- Understanding Earth’s Carbon Cycle
- Restoring The Holocene Epoch
- Past
- Present
- Future
Baseline CO2 Emissions
Nominal CO2 emissions (before industrial times) included wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and limited man-made sources (firewood, respiration).
Earth’s Natural CO2 Sinks
Natural ecosystems, including land-based (forests, grasslands), oceans, and mineral sites serve as CO2 sinks and establish an equilibrium.
Historic CO2 Equilibrium
Prehistoric atmospheric CO2 equilibrium sat at around 250 parts-per-million (ppm) for 800,000 years (fluctuating between 175 & 300).
Industrial CO2 Emissions
Powering the industrial revolution, the burning of vast sums of fossil fuels “turned up the faucet” emitting trillions of tonnes of CO2 into the air.
Destruction of Natural Sinks
Alongside the industrial revolution, the clearing of natural ecosystems (forests) for agriculture and housing “plugged” Earth’s natural CO2 sinks.
Current CO2 Levels
The combination of “turning up the faucet” and “plugging the drain” has driven CO2 levels up to ~420 ppm, with no signs of slowing down.
Decarbonized Economy
Technology innovators are creating pathways to maintain economic prosperity without associated CO2 emissions. (“turn down the tap”)
Restored Ecosystems
Halting deforestation and restoring natural ecosystems can rebuild the Earth’s nature CO2 sinks that balance the cycle. (“unplug the drain”)
Carbon Dioxide Removals
Removing CO2 directly from the atmosphere and permanently storing it is the only path to fully rebalancing the carbon cycle. (“grab a bucket”)
Rebalanced CO2 Levels
The combination of decarbonization, natural ecosystems, and engineered carbon removal can create a path to restoring a healthy, carbon cycle.
- 1.5°C
- 2°C
Man-Made CO2 Emissions
Over the past ~150 years, CO2 emissions have steadily risen to >40Bn tonnes per year–nearly 25x more annual waste than all landfill waste.
Business-as-Usual (>3.0C)
Current forecasts indicate CO2 emissions will continue to rise, with renewable energy and energy efficiency driving post-2050 declines.
Decarbonizing the Economy
New, clean energy technologies for building, industrial, and consumer products have the potential to reduce emissions by ~80-90%.
Scaling Carbon Removal
Engineered carbon removal is needed to complete the net-zero equation and support a path to negative emissions that can rebalance CO2 levels.
Man-Made CO2 Emissions
Over the past ~150 years, CO2 emissions have steadily risen to >40Bn tonnes per year–nearly 25x more annual waste than all landfill waste.
Business-as-Usual (>3.0C)
Current forecasts indicate CO2 emissions will continue to rise, with renewable energy and energy efficiency driving post-2050 declines.
Decarbonizing the Economy
New, clean energy technologies for building, industrial, and consumer products have the potential to reduce emissions by ~80-90%.
Scaling Carbon Removal
Engineered carbon removal is needed to complete the net-zero equation and support a path to negative emissions that can rebalance CO2 levels.
Reimagining the oil & gas industry... in reverse.
OIL & GAS
-
5Bn tonnes
Of oil pumped out of the ground annually (100MMboe)
-
$500/tonne
Market price of oil (~$60/barrel equivalent)
-
150 years
Time since the advent of the oil industry (~1870)
WASTE MANAGEMENT (“GARBAGE”)
-
2Bn tonnes
Of solid waste (garbage) landfilled annually
-
$800/tonne
Average price of waste management services
-
180 years
Time since the start of organized, MSW services (~1850)
CARBON DIOXIDE REMOVAL
-
7Bn tonnes
Required scale of CDR to support net zero pathways
-
$100/tonne
Global ambition for cost of carbon removal industry
-
40 years
Time to scale CDR since the first companies started (~2010)