20.03.2019

# New Publications

0 Comments

Haikola, S.; et al. (2019): From polarization to reluctant acceptance–bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and the post-normalization of the climate debate

Haikola, S.; Hansson, A.; Anshelm, J. (2019): From polarization to reluctant acceptance–bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and the post-normalization of the climate debate. In: Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences 74, S. 1–25. DOI: 10.1080/1943815X.2019.1579740.

"The paper covers the public debate on BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) between 2008 and 2018. Through a qualitative analysis of around 800 feature articles, editorials, and opinion pieces published in English, German, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian in news media and debates sections of scientific media, we highlight conspicuous aspects of the debate and relate them to the theoretical concept of post-normal science. We find that the debate is characterized by an emphasis on values, scientific uncertainty and the integrity of science, premised on a pervading sense of urgency."

LINK


Read more »

20.03.2019

# Media

0 Comments

Nature: The race to remove CO 2 needs more contestants

"With the ongoing failure of emissions reduction to adequately address growing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), increasing attention has focused on the possibility of conducting CO2 removal (CDR) from the atmosphere (‘negative emissions’). Indeed, modelling suggests that hundreds to thousands of gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 will need to be removed over this century depending on global mean temperature goals and the success of emissions reduction."

LINK


Read more »

18.03.2019

# Media

0 Comments

Scientific American: U.S. Blocks U.N. Resolution on Geoengineering

"The United States joined Saudi Arabia to derail a U.N. resolution that sought to improve the world’s understanding of potential efforts to lace the sky with sunlight-reflecting aerosols or use carbon-catching fans."

LINK


Read more »

18.03.2019

# Media

0 Comments

Swissinfo: Could geo-engineering help reverse climate change?

"New technologies that block solar radiation or suck CO2 out of the atmosphere could help tackle global warming. Switzerland is hoping for an international assessment of the opportunities and risks of so-called geo-engineering."

LINK


Read more »

18.03.2019

# Media

0 Comments

Motherboard: The US Opposed a UN Plan to Study Geoengineering to Combat Climate Change

"At the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi on Wednesday, delegates from the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil blocked a sweeping plan for investigating geoengineering, one of the most controversial tools in the fight against climate change."

LINK


Read more »

18.03.2019

# Media

0 Comments

The Guardian: US and Saudi Arabia blocking regulation of geoengineering, sources say

"The United States and Saudi Arabia have hamstrung global efforts to scrutinise climate geoengineering in order to benefit their fossil fuel industries, according to multiple sources at the United Nations environment assembly, taking place this week in Nairobi."

LINK


Read more »

18.03.2019

# Media

0 Comments

Reuters: Proposal for U.N. to study climate-cooling technologies rejected

"A push to launch a high-level study of potentially risky technological fixes to curb climate change was abandoned on Thursday at a U.N. environmental conference in Nairobi, as countries including the United States raised objections."

LINK


Read more »

18.03.2019

# Calls & events

0 Comments

Call for Abstracts: The Achieving Net Zero Conference

Deadline: 8. April 2019

"Deadline for submitting abstracts is Monday 8th April. Applicants will be be notified by Thursday 18th April."

LINK


Read more »

18.03.2019

# New Publications

0 Comments

Kaya, Y.; et al. (2019): Towards net zero CO2 emissions without relying on massive carbon dioxide removal

Kaya, Y.; Yamaguchi, M.; Geden, O. (2019): Towards net zero CO2 emissions without relying on massive carbon dioxide removal. In: Sustain Sci 354 (5), S. 182. DOI: 10.1007/s11625-019-00680-1.

"Current emission scenarios that allow keeping the global temperature increase below 2 °C or even 1.5 °C—as foreseen by the Paris Agreement—are based on very optimistic assumptions, including enormous volumes of carbon dioxide removal (CDR). A closer look at the globally most important emission sectors—power, transport and industry—shows manifold barriers for very ambitious mitigation."

LINK


Read more »

18.03.2019

# New Publications

0 Comments

Erans, M.; et al. (2019): Pilot-scale calcination of limestone in steam-rich gas for direct air capture

Erans, M.; Nabavi, S.; Manović, V. (2019): Pilot-scale calcination of limestone in steam-rich gas for direct air capture. In: Energy Conversion and Management: X, S. 100007. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecmx.2019.100007.

"A novel polygeneration concept, which has been proposed recently, comprises a fuel-cell calciner integrated system in order to produce electricity and lime which can be used for direct air capture (DAC) to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. [...] Moreover, increasing steam concentration during calcination affected the material performance and DAC capacity at ambient conditions positively. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that limestone calcined under typical SOFC afterburner exhaust conditions is suitable as a DAC sorbent."

LINK


Read more »