CLIMATE INNOVATION

Canada has the talent, resources, and expertise to lead the world in developing and scaling innovative Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) solutions.

Senator Deacon is committed to championing policies that catalyze groundbreaking technologies and processes designed to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. By turning innovation into economically viable solutions, Canada can strengthen its position as a global leader in the fight against climate change.

  • Direct Air Capture (DAC): Clearing the Air

    Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere, storing it safely and permanently underground.

    Direct Air Capture (DAC) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) serve distinct roles in combating climate change. CCS is a “point-source” solution—important, but limited to mitigating emissions from specific sources. In contrast, DAC captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere, making it a more impactful option in the fight against climate change.

    With projects already operational in Iceland and new facilities underway in Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia, DAC is at the forefront of carbon removal efforts. DAC credits, valued up to 10x higher than the federal carbon price, offer the greatest certainty in combating climate change.

  • Nature-Based CDR: Harnessing the Power of Nature

    Nature-based Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) methods leverage and accelerate processes in nature to sequester carbon.

    Decades of ocean research reveal that rising atmospheric CO2 has led to ocean acidification. Reversing acidification locally not only restore ocean health but also remove CO2 from the atmosphere, storing it safely as dissolved salts in seawater. Agricultural soils and forests play a crucial role in capturing carbon by boosting photosynthesis, with the potential to draw down massive amounts of CO2 when scaled.

    Optimizing these processes can remove vast amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere and restore the health of our ecosystems.

Key Resources

  • August 15th, 2024

    “If a room is increasingly filling with smoke, it’s important to slow how quickly that’s happening. But remember, things are still getting worse, just more slowly. At some point, you’ve got to start to clear the air. The same is true for greenhouse gases.”

    In this piece, Senator Deacon discusses how to craft programs and policies that will catalyze the investment needed to scale existing and emerging technologies for carbon dioxide removal. To enable the success of innovators in this space, Senator Deacon argues that Canada needs an entrepreneurial approach that involves political leaders, government officials, regulators, and academia to enable the success of private sector innovators in this space. Click here to read the full piece.

  • March 21st, 2022

    In this special agriculture policy edition of Hill Times, Senator Deacon writes an opinion piece on the potential of incentivizing carbon sequestration and regenerative agricultural practices. He argues that carbon sequestration can be a viable solution to mitigate climate change effects, enhance the resiliency of Canada’s agricultural production capacity, and increase farm-gate revenue for Canadian producers. Click to read the full opinion.

  • September 20th, 2022

    Following engagements with academic specialists and industry leaders, the Office of Senator Colin Deacon has garnered considerable evidence that Canadian agriculture can play a meaningful role in addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through biological carbon sequestration and agricultural innovation. Further benefits include increasing soil health and the resilience of crops to extreme weather events and, consequently, agricultural productivity; increases to farm-gate revenue; and the opportunity to re-establish Canada as a global leader in agriculture exports, agri-tech and agricultural innovation.

    Click here to read the paper. Version française du document incluse.