In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the critical role that carbon dioxide removal (CDR)/negative emissions technologies (NETs) approaches must play in effectuating the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement. However, if CDR/NETs is to occupy such an important role in climate policymaking, it is also critical that effective institutions are in place at the national and international level to both help facilitate research and deployment of promising technologies and processes. Equally importantly, such institutions must also be structured in a manner that ensures minimization of potential negative impacts, comports with recognized notions of justice and equity, and fully engages the world community in discussing the optimal role of CDR in our portfolio of responses to climate change.

Unfortunately, there are currently large lacunae in the governance framework for CDR at all levels. This provides a compelling rationale for an annual convening to bring together experts in all pertinent sectors, including government, non-governmental organizations, corporations and academics to help build the architecture for effective governance of the array of approaches that are currently under consideration, or which may play a role in the future.