RELEASE: CDR RDT Initiative Provides Foundational Resources for Responsible Deployment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 31, 2023
Carbon Business Council Unveils CDR RDT, A Training Course & Suite of Foundational Resources for the Responsible Deployment of Carbon Removal
–XPRIZE Carbon Removal Mandates Completion of the CDR RDT Online Training for Companies Applying to $100 Million Competition–
Washington DC — The Carbon Business Council (CO2BC), a nonprofit trade association of more than 100 carbon removal and management companies, released the Carbon Dioxide Removal Responsible Deployment Training (CDR RDT) today, an interactive online training and suite of resources to support project developers with the responsible deployment of carbon removal. XPRIZE Carbon Removal is requiring a certificate of completion of the foundational online training for companies competing for the remaining $80 million in funding as part of the landmark competition to accelerate gigatonne-scale carbon removal innovation.
“Community members have fair and valid questions about carbon removal deployment that are critical to answer, like what are the benefits to my community and are there any risks? Many carbon removal companies are already leading the way on responsible deployment by answering questions like these, updating project designs based on community feedback, crafting community benefit agreements and more. CDR RDT builds on this momentum to provide an introductory framework and resources for carbon removal companies to learn about robust and meaningful approaches for community engagement,” said Ben Rubin, Executive Director and Cofounder of the Carbon Business Council.
The introductory online course is the first-of-its-kind training and a first step for project developers to dive into why robust community engagement is critical, what concerns are being raised in communities about carbon removal deployment, and how to begin community engagement. The training is divided into eight online modules and takes approximately one hour to complete. A certificate of completion is shared at the end. Each module includes an explainer video on foundational concepts for responsible deployment, questions to test comprehension, and resources for further learning. The online training provides a starting point for project developers to learn more about topics like the history of environmental justice and frameworks for community engagement. It is paired with additional tools and resources, including in-person symposiums on responsible deployment.
“XPRIZE Carbon Removal aims to catalyze a new generation of carbon removal companies that understand and recognize the importance of responsible deployment. Our Finalist application will look at this topic alongside other areas including operational progress, lifecycle emissions, cost assessment, and scalability. By requiring the online training as part of the application process, companies will dive deeper into why community engagement is so crucial and gain access to resources around how to meaningfully approach various aspects of responsible deployment, which will lead to more thoughtful responses in the application and stronger projects overall,” said Nikki Batchelor, Executive Director of XPRIZE Carbon Removal.
CDR RDT is developed in a collaborative effort with consultation from an advisory committee of leading experts in carbon removal, environmental justice, and community engagement. It is built in collaboration with the Carbon Business Development Council, XPRIZE Carbon Removal, and the Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy at American University. Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment provided financial support to enable the training, which is being offered as a free community resource.
The introductory online training is designed to complement additional tools, resources, and workshops for responsible deployment of carbon removal, including existing and upcoming resources. The Carbon Business Council co-convened a two-day workshop on the responsible deployment of carbon removal in June 2023, which featured Members of Congress, environmental justice leaders, government officials, project developers, and more. The Carbon Business Council spearheads the Ethical Oath to Restore the Earth, which invokes the ethical oaths that doctors and lawyers sign with tenets specific to carbon management. The Oath has been signed by more than 120 caron management practitioners and the Carbon Business Council continues to build additional trainings and resources for the carbon removal community to ensure the responsible deployment of carbon removal.
“CDR RDT is a collaborative platform for project developers to learn about foundational concepts for responsible deployment and frameworks for community engagement. This platform will be strengthened, expanded, iterated, and refined with input we receive. We’re grateful for the feedback that helped inform this first release and welcome ongoing feedback as we work with companies, communities, and civil society on the responsible deployment of carbon removal,” said Ben Rubin. CDR RDT resources are an interactive and ongoing collaborative process that will be updated with community and stakeholder input, with an open and ongoing invitation for feedback. Additional CDR RDT tools and trainings will be released in the months ahead.
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“Responsible deployment allows everyone, especially marginalized communities (BIPOC and low-income) to have some level of agency over the carbon projects that impact their lives. For so long we have seen black, brown, and low-income communities suffer all the harms of a project, but never the benefits. The CDR RDT online introductory training offers an opportunity for developers to learn how to do the right thing and to take the necessary steps to ensure their projects benefit those who have been impacted the most.”
Alayna Chuney, Deputy Director of Environmental Justice, Carbon180
“Companies have a responsibility to develop carbon management solutions that create net benefits for surrounding communities and do not exacerbate existing burdens. The CDR RDT online training should be a starting point for companies who want to learn more about how to constructively engage with historically disenfranchised and environmental justice communities.”
Dr. Simone H. Stewart, Industrial Policy Specialist, National Wildlife Federation
“Having a deep attentiveness to the social implications of carbon removal is fundamental for the growth of individual projects and the entire industry. Early and meaningful two-way dialogue with communities where projects are proposed is one example of how carbon removal can better take social impacts into account. The CDR RDT online training is an important introduction and tool for project developers to orient themselves around responsible deployment and community needs.”
Simon Nicholson, Co-Director, Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy at American University
“Responsible deployment of carbon removal projects is important from a project sustainability perspective – to ensure that projects are welcomed and supported by communities hosting them – and, more broadly, to ensure that the carbon removal industry is built on a strong foundation that is considering not just the technology but also the people it affects. The CDR RDT training helps provide an understanding of what it means to deploy carbon removal projects in a responsible way, bringing together a range of voices and resources.”
Katie Lebling, Associate, World Resources Institute
"Carbon removal has the potential to bring significant benefits to Tribal communities but it also has the potential to bring significant risks, which is why responsible deployment and two-way dialogue is so critical to ensure that projects maximize benefits and minimize risks. With resources like the CDR RDT training, project developers can learn more about foundational concepts for community engagement."
Francesca Hillery, Communications & Program Director, Building Tribal Leadership
"Carbon solutions should not be at the expense of already vulnerable communities. It is not debatable that the United States has exploited and experimented with the lives of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous people for centuries. CDR RDT is an opportunity to learn from past mistakes and truly develop solutions in the safest and most equitable way possible--not by creating more Black and Brown sacrifice zones. Authentic community engagement grounded in the 17 Principles of Environmental Justice and the Jemez Principles is critical."
LaTricea Adams, President and CEO, Black Millennials 4 Flint
“The success of carbon removal requires commitment to centering environmental and climate justice in its development and deployment. It is critical for developers to prioritize engagement and deliver tangible benefits that suit the needs of the communities interested in hosting their projects. As a contributor to the CDR Responsible Deployment Training, my hope is that it will be utilized as an introduction to a broader pursuit of understanding that drives meaningful action. I am grateful to represent an organization that deeply values a responsible approach to carbon removal.”
Delaney Pues, Senior Fellow, Carbon Business Council
“We are glad to see the Carbon Business Council's continued leadership on creating tools and actionable guidance for responsible deployment of carbon removal projects. Providing early stage practitioners clear principles and guidelines to follow as they conduct their projects for the first time will increase their likelihood of success, help to build a shared language for evaluating impact, and enable additional community input.”
Brad Rocklin, Director of Partnerships, Running Tide
"Responsible deployment of carbon removal technologies is crucial to build a just and equitable industry that supports communities, as well as our planet. However, responsible deployment can be complex and approaches will vary depending on characteristics of the location. Carbon removal companies and practitioners need resources and tools such as the Carbon Business Council's online training to help them craft a responsible and community centric approach to their projects. Widespread responsible deployment by carbon removal companies is critical to grow public trust for the broader industry and can serve as a model for other nascent environmental industries."
Dr. Nathan Walworth, Vice President; Head of Microbiome Science, Vesta
"As a pioneer of high-road principles to govern responsible and just carbon removal -- we know the Carbon Business Council's responsible deployment training can be a vital in resourcing technologists and carbon removal advocates alike, with the tools and methods necessary to invest in communities; address past industrial injustices; and usher in the jobs & economic momentum of a new American industry. As a direct air capture company we believe that there need not be a contradiction between moving at the speed and scale we need to decarbonize our planet -- while also being responsive to the people and places we seek to call home. Whether it is company commitments, industry norms or legislated requirements, we strongly support CDR that does right by communities and the climate – and we applaud the CBC as an ally in getting us there."
Vikrum Aiyer, Head of Global Public Policy at Heirloom
"Community engagement is embedded in the DNA of CarbonCapture Inc. As we develop Project Bison, we believe that the success of our DAC deployment is contingent on building up communities in Wyoming and respecting their unique values. We recommend the CDR RDT training course for other companies trying to improve their community engagement game. It’s an important tool for project developers who seek to learn how to responsibly scale carbon removal."
Matt Bright, Director of External Affairs, CarbonCapture Inc.
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Carbon Business Council (CO2BC), a member-driven and tech-neutral trade association of companies unified to restore the climate, is the preeminent industry voice for carbon management innovators. Together, the nonprofit coalition represents more than 100 companies and organizations across six continents with more than $16.5 billion dollars in combined assets.
XPRIZE is an established global leader in designing, launching, and executing large scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. The XPRIZE unique model democratizes innovation by incentivizing crowd-sourced, scientifically viable solutions to create a more equitable and abundant future for all.
