On 10 December, the Nordic Carbon Removal Association (NCRA) gathered for its first General Assembly, setting a bold direction of travel for the carbon removal (CDR) industry. The full Final press release – NCRA General Assembly 2025 PDF is available here.
In six short months, the NCRA has gone from Inception to impact. Bringing together close to 30 members along with external corporate stakeholders at the premises of NCRA founding member Stockholm Exergi, the day saw fruitful discussions on how companies and countries can use carbon removals to reach their net zero targets.
During the General Assembly, it was clear that the NCRA will have a key role to play in get things done as CDR, and climate action writ large, faces an uphill struggle. Members agreed on a strategy for 2026 to enshrine NCRA as the voice of the CDR ecosystem, with a clear focus on moving the needle on demand for CDR in the Nordic region. Backed by a supportive and growing membership, strategic partners, and like-minded corporates, the Association will engage with the voluntary market as well as EU, Nordic and national policymakers to generate new sources of demand for permanent carbon removal.
Europe and the Nordics are well-positioned to lead on carbon removal, with the potential for the Nordic region to become a global CDR hub. The NCRA blueprint for action on carbon removal shows that a fully developed Nordic carbon removal ecosystem could boost regional GDP by up to €17 billion by 2050. It could create almost 150 000 high-qualifying jobs. which corresponds to the total current employment within civil engineering in the Nordics.
During a side event organized in connection to the NCRA General Assembly, over 15 companies including Nasdaq, Milkywire and DNV joined discussions on the role of the voluntary carbon market in realizing the potential of Nordic CDR. Expert interventions and panel discussions focused on tangible steps to make high-quality permanent carbon removal not only a necessity, but a business opportunity.
The first general assembly of the Nordic Carbon Removal Association is only the beginning – it provides the foundation for ambitious action on carbon removal in the Nordics and beyond in 2026. Working together with members and strategic partners, the NCRA sets out to shape the policy and market outlook for CDR in the years ahead.