Sharing emissions and removals for meeting the Paris Agreement through a distributive and corrective justice lens

Abstract Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is critical for achieving net-zero and net-negative CO 2 emissions that can halt and potentially reverse global warming, respectively. However, reliable CDR is still costly and comes with considerable technological and ecological uncertainties. Despite the centrality of equity in the Paris Agreement, no integrated framework exists to equitably allocate responsibilities for CDR and residual emissions among countries. Here, we present a justice-based framework that separates out ethical considerations for equitably allocating gross emissions and gross CDR, addressing how these contributions shift before and after reaching global net-zero CO 2 emissions. The framework distinguishes between CDR delivered as a common good to reach a collective global climate outcome, and CDR that is used to pay off carbon debts due to emissions overconsumption. We offer a new perspective for how nations with substantial historical responsibilities and emerging economies with increasing capacities can collaborate and equitably share the CDR burden, enhancing both international cooperation and national-level climate action.