A new study commissioned by the United Nations and supported by 195 countries reportedly says that the only solution to stop a looming climate change catastrophe is to suck the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. From there, it could be buried underground and turned into jet fuel, among other uses.
The paper, expected to be released Monday by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), apparently says that “dangerous climate change” can only be avoided if we suck the carbon out of the atmosphere, and warns that we’re not nearly effective enough at the practice.
Currently, there are only 19 operational carbon capture plants in the world, reports the New York Post. They capture 10,000 tons of carbon per year, and the outlet explains that the world produces 36 billion tons annually.
The UN study reportedly acknowledges that the only feasible carbon sucking option currently being used on a large scale is tree planting. Through the process of photosynthesis, tree leaves pull in carbon dioxide and water then use the energy provided by the sun to create chemical compounds used to grow the tree. The byproduct is oxygen, which humans breathe.
Japan Times explains that the UN study means “slashing carbon pollution is no longer enough” and the carbon must be “sucked out of the atmosphere and buried” to avoid the dangers of climate change.
The foreign outlet explains that there are several options on the table for sucking the pollution from the air.
Bioenergy involves burning trees for their energy and storing the carbon underground, “in an abandoned mineshaft, for example,” but this has apparently rarely works when implemented. Simply planting trees seems to be a more reasonable alternative, “But the amount of land need to put a serious dent in carbon dioxide levels through tree planting – up to twice the size of India – could clash with other priorities, such as growing food and biofuel crops.”
Apparently “one of the hottest” options for carbon sucking is DAACS or “direct air carbon capture and storage.”
This involves literally sucking, or extracting, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, somehow making it solid, and putting it underground.
Apparently DAACS “has benefited from a wave of corporate backing” including from Elon Musk and Bill Gates.
Other options include “mining and crushing rocks” then dispersing the dust that “naturally” absorbs carbon across land or sea, or plans to “enhance marine alkalinity” and encourage the ocean to recycle more carbon.
Still, the Post notes that some of these practices have been criticized. Climate activists seem to think that sucking carbon out of the atmosphere without also reducing emissions will send the wrong message.
