Safe Landing Climates Lighthouse Activity

We will explore the acceptability and climate implications of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) systems (including bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)) while maintaining food and water supply, preserving biodiversity, and limiting ocean acidification. A further goal is to assess the risk of surprises or a rapid change in Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), including large or rapid carbon release (e.g., from permafrost melt, large scale fires, or the Southern Ocean), the reversibility of the anthropogenic perturbation, and climate and carbon cycle feedbacks in the context of negative emissions. We will also explore metrics for controlling short- vs. long-lived forcing in the context of negative emissions, and implications for allowable GHG emissions in the context of the Paris Agreement. We will build an understanding of the coupled carbon-energy-water cycle, impact on food, water supply, and biodiversity.

Outcomes:

  • Improved observation and modelling of terrestrial biogeochemistry (in particular permafrost) and possible future sources of GHGs, as well as the ocean carbon cycle, especially in the Southern Oceans.
  • Improved integration of ocean and land biogeochemistry models within Earth System Models to better constrain the future evolution of natural GHGs sources and sinks in a world with negative emissions
  • Improved understanding of the risk of land/ocean CO2 release when atmospheric CO2 decreases
  • Assessment of CDR strategies (efficacy, side effects, etc.).

Working Group:

Pierre Friedlingstein (Lead)  University of Exeter, Paris Sciences et Lettres University UK
Neil Harris (Lead) Cranfield University UK
Ana Bastos Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry Germany
Jamie Collins Environmental Defense Fund USA
Chris Jones Met Office Hadley Centre UK
Roland Séférian CNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS France
Gyami Shrestha Lynker Corporation USA
Sophie Szopa Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace France

Contact: Narelle van der Wel - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliate Members:

Kevin Bourne IHS Markit UK
Matthieu Carré IPSL-LOCEAN, CNRS France
John Dunne NOAA/OAR/GFDL USA
Nirmal Kavindra Kularathne University of Sri Jayewardenepura Sri Lanka
Lisa Miller Insitute of Ocean Sciences/Fisheries and Oceans Canada Canada
Prajakta Mohite MSc Student India
Vinod Kumar Nathan SASTRA Deemed to be University India
Abdalla  Osman Adam Abdalla  University of Bahri  Sudan
Hira Saif Government College University Lahore Pakistan
Cristina Schultz Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (NOAA/GFDL)/ Princeton University USA
Jörg Schwinger NORCE Climate & Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research Norway
Norman Steinert NORCE Climate & Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research Norway
Caroline Thaler Laboratoire des sciences du climat et de l'environnement (LSCE) France