Building on a CSIRO technical report, the Climate Change Authority finds that Australia is endowed with carbon sequestration potential supply but that our ability to realise this potential is not yet well understood.

The CSIRO technical report investigated technical potential, which is the maximum sequestration biophysically or technically possible without taking account of economic feasibility or competition for resources.

Demand for sequestration to counterbalance hard-to-abate emissions will add even more pressure on these resources.

The CSIRO technical report investigated 12 sequestration technologies in detail, including biological technologies such as farm forestry and engineered technologies such as direct air capture, and found that no single technology appears able to deliver all of Australia’s current and future sequestration capacity.

With our large land mass, and expertise in science and engineering, Australia could have one of the largest sequestration industries in the world.

We have an opportunity to lead in technological advancement, but other nations are also addressing the sequestration issue at pace We need to act quickly on emissions reduction as well as sequestration to make sure we don’t miss the opportunity to become a sequestration leader.

As a nation endowed with land, sun, wind and a geologically stable land mass, sequestration presents economic opportunities for Australia in a low-emissions world through the reshaping of existing industries and the creation of new enterprises.

  • Greyghoster@aussie.zoneEnglish
    7·
    1 year ago

    Sequestration will be a necessary tool, however it is pointless if we are still pumping greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Sequestration is just too small to roll back the clock. Often the CCS and sequestration arguments are muddying arguments for completing the transition to a low carbon economy.

    • Treevan 🇦🇺@aussie.zoneOPMEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      I don’t believe it’s muddying. It’s just science giving ideas. Whether or not unscrupulous people use it for nefarious means is something else.

      What you are saying about a low carbon economy is 100% correct but sequestration has to happen as well. They both have to happen.

      Unfortunately, neither will happen or be effective. A low carbon economy will be the collapse of the economy judging by the political climate. There is too much carbon in the atmosphere to sequester.

      • Greyghoster@aussie.zoneEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        An interesting thought is that the best way to deal with sequestration is to leave the pre-sequestrated carbon in the ground. It would do more than all the sequestration technology we could build.