Scientists have warned against climate change for decades. At this point, we have begun to feel the negative effects of climate change. Fires, floods, melting glaciers, changing the migration routes of animals and more… According to experts, if we do not want to face the worst consequences of climate change, we need to achieve “net zero” in carbon emissions by 2050. So how? If we equalize the rate of carbon dioxide we emit and destroy, we achieve “net zero”.
We are about to exceed two degrees in global temperature rise. Because of this fact, life in some parts of our planet will be extremely difficult in the future. According to scientists, we can resort to natural solutions such as planting trees to prevent this. We can also use new technologies such as carbon capture and storage. So what is this technology and how does it work?
Planting trees and some agricultural practices are the easiest and cheapest ways to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
However, since the 1970s, “carbon capture and storage technologies” (CCS) have also been put forward as a quick solution to climate change. For example, capturing carbon dioxide from industrial plants using fossil fuels before it disperses into the atmosphere can yield impressive results.
To use this technology, the gas released from any source must first be sent to an absorber containing a solvent. Then the carbon dioxide in this gas is collected and other gases are left behind. Afterwards, the solvent we mentioned above recycles the gas using heat and reuses it. Purified carbon dioxide is stored underground. Another method is to capture carbon dioxide from the air and store it underground.
Some environmentalists are skeptical of carbon capture technology
The reason for this is that the method focuses on quick solutions rather than reducing emissions. In other words, environmentalists think it would be more beneficial to reduce emissions instead. Dominic Eagleton of the international climate organization Global Witness says the best way to stop emissions is to not use fossil fuels.
On the other hand, some climate researchers think that the money spent on carbon capture technology should be spent on increasing the use of clean energy.
Many experts argue for coordinated investment in renewable energy sources and carbon capture technology
Climate experts think the world needs a full-fledged solution package. In other words, we should both turn to clean energy sources and reduce the rate of carbon dioxide with new technologies. For this reason, an approach is adopted in many countries of the world where different options are used simultaneously.
