NEW YORK — The federal government is investing in machines that suck giant amounts of carbon dioxide out of the air in the hopes of reducing damage from climate change.

The Department of Energy said Thursday that it will release $3.5 billion to groups developing direct air capture and other technologies that remove carbon dioxide.

The gas, when released into the atmosphere, causes global warming.

Climate scientists say humans have already allowed too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to prevent dangerous rises in global temperatures.

The scientists also say on top of curbing emissions, carbon dioxide that’s already been released also must be removed.