Carbon Direct Releases Criteria for High-Quality Marine CDR in Collaboration with Microsoft

New standards aim to support buyers and developers in advancing scientifically rigorous, scalable mCDR solutions

Key Takeaways:

• New standards for marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) – Carbon Direct and Microsoft release science-based criteria to guide high-quality mCDR project development and carbon credit purchases.
  
• Supporting scalable, durable carbon removal – The criteria address key principles such as environmental integrity, monitoring, durability, and social impact.
  
• Advancing responsible ocean-based solutions – With growing investment in mCDR, the new guidance helps ensure safe, effective, and transparent deployment.

NEW YORK—Carbon Direct, in collaboration with Microsoft, today announced the release of new criteria for high-quality marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR), setting a higher standard for social impact, monitoring, durability, and environmental integrity in the rapidly evolving mCDR space.

Since 2021, Carbon Direct and Microsoft have worked to develop and refine science-based guidance for carbon removal project developers and credit buyers across both established and emerging pathways. The newly released mCDR criteria come in response to advancements in the technical readiness of select mCDR technologies and recent market activity.

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The Need for Scalable, High-Quality Carbon Removal

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that limiting global temperature rise in line with the Paris Agreement requires removing 100–1000 billion metric tonnes (GtCO₂) of carbon dioxide by 2100. To meet this challenge, carbon removal projects must collectively scale to remove 5–10 GtCO₂ annually by midcentury.

Brian Marrs, Senior Director, Energy Markets at Microsoft, said, "With rapid technological progress and increased investment, marine carbon dioxide removal has the potential to deliver durable, large-scale CO₂ removal—potentially billions of tonnes per year in the coming decades. By establishing rigorous new mCDR criteria, we aim to help project developers build high-integrity solutions that maximize both environmental and social benefits."

Dr. Matthew Potts, Chief Science Officer at Carbon Direct, said, "mCDR is at a pivotal moment. Achieving high-quality outcomes requires rigorous monitoring, transparency, and scientific integrity to ensure safe and effective deployment. Given the vast spatial scale, the data-intensive nature of ocean-based carbon removal, and the deep connection between these projects and marine ecosystems, clear standards are essential for responsible development."

The new criteria establish clear guidance for meeting high-quality standards across key principles, including:

• Social harms, benefits, and community engagement
  
• Environmental harms and benefits
  
• Additionality and baselines
  
• Measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification
  
• Durability
  
• Leakage

Carbon Direct and Microsoft will continue refining these criteria through annual updates as part of their broader commitment to high-integrity carbon removal solutions.

To learn more about mCDR, read the blog from Carbon Direct: www.carbon-direct.com/insights/marine-carbon-dioxide-removal-what-it-is-and-how-it-works

To read the Criteria for High-Quality Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal, visit: https://www.carbon-direct.com/research-and-reports/criteria-for-high-quality-marine-carbon-dioxide-removal

About Carbon Direct

Carbon Direct is the leader in science-based carbon management. We help emerging and established climate leaders like Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, American Express, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, JetBlue, and The Russell Family Foundation drive scalable and just impact through deep decarbonization strategies and carbon dioxide removal. With Carbon Direct’s scientific approach, organizations can confidently set targets and measure their emissions, implement reductions across their operations and supply chain, and build high-quality carbon dioxide removal into their climate plans to accelerate impact. To learn more visit: www.carbon-direct.com.