The CO₂ Clean Air Plan Wasn’t Infinite: Study Shows Earth Has Much Less Space Than We Thought
Carbon capture seemed like a lifeline against climate change: . But a has just burst that illusion. The result redefines the limits of the planet and confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: there is not enough space for all the plans.
From technological promise to limited resource
was conceived as a plan B for those who could not immediately reduce emissions. It was said that there were up to 40,000 gigatons available under our feet. However, the actual figure is reduced to 1,460 gigatons of CO₂, according to the new calculation defined as a “prudent planetary boundary.” In simple terms,
Filters that reduce capacity
The scientific team did not only measure volume, but . They excluded seismic areas, protected zones, urban proximities, and deep marine waters. They also discarded options that cross international borders due to their political complexity. With these criteria, and made it clear that not all geological formations are safe or viable.
Implications for climate and geopolitics
If all that storage were dedicated solely to cleaning the atmosphere, . This limits the “overshoot” strategies that rely on surpassing 1.5 ºC and then cooling the Earth with technology. Additionally, paints a map of winners and losers: Russia, the US, or Brazil have plenty of space, while the European Union and India lag behind and will depend on others.
The final message: less illusions, more action
does not invalidate carbon capture: it will continue to be key in heavy industries such as steel or cement. What it makes clear is that it is not a magical or unlimited solution. The conclusion is direct:. The only truly secure plan is to drastically reduce emissions from now on.
