Every year, we set new records for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, accelerating global warming.
In fact, 2024 marked the world’s warmest year since records began.
Despite global pledges, the world is still on track to overshoot the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target unless we can reduce emissions drastically. Even that won’t be enough, however, so the need for innovative solutions to remove carbon from the atmosphere has never been more urgent.
The RESCUE project, led by Raffaele Bernardello, Established Researcher at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, is at the forefront of this challenge.
Using advanced modelling techniques and high-powered computing, they're investigating how different carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies—from traditional methods like afforestation to cutting-edge techniques such as ocean alkalinity enhancement and direct air capture—could help stabilise our climate.
In our exclusive interview, Raffaele shared insights into:
- The science behind the four main CDR methods under investigation—and why no single solution is enough.
- The real-world risks and challenges of scaling up land-based and ocean-based carbon removal.
- The interconnected impacts of different CDR methods, from energy demands to land use trade-offs.
- Why carbon removal will never be a substitute for deep emissions cuts.
Discover the science, the stakes and the stories behind this ambitious initiative.
Watch the interview
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