Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mapping

Abstract Carbon dioxide removal plays an important role in any strategy to limit global warming to well below 2 °C. Keeping abreast with the scientific evidence using rigorous evidence synthesis methods is an important prerequisite for sustainably scaling these methods. Here, we use artificial intel...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sarah Lück, Max Callaghan, Malgorzata Borchers, Annette Cowie, Sabine Fuss, Matthew Gidden, Jens Hartmann, Claudia Kammann, David P. Keller, Florian Kraxner, William F. Lamb, Niall Mac Dowell, Finn Müller-Hansen, Gregory F. Nemet, Benedict S. Probst, Phil Renforth, Tim Repke, Wilfried Rickels, Ingrid Schulte, Pete Smith, Stephen M. Smith, Daniela Thrän, Tiffany G. Troxler, Volker Sick, Mijndert van der Spek, Jan C. Minx
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61485-8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849234717951393792
author Sarah Lück
Max Callaghan
Malgorzata Borchers
Annette Cowie
Sabine Fuss
Matthew Gidden
Jens Hartmann
Claudia Kammann
David P. Keller
Florian Kraxner
William F. Lamb
Niall Mac Dowell
Finn Müller-Hansen
Gregory F. Nemet
Benedict S. Probst
Phil Renforth
Tim Repke
Wilfried Rickels
Ingrid Schulte
Pete Smith
Stephen M. Smith
Daniela Thrän
Tiffany G. Troxler
Volker Sick
Mijndert van der Spek
Jan C. Minx
author_facet Sarah Lück
Max Callaghan
Malgorzata Borchers
Annette Cowie
Sabine Fuss
Matthew Gidden
Jens Hartmann
Claudia Kammann
David P. Keller
Florian Kraxner
William F. Lamb
Niall Mac Dowell
Finn Müller-Hansen
Gregory F. Nemet
Benedict S. Probst
Phil Renforth
Tim Repke
Wilfried Rickels
Ingrid Schulte
Pete Smith
Stephen M. Smith
Daniela Thrän
Tiffany G. Troxler
Volker Sick
Mijndert van der Spek
Jan C. Minx
author_sort Sarah Lück
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Carbon dioxide removal plays an important role in any strategy to limit global warming to well below 2 °C. Keeping abreast with the scientific evidence using rigorous evidence synthesis methods is an important prerequisite for sustainably scaling these methods. Here, we use artificial intelligence to provide a comprehensive systematic map of carbon dioxide removal research. We find a total of 28,976 studies on carbon dioxide removal—3–4 times more than previously suggested. Growth in research is faster than for the field of climate change research as a whole, but very concentrated in specific areas—such as biochar, certain research methods like lab and field experiments, and particular regions like China. Patterns of carbon dioxide removal research contrast with trends in patenting and deployment, highlighting the differing development stages of these technologies. As carbon dioxide removal gains importance for the Paris climate goals, our systematic map can support rigorous evidence synthesis for the IPCC and other assessments.
format Article
id doaj-art-b78d5120f92b4358bea9f1a6cf3d646f
institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-b78d5120f92b4358bea9f1a6cf3d646f2025-08-20T04:03:03ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-61485-8Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mappingSarah Lück0Max Callaghan1Malgorzata Borchers2Annette Cowie3Sabine Fuss4Matthew Gidden5Jens Hartmann6Claudia Kammann7David P. Keller8Florian Kraxner9William F. Lamb10Niall Mac Dowell11Finn Müller-Hansen12Gregory F. Nemet13Benedict S. Probst14Phil Renforth15Tim Repke16Wilfried Rickels17Ingrid Schulte18Pete Smith19Stephen M. Smith20Daniela Thrän21Tiffany G. Troxler22Volker Sick23Mijndert van der Spek24Jan C. Minx25Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development / University of New EnglandPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)Institute for Geology, University HamburgDepartment of Applied Ecology, Hochschule Geisenheim UniversityGEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchCentre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College LondonPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchLa Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin-MadisonNet Zero Lab, Max Planck Institute for Innovation and CompetitionResearch Centre for Carbon Solutions, Heriot-Watt UniversityPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchKiel Institute for the World EconomyPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchInstitute of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of AberdeenSmith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of OxfordHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)Florida International University, Department of Earth and Environment and Institute of EnvironmentGlobal CO2 Initiative, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of MichiganResearch Centre for Carbon Solutions, Heriot-Watt UniversityPotsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchAbstract Carbon dioxide removal plays an important role in any strategy to limit global warming to well below 2 °C. Keeping abreast with the scientific evidence using rigorous evidence synthesis methods is an important prerequisite for sustainably scaling these methods. Here, we use artificial intelligence to provide a comprehensive systematic map of carbon dioxide removal research. We find a total of 28,976 studies on carbon dioxide removal—3–4 times more than previously suggested. Growth in research is faster than for the field of climate change research as a whole, but very concentrated in specific areas—such as biochar, certain research methods like lab and field experiments, and particular regions like China. Patterns of carbon dioxide removal research contrast with trends in patenting and deployment, highlighting the differing development stages of these technologies. As carbon dioxide removal gains importance for the Paris climate goals, our systematic map can support rigorous evidence synthesis for the IPCC and other assessments.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61485-8
spellingShingle Sarah Lück
Max Callaghan
Malgorzata Borchers
Annette Cowie
Sabine Fuss
Matthew Gidden
Jens Hartmann
Claudia Kammann
David P. Keller
Florian Kraxner
William F. Lamb
Niall Mac Dowell
Finn Müller-Hansen
Gregory F. Nemet
Benedict S. Probst
Phil Renforth
Tim Repke
Wilfried Rickels
Ingrid Schulte
Pete Smith
Stephen M. Smith
Daniela Thrän
Tiffany G. Troxler
Volker Sick
Mijndert van der Spek
Jan C. Minx
Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mapping
Nature Communications
title Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mapping
title_full Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mapping
title_fullStr Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mapping
title_full_unstemmed Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mapping
title_short Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mapping
title_sort scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through ai enhanced systematic mapping
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61485-8
work_keys_str_mv AT sarahluck scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT maxcallaghan scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT malgorzataborchers scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT annettecowie scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT sabinefuss scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT matthewgidden scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT jenshartmann scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT claudiakammann scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT davidpkeller scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT floriankraxner scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT williamflamb scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT niallmacdowell scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT finnmullerhansen scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT gregoryfnemet scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT benedictsprobst scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT philrenforth scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT timrepke scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT wilfriedrickels scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT ingridschulte scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT petesmith scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT stephenmsmith scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT danielathran scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT tiffanygtroxler scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT volkersick scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT mijndertvanderspek scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping
AT jancminx scientificliteratureoncarbondioxideremovalrevealedasmuchlargerthroughaienhancedsystematicmapping