Our path on atmospheric carbon started from the emissions side – but we quickly realized that emissions are not coming down fast enough. For example, the max +1.5 degree target is likely to be crossed already in 2024.

Illustrative is the timelapse map of world’s coal use 1959-2023. It visualizes how emissions are not abating but actually increasing.¹ Whilst CO₂ totals from developed nations are flat or declining, they are rapidly increasing in the newly industrializing nations such as China, India, Türkiye, Indonesia etc. The reason is simple, the economics of fossil fuel based growth are very attractive.

Therefore, large-scale, economic carbon removal will be absolutely essential. There key questions are: How to do this in large scale and economically? What are the best, viable carbon capture technologies?

1. The map illustrates coal based carbon dioxide emissions per every 0.1 degree grid on earth for years 1959-2023. ↩︎