Removing Carbon (CO2) From The Atmosphere

With the obsession of climate change and global warming, researchers have came up with several ways to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere with the hope that it would slow down global warming. This is called Carbon Geoengineering. These techniques are also referred to as carbon dioxide removal (CDR) or more simply, carbon technologies.



Bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) 

Utilises biomass to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and carbon capture and storage technologies to concentrate and permanently store it in deep geological formations. An example of these geological storage formations are oil fields, gas fields, saline formations, unmineable coal seams, and saline-filled basalt formations have been suggested as storage sites. Various physical (e.g., highly impermeable caprock) and geochemical trapping mechanisms would prevent the CO₂ from escaping to the surface.


Biochar

Biochar is a type of charcoal which was created by pyrolysis of biomass or organic material.  By heating the biomass in a low/no oxygen environment (pyrolysis), oxygen is not present in the Biochar and thus it prevents The absence of oxygen prevents combustion. With this reason, Bio Char is a good carbon sink as it is stable, fixed, and acts as a 'recalcitrant' carbon which can store large amounts of greenhouse gases in the ground for centuries, potentially reducing or stalling the growth in atmospheric greenhouse gas levels. At the same time, its presence in the earth can improve water quality, increase soil fertility, raise agricultural productivity, and reduce pressure on old-growth forests.


Artificial trees

Artificial trees uses fake leaves made in labs which are highly absorbant towards CO2.  This concept, proposed by climate scientist Wallace S. Broecker and science writer Robert Kunzig, imagines huge numbers of artificial trees around the world to remove ambient CO_2. The CO₂ would be captured in a filter and then removed from the filter and stored.


Afforestation
Engaging in a global-scale tree planting effort.


Ambient Air Capture
Building large machines that can remove carbon dioxide directly from ambient air and store it elsewhere.

Ocean Fertilisation  
Adding nutrients to the ocean in selected locations to increase primary production which draws down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.


Enhanced Weathering 
Exposing large quantities of minerals that will react with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and storing the resulting compound in the ocean or soil.


Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement  
Grinding up, dispersing, and dissolving rocks such as limestone, silicates, or calcium hydroxide in the ocean to increase its ability to store carbon and directly ameliorate ocean acidification.


Net Negative Farming
Using agriculture to absorb CO2 from the atmostphere.


It is interesting to find out more about carbon removal as researchers are getting creative and innovative with their methods in the race to find for the most efficient way to remove excess CO2 from the atmosphere.