Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

Universities must lead capacity building in carbon dioxide removal

Nature Reviews Clean Technology volume 1, pages 307–308 (2025)Cite this article

Subjects

The commercial carbon dioxide removal ecosystem is growing rapidly, but the supporting talent pipeline remains underdeveloped. Universities will have a key role in training the workforce for this expanding sector.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Current and future CDR workforce and needs.

References

  1. Prütz, R., Strefler, J., Rogelj, J. & Fuss, S. Understanding the carbon dioxide removal range in 1.5 °C compatible and high overshoot pathways. Environ. Res. Commun. 5, 041005 (2023).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Smith, S. et al. The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal: A global, independent scientific assessment of Carbon Dioxide Removal 2nd edn https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/F85QJ (2024).

  3. Lim, J., Aklin, M. & Frank, M. R. Location is a major barrier for transferring US fossil fuel employment to green jobs. Nat. Commun. 14, 5711 (2023).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Pilorgé, H., Kolosz, B., Wu, G. C. & Freeman, J. in Carbon Dioxide Removal Primer Ch. 3 (eds Wilcox, J. et al.) (2021).

  5. Low, S., Baum, C. M. & Sovacool, B. K. Rethinking net-zero systems, spaces, and societies: “hard” versus “soft” alternatives for nature-based and engineered carbon removal. Glob. Environ. Change 75, 102530 (2022).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Fritz, L., Baum, C. M., Low, S. & Sovacool, B. K. Public engagement for inclusive and sustainable governance of climate interventions. Nat. Commun. 15, 4168 (2024).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. CDRjobs. 2024 CDR Salary Report https://www.cdrjobs.earth/2024-cdr-salary-report (CDRjobs, 2024).

  8. Boston Consulting Group & DVNE. Carbon Dioxide Removal. Europe and Germany’s Role in Catalyzing a Trillion-Euro Industry (BCG, 2024).

  9. IRENA & ILO. Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2021 (IRENA, 2021).

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the anonymous workshop participants in Washington, DC, USA, and Oxford, UK, for providing invaluable insights into the training needs they see for their organizations and the carbon dioxide removal sector. These participants included around 30 representatives per workshop from governments, industries and non-governmental organizations, all active in the carbon dioxide removal space and from across North America and Europe. Expert opinions were elicited using semi-structured plenary and breakout group discussions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Centre for Carbon Solutions, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK

    Mijndert van der Spek, James Campbell, Spyros Foteinis, Susana Garcia & Phil Renforth

  2. Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Emily Cox & Stephen M. Smith

  3. Carbon direct, New York, NY, USA

    Peter Psarras

  4. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Jennifer Wilcox

  5. Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Sean McCoy

  6. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Sylvia Sleep

  7. Materials Science Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA

    Simon H. Pang

  8. RMI, Basalt, CO, USA

    Daniel Pike & Cara Nichole Maesano

  9. Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, PIK, Potsdam, Germany

    Jessica Strefler

Authors
  1. Mijndert van der Spek
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. James Campbell
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Spyros Foteinis
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Susana Garcia
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Phil Renforth
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Emily Cox
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Stephen M. Smith
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Peter Psarras
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Jennifer Wilcox
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Sean McCoy
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Sylvia Sleep
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Simon H. Pang
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Daniel Pike
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Cara Nichole Maesano
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Jessica Strefler
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mijndert van der Spek.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

P.P. is an employee of Carbon Direct Inc., which focuses on bringing carbon management projects to market. The other authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

van der Spek, M., Campbell, J., Foteinis, S. et al. Universities must lead capacity building in carbon dioxide removal. Nat. Rev. Clean Technol. 1, 307–308 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44359-025-00039-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44359-025-00039-z

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing