Bury Climate-Warming Gas, Scientists Say

CLIMATE SCIENCE

Current cost estimates for the process (illustrated) range from 15 to 75 dollars per tonne of CO2.

Paris (AFP) Sep 21, 2005
Deep underground storage of carbon dioxide could prevent between 20 and 40 percent of global emissions, largely responsible for global warming, between now and 2050, according to a report by UN scientists obtained by AFP.

Between 220 and 2,200 billion tonnes of CO2 could be economically stored underground in geological structures such as empty oil and gas fields and in the deep ocean between now and 2100, the report said.

This currently experimental process would involve collecting the carbon dioxide from large emitters such as power stations and heavy industry and then transporting it to selected sites and injecting it underground or into the ocean.

Current cost estimates for this process range from 15 to 75 dollars per tonne of CO2.

However such carbon storage would not be a "panacea" to other measures to combat global warming such as improving energy efficiency and increasing the share of energy production by renewable and nuclear sources, the report said.

This point was echoed by a separate report by a French government energy agency (ADEM), which said some of the world's major CO2 emitters such as China and India do not have appropriate underground sites for carbon storage or the sites are too far away from the sources of emissions to make the process economic.

The UN report was commissioned in 2003 by the world scientific authority on global warming, the UN-mandated Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

It will be presented to governments at the IPCC meeting in Montreal on September 22 to 28 to discuss the future of the Kyoto protocol, the international legal agreement under which industrialised countries have agreed to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent from their 1990 levels by

The IPCC has warned that storing CO2 in the oceans could change the local environment and endanger marine life.

The Kyoto protocol came into force in February after it was ratified by Russia. The United States and Australia have refused to ratify the treaty saying it is against their economic interests.

Carbon dioxide emissions are produced from the burning of coal, oil and gas, mainly in power stations and motor vehicles. These and other so-called greenhouse gas emissions have collected in the atmosphere, raising global average temperatures and sea levels, according to the IPCC.

They threaten to melt the polar ice caps and increase the number and intensity of droughts, floods and storms.

All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

CLIMATE SCIENCE

Climate Change Will Affect Carbon Sequestration In Oceans, Model Shows

Champaign IL (SPX) Sep 08, 2005
An Earth System model developed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign indicates that the best location to store carbon dioxide in the deep ocean will change with climate change.

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.