Part 6/8:
Despite the potential of DAC technologies, the economic feasibility remains uncertain, currently marking costs at around $200 per ton of captured CO2. However, as the industry matures and scales up, there are predictions that these costs could drop to $150 per ton, making DAC a more commercially viable solution. The math suggests that approximately 40,000 DAC plants spread globally could theoretically neutralize all of the world's emissions, a figure that, though daunting, is still fewer than existing power plants.
Yet as we advance, it is crucial to ensure that the optimism surrounding carbon removal does not mask the need for immediate emission reductions. The notion of a "Get out of jail free card" could lead society to neglect actionable climate responses today.