Table of contents | |
Carbon Sequestration | |
Carbon Sink | |
Carbon Credit | |
Carbon Offsetting | |
Carbon Tax | |
Geo-Engineering |
Our planet is getting warmer because of too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air, mostly from burning fossil fuels like coal and oil. To solve this, scientists came up with a plan called Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
CCS is a technology that captures CO2, the main culprit causing global warming, and then stores it underground where it can't harm the planet.
How does it work? It's like a vacuum cleaner for CO2. We use special machines to grab CO2 from places like power plants or even directly from the air. Once we catch it, we don't let it escape; instead, we bury it safely underground.
Why do we do this? Burning fossil fuels releases a lot of CO2 into the air. If we keep doing that, the Earth gets too warm. So, we use CCS to stop some of that CO2 from reaching the sky and causing trouble.
Where do we store it? We have two types of storage places:
Even before we used CCS to help the planet, industries like oil and gas were already using it for a different reason—making it easier to get more oil and gas. But now, we're using it to save the environment.
The three main steps of carbon capture and storage (CCS):
Scientists are exploring different ways to deal with too much carbon, and they fall into three main categories:
Ocean Storage: This involves putting carbon directly into the oceans. It's like making the oceans a big sponge for carbon by either injecting it or adding nutrients. The goal is to help the oceans absorb and hold onto more carbon.
Underground Storage: Think of the ground beneath us as a giant storage room. Certain natural spaces underground, like rocks, can hold onto carbon dioxide for a really long time. It's like locking away carbon in a secure, hidden vault.
Land Storage: This approach focuses on working with the land. Natural storage areas, like soil and plants, can be improved. We can boost how much carbon they capture through processes like photosynthesis, slow down the breakdown of organic matter, and change how we use the land. It's like making our natural storage areas for carbon even better.
Choosing the Best Option: Out of these methods, putting carbon underground seems to be the most practical for dealing with too much carbon in the short term. It's like picking the most effective way to handle the excess carbon right now.
Green and blue carbon play a crucial role in absorbing and storing greenhouse gases, contrasting with black and brown carbon that contributes to them.
Unfortunately, these coastal ecosystems are disappearing rapidly, posing a threat to the planet. When lost, they not only stop absorbing carbon dioxide but also release stored carbon back into the atmosphere. This released carbon contributes to climate change, with effects that can last for centuries.
To address this issue, there's the Blue Carbon Initiative. It's a global program with a coordinated plan to protect and restore these coastal marine ecosystems.
Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO are working together with governments, research institutions, non-governmental and international organizations, and communities worldwide to:
Develop Plans: Create ways to manage, provide financial support, and make policies to protect and restore coastal Blue Carbon ecosystems.
Engage Governments: Talk to local, national, and international governments to ensure their policies and rules support the conservation, management, and funding of coastal Blue Carbon.
Carbon Accounting: Figure out ways to accurately measure the carbon in coastal areas.
Incentive Mechanisms: Come up with ways, like paying for carbon projects, to encourage the protection of Blue Carbon.
Global Projects: Start projects all around the world to show that managing and protecting coastal Blue Carbon can work.
Support Research: Help scientists study and understand the role and importance of coastal Blue Carbon ecosystems in fighting climate change.
A carbon credit is like a certificate that allows a person or company to emit a certain amount of carbon or carbon dioxide into the environment. One carbon credit typically represents the right to release one ton of carbon or its equivalent gases.
Carbon offsets are like credits that you can buy to compensate for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in one place, such as using wind farms to generate renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.
Example: Let's say a business, Business A1, can't immediately reduce 100 tonnes of its CO2 emissions. There's a project somewhere else that could easily save 100 tonnes, like a community in India switching from carbon-intensive kerosene to solar panels, but they need money for it. By purchasing carbon offsets, Business A1 provides the financial support to get solar panels, reducing 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions globally. This also brings the extra benefit of helping advance technology in a developing market.
Carbon tax is a fee based on the amount of carbon in fuels, such as coal. It's seen as an alternative to the 'cap and trade' method, aiming to reduce fossil fuel use and encourage the use of other energy sources.
How Does it Work? The goal of carbon tax is to gradually decrease fossil fuel use. It starts at a low amount and increases over time, giving industries and technology a chance to adapt. The idea is to make using fossil fuels more expensive, pushing people and businesses to choose cleaner energy options.
Why Might Carbon Tax be Better?
Geoengineering is all about changing and cooling Earth's environment to counter the damage we've done and the resulting climate changes. Right now, it's only a theoretical concept.
Some ideas include using big umbrellas in the sky, putting mirrors in space, making the upper atmosphere whiter with special particles, painting rooftops to reflect sunlight, or even tossing iron filings into the ocean to help algae absorb carbon. These are all ways scientists are thinking about to make our planet more livable.
How Captured CO2 Can be Used: Sequestered CO2 can be commercially utilized in greenhouses for plant photosynthesis, dry ice production, and for creating innovative plastic and concrete products. This helps recycle captured carbon and potentially reduces its impact on the environment.
544 videos|966 docs|370 tests
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1. What is carbon sequestration? |
2. How does carbon sequestration help in combating climate change? |
3. What is geo-engineering? |
4. How does geo-engineering differ from carbon sequestration? |
5. What are the potential risks and challenges associated with carbon sequestration and geo-engineering? |
544 videos|966 docs|370 tests
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