September 2026
The Potsdam Institut for Climate Impact Research has analyzed how 103 European “Mission Cities” intend to compensate their remaining residual emissions in their Climate Neutrality Action Plans (CNAPs). The study reveals a wide range of approaches: some cities rely almost entirely on temporary measures such as conventional offsets, while others already integrate permanent carbon‑removal strategies — including biochar. The visualizations show that cities combine permanent CDR methods, temporary CDR approaches, and carbon credits in very different ways.
A key finding is that permanent CO₂ removals (such as biochar) are currently used by only a subset of cities, even though they are essential for achieving genuine net‑zero targets. Many cities still depend heavily on temporary compensation measures, which are insufficient to neutralize residual emissions in the long term. The heatmaps in the article highlight which strategies tend to occur together and where clear gaps or inconsistencies exist.
Cities are beginning to incorporate permanent carbon‑removal solutions into their climate strategies — but the potential remains far from fully tapped. Biochar can play a significant role, both as an urban soil amendment (e.g., urban greening, soil carbon sequestration) and as a component in construction materials (timber and other bio‑based products). The study underscores the importance of informing cities early about scalable, durable CDR options.
Link to article: European cities aim to offset one‑fifth of their emissions through CO₂ removal, but implementation remains unclear