Removing carbon from the Earth’s atmosphere necessitates a deep understanding of complex science. Scientific research in this space is ongoing across the globe and best practice is evolving at breakneck speed. The Isometric Science Platform, which launches today, will help to accelerate the rate at which cutting-edge science is applied to the quantification of carbon dioxide removals (CDR).
The Science Platform provides a third-party forum for CDR suppliers to surface their reported activity and protocols in development, to receive feedback from the Isometric Network of scientists. At the core of the Isometric’s Network is the internal Isometric Science Team who facilitates collaborations to drive consensus building, alignment with standards and internal consistency in quantification of removals among pathways.
Reported activity is supplier-provided data that hasn’t yet been fully verified and credited on a registry. In some cases, reported activity on the Science Platform represents CDR projects that the supplier has completed. In others, reported activity represents a removal that is planned for the future, with the expected date range for these removals.
Protocols describe how CDR is quantified. The Science Platform contains protocols that are provided by the supplier, as well as protocols that are being directly developed by Isometric. In cases where Isometric is developing the protocol, Isometric is listed as an author alongside any partners. For all protocols that are listed on the Science Platform, Isometric’s internal Science Team has begun the initial review process. Expert review cycles and public consultations on protocols will follow.
Data-rich carbon removal credits will be issued on the Isometric Registry–to be launched later this year–with removals verified against protocols developed through the Science Platform. The Isometric Registry Standard, which will include our requirements for verification and associated international standards, will be released in the coming months.
If you’re a scientist looking to bring your expertise into industry to increase your impact, consider joining the Isometric Network. We greatly value transparency and collaboration among the CDR community. To that end, there are no exclusivity requirements for any scientists in the Isometric Network. We look forward to working together to close the loop between science and industry and multiply our efforts for real climate impact.
Cover image by United States Geological Survey
