We need carbon balance now.
Driving regulatory and policy change for a world aligned with geological net zero
Carbon Balance is an NGO initiative founded by researchers at the University of Oxford.
We shape bold, effective policy to align the fossil fuel and industrial sectors with geological net zero — keeping warming well below 2°C, and striving to return to 1.5°C.
From research to regulation.
From research to regulation.
We fight for a world where any carbon extracted is balanced by carbon stored.
“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”
→ Mission Zero: Independent Review of Net Zero (Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP)
“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 1.5°C target is to be met”.
→ Professor Paul Ekins in The Guardian on Carbon Takeback Obligation
Our 4 Key Values
Cross-sector
collaboration is power
Tackling the climate crisis demands more than solo action. We collaborate across science, civil society, policy, and industry, not just to be heard, but to change the rules.
Agility in an
uncertain world
We move fast and think forward. As a lean organisation with a start-up mindset, we embrace complexity and act when windows open, with speed, clarity, and courage.
Accountability
beats optimism
Hope alone won’t get us to net zero. We push for enforceable rules and realistic timelines, grounded in evidence and policy tools that hold polluters responsible.
Science and research
at the core
Our work is rooted in world-class research. Through close collaboration with top institutions, we develop bold but practical solutions grounded in science.
Publications
Gaps in policy need
to be addressed.
To stop global warming, we must close the policy and regulatory gaps holding back progress, especially in the fossil fuel and industrial sectors.
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We work to ensure that national and international climate targets, climate policy, emissions inventories, and carbon accounting systems align with the science of geological net zero. This means tracking from extraction to storage, and ensuring climate commitments reflect durable, Paris-aligned goals that stop global warming.
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We develop and advocate for regulatory tools that hold fossil fuel producers responsible for their climate impact, including new environmental impact assessments, licence conditions, mandatory transition and net zero plans, decommissioning requirements, and carbon storage deployment through obligations like the Carbon Takeback Obligation.
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CCS and CDR are essential for reaching net zero; not as substitutes for cutting emissions, but as critical complements. We support resilient, science-based policies that enable the responsible scale-up of permanent carbon storage. This includes developing robust accounting methodologies, regulatory frameworks, financing structures, and infrastructure planning to ensure CCS and CDR deliver real, verifiable climate impact at scale.
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We design and inform the next generation of carbon compliance tools, from takeback obligations and carbon storage mandates to evolving emissions trading systems (ETS). Our work also includes shaping international compliance markets such as Article 6 and exploring future mechanisms for crediting, cross-border alignment, and managing net zero and climate overshoot with accountability at their core.
