We can reduce CO2 levels by using special fans

Myth:

If global warming gets out of hand, we can use carbon dioxide ‘fans’ to suck CO₂ out of the atmosphere and sequester it safely underground. 

Fact:

This process, known as Direct Air Capture, can certainly be done, but it is prohibitively expensive. Given the technology available today, it costs about US$100 a tonne to scrub CO₂ from the atmosphere. This means that in order to remove all the CO₂ emitted by humans in a year, we would need to spend US$5.5 trillion, or more than Japan’s entire GDP. It would be much cheaper to simply stop the emissions in the first place.  

A diagram showing how Direct Air Capture works. [Source: Wikimedia Commons]

Sources:

Ivana Kottasová,, The world is banking on giant carbon-sucking fans to clean our climate mess. It’s a big risk,” CNN, 20/10/21

James Purtill, “Direct air capture machines suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Are they part of the solution to climate change?” ABC News, 28/1/22

Laura Paddison, “The ‘world’s largest’ vacuum to suck climate pollution out of the air just opened. Here’s how it works,” CNN, 8/5/24

Rachel Williamson, “Sucking carbon from the air essential to limit warming, but it’s going to need a lot of energy,” Renew Economy, 7/6/24