Limitation of the global average surface temperature to 1.5°C, as stated in the Paris Agreement, requires deep decarbonization of the global economy. This can be accomplished by aggressive carbon emission reductions, including carbon avoidance and removal. Carbon removal (CDR) combined with permanent solid carbon storage via enhanced rock weathering and CO2 mineralization in mafic and ultramafic rocks have the potential to remove substantial amounts of CO2 on a decadal timescale. My presentation focuses on two different CDR approaches: In-situ CO2 mineralization in geologic reservoirs and enhanced rock weathering of industrial mineral waste. Recent pilot and commercial CO2 injection tests into subsurface reservoirs in Iceland (www.carbfix.com) and Oman (www.4401.earth) demonstrated rapid CO2 mineralization in basaltic and peridotitic rocks. A second promising CDR approach is the enhanced weathering of alkaline mineral waste from the global mining industry. Alkaline waste, such as mine tailings from diamond, platinum group element and chromium mining, reacts with CO2 in an exothermic reaction to form carbonate minerals, resulting in permanent carbon storage. Using the mineral waste production data of the global mining industry illustrates the gigaton scale CO2 capture potential of these waste material
Juerg M. Matter is Professor of Geoengineering and Carbon Management at the University of Southampton, UK since spring 2013. Matter was previously an Associate Research Professor at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, New York. A key focus of his research is on developing novel methods for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to mitigate global warming. He is working on field trials for CO2 removal by direct air capture and by enhanced rock weathering and mineral carbonation. He is one of the co-founders of the startup company 44.01, which is the 2022 recipient of the Earthshot Prize from the Royal Foundation. He received his MSc and PhD from ETH-Zurich in Switzerland.