12
The CO 2 Revolution
Abstract
The potential of carbon recycling through CO 2 utilization is “sized” here by
merging all options discussed in previous chapters. It is interesting to note that in
the medium-long term some 7–9 Gt CO2 /y can be avoided, and this is a very
interesting news: coupled to the use of biomass and utilization of perennial
energies (SWHG) will make possible the reduction of the extraction of fossil
fuels to, most likely, one-third–one-fourth with respect to today. This will be a
great achievement.
12.1 Is CO 2 Majorly Responsible for Climate Change?
The emission of CO 2 from fossil-C is apparently revolutionizing our planet and our
life through climate change. Such tiny molecule is accused to be responsible of
potential monstrous disasters. The correlation temperature-atmospheric level of
CO 2 is under deep debate; some reports say that the trend is parallel, others show
that they are antiparallel. Figure 12.1 is, particularly, liked by people who deny the
correlation between climate change and CO 2 atmospheric level [2a]. Other scientists like more the trend of temperature and CO 2 atmospheric level represented in
Fig. 12.2 [2b].
Where is the reality? Since long time we have risen the question: is CO 2 really
responsible of Climate Change [1, 3]? Let us see what is known and the arguments
for a tentative answer to such a question. As we have already seen in Chaps. 1–3,
the emission of CO 2 is a witness of the amount of fossil-C (coal, oil, gas) burned,
and its accumulation in the atmosphere (from 275 ppm of the pre-industrial age to
actual 410+ ppm) witnesses the inability of natural cycles to buffer its emission
with a faster uptake by oceans and fixation by plants. In previous chapters, we have
also seen that the use we make of chemical energy stored in fossil-C is very
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Aresta and A. Dibenedetto, The Carbon Dioxide Revolution,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59061-1_12
219
The CO 2 Revolution
Abstract
The potential of carbon recycling through CO 2 utilization is “sized” here by
merging all options discussed in previous chapters. It is interesting to note that in
the medium-long term some 7–9 Gt CO2 /y can be avoided, and this is a very
interesting news: coupled to the use of biomass and utilization of perennial
energies (SWHG) will make possible the reduction of the extraction of fossil
fuels to, most likely, one-third–one-fourth with respect to today. This will be a
great achievement.
12.1 Is CO 2 Majorly Responsible for Climate Change?
The emission of CO 2 from fossil-C is apparently revolutionizing our planet and our
life through climate change. Such tiny molecule is accused to be responsible of
potential monstrous disasters. The correlation temperature-atmospheric level of
CO 2 is under deep debate; some reports say that the trend is parallel, others show
that they are antiparallel. Figure 12.1 is, particularly, liked by people who deny the
correlation between climate change and CO 2 atmospheric level [2a]. Other scientists like more the trend of temperature and CO 2 atmospheric level represented in
Fig. 12.2 [2b].
Where is the reality? Since long time we have risen the question: is CO 2 really
responsible of Climate Change [1, 3]? Let us see what is known and the arguments
for a tentative answer to such a question. As we have already seen in Chaps. 1–3,
the emission of CO 2 is a witness of the amount of fossil-C (coal, oil, gas) burned,
and its accumulation in the atmosphere (from 275 ppm of the pre-industrial age to
actual 410+ ppm) witnesses the inability of natural cycles to buffer its emission
with a faster uptake by oceans and fixation by plants. In previous chapters, we have
also seen that the use we make of chemical energy stored in fossil-C is very
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Aresta and A. Dibenedetto, The Carbon Dioxide Revolution,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59061-1_12
219