Direct Air Capture: Big Oil’s Latest Smokescreen
This briefing was published by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
As our window to prevent catastrophic climate impacts narrows, technological fixes like direct air capture (DAC) are gaining momentum dangerously. While removing pollution out of the atmosphere might sound like a good idea, DAC and other carbon capture schemes are unproven, expensive, and may accelerate climate change.
This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) highlights how DAC perpetuates fossil fuel infrastructure and diverts resources from effective climate solutions.
The brief examines US oil giant Oxy’s plans to use DAC to preserve the fossil fuel industry, a proposal supported by COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, and exposes problematic ties between Al Jaber and Oxy.
The brief warns that DAC is a dangerous distraction that props up the fossil fuel industry, and concludes that governments must focus attention and public funds on safe, proven, and readily available solutions, like scaling up renewable energies.
The views and opinions expressed in the publication are those of the mentioned organisation and do not necessarily reflect the position of all Real Zero Europe members.