The Truth About Carbon Capture: Michael Barnard Discusses Sustainable Alternatives Artwork

Climate Confident - Practical Climate Solutions That Cut Emissions

Climate Confident is for business leaders, climate professionals and policymakers who need to understand what is actually cutting emissions—and what it takes to make those solutions work at scale.

Each Wednesday, I speak with the executives, engineers, scientists, founders and policymakers turning climate ambition into measurable progress. Together, we examine the technologies, business models, policies and implementation strategies reshaping energy, transport, industry, supply chains, food and finance.

These are not conversations about distant targets, vague pledges or greenwash. They are candid discussions about what is working, what is failing, where the real bottlenecks lie, and how leaders can make better decisions about decarbonisation, resilience, investment and risk.

You will hear:

Proven approaches to reducing emissions
Hard-earned lessons from real-world implementation
Analysis of the markets, technologies and policies driving the transition
Honest examination of costs, trade-offs, setbacks and unintended consequences
Practical ideas for turning climate commitments into action

New episodes are published every Wednesday at 7am CET. Subscribers also receive bonus episodes featuring highlights, analysis and emerging themes from across the series.

Follow Climate Confident for practical climate solutions, informed debate and the insights you need to turn ambition into measurable progress.

Guest suggestions and feedback are welcome at Tom@tomraftery.com.

All Episodes

Climate Confident - Practical Climate Solutions That Cut Emissions

The Truth About Carbon Capture: Michael Barnard Discusses Sustainable Alternatives

September 25, 2024 • Tom Raftery / Michael Barnard • Season 1 • Episode 188

0:00 | 49:29

Get in touch - leave me a message

Hi everyone, Tom Raftery here, and welcome to episode 188 of the Climate Confident podcast. In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Michael Barnard, a climate futurist who's spent the last 15 years delving deep into the challenges and solutions around climate change.

Michael and I discussed the often controversial topic of carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS). We explored why mechanical carbon capture technologies, particularly those promoted by the fossil fuel industry, may not be the panacea they're often touted to be. Michael shed light on the stark differences in climate policies between countries with and without fossil fuel industries, highlighting how nations without such industries focus more on nature-based solutions like reforestation and wetland restoration.

We delved into the limitations of direct air capture technologies, examining why they struggle to scale effectively and why they may not be the most efficient use of resources. Michael also discussed the challenges associated with oceanic carbon capture methods and how they can inadvertently harm marine ecosystems.

One of the key takeaways from our discussion is the importance of prioritising emission reductions at the source. Michael emphasised the potential of sustainable construction practices, such as using cross-laminated timber, to both sequester carbon and reduce reliance on high-emission materials like cement.

We also touched on the risks associated with transporting captured CO2, citing real-world examples that underscore the safety concerns.

This episode is a deep dive into the complexities of CCUS and offers valuable insights into why focusing on emission reduction and investing in renewable energy solutions might be more effective paths forward.

I hope you find this discussion as enlightening as I did. Don't forget to click follow on this podcast in your app of choice to ensure you don't miss any future episodes. Thanks for tuning in!

Support the show

Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:

Anita Krajnc
Cecilia Skarupa
Ben Gross
Jerry Sweeney
Andreas Werner
Stephen Carroll
Roger Arnold

And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on climate, energy, AI, or sustainability?

I help executive audiences understand the technologies, trends, and decisions shaping the low-carbon transition.

Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck

And a quick note before you go: I’ve started a new Reddit community for serious, evidence-led discussion on climate solutions, clean energy, decarbonisation, policy, technology, and what actually works in practice.

If you’d like to suggest future guests, challenge ideas from the show, or share climate reports and solutions worth discussing, join us at r/ClimateConfident