Addressing committed emissions in both US and China requires carbon capture and storage
Thursday, December 19, 2019 - 09:30
in Earth & Climate
Stabilizing global temperatures will require deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions worldwide. Recent integrated assessments of global climate change show that CO2 emissions must approach net-zero by mid-century to avoid exceeding the 1.5°C climate target. However, "committed emissions," those emissions projected from existing fossil fuel infrastructure operating as they have historically, already threaten that 1.5°C goal. With the average lifespan of a coal plant being over 40 years, proposed or under-construction power plants only add to that burden, further increasing the challenge of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.