Why not avoid creating CO2 in the first place?
Ideally, it would be best to avoid creating CO2 emissions. But right now our energy systems are based on fossil fuels, and burning fossil fuels generates CO2 emissions. That means when we drive a car, mow the grass, heat and cool our homes, or use electricity (unless it’s hydropower or nuclear power), we’re generating CO2. U.S. policies such as the Global Climate Change Initiative are aimed at determining what we can do now to reduce CO2 through the use of sequestration, energy conservation, and renewables while we assess and develop improved energy systems that will put out less CO2. The magnitude of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that must be offset to achieve atmospheric stabilization is daunting and requires that all options jointly contribute toward this reduction. Sequestration and a host of other GHG mitigation options — as well as adaptive measures — must be aggressively explored in parallel so that the best mix of cost-effective solutions are found.
