Overview
Global baseline: ~50Mt CO₂/yr of operational direct air capture and biomass carbon removal capacity exists today across 10+ commercial facilities, led by Climeworks' Mammoth plant in Iceland (4,000 tons/day design), 1PointFive's Stratos project in Texas, and Carbon Engineering-based operations in Canada. The IEA estimates this must scale to 600–900Mt/yr by 2035 to keep net-zero within reach — a 12-18x expansion in under a decade. Current deployment is still less than 0.1% of what the IPCC's 1.5°C pathway requires at gigaton scale, but the trajectory has shifted from "whether" to "how fast."
The big picture: Carb…
Key takeaways
- Main claim in one sentence.
- Supporting point with a concrete example.
- Implication or open question for readers.
Deep dive
Evidence, definitions, and careful reasoning — with links to primary sources where possible.
References
List papers, datasets, or authorities you relied on.
Further reading
Related essays and resources from Carbon Capture 2026: Cost Curve Hits Viability Threshold.