The Australian Carbon Dioxide Removal Roadmap released by CSIRO outlines how Australia can remove carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere, a critical complement to reducing emissions if we are to achieve net zero. The report emphasises that carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is not a substitute for decarbonisation, but a necessary partner to balance residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors such as agriculture, aviation and heavy industry.
CSIRO projects that Australia will need to remove between 133 and 200 million tonnes of CO₂ each year by 2050, depending on how rapidly emissions fall. To meet that scale, the Roadmap calls for a portfolio approach that combines both conventional and novel carbon removal pathways.
Conventional CDR, including reforestation, afforestation and soil carbon sequestration, can deliver immediate benefits but is increasingly constrained by land competition, saturation limits and the growing risk of reversal through drought, fire and pests. Novel CDR approaches such as direct air capture, enhanced rock weathering, ocean alkalinity enhancement and biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCR+S) offer longer-term, durable storage but require further research, investment and infrastructure to scale.
For the Foundation, the Roadmap’s analysis of biomass carbon removal aligns closely with our work in forest restoration. Biomass derived from ecological thinning and other restoration activities can be transformed into stable carbon forms such as biochar or captured CO₂, creating a bridge between ecological management and climate repair. CSIRO modelling suggests BiCR+S could remove up to 88 million tonnes of CO₂ a year by 2050, rising to 113 million tonnes under a high-ambition scenario.
As the Roadmap makes clear, durable carbon removal must go hand in hand with sustainability, avoiding land-use conflicts, protecting ecosystems, and engaging First Nations knowledge holders in design and delivery.
At the Foundation, we also recognise that CDR is only part of the picture. Improving the health and resilience of existing forests, as shown in our analysis on forest carbon, is essential to maintaining the carbon we already hold in the landscape. Together, these approaches form the foundation of a truly balanced, climate-positive future for Australia.
Read the report here: Australian Carbon Dioxide Removal Roadmap
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