In a major breakthrough for tackling climate change, The Nature Conservancy Australia today unveiled sophisticated technology known as "Arbortech" that can rapidly and cheaply reduce the amount of greenhouse gas in the Earth's atmosphere.
The Arbortech device continuously extracts carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. A sophisticated chemical process then separates the pollutants into their component parts; carbon is stored in solid form above and below ground, while oxygen is released back into the atmosphere.
The smallest devices will be available for purchase from hardware stores and can be installed at any home or business for as little as $5 each. Larger devices can be several metres wide and can be installed individually or in new Arbortech "forests" on public and private land.
Arbortech runs silently and is powered by carbon dioxide, solar energy and water.
Making the Arbortech announcement today, TNC Australia Director Rich Gilmore said, "we're tremendously excited about the huge potential of Arbortech. If deployed widely across just 3% of the Australian landmass, we've calculated the devices could contribute up to 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed for Australia to meets its Paris Agreement targets".
Up to a third of these emissions reductions could be delivered for less than $15 per tonne, which is around 95% cheaper than mechanical CO2 extraction devices currently being trialled in Europe.
Together with strategies like better fire management in Australia's northern tropical savannahs, TNC has calculated these combined efforts could cost-effectively deliver more than a third (37%) of global greenhouse gas emissions reductions required by 2030 to prevent dangerous climate change. This is equivalent to the emissions reduction impact of a complete end to the burning of oil, worldwide.
"That's a game changer for the climate and the future of our planet," said Gilmore.
