Climate change is a complex issue, and one of the primary drivers is the increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere. To combat this, we need to not only reduce emissions but also actively remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. Companies like Mammoth in Iceland are already building CO₂ destruction facilities, but the challenge is that these projects are expensive (costing $10-20 million) and currently do not generate revenue. To address this, we need a system that motivates more people and companies to build CO₂ destroyers.
What if they could make money by removing CO₂ from the atmosphere? This might sound like a far-fetched idea, but let me explain step by step how this could work.
I will partner with at least 10 CO₂ destruction companies from 10 different countries. These companies will be the backbone of the system, as they will verify and validate the destruction of CO₂.
A total of 100 million tokens will be created, and no more will ever be produced. These tokens are not mined through traditional means but are earned by destroying CO₂.
To earn tokens, a company must destroy a certain amount of CO₂ (e.g., a few tons).
Other companies in the network will vote to verify that the CO₂ destruction is real and meets the required standards.
Once verified, the company receives tokens, which they can sell to investors or hold as an asset.
What if someone cheats? If a company tries to falsify data or cheat the system, the other companies in the network will notice. Since they all have a vested interest in maintaining the integrity of the system, they will work hard to make sure that no one can cheat. Also, 1 vote is enough to prevent someone from getting a token. So this system would only be corrupt if everyone is, and I think that is unlikely to happen. Also, within one company, multiple people will have voting rights, almost everyone who understands how to filter CO₂, so unless every single person in every single company in every single country is corrupt, this system will work.
If fraud is proven, the offending company will be permanently removed from the network.
As more CO₂ destroyers join the network, the number of tokens awarded per ton of CO₂ destroyed will decrease. This ensures that early adopters are rewarded more, creating an incentive for companies to build CO₂ destruction facilities sooner rather than later.
The value of these tokens is tied to the difficulty of earning them. Just like Bitcoin, where money is hard to create, these tokens are hard to earn because destroying CO₂ is expensive and resource-intensive. This scarcity will drive up the value of the tokens over time, making them a good investment for those who believe in the future of carbon removal.
To truly stop climate change, scientists estimate that we need to remove at least 500 gigatons of CO₂ from the atmosphere. The goal of this system is to ensure that by the time all 100 million tokens are distributed, we will have destroyed at least 500 gigatons of CO₂—or more. This creates a direct link between financial incentives and environmental impact. Achieving this will cost at least $100 billion, which is why this project is so important—it provides a scalable and sustainable way to fund large-scale CO₂ removal.
This proposal introduces a system where companies are rewarded for destroying CO₂ through a limited supply of tokens. By creating financial incentives, we can motivate more companies to invest in CO₂ destruction technology, ultimately helping to combat climate change. The tokens are designed to be scarce, valuable, and tied to real-world environmental impact, making them an attractive investment opportunity while driving meaningful change for the planet.