What You Need to Know About Carbon Removal | Gabrielle Walker | TED | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR
In this talk, the speaker discusses the importance of carbon removals and explores various approaches, including planting trees, using biochar, and employing technology like direct air capture.
Key Insights
- π· Carbon removals, such as taking CO2 out of the sky and storing it somewhere safe, are necessary to address climate change, as we have left it too late to solely rely on reducing emissions.
- π² Nature and technology are both crucial for effective carbon removal approaches, including planting trees, using wood as a building material, storing carbon in soil with biochar, and speeding up natural processes like chemical weathering.
- π‘ Carbon capture and storage technologies, such as direct air capture and burying CO2 deep underground, have the potential to remove large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, but currently require significant energy and are more expensive compared to other techniques.
- β‘ Investing in research and development can help reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of carbon removal approaches, making them more accessible and affordable.
- π° Carbon removals should not be limited to conventional offsets, but rather aim to remove CO2 from the air, leading to actual emission reductions and achieving a net-zero carbon footprint.
- π A combination of various carbon removal approaches, with nature and technology working together, is needed to achieve the scale necessary to mitigate climate change.
- πΏ Scalability is a key factor in carbon removal approaches, with the world offering numerous opportunities to plant trees, store carbon in soil, grind and spread rocks, capture CO2 from the air, and store it underground.
- π The efforts of individuals, organizations, and communities in implementing carbon removal techniques can contribute to the healing of the planet and provide hope for tackling climate change.
Transcript
So I'm going to talk to you about carbon removals, and Iβm going to start with this. This is a woolly pig. (Laughter) She's gorgeous, obviously, and sheβs also one part in a whole new set of approaches for dealing with climate change. They are all called carbon removals, and they all involve taking CO2 out of the sky and storing it somewhere safe. ... Read More
Questions & Answers
Q: What are carbon removals and why do we need them?
Carbon removals refer to the process of taking CO2 out of the atmosphere and storing it in a safe place. We need carbon removals because simply reducing carbon emissions is not enough to combat climate change. It is now necessary to remove carbon from the atmosphere to have any chance of staying below the safe limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Q: How much carbon removals do we need?
According to various scenarios from reputable organizations such as the Energy Transitions Commission, the International Energy Agency, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we will require billions of tonnes of carbon removals between now and 2050 to have a fighting chance of staying below the 1.5-degree limit.
Q: Can nature and technology both play a role in carbon removals?
Yes, both nature and technology are essential for effective carbon removals. Carbon can be stored in various ways, including trees, soil, the ocean, buildings, rocks, and underground. Each approach requires a combination of natural resources, human ingenuity, and technology. To achieve the necessary scale of carbon removals, we will need both nature and technology working hand in hand.
Q: What are some examples of carbon removal approaches?
Some examples of carbon removal approaches include planting trees, using wood as a building material, storing carbon in soil through methods like biochar, speeding up natural processes like chemical weathering through technology, and direct air capture, which involves capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and burying it underground. These approaches showcase the combination of nature and technology in carbon removals.
Q: How can we make carbon removal approaches more affordable?
Currently, many carbon removal approaches are more expensive than planting trees. However, through research, development, and investment, we can bring down the costs and make these approaches more affordable. This has been successful with renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, and similar efforts can be made to reduce the cost of carbon removal approaches. With global commitment and investment, we can achieve the necessary scale for effective carbon removals.
Summary & Key Takeaways
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Carbon removals involve taking CO2 out of the atmosphere and storing it somewhere safe, and are necessary to combat climate change.
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Carbon removals can involve various approaches, such as planting trees, using biochar to store carbon in soil, and using technology like direct air capture.
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By investing in research and development and reducing emissions, we can work towards achieving large-scale carbon removals and start the process of climate healing.
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