We face catastrophic climate change. But carbon emissions are rising faster than ever. To stop this
we need carbon balance now.
Carbon Balance is an NGO initiative, born out of University of Oxford. We strive to put conditions on fossil fuel extraction to protect the climate from any remaining fossil fuel use. We work with the climate movement, academia and policymakers to reach 1.5°C, store carbon, and protect nature.
a world where any carbon still extracted is balanced by carbon stored.
We fight for
This is carbon balance.
Our focus is on addressing the gaps in climate policy needed to reach net zero. We have four key priority areas:
-
The concept of Net Zero has become diluted. Emission reductions are lagging, and natural carbon sinks are under increasing pressure. We advocate for a more robust solution: true, durable net zero. This approach prioritises drastic reductions in carbon extraction while balancing any residual emissions with permanent, geological storage.
Our focus is on geological net zero, ensuring that carbon extracted from the geosphere is returned to long-term geological storage.
-
Big polluters have done the most to cause climate change, but often face the least responsibility for fixing it. We're working to fundamentally change this paradigm by holding oil and gas companies fully accountable for their emissions. We work on complementing our current climate policy toolkit with regulation, such as carbon storage mandates or ‘producer responsibility’ legislation and the Carbon Takeback Obligation, that compels these companies to invest in decarbonisation and carbon storage as a condition of operation.
-
The IPCC is clear that, to meet our climate goals, we need to rapidly scale up technologies that can capture and store carbon permanently. This includes carbon capture and storage (CCS) for emissions from industries that are hard to decarbonise, and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to clean up past emissions from the atmosphere.
These technologies can’t be a substitute for emission reductions - rather, they’re a necessary complement to aggressive cuts in fossil fuel use. We advocate for policies that support responsible development of CCS & CDR while advocating for regulation that ensures they don't become an excuse for continued pollution.
-
We urge governments to develop comprehensive 'carbon management plans' that provide clear strategies for decarbonising any remaining emissions from fossil fuel use. These plans should include a science-based phase-out of fossil fuels use and production, policies to increase CO2 storage, and just transition policies that consider the needs of affected communities and workers.
We are guided by four key values:
-
We think climate goals cannot be reached without building cross-sector coalitions and partnerships to drive positive change.
Carbon Balance Initiative serves as a platform for bringing together powerful, diverse voices and channeling them into a clear call for action.
-
As a small organisation, we embrace a fast-paced, start-up culture that is able to move quickly in response to new opportunities and challenges.
For us, this is essential in solving the challenges ahead.
-
The 1.5°C goal seems to be more and more unattainable. We need to be honest about status-quo: we are not meeting our climate goals. We need long-term thinking and backstop policies to reach 1.5°C.
Carbon Balance is still working with the 1.5°C goal in mind. We remain hopeful and solutions-oriented, but solutions should be based on research, science and realism.
-
Solutions need to be based on state of the art science. Our research team is based at the Oxford Net Zero research institute at the University of Oxford. This gives us access to the world-class research capabilities of University of Oxford and a network of experts in academia, policy, industry, and NGOs.
Mission Zero: Independent Review of Net Zero (Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP).
“Government should recognise the importance of geological net zero and work to align international ambitions toward geo zero by 2050, in line with net zero”
Professor Paul Ekins in The Guardian on Carbon Takeback Obligation
“There is an urgent need for radical new CO2 emission reduction policies. The Carbon Takeback Obligation provides a means to get built the substantial carbon capture and storage infrastructure that nearly all models say will be needed if the 1.5C target is to be met”.
