At a time when global reports and studies sounded the alarm about the increasingly dangerous effects of climate change, companies and research projects joined forces to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A United Nations report indicated that levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record level in 2018, and that limiting the rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires reducing global net emissions of human-caused carbon dioxide by about 45% of global levels in 2018. 2010 by 2030, to reach net zero by 2050.

But to achieve “zero emissions” we need to remove as much carbon dioxide from the air as we emit.

There are many ways, such as planting mangroves, plants and trees that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow, and planting forests as carbon dioxide sinks.

Air carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies may also play a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions to zero in the coming decades.

Carbon capture from air

The largest plant in the world to capture carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into rock was inaugurated in Iceland earlier this month.

This plant - which bears the name "Orca" - is the result of a collaboration between the Swiss company "Climeworks" for direct-air carbon capture plants, and the Icelandic Carbfix project.

The plant is expected to capture 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

The new station is based on the technology developed by the "Carpfix" project, which simulates a natural process in which rock formations interact with dissolved carbon dioxide to form stable carbonate minerals, so that they become a permanent carbon store that does not harm the environment.

The station includes devices for collecting carbon dioxide from the air, including fans to extract air, and filters to select carbon dioxide from the air.

When the filters are filled with carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide collectors are shut down, and the temperature inside is then raised to between 80 and 100 °C to release pure, concentrated carbon dioxide.

Concentrated carbon dioxide is mixed with water and pumped deep into the earth.

The carbon dioxide then reacts with the basalt rocks to turn into underground carbonate minerals within a few years.

Do carbon dioxide capture plants reduce greenhouse emissions (Getty Images)

Other uses of carbon dioxide

Crude carbon dioxide captured from the air may be used to produce a carbon-free, renewable fuel.

Claymorex cooperates with several projects in this field, such as P2X, one of the Copernicus projects, for energy transitions.

The project is investigating the possibility of converting carbon dioxide, water and electricity generated from renewable sources, into gases such as hydrogen and methane, fuels, chemicals and bioplastics.

Claymorex also supplies pure CO2 to the Celbicon project, which aims to convert CO2 into chemicals through the electrolysis process.

And "Carpfix" conducted experiments on the use of sea water, instead of fresh water, in the process of dissolving carbon dioxide before injecting it into the ground, to allow the possibility of using this technology in water-scarce areas and coastal areas.

There are many ways to make use of raw carbon dioxide from carbon capture plants (Getty Images)

private sector initiatives

According to an International Energy Agency report, there are about 15 direct-to-air carbon dioxide capture plants in Canada, Europe and the United States.

But the technology to capture carbon from the air is still very expensive, as the costs of carbon sequestration range from one hundred to one thousand dollars per ton, according to the agency's report.

Deploying carbon capture and storage plants requires government support through grants, subsidies, and tax breaks.

These stations may also benefit from private sector initiatives.

Microsoft has pledged $1 billion to fund new technologies and innovative solutions to preserve the climate, such as carbon capture and removal technology.

And online payment company Stripe has pledged at least $1 million a year for projects to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere directly and long-term storage.