Removing CO2 from atmosphere vital to avoid catastrophic tipping points, leading scientist says

10bn tonnes must be captured from the air every year to limit global heating to 1.7C, says Johan Rockstrom

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Removing carbon from the atmosphere will be necessary to avoid catastrophic tipping points, one of the world's leading scientists has warned, as even in the best-case scenario the world will heat by about 1.7C.

Johan Rockstrom of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, who is one of the chief scientific advisers to the UN and the Cop30 presidency, said 10bn tonnes of carbon dioxide needed to be removed from the air every year even to limit global heating to 1.7C (3.1F) above preindustrial levels.