Scientists Worry About Slow Progress in Removing Carbon From Air

Scientists in Milan, Italy are worried that not enough is being done to remove carbon dioxide from the air. This week, experts from around the world met to discuss carbon dioxide removal, or CDR. They said governments and companies need to spend much more money on this technology. The scientists believe CDR is important for fighting climate change.

Carbon dioxide is a gas that traps heat in Earth's atmosphere. It comes mainly from burning coal, oil, and gas for energy. Too much carbon dioxide in the air causes global warming. CDR technology works by pulling this gas out of the air and storing it safely underground or in products that last a long time.

Right now, carbon removal efforts only take away about 5 percent of all the carbon dioxide that humans put into the air each year. Most of this removal happens naturally when trees are planted. Trees use a process called photosynthesis to capture carbon from the air. They store this carbon in their roots, trunks, and branches.

However, tree planting is slowing down because there is competition for land. Farmers need land to grow food, which leaves less space for new forests. Scientists say this is a big problem that needs to be solved. Professor Massimo Tavoni from Milan's university told reporters that interest in carbon removal has dropped.

Scientists are working on several different ways to remove carbon dioxide from the air. One method called pyrolysis heats up plant waste without oxygen to make biochar. Biochar is a material that helps soil hold water and nutrients better. Another method called Direct Air Capture uses large fans to suck carbon dioxide out of the air.

Money is one of the biggest challenges for carbon removal technology. Most methods cost more than $200 to remove one ton of carbon dioxide. This is much more expensive than current carbon prices. Scientists agree that billions of dollars are needed to make carbon removal work on a large scale.