Removal of Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS)): Revision Note

Removal Strategy

Description

Protecting and Enhancing Carbon Sinks through Land Management

• Implementing programs like the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UNREDD) to prevent deforestation and promote sustainable forest management

• Restoring and expanding forests through afforestation and reforestation initiatives, which absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis

• Implementing sustainable land management practices such as agroforestry and soil carbon sequestration (sometimes referred to as “carbon farming” or “regenerative agriculture”) to enhance carbon sinks in agricultural landscapes

Using Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

• Capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial facilities, power plants, and other large-scale sources before they are released into the atmosphere

• Transporting the captured carbon dioxide and securely storing it underground or utilising it for industrial purposes

Using Biomass as a Fuel Source

• Utilising bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology, which involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from biomass combustion and storing it underground, effectively removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

• Promoting sustainable cultivation of bioenergy crops that does not cause deforestation - bioenergy crops absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they photosynthesise

Enhancing Carbon Dioxide Absorption by the Oceans

• Exploring ocean fertilisation techniques by adding compounds like nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, which absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis

• Investigating methods to increase upwellings, which bring nutrient-rich deep waters to the surface, with the same effect of promoting the growth of phytoplankton and enhancing carbon dioxide absorption