As the effects of climate change become more visible – from extreme weather such as prolonged droughts to intensified storms – there is an urgent need to build climate resilience in the regions most affected. While cutting emissions is critical, it’s only part of the picture. To build a truly climate-safe future and a thriving, inclusive global economy, we also need to remove the carbon that’s already in the atmosphere.

That’s where carbon removal comes in. It’s not just a tool for stabilising the climate—it’s the backbone of long-term environmental and economic resilience, especially for countries on the front lines of climate change.

The role of carbon removal: What's the difference between climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience?

To understand the role of carbon removal, it helps to start with three key climate concepts: mitigation, adaptation and resilience.

Mitigation means tackling the root causes of climate change by reducing or removing greenhouse gas emissions. Think renewable energy, reforestation, and carbon removal technologies.
Adaptation is about responding to the changes that are already happening. That might include switching to drought-resistant crops, strengthening coastal infrastructure, or improving access to clean water.
Resilience brings it all together. It’s about strengthening systems—both ecological and economic—so they can not only survive shocks but thrive in a changing world.

Carbon removal supports all three concepts:

Mitigation is supported as it actively reduces the CO₂ already warming the planet. The IPCC estimates that billions of tonnes of carbon must be removed this century to meet global climate targets—much of it from or within the Global South, where land and biomass potential are significant.
Adaptation is supported via nature-based solutions like agroforestry and soil carbon practices can improve yields by up to 40% in degraded tropical soils and provide climate resilience for smallholder farmers.
Resilience is supported as carbon removal helps buffer communities against climate extremes, improve food security, and diversify income streams—key pillars of stability in developing regions.

A climate-smart economic opportunity

Carbon removal isn’t just a climate solution—it’s an economic opportunity. A recent report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) makes the case clear: allowing global warming to reach 3°C by 2100 could reduce cumulative economic output by 15% to 34%. On the other hand, investing just 1% to 2% of global GDP in mitigation and adaptation could limit warming to 2°C—and reduce climate damages to just 2% to 4% of GDP.

For the Global South, the stakes are especially high. These regions are most exposed to climate risk, yet often lack the financial buffers to absorb economic shocks. The net cost of inaction, BCG notes, could amount to a staggering 11% to 27% of cumulative GDP by 2100.

That’s why investing in carbon removal is not just about climate—it’s about resilience, development, and economic self-determination. Nature-based carbon removal in particular can:

1. Create local, nature-based jobs: Community-led reforestation, mangrove restoration, and soil carbon projects already support hundreds of thousands of jobs across Africa, Asia and Latin America. For example, the Great Green Wall initiative has generated over 350,000 jobs while restoring degraded land across the Sahel.

2. Boost food production and soil health: In India’s Maharashtra region, farmers using biochar—a low-tech soil additive that stores carbon—have seen crop yields rise by 20–30%, while improving soil resilience. This is critical in regions where agriculture employs the majority of the workforce.

3. Strengthen climate resilience: Africa loses up to 34 billion tonnes of fertile soil each year to degradation. Meanwhile, over 70% of Southeast Asia’s population lives in coastal areas at risk from rising seas. Carbon removal methods like reforestation, agroecology and mangrove protection reduce these risks while delivering co-benefits like flood control and clean water.

4. Unlock climate finance and access global markets: With the voluntary carbon market projected to reach $50 billion by 2030, countries across the Global South are positioning themselves as leaders in nature-based removal. Initiatives like theAfrican Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) aim to scale high-integrity credits that deliver climate and development benefits—targeting 300 million credits annually by 2030.

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Building climate and economic resilience: Why we must act now and scale carbon removal

The window to limit global warming and avoid the most damaging climate outcomes is rapidly closing. While carbon removal is essential for long-term climate stability, we are far behind where we need to be—and the path forward is time-sensitive.

According to the IPCC, even the most ambitious emissions reductions will not be enough to reach net zero by mid-century without large-scale carbon dioxide removal. Yet today, less than 0.1 million tonnes of durable CDR are being delivered globally each year, compared to the 7–9 billion tonnes per year required by 2050 to meet Paris Agreement targets. Without early investment and policy support, scale-up will be slow—and costs will remain high.

If we delay action:

The cost of carbon removal will remain out of reach, especially for small and medium-sized buyers.
The Global South may miss out on early-stage finance and capacity building, further entrenching inequality in the carbon economy.
The climate clock keeps ticking, and the longer we wait, the more pressure we place on ecosystems, technology, and global markets to deliver gigatonne-scale removals later on.

Acting early means lowering long-term costs, expanding access to high-integrity credits, strengthening social and environmental safeguards, and ensuring that local communities help shape – and benefit from – the carbon economy. Whether you’re new to carbon removal or looking to scale your efforts, Opna is here to help you take the next step toward a sustainable future.