CO2

For the first time, nearly all UN member states committed themselves to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, based on a scientific consensus that human-made CO2 was driving global warming.

Typical carbon capture systems aimed at reducing its presence in the atmosphere work to lower carbon dioxide emissions by isolating CO2 from other gases and converting it to useful products.

The idea is that these clean sources should start to displace dirty fossil fuels in the electric power grid, therefore reducing CO2 emissions even as electricity demand grows.

The science of net zero, developed over 15 years ago,* does not include these natural carbon sinks in the definition of net human-induced CO2 emissions.

“The young Republicans may be looking at the cost per megawatt hour, and the young Democrats are looking at a different number: parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere.”