CCS: A double-edged sword...

One of the most promising and controversial solutions being offered to humanity's climate change problem is carbon capture and storage (CCS). Quite simply, the technology involves capturing the carbon-dioxide emitted from the larger industrial emitters (production factories, oil and gas refineries, etc), condensing the gas and sending it via pipeline to safe storage spots deep underground or underground. 

The technology has the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions substantially, as high as 40% in some studies. This is higher than any other solution being offered, with the exception of voluntary reduction in consumption, which might be pushing it a bit.

Unfortunately, there are several downsides to such a technology. First of all, it's expensive. It requires huge capital investment, usually hovering in the billions of dollars. It's also a relatively new technology. Only two major projects are currently up and running (one being the Weyburn Project in Saskatchewan), but several others are starting up. Although there have been no reported problems in the two projects, research is still in its infancy. How can large firms be expected to invest in something that is so expensive and not yet proven to be fail-safe? Especially when it offers them very little benefit with the exception feeling good about keeping some carbon out of the atmosphere.

Nevertheless, government and industry have started to invest billions of dollars in the technology, including those in Canada and the United States. This does make CCS less costly, but it also diverts the already limited funding available for abatement technologies away from alternative technologies like renewable energy systems.

Then again, there has to be something said for a technology that allows us to continue living the way we do without being as detrimental to the environment. This is incredibly tempting and somewhat realistic. We're not going to suddenly drop our use of oil or other fossil fuels overnight. At least CCS will make the transition less harmful than otherwise.

But it may also delay the changes that we need to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. 

CCS has the potential to both contribute greatly to a reduction in our carbon emissions, but also delay the changes we need in the long-term. What to do? What to do?