Carbon Market Watch launches 'CO2ol Down' campaign to influence EU’s post-2030 climate plan, emphasizing emissions reduction, carbon sequestration, while calling out unproven, misguided removal technologies; group aims to build science-backed consensus

Carbon Market Watch colleagues met on 11 December to brainstorm a name and a logo to accentuate our Milkywire Climate Transformation Fund supported carbon dioxide removals (CDR) campaign.

This campaign aims to influence the European Commission’s post-2030 climate framework so that emissions reductions are prioritised, with carbon sequestration in the land sector and permanent removals playing a supporting role aiming to deliver net-negative carbon emissions by removing CO₂ from the atmosphere.

Science supports this position that can be best realised by introducing separate and specific targets for emissions reductions, carbon sequestration in the land sector and permanent removals in its post-2030 framework. However, there is a lingering danger that policymakers may be seduced by a fantasy hope that future or unproven removals technologies will save the day.

With daily reminders throughout 2023, the warmest year in recorded history, that the climate is at risk of surpassing the 1.5°C guardrail outlined in the Paris Agreement and as “novel, technology-based, CDR methods currently provide just 0.1% of CDR from the atmosphere,” the industrial focus on applied science coming to the rescue remains pure science-fiction.

Working with others

To build consensus around this science-based position, Carbon Market Watch has reached out to a range of organisations, businesses and academics. Our open letter will be released in January, prior to the European Commission’s Communication on the EU climate target for 2040 and its accompanying impact assessment, but those wishing to join our campaign beyond the letter’s release are welcome to continue adding their voice. There is strength in numbers.

One of the challenges for our research organisation has been to create appealing imagery and a title for this campaign. That is why we banged our heads together and gathered around the whiteboard to embolden our campaign goals with a dose of creativity to design a thought provoking name and an eye-catching logo.

CO2llaboration

The central theme of this project is “working together to create a collaborative approach on a emissions reductions first carbon removals policy in the EU.” It is fair to say it doesn’t roll easily off the tongue.

After toying with ideas that combined CO2 with words beginning with the letters ‘co’ such as collaboration, cooperation and cocreation the team were close to, but unconvinced by the wording.

As colleagues talked it over we eventually swam together towards the idea of ‘Cool Down’ or ‘CO₂ol Down’ which paints a clearer and more interesting picture than the other ‘co’ words and confirms the climate focussed aim of our campaign. The next challenge will be bringing this vision to life.

Check out photos below from our brainstorming session and stay tuned for our next update!

Co-creativity: Colleagues met in person and online to brainstorm the campaign identity.

Drawing board: The early ideas that helped to shape and develop Cooldown.

Thinking it through: The team discusses the good ideas… and the not so good ideas.

Putting a line through it: Scribbling out the ideas left behind.

White smoke: We have a name and a logo.