decarbonize

verb

de·​car·​bon·​ize (ˌ)dē-ˈkär-bə-ˌnīz 

decarbonized; decarbonizing; decarbonizes

transitive verb

1

: to remove carbon from (something)

It's usually not necessary to dismantle the engine to decarbonize it anymore.

—Allen D. Berrien

2

: to reduce the levels of carbon emissions (such as carbon dioxide) caused by or involved in (something, such as a facility, process, or organization)

… we must decarbonize the energy supply by developing forms of power that emit less greenhouse gas or none at all.

—Daniel Ben-Ami

[Steve] Cohen is confident that we will be able to decarbonize our economy in time to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.

—Renee Cho

intransitive verb

: to reduce the production of carbon emissions

Certainly, people at Airbus say they need to decarbonize, and research on battery technology for electric planes has been disappointing.

—Ned Potter

decarbonizer noun

Examples of decarbonize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The efforts could present a significant opportunity to decarbonize one of the world’s dirtiest industries, responsible for up to 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, more than aviation and shipping industries combined, according to the United Nations. —Marina Lopes, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024

However, California's desire to decarbonize its electricity grid has at times clashed with the state's notoriously stringent regulations, with a number of experts calling for red tape to be slashed in order to hit Governor Newsom's targets. —Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024

The oil major estimates decarbonizing AI data centers could represent up to 20% of its total addressable market for carbon capture and storage by 2050. —Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024

One of the most affordable and effective tools to decarbonize homes is smart technology. —Stephen Armstrong, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1