Center for Carbon Removal

Carbon180’s land and tech policy team advances technological and land-based carbon removal (CDR) through government procurement and appropriations, coalition-building, narrative development, advocacy, and bridging producers and policymakers to create a shared vision for soil-based carbon removal that works for all. Over the next three years, we will invest in more effective, durable policies tailored to CDR’s unique characteristics, moving beyond traditional renewable energy models. By building strong, lasting coalitions, we can secure long-term support. Carbon180 is uniquely positioned to lead this work, with a decade of experience shaping policy, advancing legislation, mobilizing coalitions, and building bipartisan momentum for scalable, community-centered climate solutions. We understand how to make climate solutions durable, politically viable, and community-rooted. It is how we’ve led the field for 10 years and will continue to do so in the years and decades ahead.

The Ocean Policy team sets and oversees marine CDR (mCDR) policy and related campaigns. Our forward-looking ocean policy strategy is focused on: the defense and expansion of research and development funds at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) and the Department of Energy (DOE), the addition of mCDR into existing CDR legislation and initiatives, ground-up and opportunity-forward education and advocacy at the community to state level, and the building of an ocean CDR-specific coalition that spans industry, NGOs, and academia. Carbon180’s Ocean Policy Team supports the development of science-backed, just, equitable, and highly accountable mCDR through advocacy, field building, and innovative policy approaches. Working at the federal, state, and local levels we strive to ensure that mCDR is scaled in a responsible manner that minimizes environmental risk and maximizes co-benefits for both people and the planet.

Carbon180 envisions a future in which carbon removal uplifts people — where solutions are shaped by impacted communities & guided by principles of justice, equity, and repair. History shows us that countless necessary climate solutions have failed to scale despite being technically feasible and fully funded. We can help carbon removal avoid these pitfalls by designing climate strategies that address the everyday challenges communities face and ensure those strategies align with community values. This helps legitimize carbon removal as a climate solution and cultivate public trust – building durable coalitions that in turn then collectively advocate for policies that support carbon removal deployment. Our equity & justice program aims to: address low public awareness & understanding of carbon removal; support capacity-building for community partners to proactively engage with carbon removal; and reframe equity & justice as shared principles that can be embedded into policy & advocacy.

The Science & Innovation program strengthens the technical & market foundations needed to scale carbon removal (CDR) responsibly. We translate emerging science into actionable guidance, partner with innovators to accelerate early-stage approaches, and shape standards and tools required for durable deployment. As the CDR sector grows, critical infrastructure—shared definitions, accountability, & finance aligned with technical realities—remains incomplete. Without it, the field risks fragmented standards, misallocated capital, and reduced public trust. To address this, we launched “Building the CDR Blueprint,” which focuses on three priorities: science-based accountability frameworks, clear quality signals for decision-making, and financial and policy alignment across CDR pathways. We work directly with scientists and startups to ground efforts in research, incubate new ideas, and support innovation in emerging markets—driving scalable, effective, and equitable carbon removal solutions.

Durable federal policy is most effective when it is grounded in on-the-ground capacity and community readiness. That’s why we see state and regional engagement as the natural next step to make those policies more durable and effective. With many peers pulling back from regional and local field-building, Carbon180 is uniquely positioned to fill this gap and accelerate federal climate policy. Our state and regional work isn’t just an extension of our mission; it’s a necessary evolution of it. To build a lasting field means meeting communities where they are, investing in local capacity, and co-creating solutions from the ground up. Carbon180’s new State and Regional program is designed to meet this challenge head-on: building state-based capacity, investing in frontline-led coalitions, and connecting local action to federal opportunities. This program will ensure that as carbon removal scales, it also aligns with local needs, builds trust, and equitably distributes benefits.