We help our clients manage CO2, scale carbon capture and removal solutions, and navigate carbon markets
What we do
Prevent CO2 from entering the atmosphere to meet net-zero targets
CCUS helps companies capture CO2 before it’s released into the atmosphere from point sources, reducing the emissions of existing infrastructure, especially for hard-to-abate sectors. We partner with clients to identify CCUS projects and industrial hubs that are resilient and adaptable with market mechanisms that balance risk and value.
Remove CO2 from the atmosphere to reduce residual emissions
Nature-based removals (NBR) and technology-based removals (TBR) help neutralize residual emissions where physical, operational, or economic barriers limit decarbonization. NBR uses natural processes while TBR employs manufactured technologies to remove CO2. We work with CDR developers, buyers, investors, and public entities to build and deploy CDR solutions.
Navigate carbon markets to capture opportunities and mitigate risk
Carbon markets allow companies and individuals to trade carbon credits and drive investment in carbon compensation and neutralization projects to offset emissions.
Corporates, investors, public-sector organizations, and NGOs use our assets and modeling to gain insight into carbon credit prices, supply, and demand in various market scenarios. We help establish infrastructure for voluntary carbon markets so clients can use them effectively.
Featured Capabilities
CCUS Hub Explorer and Cost Model
Using a suite of CCUS assets, including emissions and storage databases and cost and source-sink geospatial models, Hub Explorer helps companies identify the most cost-effective hubs and value chain configurations for their CCUS initiatives, contributing to a more efficient approach to carbon management.
CDR Solutions Tracker and Cost Models
The CDR Solutions Tracker and Cost Models are a collection of assets and proprietary data designed to help businesses and investors make informed financial decisions about how to build, invest, and deploy CDR solutions to neutralize residual emissions.
Carbon Markets Model
Our models for voluntary and compliance carbon markets provide scenarios on market demand, supply, and prices and unrivaled analytics underpinned by McKinsey’s expertise. This data can be used by investors, project developers, and companies to make strategic decisions on carbon credit procurement and investments.
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Case Studies
Carbon markets
We helped TPG embark on a new business-building journey to incubate, create, and launch Rubicon Carbon, a carbon management platform. We designed and launched two minimum viable products with purchase commitments targeting >$1 billion
Carbon Dioxide Removals (CDR)
We supported a pre-FID (final investment decision) capex optimization for the first BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) plant in a larger portfolio. Our capital expertise helped achieve 35 percent capex optimization and reduce owner risk by 50 percent.
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS)
We helped a Southeast Asian oil and gas company develop a CCS-as-a-service strategy to deliver 9 MTPA of CO2 sequestration by 2030 and >$200 million in annual cash flow with long-life CO2 offtake arrangements.
FEATURED PARTNERSHIP
Frontier is the over $1 billion advance market commitment (AMC) to purchase permanent carbon removal before 2030 by McKinsey Sustainability in collaboration with fellow founders Alphabet, Meta, Shopify, and Stripe. Frontier aims to accelerate the development of permanent carbon removal technologies and expand the global supply of carbon removal.
Our People
Vishal Agarwal
Leads our energy and basic-materials work in Southeast Asia with a focus on transformation, digital operations, and Industry 4.0
Thomas Kansy
Leads our work on carbon markets globally; helps corporations decarbonize and investors find value within the climate ecosystem, as well as launch and scale businesses
Tolga Oguz
Supports leading institutions globally on transforming businesses and meeting sustainability goals
Emma Parry
Helps clients in the public and private sectors create sustainable strategies; leads our work on Carbon Management globally and our Strategy & Corporate Finance work in the UK
Mark Patel
Advises clients across sectors on sustainability with a focus on climate technologies; leads client work across industrial, high-tech, and semiconductor sectors
Shruti Badri
Works with clients across the nature and carbon markets eco-system to accelerate their deployment and adoption
Elaine Almeida
Advises our energy sector clients in decarbonization and carbon management, focusing on direct air capture (DAC) and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), to enhance their low-carbon initiatives
Featured Insights
Report
Carbon removals: How to scale a new gigaton industry
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CO2 removal (CDR) capacity is far from the gigaton scale needed to round out businesses’ net-zero efforts by 2050. We explore a mature CDR market’s potential and possible first-mover advantages.
Article
Managing carbon: A new role for the CFO
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Better carbon management can be a competitive advantage. Here’s how CFOs across industries and markets can move beyond “check the box” compliance and enable strategy-driven, carbon-based decision making.
Article
CO2 removal solutions: A buyer’s perspective
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As climate change impact becomes increasingly apparent, the adoption of decarbonization commitments is accelerating. Companies are acting rapidly and decisively to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and neutralize residual emissions.
Report
Putting carbon markets to work on the path to net zero
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As the drive to curb global warming gathers pace, carbon markets have become increasingly fundamental to achieving net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions. Institutional investors can play a critical role.
Keep Exploring
Capabilities Solutions - Tech Tools
McKinsey Platform for Climate Technologies
We launched the McKinsey Platform for Climate Technologies (MPCT) to help clients plan, execute, and scale the implementation of critical climate technologies. We focus on the most critical technologies: those with the potential to transform our sources of energy for every industry, region, and community.
Capabilities Service Line
Green Business Building
Empowering businesses focused on creating a sustainable future
Leap
Leap by McKinsey works with established organizations to imagine, build, and scale new businesses—and develop the capabilities needed to do it again and again.
Capabilities Service Line
Decarbonization Transformation
Finding and removing carbon across the business system
Capabilities Service Line
Sustainability & Social Impact Strategies
Helping leaders and organizations rewrite the climate math equation
Collection
Natural Capital and Nature
Supporting clients in their transition to a net-zero and nature-positive economy.
Capabilities Service Line
Sustainable Investing
Steering investment capital to the areas of greatest promise
Capabilities Service Line
Net-Zero Financial Institutions
Helping banks, asset managers, and insurers decarbonize their portfolios