decarbonize

American  

[dee-kahr-buh-nahyz] / diˈkɑr bəˌnaɪz /

especially British, decarbonise

verb (used with object)

decarbonized, decarbonizing

1. to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide or other carbon compounds emitted into the atmosphere by the activities of (a household, industry, country, etc.).

   Our expertise is in designing new ways to decarbonize our economy, using solar energy and renewable carbon to replace fossil fuels.

2. decarburize.

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verb (used without object)

1. to reduce the carbon output of the activities of a household, industry, country, etc..

   The world is not decarbonizing fast enough to reach global climate targets.

decarbonize British  

/ diːˈkɑːbəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. Also: decoke.   decarburize.  (tr) to remove carbon from (the walls of the combustion chamber of an internal-combustion engine)

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Other Word Forms

• decarbonization noun
• decarbonizer noun

Etymology

Origin of decarbonize

First recorded in 1815–25; de- + carbonize

Example Sentences

Although shifting away from fossil fuels toward solar and wind power is achievable, certain technologies and products remain difficult to decarbonize.

From Science Daily

Launched in 2022, it focuses on investing in decarbonizing heavy industry and developing sources of clean energy—areas where the firm had previously invested but didn’t have a stand-alone strategy.

From The Wall Street Journal

As part of its energy surge, China has pushed rapid investment into the only technology that currently can decarbonize the planet at scale: nuclear fission and fusion.

From The Wall Street Journal

The firm now owns Westinghouse in its global transition fund, which focuses on decarbonizing heavy industry and developing sources of clean energy.

From The Wall Street Journal

But for more than a decade, New York blocked the construction of gas pipelines to New England in an effort to decarbonize.

From The Wall Street Journal