Community perceptions of and preconditions for direct air capture in the U.S.

Abstract Direct air capture (DAC) has gained traction in climate policy as a promising method for carbon dioxide removal. How – and whether – DAC should be pursued as a climate strategy and deployed as local infrastructure, however, will rely on its ability to secure social license to operate (SLO), given the frequent disconnect between broad public perceptions of technologies and perceptions among host communities. There is also a growing need for the deployment of climate infrastructure like DAC to be responsive to environmental justice (EJ) and just transition (JT) principles. However, relatively little research exists on how communities may respond to DAC deployment locally, and the EJ and JT considerations they may evoke. In this study, we use a mixed-methods approach to evaluate public and community perceptions of DAC. We find that while communities may be generally open to the idea of DAC being deployed in their communities, the conditions under which DAC is realized are likely to determine levels of acceptance and support. The most important determinants of project support are community involvement in planning and implementation and expected benefits. This is perhaps especially important for infrastructure like DAC, which offers few if any direct local benefits (i.e., clean energy or air quality improvements). Building on recent trends, policies aimed at advancing DAC could include designated resources for community involvement and benefits in order to improve the likelihood of projects securing SLO and abiding by EJ and JT principles.