One of the biggest problems faced by humanity today is of the ‘global climate change’. Since the turn of the 21st century, this modern challenge has been threatening to escalate, enough to overshadow other major problems in the world. As the world continues to grapple with the growing threat, brilliant minds from all over the world and countries’ collective efforts intensify to combat climate change. Among the various strategies proposed, ‘Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) ‘ has delivered a solid role as a promising technological approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for a sustainable future. This essay delves into its significance, methods and applications.

>Understanding the Importance of Carbon Capture :
One of the primary greenhouse gases is Carbon dioxide (Co2). CO2 is largely produced from burning of fossil fuels, industrial processes like cement production, vehicle fuel emissions etc. So, Carbon capture refers to the process of capturing CO2 emissions from sources mentioned above like power plants, industries and even directly from atmosphere, by a process known as ‘direct air capture’ (DAC). This captured CO2 can then be stored and utilised in various ways. This approach will turn a harmful waste product into a useful, valuable resource.The main goal of Carbon Capture is to prevent CO2 from tapping into the atmosphere, where it contributes to the greenhouse effect and consequently, global warming.

An important mention is ‘the Paris Agreement’. It is an international treaty on climate change that was signed by 196 countries in 2016, officially in Paris, France. The treaty, sort of brought the world together into fighting this threat by advocating its main goals to the masses, namely:-
Reducing emissions, thereby limiting global warming; adaptation in difficult times and providing financial opportunities by introducing technologies. It played a big role.

Because complete elimination of emissions is challenging due to the ongoing dependence on fossil fuels and slow transition to Renewable energy sources, Carbon capture comes into the spotlight and showcases itself as a reliable solution.

>Utilisation of Captured Carbon :
Captured Carbon can be innovatively utilised by transforming CO2 into useful products that hold economic value and also reduce overall emissions.
Various ways discussed are as follows-
1) enhanced oil recovery (EOR)

Manan Nath

University/College name : School of Pharmacy, Parul University