Removing carbon, one solution at a time

Davos—the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting—is in full swing through January 19. All this week, our daily charts will focus on some of the key themes of the event, including resilience, sustainability, reimagining globalization, generative AI, and inclusive, equitable growth. For more, see “McKinsey and the World Economic Forum 2024.”

CO2 removal (CDR) could play a critical role in meeting net-zero targets—and create opportunities for businesses. A CDR industry capable of delivering gigaton-scale removals at net-zero levels could be worth up to $1.2 trillion by 2050, according to senior partner Mark Patel and coauthors. Leaders across sectors would be wise to understand the range of CDR solutions, which include nature-based (wetland and peatland restoration and reforestation, for example) and technology-based (direct air capture and storage) methods. Click through the interactive to see more.

To read the report, see “Carbon removals: How to scale a new gigaton industry,” December 4, 2023.