November 1, 2023 - WorldOra Carbon News

Reuters- Is CDR critical to saving the planet or just hot air?

• Microsoft and Shopify have started to invest heavily in carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies

• The U.S. government is strongly backing the sector, including by signalling its intention to buy CDR services directly

• However, UNFCCC has appeared to rule out role for DAC and BECCS in carbon credit trading system

• Detractors say funds should go into proven solutions like renewables and abating emissions

• But scientists argue CDR is vital in reducing historical emissions and for hard-to-abate sectors

Bottom line:

“Ultimately”, says Oxford University’s Dr. Steve Smith, “it’s imperative that we continue to invest in both avoidance and removal. Since its statement in May, the UNFCCC has taken on board a wide range of comments and feedback, he says, which suggests that carbon removal will still form a part of a new carbon trading mechanisms when details are announced at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.The IPCC has looked at more than 500 different pathways for staying under 2C, he says, “and all involved the scaling up of carbon removal in some way, alongside emission reduction.”

“The ambition of our climate targets are such that we’re not in a position where we can do either/or, it’s got to be both.”

My experience is that everyone in CDR is pushing for emissions reductions AND removing CO2 and permanently storing it. - Terri

My Climate Reality newsletter reminded me yesterday. “Speaking of COP28, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference will start next month. Al Gore has directly called out the blatant conflict of interest that COP28 is being led by the head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, and echoing this message is critical to get oil interests out of co-opting future COP conferences”

In my effort to decarbonize my personal CO2 footprint my favorite resource is Rewiring America. It has been instrumental in reducing my use of fossil fuels so I highly recommend visiting their website. Bottom line: Switch to electric instead of using combustion everywhere you possibly can! For me, buying an EV and living where my energy company has to go off coal has made my personal effort super effective.