Carbon Storage’s Prudent Limit: The End Of Infinite Assumptions - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica discusses a significant reassessment of global carbon capture and storage (CCS) capacity, challenging the long-held assumption that geological storage is nearly limitless. Previous estimates suggested sedimentary basins could store between 10,000 and 40,000 gigatons of CO₂, with industry and policy often treating storage as an infinite backstop for ongoing fossil fuel use and climate overshoot scenarios. However, a new study published in Nature applies a comprehensive risk-based analysis incorporating factors such as seismic risk, depth constraints, proximity to urban areas, environmental protections, and geopolitical considerations. This approach reduces the realistic, prudent global storage capacity to about 1,460 gigatons—roughly 90% less than earlier technical estimates. This recalibration has profound implications for climate strategy. The limited storage capacity means CCS cannot simultaneously serve as a broad solution for continued fossil fuel emissions and a safety valve for overshoot mitigation. Most existing 2 °C climate pathways already exceed this prudent