climate action.

Carbon removal programs are initiatives aimed at removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere in an effort to mitigate the impacts of climate change. These programs involve various methods of removing CO2 from the air, including reforestation, afforestation, soil sequestration, ocean fertilisation, direct air capture, and mineralisation.
Reforestation and afforestation involve planting trees in areas that have been deforested or where trees have been removed. Trees naturally absorb CO2 as part of their natural growth cycle, making reforestation and afforestation effective carbon removal methods.
Soil sequestration involves storing carbon in soil, where it can remain for hundreds or thousands of years. This can be achieved through sustainable land management practices such as conservation tillage, crop rotation, and the use of cover crops.
Ocean fertilisation involves adding nutrients to ocean waters to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, which absorb CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. However, this method is controversial due to potential negative impacts on marine ecosystems.
Direct air capture involves using technology to capture CO2 from the air, which can then be stored or used in other applications.
Mineralization involves accelerating the natural process of rock weathering to capture and store CO2.
Carbon removal programs can be funded through a variety of sources, including government subsidies, carbon offsets, and corporate and private funding. While these programs can play an important role in mitigating climate change, they should not be seen as a substitute for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable practices and policies.
Faced with spiralling concentrations of CO2, insufficient government action, and continued reliance on heavy industry and fossil fuels, carbon removals are and will be an important tool on the path to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
In an ideal world of course, we would prefer the carbon not to be released in the first place, but whilst removing COâ‚‚ from the atmosphere is critical to counteract climate change, we can play a small part in helping new carbon removal technologies scale.
At Blister Wool, we believe businesses can play a critically important role in helping fight climate change, and we’re proud to fund next-generation carbon removal by contributing a percentage from each purchase to fund carbon removal programs.
Blister Wool is part of Stripe Climate, a coalition of businesses accelerating carbon removal. No company can stop climate change by itself. Stripe Climate aggregates funds from forward-thinking businesses around the world to increase demand for carbon removal. Stripe Climate works with Frontier, Stripe's in-house team of science and commercial experts, to purchase permanent carbon removal.
To read more about Stripe Climate's carbon removal program, visit https://climate.stripe.com/VYL0cg
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