Carbon removal likely to take centre stage at Dubai climate talks

Renewed attention to carbon capture and storage, utilisation expected: Observer

- Lynda Hong Senior Environment Correspondent

Even as the United Arab Emirates UAE), host of the upcoming United Nations climate change negotiations in Dubai, has called for the phasing out of carbon emissions while maintaining the production of fossil fuels, a long-time observer of such talks predicts that carbon sequestration will take centre stage in December at the event.

Carbon sequestration which refers to the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide CO2) to help avert global warming will be the focus of COP28, said Professor Robert Stavins at the inaugural Albert Winsemius Lecture at the Nanyang Technological University NTU) last Tuesday.

“It means that there would be renewed attention, I think, to carbon capture and storage, carbon capture and utilisation, also direct carbon removal from the atmosphere which in the UAE is extensive, as well as geoengineering like solar radiation management.

“Now if that happens, it would be controversial,” added Prof Stavins, a Harvard environmental economist, who in the last 15 years has participated in global climate summits.

There have been deep divisions among nations over how to combat global warming ahead of the COP28 talks.