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Most carbon capture technologies aim to stop at least 90% of the CO2 in smokestacks from reaching the atmosphere. But as the technology approaches 100% efficiency, it gets more expensive and takes more energy to capture additional CO2.
Reducing fossil fuel use is not just a long-term investment to slow climate change—it also protects human health and environmental ecosystems, saving lives almost immediately.
The ocean acts as a “buffer” that protects our atmosphere from seeing the full effects of climate change.
Forests are a crucial line of defense against climate change. But trees can’t absorb enough CO2 to stop climate change on their own, no matter how many we plant.
While the short-term effects of the Covid-19 shutdown have been to lower greenhouse gas emissions, we are on the verge of losing crucial investments in fighting climate change.
We still need new breakthroughs to decarbonize many parts of our modern economy, especially if we don’t want to drive up the price of energy and goods. But we can make real progress with today’s technology, and invest in good ideas for the next generation of low-carbon solutions.
Our planet is not only getting warmer—it’s also getting wetter. That shows up in ways both subtle and alarming.
If you can afford to make some investments upfront, you may actually save money in the long run by using lower-carbon energy.
In 2019, humans emitted more than 35 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. It can be difficult to picture a “ton” of a gas like CO2, so let’s describe it in a few different ways.
Coal plants, despite some cooling effects from their complex mix of pollutants, are a major contributor to global warming. If we shut plants down, there might be some extra warming at first, but overall, temperatures will cool.
