Category: Media

Removals are better than some reductions – The case of electrofuels for aviation

by Robert Höglund on Marginal Carbon, April 22, 2024

“In this post, we compare the costs of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with the cost of the combination of continued use of fossil jet fuel (BAU) with Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) to remove the carbon emitted in burning the fossil jet fuel. We analyze electrofuels, a form of synthetic jet fuel made with hydrogen and captured CO₂ from the atmosphere, and also compare the cost to various biofuels. “

LINK

Forest carbon’s back-end durability problem

by Zeke Hausfather, on theclimatebrink.com, March 19, 2024

“The natural world is a key ally in combating climate change. Studies estimate that reforestation – restoring areas where forests have been removed or fragmented – could remove upwards of 300 gigatons of CO2 (GtCO2) from the atmosphere. Even more could be removed by protecting existing forests and allowing to recover and maturity. The world needs to invest more in protecting the forests we have and restoring those that have been degraded. However, the way we have chosen to finance it – by selling offsets into voluntary or compliance markets – introduces unintended consequences that could undermine our ability to stabilize global temperatures and achieve our climate goals.”

LINK

Exploring Durability Curves — An Enhanced Lens for Evaluating Carbon Removals

by Rick Berg, Radhika Moolgavkar, Nori, March 26, 2024

“The durability of sequestered carbon, and credits designed to represent it, has gotten a lot of focus in discussions around the voluntary carbon dioxide removal (CDR) markets and emerging mandatory carbon markets. This attention is well-deserved. Durability characteristics play a key role in the functioning of the markets, including how the carbon removal credits are used, the development of carbon insurance, the management of carbon credit portfolio risks, and the creation of credit ratings. “

LINK

Singapore to Build World’s Largest Facility to Boost Carbon-Removal Power of the Ocean

by Koh Ewe, Time, February 29, 2024

“The Equatic Process, a novel carbon removal technology and one of the best inventions of 2023, is getting a major scale-up, with the world’s largest ocean carbon dioxide removal facility set to be built in Singapore and operational by 2025—sparking optimism for what has been hailed as a potential game changer for global climate efforts after scientists agreed in 2022 that atmospheric carbon-removal technology will be necessary for the world to reach its climate goals.”

LINK

Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass

by Thierry Chopin, Barry A. Costa-Pierce, Max Troell, Catriona L. Hurd, Mark John Costello, Steven Backman, Alejandro H. Buschmann, Russell Cuhel, Carlos M. Duarte, Fredrik Gröndahl, Kevin Heasman, Ricardo J. Haroun, Johan Johansen, Alexander Jueterbock, Mitchell Lench, Scott Lindell, Henrik Pavia, Aurora M. Ricart, Kristina S. Sundell, Charles Yarish, One Earth, February 08, 2024

“Deep-ocean seaweed dumping is not an ecological, economical, or ethical answer to climate-change mitigation via carbon “sequestration.” Without sound science and sufficient knowledge on impacts to these fragile ecosystems, it distracts from more rational and effective blue-carbon interventions. We call for a moratorium on sinking seaweeds to deep-ocean ecosystems until its efficacy is established, and there is robust, evidence-based assessment of its environmental, economic, and societal sustainability.”

LINK

Climate action: Council and Parliament agree to establish an EU carbon removals certification framework

press release, Council of the EU, 20 February 2024

“Council and European Parliament negotiators reached a provisional political agreement today on a regulation to establish the first EU-level certification framework for for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products . The voluntary framework is intended to facilitate and speed up the deployment of high-quality carbon removal and soil emission reduction activities in the EU. Once entered into force, the regulation will be the first step towards introducing a comprehensive carbon removal and soil emission reduction framework in EU legislation and contribute to the EU’s ambitious goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050, as set out in the European climate law.”

LINK

Will Direct Air Capture Ever Be Affordable? The Rise of DAC 3.0

by  Jonte Boysen & Torben Schreiter on medium.com, February 07, 2024

“Direct Air Capture (DAC) has been a prominent topic in mainstream media for over two years now and has often been portrayed through a fairly narrow lens focusing mainly on two specific technologies: Climeworks’ solid sorbent and Carbon Engineering’s liquid solvent systems. This narrow focus, however, overlooks the broader, dynamic landscape of over 80 companies innovating in this field. This article aims to dispel some common, oftentimes overly pessimistic, misconceptions about DAC and its potential. We aim to offer a more optimistic yet grounded and comprehensive view on the topic and — hopefully — inspire new angles for looking at DAC.”

LINK

EU unveils controversial climate target: what scientists think

by Katharine Sanderson, Carissa Wong on nature.com, February 06, 2024

“The European Commission has unveiled an ambitious climate target for 2040 — aiming to cut net greenhouse-gas emissions by 90% compared with 1990 levels. Researchers say that the goal, although admirable, risks relying too much on technologies such as carbon removal — which is largely unproven — rather than prioritizing the cutting of fossil-fuel use. Political shifts to the right, with many European Union member states electing governments that are unlikely to prioritize climate policy, might also make the goal difficult to achieve.”

LINK