Scientists from Portugal have proposed a new method of capturing carbon dioxide that could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere and help combat climate change on the planet. The researchers found that the space of an extinct underwater volcano 100 kilometers from Lisbon could hold a huge amount of CO2 emitted by industrial plants over decades of operation.
Geologists believe that the chemical composition of the volcano’s rocks will help trap the CO2 and turn it into stable minerals such as calcite. This will significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and reduce the risks of global climate change on the planet. There are similar underwater volcanoes in various places on Earth, which opens up possibilities to use this method in the fight against climate change.
Today, many countries around the world are striving for a low-carbon economy, given the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. However, reducing emissions is not the only tool for a new environmentally friendly development path for different nations of the earth.
Scientists and experts are working on capturing industrial gases, such as CO2, and burying it in different ways. According to the international think tank Global CCS Institute, last year around 43 megatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere were captured and “preserved” in the world. Usually porous sedimentary rocks are used for such purposes.
The new method of CO2 capture proposed by Portuguese geologists could become an effective tool in the fight against climate change on the planet. However, scientists note that this method requires additional research and testing to determine its effectiveness and safety.
