Understanding Carbon Storage and Sequestration

Carbon storage, or sequestration, involves capturing atmospheric CO2 and holding it in secure reservoirs. This process is key to mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations.

Forests, oceans, and soil are natural carbon sinks. Forests alone absorb a third of global CO2 emissions annually. However, deforestation and ocean warming threaten these natural storage systems' effectiveness.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) uses biomass for energy, then captures resulting CO2. Surprisingly, BECCS could theoretically achieve negative emissions by using plants that already absorbed atmospheric CO2.

Geological formations can store CO2 for millennia. For instance, the U.S. alone has the capacity to store up to 3,000 gigatons of CO2 in depleted oil fields and deep saline aquifers.

Injecting CO2 deep into the ocean where pressures are high can effectively trap gas. Recent discoveries suggest mineral carbonation at these depths could permanently lock away CO2 in solid forms.

Advancements in materials science have led to the development of 'metal-organic frameworks' capable of capturing CO2 directly from the air, potentially revolutionizing direct air capture technologies.

Carbon storage solutions are economically viable with appropriate policy frameworks. Carbon pricing, for instance, can incentivize companies to invest in carbon capture technologies and sustainable practices.