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Food–energy–water implications of negative emissions technologies in a +1.5 °C future

Author

Listed:
  • Jay Fuhrman

    (University of Virginia)

  • Haewon McJeon

    (University of Maryland and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

  • Pralit Patel

    (University of Maryland and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

  • Scott C. Doney

    (University of Virginia)

  • William M. Shobe

    (University of Virginia)

  • Andres F. Clarens

    (University of Virginia)

Abstract

Scenarios for meeting ambitious climate targets rely on large-scale deployment of negative emissions technologies (NETs), including direct air capture (DAC). However, the tradeoffs between food, water and energy created by deploying different NETs are unclear. Here we show that DAC could provide up to 3 GtCO2 yr−1 of negative emissions by 2035—equivalent to 7% of 2019 global CO2 emissions—based on current-day assumptions regarding price and performance. DAC in particular could exacerbate demand for energy and water, yet it would avoid the most severe market-mediated effects of land-use competition from bioenergy with carbon capture and storage and afforestation. This could result in staple food crop prices rising by approximately fivefold relative to 2010 levels in many parts of the Global South, raising equity concerns about the deployment of NETs. These results highlight that delays in aggressive global mitigation action greatly increase the requirement for DAC to meet climate targets, and correspondingly, energy and water impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Jay Fuhrman & Haewon McJeon & Pralit Patel & Scott C. Doney & William M. Shobe & Andres F. Clarens, 2020. "Food–energy–water implications of negative emissions technologies in a +1.5 °C future," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(10), pages 920-927, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:10:y:2020:i:10:d:10.1038_s41558-020-0876-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0876-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Selene Cobo & Ángel Galán-Martín & Victor Tulus & Mark A. J. Huijbregts & Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez, 2022. "Human and planetary health implications of negative emissions technologies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Guo, Jianxin & Zhu, Kaiwei & Cheng, Yonglong, 2024. "Deployment of clean energy technologies towards carbon neutrality under resource constraints," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    3. Patange, Omkar S. & Garg, Amit & Jayaswal, Sachin, 2022. "An integrated bottom-up optimization to investigate the role of BECCS in transitioning towards a net-zero energy system: A case study from Gujarat, India," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    4. Xin Zhao & Bryan K. Mignone & Marshall A. Wise & Haewon C. McJeon, 2024. "Trade-offs in land-based carbon removal measures under 1.5 °C and 2 °C futures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Yang Qiu & Patrick Lamers & Vassilis Daioglou & Noah McQueen & Harmen-Sytze Boer & Mathijs Harmsen & Jennifer Wilcox & André Bardow & Sangwon Suh, 2022. "Environmental trade-offs of direct air capture technologies in climate change mitigation toward 2100," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Domingo Garza & Paul Dargusch & David Wadley, 2023. "A Technological Review of Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS): Global Standing and Potential Application in Australia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-17, May.
    7. Jeffrey Dankwa Ampah & Chao Jin & Haifeng Liu & Mingfa Yao & Sandylove Afrane & Humphrey Adun & Jay Fuhrman & David T. Ho & Haewon McJeon, 2024. "Deployment expectations of multi-gigatonne scale carbon removal could have adverse impacts on Asia’s energy-water-land nexus," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Ángel Galán-Martín & Daniel Vázquez & Selene Cobo & Niall Dowell & José Antonio Caballero & Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez, 2021. "Delaying carbon dioxide removal in the European Union puts climate targets at risk," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Meiqian Chen & Lei Gao & Zhaoxia Guo & Yucheng Dong & Enayat A. Moallemi & Yinfeng Xu & Ke Li & Wenhao Lin & Jing Yang & Weijun Xu & Matteo Pedercini & Brett A. Bryan, 2024. "A cost-effective climate mitigation pathway for China with co-benefits for sustainability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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