As we have demonstrated, AEMs offer a strategy to break the transport limitations of the ions by having a fixed background charge (Figure (b)). In this case, microenvironments based on the positive moieties promote eCO 2 R, and the current densities are solely limited by CO 2 transport. However, the dispersed charge nature of organic cations and their larger distance from the electrodes in AEMs leads to lower current densities compared to their inorganic counterparts at intermediate potentials. Strategies to overcome this include periodic flushing with K + in pure-water fed MEAs to combine the benefits of organic and inorganic cation activation, although this reintroduces the problem of carbonate precipitation. Alternatively, increasing the concentration of charged organic species and cross-linking them to keep them stable at highly negative potentials is a promising strategy to improve the performance towards eCO 2 R, if proper water management is achieved. Lower hydration levels might be tolerated if CO 2 transport occurs through alternative mechanisms, such as hydrophobic channels in Nafion . However, excessively low water activity can still hinder the availability of the proton source for eCO 2 R. Therefore, thin membranes (< 10 µm) with integrated hydrophobic channels and stabilized organic cations at strongly negative potentials are desired. Finally, the kinetic constants for homogeneous reactions are affected by strong local electric fields in MEAs and in bipolar membranes . This is particularly relevant at interfaces, potentially affecting eCO 2 R performances. Therefore, more detailed experimental and modeling efforts can aid in the design of membranes. In particular there is a need for further characterization of the physical properties of membranes, with a focus on permittivity.