The importance of pilot projects to tackle the climate crisis
In a recently published paper in Nature Chemical Engineering, Viola Becattini, Marco Mazzotti and Stefan Wiemer discuss the role of pilot projects such as DemoUpCARMA.
The project aimed at finding solutions to manage hard-to-abate and unavoidable CO2 emissions. By not only simulating this, but also effectively storing CO2 in Swiss concrete and Icelandic basalt, unique insights were gained. Among other things, the authors emphasise the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, capacity and competence building, and the role of academia in driving climate solutions. The success of initiatives like DemoUpCARMA underscores the pivotal role of scientists in overcoming climate change. The idea of launching a scientists-led pilot project, small enough to be feasible but innovative enough to provide a step change in knowledge, engagement, and capacity creation, has been successful.
The paper is accessible via the following link: "Accelerating the climate transition through scientists-led CO2 management pilots"
