The world is heating up, resulting in unprecedented
numbers of ìhundred-yearî or even ìthousand-yearî
weather events in what seems like a constant stream. The
scientific consensus is that if nothing is done to change
the pace and direction of greenhouse gas emissions in
the immediate future, the damage will be irreparableóif it
is not so already.
Each year, 51 billion tons (gigatons, or Gt) of
greenhouse gasesóconsidered the main drivers of climate
changeóare emitted into the atmosphere, of which 37 Gt
are CO 2. Those numbers are increasing, with estimates of
a possible 50%ñ100% rise in CO 2 emissions by 2030 if we
continue along our current path.
Because of the situation we find ourselves in today,
it is not enough just to reduce emissions and maximizethe implementation of renewable sources of energy,
which many nations are aiming to do by 2050. There is
just too much CO 2 already in the air. ìWe really need
to target negative emissions, meaning that net-zero
emission is necessary, but itís not enough, and we need
to complement that with a bounty on capturing CO 2 from
the atmosphere,î says Veronica Bermudez, head of the
Energy Center at Qatar Environment and Energy Research
Institute (QEERI), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University
(HBKU) in Doha.Upcycling
QEERIís Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) ìcluster
projectî was created and funded by a 5-year, USD 5
million grant from the Qatar National Research Fund (plusAdvertorial
Turning carbon green
PHOTOS: PROVIDED BY QATAR FOUNDATIONWe really need to target
negative emissions...but it’s
not enough, and we need
to complement that with
a bounty on capturing CO
2from the atmosphere.
”
–Veronica Bermudez
1029Product.indd 512 10/21/21 7:28 AM