Lecture 4

• CO2 was discovered in Edinburgh

  1770
• The warming effects of CO2 are well-established, with unprecedented warming observed in both temperate and Arctic regions
• IPCC emission reduction targets

  • 50% reduction in emissions by 2030
  • Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050-2060
• The IPCC emphasizes the need for significant reductions in CO2 emissions to limit global warming to below certain thresholds, such as 1.5°C or 2°C
• Achieving these net-zero targets requires clear pathways, policies, and financial investments
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)


  Technologies that aim to capture CO2 emissions from industrial processes and store them underground to prevent their release into the atmosphere
• CCS is considered a crucial strategy for achieving net-zero emissions
• Financial incentives and policies

  • Pricing carbon emissions through taxes
  • Subsidies
  • Trading schemes
• Examples of financial incentives and policies

  • EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS)
  • Targeted carbon taxes in the UK
• Industry clusters and CCS

  Clustering industrial CO2 sources together can facilitate cost-effective CCS implementation by sharing infrastructure and storage facilities
• Example of industry clusters and CCS

  • Acorn CCS project in Scotland
• Mitigation actions

  • Behavior change
  • Energy efficiency improvements
  • Fuel switching
  • Nature-based solutions like afforestation and soil carbon sequestration
• Despite technological advancements, achieving widespread CCS deployment faces challenges such as cost, uncertainty, and the need for long-term storage security