Healthy Rivers.
Healthy Planet.

Healthy rivers are essential for a healthy planet. That’s why we’re helping restore the natural ability of rivers to carry carbon to the sea for long-term storage.

Collage of rivershome hero mobile

Rivers naturally deliver carbon to the ocean, preventing it from returning to the atmosphere. This helps keep the planet cool. Unfortunately, pollution has disrupted the river-carbon-ocean connection.

Rivers Disrupted

Many of our watersheds have been harmed by a toxic legacy of acid rain. Acidification of rivers has harmed aquatic biodiversity and natural carbon removal.

Acidification disrupts the natural carbon process

Acidification disrupts the natural carbon process

A healthy river with natural alkaline minerals transforms CO₂ into bicarbonate. Many marine organisms need this to build their shells. The leftover bicarbonate is delivered by rivers to the ocean for long-term storage. But this cycle has been disrupted by acidification, causing more CO₂ to go back into the atmosphere.

Holistic River Restoration

CarbonRun is a Nova Scotia-based company that is the first in the world to use a safe, proven river restoration approach to decrease river acidity in a way that also naturally delivers carbon to the ocean, preventing it from returning to the atmosphere. Rivers as a force for change.

SEE How it works ↓
01
our mission

Restore River Health

CarbonRun decreases the acidity of rivers to combat the negative effects of acid rain, restore their health, and protect biodiversity. The restored rivers boost fisheries and aquaculture, improve water quality, and de-acidify critical coastal regions.

A river otter relaxing on a log
02
our mission

Benefit the Community

CarbonRun is committed to ensuring that communities benefit from the project by creating local economic impact and a restored river ecosystem. We are thoughtfully creating place-based projects supporting rural and Indigenous communities, and growing a team of skilled trade workers in construction, production, trucking, and data collection.

A person in the community putting their hands in fresh river water
03
our mission

Draw Down Carbon

We urgently need safe, permanent, and scalable ways to remove carbon from our atmosphere. By bringing our natural approach to scale in regions around the world with large-scale but degraded river systems, CarbonRun's solution can draw down 10-15% of the required carbon dioxide to meet the global need projected by 2050.

The challenge of our time

Billions of tons of CO₂ need to be removed annually to avoid severe climate change. We're not on track, and even if we did meet our targets, we must still address the legacy of yesterday’s carbon pollution through carbon removal.
Water flowing through rocks showing Draw Down Carbon with rivers

Nature-Powered Science

CarbonRun is a first-of-its-kind, Canadian-made technology that mobilizes river science to rebalance river acidity levels, resulting in great ecological benefits while safely and verifiably drawing down CO2. Producing natural limestone powder involves just mining, crushing, and transport. This process results in only 5 tons of CO2 emissions for every 100 tons captured, compared to 'lime,' which generates significantly higher emissions.

Our technology is safe, has a small footprint, and is based on decades of real-world applications.

1
CarbonRun deacidifies rivers and improves river health by adding crushed limestone to rivers impacted by pollution.

Our limestone dosers have a small footprint and minimal impact on the ecosystem.

2
The crushed limestone dissolves rapidly, converting CO₂ in the rivers into stable, beneficial bicarbonate as well as minerals like calcium and magnesium.

Our process absorbs CO₂ from both the soil and atmosphere and re-establishes key ecological building blocks.

3
Rivers transport bicarbonate to the ocean, where the carbon is stored for millennia in oceanic reservoirs.

The drawdown of carbon can be directly measured in the river in real time.

4
Balance is restored to the rivers while also supporting coastal areas and marine life from the impacts of ocean acidification.

Healthy rivers are essential to a healthy planet.

Impact

Restores Rivers

Improves water quality in rivers damaged by pollution.

Boosts Fish Populations

Increases productivity of fish stocks.

Rebalances Coastal Oceans

Reduces impacts of ocean acidification in coastal zones.

Increases Biodiversity

Promotes ecosystem resilience and sensitive species

How we’re advancing the UN Sustainability Goals

Life Below Water

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Decent Work & Economic Growth

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Clean Water & Sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Global Health & Well-being

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Improving Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) practices

Scalable

As a mission-driven company, we focus on restoring rivers impacted by human activity, continuously monitoring and verifying the safety and impact of our work.

By bringing our natural approach to scale in regions around the world with large degraded river systems, CarbonRun's solution can draw down 10-15% of the required carbon dioxide to meet the global need projected by 2050.

15%

Estimated amount of total global carbon that could potentially be drawn down with the CarbonRun method.

Low Impact

CarbonRun minimizes its environmental footprint by powering installations with renewable energy and strategically locating them near limestone sources to reduce transportation needs. This low-impact approach ensures that carbon removal is both sustainable and effective.

Permanent

Our process enables rivers to remove CO, from the atmosphere as well as land sources and store it as stable bicarbonate in the ocean for thousands of years. While the carbon is securely stored, the CarbonRun process can be halted at any time.

Verifiable

CarbonRun works with leading academics and third-party verifiers to independently certify our carbon drawdown amounts. And we work with verifiers that have themselves been certified as trusted bodies by accrediting authorities.

Our technology meets provincial and federal regulatory standards and adheres to strict third-party Monitoring, Reporting & Verification protocols (MRV).

Safe

Adding natural limestone to rivers has safely reduced acidity, restored water quality, and boosted biodiversity—including fish populations—for decades. Our proven approach follows standard regulatory measures to ensure both effective restoration and the prevention of riverbank erosion.

Healthy rivers. healthy planet.

Restoring rivers benefits every living thing

We’re restoring rivers to improve water quality, enhance aquatic biodiversity, and support the repopulation of fish stocks.

About Us

Founded and developed in Nova Scotia by an environmental scientist and freshwater ecologist, our team of experts are dedicated to restoring rivers damaged by pollution to protect aquatic life. Our founders are global experts on river ecosystem health with decades of applied experience restoring rivers.

A person holding a Canadian  Flag on a mountain

Our Values

Restoration first

We’ve dedicated our careers to restoring rivers and protecting endangered species. Canada can be a leader in making CarbonRun’s innovations and its economic benefits more widely available.

Engage and empower communities

We meaningfully engage local communities to guide priorities and approaches. Our projects will create new rural technical opportunities and reduce generational kill gaps.

Honouring Indigenous knowledge

We are committed to respecting, supporting, and learning from Indigenous voices through partnerships, advocacy, and education.

Meet the Team

We’re hiring! Come run with us.

SEE CURRENT OPENINGS

Partners

Calling all river stewards

When it comes to river restoration and CO₂ removal, we all need to work together. If you or someone you know is interested in partnering with us, please fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch with you soon.

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Location
CarbonRun’s headquarters are located in Mi’kma’ki,
the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq.
61 – 1344 Summer Street

Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 0A8
Get directions

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