Clean Energy Wire: The carbon balancing act: Emission reduction and removal in the bid for net-zero
„“Achieving net-zero” emissions by the middle of the century is a goal that few would fault. But when it comes to reaching a balance of greenhouse gases and carbon removal – as not all emissions from food and industrial production can be entirely prevented – views start to diverge. Many argue that it is high time countries start building up a new industry of CO2 removers, scale it up and drive down prices, or at least standardise the use of readily available nature-based carbon uptake options. Others warn that relying on removal methods, be they carbon storage in soils or capturing CO2 from industrial processes or directly out of the air and then storing it underground, only draws attention away from the really important task of avoiding emissions altogether. In Germany, the debate on negative emissions is picking up, as all projections show there won’t be a way around them in 2045. But a deep aversion to carbon capture and (underground) storage (CCS) is preventing an easy decision, while the European Commission is preparing carbon removal legislation and other players and nations are darting ahead planning the future carbon offset market and a CO2 infrastructure.“