World Resources Institute report flags biomass carbon removal scaling for net zero

The World Resources Institute released an update on January 14, 2026, highlighting rapid growth in biomass carbon removal and storage as a pathway for companies addressing hard-to-abate emissions. The report's emphasis on waste-based feedstocks and standardized verification signals tightening expectations for high-integrity carbon credits that Indian corporates with net-zero pledges will increasingly need to navigate.

The World Resources Institute released a major update on January 14, 2026, highlighting rapid growth in the carbon dioxide removal sector, focusing on Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) as a pathway for hard-to-abate emissions. BiCRS relies on photosynthesis to capture atmospheric carbon, then processes biomass to lock carbon in stable forms for centuries. Pyrolysis, producing biochar and bio-oil, leads the market for stability and commercial viability. Other methods include biomass burial and deep injection of organic waste slurries into geological formations, bridging nature-based and high-tech removal solutions.

Corporate buyers, carbon credit developers and agricultural-residue suppliers are affected. Companies such as Graphyte and Charm Industrial already deliver verified removal credits, with some facilities expecting to remove tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide annually by early 2026. The report emphasizes using waste residues from agriculture and forestry rather than purpose-grown crops, warning that diverting productive farmland for carbon removal could increase food prices or harm biodiversity. Implementing bodies must prioritize projects utilizing existing waste streams to ensure a truly net-negative atmospheric impact.

Corporate climate buyers and investors should monitor the fragmented measurement, reporting and verification landscape, which currently lacks a unified standard and creates confusion limiting carbon credit market scalability. The European Union is moving toward a centralized registry for carbon removals, slated for full implementation by 2028, which affected entities should track for global market integration. Early investment in waste-based BiCRS provides a hedge against future carbon taxes and supports compliance with tightening ESG disclosure requirements as voluntary pledges transition to regulated, high-integrity markets.

Key figure — EU carbon removal registry: full implementation slated for 2028