In fact, for any stable climate we’ll need to reach net-zero emissions at some point in our future. The idea of “net-zero emissions” exists because “zero emissions” is too hard − we will use some fossil fuels for the foreseeable future, so we must also suck them out of the air using so-called negative-emissions technologies. Some also fear that extracting CO 2 from the air might reduce the incentive to decrease our emissions. The point is that there will be no silver bullet for climate change. • Dr Tamsin Edwards is a senior lecturer in physical geography at King’s College London

Source: The Guardian July 20, 2020 06:56 UTC