The latest science affirms that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by mid-century requires both deep emissions reductions and natural and technological carbon removal. Direct air capture (DAC) is one carbon removal technology that is receiving growing investment and interest. Understanding its environmental and social impacts will be critical to scaling up responsibly and equitably.
This paper discusses the expected environmental impacts - local and distributed - of building and operating DAC plants in the United States. It provides considerations related to decision-making and DAC siting, including responsible scaling and equitable distribution of benefits, as well as policy and procedural recommendations.
DAC is expected to have similar onsite resource usage impacts as other types of industrial infrastructure, but produce zero or almost zero onsite emissions that could negatively impact human health or the environment, particularly if powered by renewable energy. Responsible project design and regulation under the existing US environmental regulatory framework can reduce adverse environmental impacts onsite and in relevant supply chains.