Carbon dioxide valorization: paving the way for climate change mitigation and a sustainable future

Abstract

The global rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels, poses a major barrier to meeting the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C. A transition to a low-carbon economy is essential to mitigate climate change and its potential consequences. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies offer promising solutions by capturing CO2 from major emission sources and converting it into valuable chemicals and materials. This review provides a comprehensive overview of key CO2 sources and recent developments in CO2 capture technologies, encompassing chemical absorption, adsorption on solid materials, chemical looping, and membrane separation. Additionally, it explores various pathways for CO2 conversion into high-value products, such as methanol, dimethyl ether, acetic acid, and synthetic fuels, alongside emerging applications like graphene, cyclic carbonates, and alkyl/aryl carbamates. The potential of syngas production and the emerging photocatalytic reduction of CO2 are also discussed. The review also discourses the challenges to the widespread adoption of CCUS technologies, encompassing economic, technical, and infrastructural barriers, while highlighting prospects for enhancing their implementation. Environmental trade-offs such as water and resource intensity, lifecycle emissions, and risks of CO2 leakage are addressed to ensure sustainability. The review underscores the alignment of CO2 valorization technologies with the global climate goals. By fostering technological advancements, policy support, and international cooperation, CCUS can serve as a transformative pathway to mitigate climate change, reduce industrial carbon footprints, and drive sustainable innovation across sectors, achieving the environmental, economic, and societal sustainability.