Preparing to Capture Carbon

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1137632
• Publication Date: 2007-02-08T21:33:58Z
• Authors: Daniel P. Schrag
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 11. Sustainability; 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 7. Clean energy

Carbon sequestration from large sources of fossil fuel combustion, particularly coal, is an essential component of any serious plan to avoid catastrophic impacts of human-induced climate change. Scientific and economic challenges still exist, but none are serious enough to suggest that carbon capture and storage will not work at the scale required to offset trillions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the next century. The challenge is whether the technology will be ready when society decides that it is time to get going.