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Carbon capture 'moonshot' moves closer, as billions of dollars pour in
(The Guardian, 7 Oct 2020) While some say CO2 capture is part of the problem, big projects are being invested in as a part solution to the climate crisis.
As the world dices with the climate emergency, businesses and governments are starting to push funding towards technology that aims to trap planet-heating gases rather than let them saturate the atmosphere.
Carbon capture is a controversial idea, attacked as a costly distraction from stopping emissions occurring in the first place.
But last month, the International Energy Agency said it was an imperative part of the mix, warning that it would be “virtually impossible” for the world to hit climate targets without capturing and storing emissions generated from factories, power plants, transportation and other sources. The transition to renewable energy, such as solar and wind, would not cut emissions in time, the IEA said.
In an eye-catching recent deal, a consortium including Amazon and Microsoft invested in CarbonCure Technologies, a Canadian firm seeking to slash the carbon dioxide emissions of concrete. Producing cement, the key ingredient in concrete, creates so much CO2 that if the industry were a country only China and the US would emit more over the course of a year.
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