We Need To Take CO2 Out Of The Sky

But to reach net-zero emissions, we need CDR to balance out emissions. Delivering on the idea of net-zero hinges on the development of sustainable CDR technologies and practices. Net-zero, though, is not a resting point; it is imperative to remove all the carbon dioxide we can – and then find new ways to remove more.  

The key challenges to large-scale removal of carbon dioxide from the air are both technical and sociological. They include: 1) lack of knowledge – about the technologies needed, or how much capital will be necessary to pay for vital infrastructure; 2) fear – of unintended consequences, and that a reimagining of our global energy system will result ... See more

Carbon dioxide removal offers a way to change the math. Extract large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere and “negative emissions” could, conceivably, balance out the positive variety. It might even be feasible to cross the threshold of catastrophe and then suck enough carbon out of the…

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Another family of negative-emissions technologies, or NETs, takes its cue from biology. Plants absorb carbon dioxide while they’re growing; then, when they rot, they return that CO2 to the air. Grow a new forest and it will draw down carbon until it reaches maturity. A recent study by Swiss researchers estimated that planting a trillion trees could

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CDR encompasses myriad techniques and technologies: direct air capture, carbon storage and sequestration in natural basins, bioenergy with carbon capture, reforestation, carbon-friendly soil management practices, ocean enhancement, and many more. Each method has different rates of CO2 uptake, land requirements, energy demands, storage permanence, a... See more

Worldwide emissions of CO2 are approaching 40 GtCO2 per year. Therefore, to make a real difference in the fight against climate change, NETs must be able to operate on the scale of gigatonnes CO2 per year.

All of which makes negative emissions—as an idea at least—irresistible. The extent to which humanity is already counting on them is illustrated by the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was published in the run-up to Paris. To peer into the future, the IPCC relies on computer models that represent the world’s econ

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