The image above was presented in a report by CDP and Science Based Targets and describes different scenarios for avoiding a global average temperature increase of more than 1.5°C.

As you can see, all scenarios (except the first four) contain so-called CDR, Carbon Dioxide removals (red). The ratio between CDR and the carbon dioxide emitted varies between 0.4 and 1.8, with a median of 1. In simple terms, this means that during this century, 1 tonne of carbon dioxide needs to be "removed" for every tonne emitted, in order to meet our climate target.

What is Carbon Dioxide Removals?

It refers to activities that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Below is a picture of six different activities that have been proposed in the scenarios above. Examples include planning and preserving forests or adding biochar to the soil, which sequesters more carbon than otherwise.

(The first four scenarios that do not have CDRs that do not include this, meet the target through a significant reduction in food and energy demand which many do not consider likely)