Novel forms of carbon dioxide removal—including direct air capture and biochar—account for just 0.1% of the 2.2 billion tonnes of CO2 removed globally each year, according to the third edition of an independent scientific assessment published on Tuesday. While they have grown by 40% annually, their current scale is so small that only one-fifth of planned new capacity has actually been delivered. Countries have pledged approximately 2.7 billion tonnes of removal by 2035 and 3.6 billion by 2050, but the report notes climate pathways require far more, leaving a widening gap; Microsoft, which has bought 82% of novel CDR credits, reportedly paused purchases in April, and no G20 country has a legally binding removal target after 2025 NDC submissions failed to raise ambition.