Is Carbon Capture a Climate Solution or a Fossil Fuel Lifeline?

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is often marketed as a way to decarbonize heavy industry, but critics argue it serves as a shield for the fossil fuel industry. The high energy cost of running these systems, known as parasitic load, can result in burning more gas just to power the capture process. While the IPCC suggests CCS for hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel, there is a growing concern that it is being used to justify the expansion of LNG exports. This creates a gap between gross carbon injection numbers and the actual net impact on the atmosphere.