⚙️💡Introducing S(#CDR)Gs: A New Campaign for Carbon Dioxide Removal 🌱📊
The Sustainable Development Goals (#SDGs) have been the most successful awareness campaign in history for sustainability. Inspired by their impact, I am calling for the United Nations to organize a similar campaign specifically for Carbon Dioxide Removal (#CDR): the Sustainable Carbon Dioxide Removal Goals (S(CDR)Gs).
Just like the 17 main #SDGs with their numerous sub-targets, S(CDR)Gs should have overarching goals and detailed sub-targets, possibly including:
🔄 Capacity development
🔬 Interim technology milestones
⚖️ Goals for standardizing terms and definitions
📊 Consistent and standardized measurement targets
🌐 Development of new global reporting standards
🔭 Monitoring technology and method targets
📜 Established standards for field and documentation verification
🧪 Technology-specific targets
⚙️ Development and adoption of regulations
📚 Policy guidance to create a unified global perspective
💰 Costing and pricing targets
etc.
While setting community benefit goals may seem secondary, the primary focus must be on urgently removing as much carbon from the atmosphere as possible. For engineered projects, this is critical, unlike nature-based solutions that inherently involve community collaboration.
Although the scope of #CDR may appear narrower than the #SDGs, the urgency and impact cannot be understated. Despite the broad aims of the SDGs, the 2024 “Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals - Report of the Secretary-General” highlights how far we still are from achieving them. It states, “In the area of climate and biodiversity, despite some reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries, greenhouse concentrations hit record highs in 2022, with real-time data in 2023 indicating a continued rise. Carbon dioxide levels have surged to 150% above pre-industrial levels. Public funding for oil, coal, and gas production and consumption more than doubled from 2021 to 2022 and tripled since 2015, hindering progress towards a net-zero transition. Ocean acidification is on the rise and will persist if CO2 emissions continue to climb. Species extinction risk is worsening, with a 12% decline in the aggregate Red List Index since 1993.”
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, mandated countries to create new agendas. Currently, I believe that half of the ministers in these countries might not even know what CDR stands for. If these nations were compelled to adopt an agenda for CDR, the potential for rapid collective action is exhilarating.
#ClimateAction #Sustainability #SDG #CarbonRemoval #UN #UNDP #GlobalGoals #Innovation #EnvironmentalImpact
Deputy Director, Building Safety and Quality Assurance/ Coordinator, Buildings and Climate
1moMinistry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development is finalising the setting up of a Standing Committee for Product Category Rules (PCRs). This Committee would be similar to a Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Technical Committee but different in that PCRs are non-binding. This initiative is developed through consensus deliberations amongst our stakeholders. Focal area for the committee would be coming up with a PCR for Material Circularity on Construction and Demolition Waste for reuse of concrete waste to guide our Contractors, Suppliers, Communities, Researchers and Regulators on the quality, environmental requirements, emissions reduction targets, biodiversity conservation requirements, health and safety requirements, disposal, collection, storage, re-processing, pricing, types of allowed reuse, and total lifecycle assessment methodologies. In this manner we are working to co-create the Building Safety Standards, for Buildings Breakthrough in Kenya.