Submission from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on the “Call for Input 2022 – activities involving removals under the Article 6.4 Mechanism of the Paris Agreement”

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) submits that the Article 6.4 mechanism must focus on near-term emissions reductions and the phase-out of fossil fuels rather than carbon removals. CIEL warns that relying on removals risks temperature overshoot beyond 1.5°C, which could lead to irreversible tipping points. The submission critiques land-based removals for their impermanence and limited capacity, and describes engineered removals like BECCS and DACCS as speculative technologies that threaten food sovereignty, land rights, and biodiversity. It further argues that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) primarily serves to prolong fossil fuel reliance and has a history of underperformance. Finally, CIEL calls for the establishment of robust human rights safeguards and an independent grievance redress mechanism for all Article 6.4 activities.

• The Article 6.4 mechanism should prioritize immediate emissions reductions and the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C, as relying on removals may delay urgent action and lead to irreversible climate tipping points.
• Land-based carbon sequestration, including reforestation and restoration, is limited by available land and the risk of impermanence due to wildfires, drought, and floods, meaning these activities cannot offset ongoing fossil fuel emissions.
• Engineered removal technologies such as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) and Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) are speculative, cannot be deployed at scale, and pose significant risks to human rights, food sovereignty, and biodiversity.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Submission from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on the “Call for Input 2022 – activities involving removals under the Article 6.4 Mechanism of the Paris Agreement”. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CIEL-Submission-on-Article-6.4-Removals.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Submission from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on the “Call for Input 2022 – activities involving removals under the Article 6.4 Mechanism of the Paris Agreement”. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CIEL-Submission-on-Article-6.4-Removals.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Submission from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on the “Call for Input 2022 – activities involving removals under the Article 6.4 Mechanism of the Paris Agreement” |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CIEL-Submission-on-Article-6.4-Removals.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndsubmission, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Submission from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on the “Call for Input 2022 – activities involving removals under the Article 6.4 Mechanism of the Paris Agreement”}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CIEL-Submission-on-Article-6.4-Removals.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }