Expert opinions on soil carbon dioxide removal

Abstract Soil carbon dioxide removal (soil CDR) has gained increasing attention as both a climate mitigation strategy and a target for carbon market development, yet questions remain about the scientific basis for soil CDR, the viability of market mechanisms, and the role of policy in supporting or constraining implementation. Drawing on concepts of co-production, where scientific knowledge and social order are produced together, we investigate how expertise shapes and is shaped by emerging market structures. Our study draws from an online survey and interviews with soil scientists, consultants, market actors, and other experts actively engaged in soil CDR. We examine expert views on the status of scientific knowledge, the role of different policy approaches, inclusiveness of decisionmaking, and other themes. We find that experts broadly agree that soils can contribute modestly to carbon removal, but expressed skepticism about the feasibility and reliability of monitoring, measurement, reporting, and verification (MMRV) systems. While markets dominated the framing of conversations, few respondents expressed optimism about their effectiveness, noting instead the value of co-benefits of soil CDR development like soil health and ecosystem services. These findings underscore the need to critically interrogate assumptions about markets, attend to power and governance in knowledge production, and situate soil CDR within broader social and policy contexts.