During the 2026 Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Days, Hugh McDonald of Ecologic Institute supported the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) in the design and delivery of the first conference day dedicated to permanent carbon dioxide removals (CDR). He also chaired the opening session, which brought together approximately 250 participants in Brussels and many more online.

The CRCF Days serve as a key forum for discussing the implementation of the EU's Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification Framework (CRCF), bringing together stakeholders from policymaking, academia, industry, and civil society.

Demand for Permanent Carbon Removals Continues to Evolve

A central focus of the discussions was how to strengthen demand for high-quality, durable carbon removals. Voluntary demand featured prominently in the discussions. The EU Buyers Club initiative was highlighted as a promising mechanism for stimulating additional demand and facilitating large-scale offtake agreements for permanent carbon removals. The potential for compliance demand through ETS integration of permanent CDR was also discussed.  

Policy Challenges Remain

Alongside signs of progress, participants also identified several challenges that will need to be addressed to enable the responsible scale-up of permanent carbon removals. These include greater engagement by EU Member States, continued experimentation with policy instruments, and the resolution of potential sustainability trade-offs.

In his keynote address, Steve Smith of the University of Oxford emphasised that scaling carbon dioxide removals rapidly and responsibly will require a diverse policy mix as well as contributions from a broad range of stakeholders.

The discussions underscored that scaling permanent carbon removals is not solely a technological challenge. Robust policy frameworks, reliable sources of demand, and the active involvement of institutions responsible for finance, contracting, and infrastructure development will be equally important.

The event also highlighted a notable shift in the composition of the CDR community. Alongside technology providers, policymakers, and buyers, increasing numbers of representatives from the financial sector, legal profession, and infrastructure community participated in the discussions. Their growing involvement reflects the transition of permanent carbon removals from an emerging climate solution towards a sector focused on deployment and market development.

Supporting the European Commission's Work on CDR Demand Creation

Ecologic Institute's contribution to the CRCF Days is closely linked to its ongoing work for the European Commission on policy options to strengthen demand for permanent carbon dioxide removals. This work examines both regulatory and market-based approaches that can support the development of a credible and durable European market for permanent carbon removals.