Latest news with #Emissions
Forbes
04-07-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Understanding Carbon Capture - Science Or Shell Game
Sustainable practices for carbon reduction Carbon capture sounds like climate alchemy especially because in the crude sense of the technology, it pulls CO₂ out of thin air, and neutralize decades of emissions. It does present it self as a bold promise, but does it deliver, or distract? Carbon Capture and Storage and Direct Air Capture are the two main pathways under the broader umbrella of Carbon Dioxide Removal. While both aim to reduce atmospheric carbon, they differ significantly in method, scalability, as well as credibility. CCS captures CO₂ directly at the point of emission which is usually from industrial or fossil fuel plants right before it enters the atmosphere. The gas is then compressed and stored underground. While DAC, on the other hand, uses machines to pull carbon dioxide directly from ambient air, independent of industrial processes. This method, though conceptually appealing, is also energy-intensive and costly. Carbon Capture Costs And Current Global Capacity According to the International Energy Agency 2023 report on Carbon Capture, global capacity for CCS is about 50 million tons of CO₂ per year, a mere fraction of global emissions. According to another IEA report in 2025, the International Energy Agency, energy-related CO₂ emissions rose by 0.8 % in 2024, reaching a record 37.8 gigatons. This increase pushed atmospheric concentrations to 422.5 parts per million which is around 50% higher than pre-industrial levels. Emissions from fuel combustion grew slightly, while those from industrial processes declined. Importantly, emissions rose at a slower pace than global GDP, signaling a return to the long-term trend of decoupling economic growth from emissions. A simple calculation was done and it shows that with a global carbon capture capacity of 50 million tons per year and annual energy-related emissions at 37.8 gigatons, current CCS efforts remove only about 0.13 percent of emissions, highlighting just how limited their impact is at present. According to a 2022 ScienceDirect article, direct air capture remains financially out of reach for most large-scale climate strategies, with current costs ranging from $264 to $1,000 per ton of CO₂ removed depending on the technology and energy source. Industry leaders like Climeworks have also reported costs between $600 and $1,000 per ton. Driving these costs down will require major advancements in three critical areas: air contactors, sorbents, and regeneration systems. With targeted innovation and policy support, future capture costs could fall to between $100 and $200 per ton. However, for DAC to make a meaningful impact, it must reach gigaton-scale removal at costs below $100 per ton by 2050. Why Big Tech and Big Oil Are Betting on Carbon Capture According to a 2024 Newsweek report, tech giants like Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Salesforce are aggressively investing in carbon dioxide removal technologies to meet their net-zero targets and hedge against future climate risks. From backing nature-based reforestation to cutting-edge direct air capture systems like Climeworks' Mammoth plant in Iceland, these companies are deploying their capital to accelerate the scale-up of CDR solutions. The drivers are threefold: pressure to decarbonize amidst AI-driven energy demand, alignment with their innovation culture, and access to the financial resources needed to push nascent technologies to commercialization. Experts and tech leaders agree that early investment today is crucial to building a viable carbon removal infrastructure that can help offset hard-to-abate emissions and deliver on long-term climate goals. According to a 2024 CNBC article, oil and gas giants such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Baker Hughes, and SLB are aggressively investing in carbon capture and storage, positioning it as a cornerstone strategy to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel. Backed by billions in private capital and $12 billion in U.S. federal funding, these companies are expanding CCS infrastructure across the Gulf Coast, with Chevron's Bayou Bend and Exxon's recent $5 billion acquisition of Denbury serving as flagship moves. While the technology remains expensive and logistically complex, Big Oil sees CCS as both a business opportunity and a bridge to net-zero, though critics caution it must not become a license to prolong fossil fuel dependency. The Role Of Carbon Capture In Real Climate Solutions Carbon capture should not be seen as a license to pollute but neither should it be dismissed outright. The technology, while still costly and logistically complex, holds real promise, particularly for sectors like steel, cement, and chemicals where decarbonization remains technically difficult. When used strategically and transparently, carbon removal can complement, not replace, ambitious emissions reductions. However, overreliance on engineered removals without slashing emissions at the source risks turning a climate solution into a climate distraction. Questions around permanence, leakage, and long-term liability remain unresolved. Without clear policy guardrails, independent verification, and ethical use, carbon capture risks becoming a shell game, boosting ESG optics while emissions continue unchecked. So is it science or strategy? The answer depends on how it is deployed. For the United States, the path forward requires balance: support targeted carbon capture in hard-to-abate sectors, but tie that support to aggressive emissions caps, clean energy investment, and full transparency. For island nations like Jamaica, where energy footprints are smaller and vulnerabilities higher, investment in nature-based solutions, resilient infrastructure, and renewables may offer the most climate and economic impact per dollar spent. The technology is real. The potential is real and what matters most now is intent, oversight, and ensuring carbon removal plays a supporting, not starring, role in our climate strategy.
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
German court suspends diesel scandal trial of former Volkswagen CEO Winterkorn
A German court has suspended proceedings in the trial of former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, who has been charged with fraud and market manipulation in connection with Volkswagen's use of rigged software that let millions of diesel-engine cars cheat on emissions tests. The regional court in Braunschweig on Tuesday cited an unspecified health issue that meant Winterkorn, 78, was not in a condition to face trial. The court said in a statement that it had "provisionally terminated' the proceedings. It said the health issue represented a 'temporary impediment' and would continue to be reviewed with the help of an expert so that proceedings could resume if Winterkorn recovers. Winterkorn went on trial in September, 2024 but the proceedings were suspended a few days later after Winterkorn had an accident. Germany's code of criminal procedure allows for a court to provisionally terminate proceedings 'if the absence of the indicted accused or some other personal impediment prevents the main hearing being held for a considerable time.' Prosecutors say Winterkorn knew about the illegal software well before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its discovery of the violation in September 2015. He resigned days later. He has said he learned about the practice only shortly before the announcement and earlier testified during civil proceedings that the allegations against him 'are not correct.' In May, four former Volkswagen managers were convicted of fraud and two of them given prison sentences for their part in the manipulation of emissions controls. The former head of diesel development was sentenced to four and a half years in prison, and the head of drive train electronics to two years and seven months by the court in Braunschweig. Two others received suspended sentences of 15 months and 10 months. The company has paid more than $33 billion in fines and compensation to vehicle owners. Two VW managers received prison sentences in the U.S. The former head of the company's Audi division, Rupert Stadler, was given a suspended sentence of 21 months and a fine of 1.1 million euros ($1.25 million). The sentence is still subject to appeal. .
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
A Historic Course Correction: How The World's Shipping Sector Is Setting Sail For Net Zero
Long overlooked as a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, the shipping industry is now at the forefront of a unique display of international cooperation. The shift signals that even the worlds largest transport sector can be steered … Every day, tens of thousands of massive ships criss-cross the world's oceans, transporting grain, clothing, electronics, cars, and countless other products. Nearly 90 per cent of global cargo is moved this way. But this vital industry comes with an added cost: international shipping is responsible for three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, which are heating the planet. For years, ship emissions were a complex and often postponed topic in international climate discussions. But that changed in April 2025 when the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN body overseeing global shipping regulations, approved a historic plan to make the industry net-zero by around mid-century. 'This demonstrates that multilateralism and the United Nations are still relevant and important in these particular times,' Arsenio Dominguez, IMO's Secretary-General, told UN News. He reflected on the tense and often emotional negotiations at the Marine Environment Protection Committee's 83rd session, calling the approval a commitment by IMO and the shipping sector to combat climate change. The deal, dubbed the IMO Net-Zero Framework, marked the culmination of years of painstaking talks between member States, including small island nations at risk from rising seas and the world's largest shipping nations. 'I could spend hours just telling you in detail all those great moments working very closely with the delegates of all the member states at IMO in order to get this agreement,' Mr. Dominguez recalled. 'That collaborative approach, to see all the member states gathering and rallying each other to get this deal in place, is something that I will always remember.' A breakthrough years in the making The 2025 breakthrough did not happen overnight. The IMO's work to tackle emissions spans more than a decade. In 2011, it rolled out the first mandatory energy efficiency measures for ships. Then, in 2018, member countries agreed on the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, marking the first international targets to cut the sector's climate impact. Building on that progress, IMO ramped up ambition in 2023 and set clear goals: reduce emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2030 and 70 per cent by 2040, and phase in zero or near-zero emission fuels. The 2025 Net-Zero Framework transforms these plans into binding regulation. 'We're focusing first on 2030, meeting those goals of reducing emissions by at least 20 per cent, and achieving at least a five per cent uptake of alternative fuels, because it's going to pave the way for the next set of actions and demonstrate what other mechanisms or measures we need to put in place,' Mr. Dominguez said. The machinery of global commerce What's at stake is more than just the environment – it's the very machinery of global commerce. In 2023, maritime trade volumes soared past 12 billion tonnes of cargo, UN data shows. 'Even the chair you are sitting on right now was likely transported by ship,' remarked Mr. Dominguez. 'Things move around by ship because it's the most efficient method of mass transportation. But that comes with responsibility and some drawbacks'. Although the shipping sector has been 'slow' to regulate its climate impact, the 2025 framework is changing that with two key measures: a global fuel standard to reduce greenhouse gas intensity and a pricing mechanism for ships exceeding emission thresholds. Polluters will need to purchase 'remedial units' or offset their excess emissions by investing in the IMO Net-Zero Fund. Ships adopting zero or near-zero emissions technologies can earn surplus credits, creating an incentive to clean up. A shipowner exceeding their emissions limit might buy credits from another ship that has outperformed its targets or contribute to the fund. Revenues from the fund will be used to reward low-emission ships and help developing countries with capacity building, technology transfer, and access to alternative fuels. Oversight by member States and IMO will ensure accountability for the new measures. 'We work with the member States, particularly small island developing states and least developed countries, to enhance the implementation of IMO instruments,' Mr. Dominguez explained. Certification, verification, audits, and reporting processes will monitor compliance. 'Everything gets reported to the Organisation, and from there we take additional measures.' Balancing climate action and trade The measures will cover large ocean-going ships that exceed 5,000 gross tonnes, which are responsible for about 85 per cent of industry emissions. When asked about potential impacts on supply chains and consumer prices, particularly for countries heavily reliant on imports, the IMO chief emphasised that they have carried out a comprehensive impact assessment. 'There is a cost to pay when it comes to decarbonising and protecting the environment. There has also been a cost to polluting the environment. So, all these rules, of course, are going to have an impact. What we looked at is reducing that impact as much as possible. If there is an impact, the financial measures and pricing mechanisms will support the industry's transition''. Innovation will play a major role, and some promising technologies include ammonia and hydrogen fuels, wind propulsion, solar-assisted shipping, and onboard carbon capture. 'Our rules are there to foster innovation and not to limit it,' Mr. Dominguez said, explaining that the Organisation is carrying out an initial analysis. 'We are rediscovering the existence of wind in the shipping industry, if I may say it like that…We have to be open to everything that's happening out there. There's a lot of work going on alternative fuels.' This transition will also require investment in training and safety measures for seafarers as these alternative fuels are adopted, he warned. 'We have to pay paramount importance when it comes to the people.' An industry in transition The framework sets a strict timeline: industry emissions must drop by at least 20 per cent (striving for 30 per cent) by 2030, by at least 70 per cent (striving for 80 per cent) by 2040, and reach net-zero by around 2050. The first compliance year will be 2028. 'The end goal of the main objective of the strategy is to decarbonise to reach net zero by around 2050. But it doesn't mean that we're not doing anything between,' Mr. Dominguez stressed. 'This is a progressive approach.' The IMO has also committed to constant review and refinement. 'For us, it's not just about the next step,' Mr. Dominguez said. 'It will be a constant process of analysis, review, and engagement to gather the experience and expertise needed to tweak or provide any additional support that may be required''. Beyond emissions While greenhouse gases dominate the headlines, Mr. Dominguez explained that shipping's environmental footprint extends beyond CO. 'There's so much more that this Organisation [does],' he said. IMO measures address issues like biofouling, which is the accumulation of aquatic organisms like algae and barnacles on the hulls of ships, increasing drag and fuel consumption; underwater noise, which can disturb marine life; and ballast water management, which prevents invasive species from being transported across the globe. 'We always take into account that ships touch many parts of the environment, and we need to protect them,' he added. The road ahead When UN News asked about the framework's adoption at IMO's extraordinary session in October, Mr. Dominguez stated: 'Of course, I'm confident because we just demonstrated that multilateralism is still relevant, that IMO is ready to meet its commitments'. He explained that the next step will be addressing concerns and developing guidelines for implementing the new measures, including the pricing mechanism. 'That is going to help us meet the very ambitious timeframe that member states are committed to, so that as soon as these amendments enter into force in 2027, we can start demonstrating with tangible results what the shipping industry means when it talks about decarbonization.' For Mr. Dominguez and many observers, the agreement represents a rare victory for multilateralism – and a new beginning for a critical but long-overlooked sector. 'It's not if we get it right. We are getting it right,' he said. 'This is a process, a transition. We're taking the first steps now that will lead us to the main goal.'
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Air New Zealand Announces New 2030 Emissions Guidance In Move Towards Greater Transparency
Press Release – Air New Zealand The new 2030 Emissions Guidance aims to provide a regular and transparent assessment of Air New Zealands progress towards its 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target. The Emissions Guidance will be updated annually in August in the airlines Climate … Air New Zealand has published its first 2030 Emissions Guidance today, and says it expects to reduce net 'well-to-wake' greenhouse gas emissions from jet fuel by 20 to 25 per cent by 2030, from a 2019 baseline. This new approach replaces the airline's 2030 Science Based Target which it withdrew from in 2024. The new 2030 Emissions Guidance aims to provide a regular and transparent assessment of Air New Zealand's progress towards its 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target. The Emissions Guidance will be updated annually in August in the airline's Climate Statement. Each update will reflect the airline's expected net emissions by 2030 based on detailed modelling of its decarbonisation progress, external market conditions, and global and domestic policy developments. Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer Kiri Hannifin, says Air New Zealand is acutely aware of aviation's impact on the climate and nature, and is committed to high levels of transparency in a rapidly evolving environment. 'Air New Zealand remains committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and we are taking practical steps today towards achieving that ambition. Having a comprehensive and annually updated outlook of our emissions trajectory to 2030, and a clear understanding of how we can get there, is a critical stepping stone. 'Rather than setting an emissions target that remains static, regular emissions guidance will give our investors and customers an up-to-date and clear view of our expected emissions trajectory, including the impact from external risks and opportunities. The reality of decarbonising an industry like aviation is there is uncertainty and are many factors we have limited control over, such as the availability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at reasonable prices. Many of our assumptions are evolving rapidly. 'We hope there may be opportunities to move faster as new technologies and the SAF industry grows, so our 2030 emissions guidance could be updated to reflect any upside as well,' says Kiri Hannifin. In developing the 2030 Emissions Guidance, Air New Zealand has undertaken a thorough analysis of the airline's specific circumstances, external environment, and key decarbonisation levers: · Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF): increasing use as global mandates, supply and affordability scale. · Fleet and network optimisation: implementing the airline's fleet and network plan, including continued fleet renewal to replace older aircraft with more fuel-efficient aircraft. · Operational efficiency improvements: improving fuel efficiency through technology and best practice. · Carbon credits: using carbon credits to meet international regulatory requirements (specifically CORSIA, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation), and to a lesser extent using high integrity carbon removals. · There are no anticipated decarbonisation impacts from Next Generation Aircraft in the period to 2030. The 2030 Emissions Guidance is integrated with the airline's long-term fleet and network plan through to 2030 and will be updated in August each year as part of its Climate Statement.
