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Why CCS is an essential part of the solution to climate change?

Publish date: September 29, 2014

A four-minute film launched on 22nd September 2014 by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) visualises the critical part played by CO2 capture and storage (CCS) in limiting global temperature rise to 2 ̊C. The dramatic scenes, illustrating actual quantities of CO2 emitted, are a call to world leaders, industry experts, campaigners and scientists to help catalyse action and inform conversations about what is really needed to reduce CO2 emissions.

The WBCSD is a CEO-led organisation of forward-thinking companies that galvanises the global business community to create a sustainable future for business, society and the environment. It leads the Action2020 platform for business action on sustainable development to 2020 and beyond. This platform is based on science and the latest understanding of the social and environmental challenges we face, and covers a range of climate change mitigation technologies. This animation aims to bring attention to CCS in particular, as it is one of the essential solutions that is at risk of being overlooked.

To remain below a 2 ̊C of warming, we cannot emit more than 1 trillion tonnes of CO2. World population is expected to rise to 9 billion by 2050, which entails that the demand for energy will double by 2050. The most ambitious plans to replace fossil fuels with renewables see only about half of our energy needs being met by zero-carbon renewables by 2050. In order to succeed in reducing CO2 emissions to the desired target while meeting our energy demand needs, CCS must be part of the portfolio of mitigation technologies. Implementing policies such as a price on CO2 emissions and emissions performance standards (EPS) coupled with ambitious global reduction targets are prerequisites for enabling the deployment of CCS projects. Consequently, the animation’s focus is on the CCS technology in particular.

To watch the video click here.