Reducing Climate Impact by Mitigating Global CO2 Emissions
Anthropogenic activities primarily cause global warming. What do we envision for our future? Do we aim to contribute early or resort to actions taken too late? Do we realize that our plans can make a difference? Can we quickly identify areas where we can contribute? It’s crucial to act collectively, from small to large-scale efforts, to face the challenges ahead.
According to the Paris Agreement, countries have committed to keeping the long-term global average temperature increase well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Additionally, they have agreed to continue efforts to limit the rise to 1.5°C by the end of this century. Commitments must translate into actions; otherwise, as repeatedly warned by the scientific community, a temperature rise exceeding 1.5°C risks triggering much more severe climate change effects and extreme weather events, necessitating adaptation efforts almost impossible to achieve.
CO2 emissions must be reduced across all activities and industries to help curb global temperature rise and prevent worsening the disastrous effects predicted by recent scientific reports. The current state of global CO2 emission reductions is complex and varied; despite progress, significant challenges remain. Governments, companies, and citizens must collaborate to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future and fulfill international commitments to combat climate change.
Key Options for Reducing CO2 Emissions Globally
A combination of approaches across various sectors is needed to mitigate CO2 emissions and proactively address climate change challenges. However, not all solutions are without risks, so targeted and careful implementation is necessary. Below is a broad categorization of options, and we encourage you to consider where you can actively contribute:
“What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all of our tomorrows.”— Alexandra Stoddard
A. Reducing CO2 Emissions through:
1.Transition to Renewable Energy
- Wind Energy: Expanding the use of onshore wind turbines to harness wind energy and generate electricity.
- Solar Energy: The cost of solar energy has dropped significantly, making it a key player in decarbonization. Developing infrastructure for solar energy production can substantially reduce emissions.
- Hydroelectric Energy: Large and small-scale hydroelectric dams and emerging technologies like wave and tidal energy harness energy from water movement. Where feasible, these solutions can be implemented.
- Geothermal Energy: Utilizing Earth’s internal heat to generate electricity and provide direct heating is viable where such potential exists.
2. Energy Efficiency
- Improving Building Efficiency: Retrofitting buildings with better insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and energy-saving systems reduces energy consumption.
- Industrial Efficiency: Enhancing industrial processes with energy-efficient technologies, smart manufacturing, and circular economy practices.
- Transport Efficiency: Transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs), improving public transportation, and promoting walking and cycling.
3.Decarbonizing Sectors
- Transportation: Replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure such as charging stations.
- Industry: Processes like steel and cement production can be electrified and powered by renewable energy to reduce emissions.
- Heating: Transitioning from fossil fuel-based heating systems to electric heat pumps or urban heating systems powered by renewable energy.
4.Circular Economy and Waste Management
- Reducing Consumption: Increasing recycling and developing reusable or repairable products to reduce production and waste generation emissions.
- Organic Waste to Energy: Transforming organic waste into energy through methods such as anaerobic digestion reduces methane emissions from landfills and generates bioenergy.
B. Carbon Capture
Carbon capture techniques involve collecting and storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere or emission sources like power plants and industrial processes. These techniques are vital for mitigating climate change by preventing CO₂ from being released into the atmosphere.
Carbon Capture Technologies
1.Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS): This technique focuses on capturing CO₂ emissions directly from point sources, such as power plants, factories, and other industrial facilities that burn fossil fuels.
How it works:
- Capture: CO₂ is separated from other gases produced during industrial processes.
- Transport: Once captured, CO₂ is compressed and transported to a storage site via pipelines, ships, or trucks.
- Storage: CO₂ is injected into geological formations such as depleted oil or gas reservoirs, deep saline aquifers, or under the seabed, where it can be safely stored for thousands of years.
2.Direct Air Capture (DAC): This technique captures CO₂ directly from ambient air rather than point sources. Machines draw air through a filter that chemically binds CO₂, which can then be stored or used for other applications.
Key aspects of DAC:
- Air Capture: Fans pull air into the system, containing a chemical sorbent that binds with CO₂.
- Separation: Captured CO₂ is then separated from the sorbent through heating or chemical processes.
- Storage or Utilization: Once separated, CO₂ can be stored underground or used in applications such as synthetic fuel production, beverage carbonation, or construction materials like concrete.
3.Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU): Refers to capturing CO₂ and repurposing it for commercial uses instead of storing it underground. This can include using CO₂ in industrial processes, creating construction materials, or producing synthetic fuels.
Benefits of Carbon Capture Techniques:
- Reduction of CO₂ Emissions: CCS and DAC can capture up to 90% of CO₂ emissions from industrial sources.
- Decarbonizing Heavy Industries: CCS is one of the few technologies capable of reducing emissions from sectors like cement, steel, and chemicals, which are challenging to decarbonize solely through renewable energy or new techniques and technologies.
Challenges of Carbon Capture Techniques:
- High Costs: The infrastructure for capturing, transporting, and storing carbon is expensive, especially for DAC, which requires significant energy to operate.
- Storage Risks: Although CO₂ can be safely stored underground, concerns exist regarding potential leaks over time, which could undermine the effectiveness of CCS.
- Limited Implementation: Carbon capture technology has proven effective but is not yet widely adopted, primarily due to costs and infrastructure challenges.
C. Solar Geoengineering
Solar geoengineering is another method for reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, also known as Solar Radiation Management (SRM). This emerging and controversial approach aims to cool the planet by reflecting a portion of sunlight into space. Techniques include:
- Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI): Injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to increase atmospheric reflectivity.
- Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB): Enhancing the reflectivity of marine clouds.
- Space-Based Reflectors: Deploying reflectors in space to deflect sunlight.
The Optimal Approach to Reducing Climate Impact
The most effective way to address climate impact is for major CO₂ emitters and energy consumers to develop Decarbonization Plans with concrete actions to:
- Reduce CO₂ Emissions: Implementing solutions to minimize emissions at their source.
- Capture Residual Emissions: Employing carbon capture technologies for emissions that cannot be reduced through other methods.
- Carbon Offset Solutions: Using offset strategies only as a last resort.
While these efforts involve significant costs, it is crucial to ensure that plans are executed gradually and consistently based on realistic development and investment scenarios. Proper implementation requires accurate monitoring and control to achieve the set targets.
Contact us to discuss concrete approaches for decarbonization plans.
