Direct Air Capture (DAC) refers to a process that removes CO2 from the atmosphere by moving ambiant air through a DAC system which contains a filter material (sorbent) that captures CO2 molecules.

The two main uses of DAC are utilization (DAC+U) and storage (DAC+S). Through utilization, e-fuels and e-chemicals are produced. Through storage, DAC+S is able to remove residual and historic CO2 emissions.

CO2 removed from the atmosphere and stored properly through DAC+S is considered one of the highest quality carbon removal methods.

The process of mineralization of CO2 ("enhanced mineralization" or "enhanced weathering") involves reacting alkaline (measure of potential to neutralize acid, typically through CO2 uptake) materials with CO2 to form solid carbonate minerals. These materials can be sourced naturally from minerals or from industrial and mining waste. Carbon mineralization already occurs naturally in alkaline environments, but it can be enhanced and sped up for climate change mitigation.

Afforestation and Forest Management includes active modification of forestry practices to promote forest biomass and carbon storage. Improved forest management includes lengthening harvest schedules to increase the age of the forest, proper fire mitigation techniques, and managing the brush and lower vegetation level. Afforestation focuses on growing new trees and forest cover where trees did not exist before.

While individual trees are not considered permanent stores of carbon dioxide as carbon dioxide is released when trees decompose, forests with proper growth and management techniques that exist indefinitely and consistantly promoted sustained growth can be considered carbon stores.

Soil carbon sequestration is a method for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by increasing the carbon content of soil through changes in land management practices. The amount of carbon in soil is determined by inputs from litter, residues, roots, etc. Utilizing methods such as no-till agriculture to limit soil disturbances, planting cover crops or perennial crops, proper livestock grazing management, and applying compost or crop residues to fields can all promote soil carbon sequestration.

The ocean naturally absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through natural weathering through dissolved carbonate and bicarbonate molecules. This method of CDR proposes accelerating this natural process by adding crushed minerals (like lime) to the ocean, weathering the minerals with seawater, or adding sand or gravel on beaches and coastal seabeds that absorb carbon dioxide. These processes can also assist in mitigating the impacts of ocean acidification and protect marine ecosystems.

BECCS is bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. A form of energy production that utilizes plant biomass to create electricity, hydrogen, heat, and/or liquid fuel. This process simultaneously captures and sequesters the carbon from the biomass for storage. Because plants absorb carbon as they grow and sequester carbon, this leads to removal of CO2 from the atmosphere.

Blue carbon refers to increasing the storage of carbon in sediments and living plants of wetlands (mangroves, tidal marshes, seagrasses, etc.) fund on the coastlines.

This method of CDR focuses on restoring and expanding the wetlands and peatlands to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in sediments and biomass. Blue carbon helps restore damaged coastal habitats and ecosystems.