Reducing emissions remains central to climate strategy, but a growing number of governments and companies are also investing in technologies designed to remove carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere.
Approaches include direct air capture, where machines extract carbon from ambient air, and methods that store carbon in soils, rocks or long-lived materials.
Supporters argue that carbon removal could help offset emissions from sectors that are difficult to decarbonise, such as aviation or heavy industry.
The field is moving from research into early commercial deployment, with pilot plants and startup investment expanding in several countries.
However, major questions remain. Current systems are expensive, energy-intensive and small in scale compared with the size of global emissions.
Critics also warn that carbon removal should not become an excuse to delay emissions cuts.
Experts say the technology may become an important supplement, but not a substitute, for rapid decarbonisation.
The future role of carbon removal will depend on whether it can scale responsibly and affordably.
