carboncarrying

Carboncarrying is a term used to discuss the management of carbon within complex systems. It generally refers to the movement, transport, storage, or transfer of carbon—whether as carbon dioxide, carbon-containing molecules, or carbon credits—across processes, sectors, or geographies. There is no universally accepted definition, and the term remains a neologism used in various contexts with differing emphases.

In policy and industry discussions, carboncarrying may describe the chain of custody for carbon across a product’s life cycle or the logistics of carbon capture, transport, and storage (CCS). In this view, it emphasizes how carbon moves through supply chains and geographies, affecting accounting, risks, and incentives. In scientific and engineering contexts, carboncarrying can refer to the ability of materials or catalysts to transport carbon atoms or carbon-containing groups during reactions or in adsorptive media.

Supporters argue that carboncarrying highlights the interconnected nature of carbon flows and the importance of transport and storage in achieving net-zero goals. Critics note the lack of standard definitions can confuse policy design and data reporting.

Related topics include carbon capture and storage, carbon accounting, life cycle assessment, carbon footprint, and carbon markets.