New PCIC Science Brief: Is atmospheric carbon dioxide removal a game changer for climate change mitigation?

PCIC Science Briefs are a regular series of brief reports on recent climate science literature, relevant to stakeholders in the Pacific and Yukon Region of Canada. PCIC has developed these briefs because we recognize the need for a bridge between the cutting edge of climate science research and the various stakeholders who need access to this knowledge, in plain-language reports, filtered for regional relevance, and suitable for consideration in planning and adaptation. The PCIC Science Briefs contextualize and explain the results and implications of important scientific findings.

This PCIC Science Brief focuses on recent research in the journal Climatic Change that examines a type of geoengineering that involves using biomass for energy production, together with carbon capture and storage.  Kriegler et al. (2013) examine this using an integrated assessment model that represents global energy use, as well as the Earth's climate and economic systems. They find that the method, known as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), can improve the feasibility and reduce the costs of achieving climate change goals.

Read this Science Brief.

Kriegler, E., et al., 2013: Is atmospheric carbon dioxide removal a game changer for climate change mitigation? Climatic Change, 118, 45-57, doi: 10.1007/s10584-012-0681-4.