From a geological perspective, human development and impact are taking place at the speed of light. Unlike any other species, humans have created languages, religions, forms of art and expression, modern medicines to treat diseases that were once incurable, technologies that help see far beyond the planet, and so much more.
Many environmentalists believe that faster technology is often associated with more greenhouse gas emissions, toxic waste, and ecologically harmful practices. However, these growing advancements can also be used to our advantage through creative solutions for tackling the climate crisis.
Carbon capture technology and solar geoengineering are two examples of technological advancements that have high stakes for our climate and the potential to change the shape of our current climate crisis. From directly filtering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to man-made clouds, scientists are continuing the debate on the power and potential usage of these technologies.
Carbon capture is one of the most direct solutions for carbon dioxide emissions to date, as it can directly capture and filter carbon dioxide from the air. This technology best operates through large-scale plants that gather vast amounts of air from the atmosphere to be treated.
Mammoth, the world’s largest direct air capture and storage plant, currently operates in Iceland.
Photo Credit: https://climeworks.com/plant-mammoth
These plants operate with large fans that pull air from the atmosphere. This captured air is reacted with a chemical that removes 80% of the carbon dioxide from the air. The remaining carbon-rich solution can be permanently stored underground by compressing it under countless layers of rock.
Alternatively, the excess carbon can also be reacted with other chemicals to produce products. For example, hydrogen can be reacted with the carbon solution and used as carbon-neutral fuel in vehicles. This method of carbon processing can help contribute to a net-zero economy, meaning that the carbon is emitted, captured, and reused again. Carbon-neutral fuel has the potential to make carbon a more renewable source.
Photo Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxjNhLZCae0
In contrast, carbon capture technologies can be very expensive, making it difficult for government bodies to afford large-scale plants. In Canada, these plants can cost anywhere from 27 dollars per tonne of carbon dioxide captured to 150 dollars, depending on the specific technology. Each plant can absorb up to 4,000 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide. Worldwide, there are only 45 large-scale carbon capture plants, most of them operating in the United States.
On the other hand, solar geoengineering is one of the most controversial climate change technologies, with many scientists still in debate about whether it should be used to tackle the climate crisis at all. This technology influences the amount of sunlight that reflects off of Earth’s atmosphere. Because the amount of sunlight directly affects the amount of heat on Earth, less sunlight theoretically results in Earth being cooler.
More sunlight can be reflected from the atmosphere by injecting a substance called sulphur dioxide. This substance reacts with the water vapour in the atmosphere and forms water droplets, or clouds that reflect the Sun’s radiation back into space. This results in less sunlight penetrating through the atmosphere and cooling the surface of the Earth.
The creation of artificial clouds can cool the Earth’s surface by reflecting sunlight into space.
Photo Credit: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/12/world/solar-dimming-geoengineering-climate-solution-intl/index.html
Some of the benefits of this technology include decreasing the risk of coral bleaching. Coral bleaching takes place when coral loses its colour due to habitat destruction, a lack of nutrition, and warming ocean temperatures. Cooler temperatures due to this technology can also result in less sea ice and glacier loss and less wildlife movement to cooler areas. This can give humans more time to reduce carbon dioxide emission before experiencing further dramatic results.
However, unlike carbon capture technologies, solar geoengineering does not remove any carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This means that solar geoengineering is only a solution for treating the symptoms of climate change, not the underlying cause. Greenhouse gases due to human activity will continue to rise and ocean acidification will continue to occur as the ocean absorbs a portion of the emissions. On this note, solar geoengineering can be seen as a distraction from the goal of mitigating emissions.
Carbon removal and solar geoengineering are both technological advancements with a high potential impact on the climate crisis and each solution has their own benefits that allow them to be useful in different conditions. Carbon removal is necessary for long-term warming prevention, making these large-scale plants an inevitable investment. In contrast, solar geoengineering is extremely helpful for treating the symptoms of climate change and preventing temporary climate disasters.
If used appropriately, carbon capture and solar geoengineering together can change the face of climate change as humanity knows it and help provide a smooth transition to a more sustainable future for all.