As the world navigates a transition away from polluting fuels toward clean energy, most climate scientists acknowledge that we must also remove climate pollution that has already been dumped into the atmosphere. The call for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) grows stronger as new analyses find that the global community is not on track to curb dangerous levels of climate pollution. CDR is integrated into California’s plan to meet its 2030 and 2045 climate goals. This panel will explore the science of CDR as well as the importance of engaging, protecting, and benefiting local communities with CDR projects.