Carbon Capture and Geological Sequestration to Mitigate Climate change: An Overview

The adverse consequences of rising CO₂ emissions are already evident, including the accelerated melting of Arctic sea ice, rising sea levels, shifts in rainfall patterns, more frequent droughts, and heightened intensity of wildfires. While the adoption of sustainable energy sources and improvements in energy efficiency remain essential measures for reducing CO₂ emissions, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) offers significant additional potential to mitigate climate impacts. CCS has made significant progress in recent years, with global capture capacity reaching more than 45 million tonnes of CO₂ per year and over 700 projects in various stages of development worldwide, 77 of which are operational; representing a 54% increase in just the last year. Recent advancements include next-generation solvent technologies that reduce energy consumption by up to 30%. Additionally, large-scale storage hubs, such as offshore saline formations, are expanding, with some sites now licensed to store over 5 million tonnes of CO₂ annually. These developments indicate accelerating momentum toward deploying CCS as a key tool for industrial decarbonization. This paper provides a focused review of recent advances in CCS, covering both capture methods for anthropogenic emissions and geological storage technologies, and concludes by summarizing key research achievements, unresolved challenges, and future directions, while underscoring the strong CCS potential of the Gulf countries.