Scientists Propose Releasing More CO2 to Combat Global Warming
It may seem counterintuitive, but in a proposal recently published in Nature SustainabilityStanford University scientists argue that one way to combat the growing global warming crisis is to chemically convert methane to carbon dioxide. “Our paper is a call to view methan removal as an opportunity,” Rob Jackson, the study’s lead author, said, according to Popular Science.
The team argues that creating an industrial process that accelerates the natural tendency for methane and oxygen to react and form carbon dioxide and water has the potential to eliminate a full sixth of the warming that has occurred since we started burning fossil fuels. This reprieve would give scientists additional time to research ways to combat the growing carbon dioxide issue.
This proposal is not without its challenges. Methane is very difficult to diffuse in the air and its tetrahedral chemical structure also creates a barrier to conversion. This process also requires quite a bit of energy, and, currently, there’s no way to profit off of carbon conversion.
Even with these challenges, Jackson remains hopeful that this proposal will help push the discussion surrounding methane conversion forward.
