The Deadly Trap of CO2 Pollution Threatens Indonesia, So Who Should Be Held Responsible?

Climate change is a major challenge facing the world today. A prominent case of CO2 emission pollution in Indonesia is the rising emission levels from the transportation sector, especially in major cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung. The growth in the number of motor vehicles, including cars and motorcycles, that use fossil fuels is the primary cause of increased CO2 emissions in urban environments. This results in significant air pollution, with negative impacts on public health and the environment.

Greenhouse gas emissions, particularly CO2, from human activities such as burning fossil fuels and industrial processes, are causing global weather changes and a significant rise in Earth’s temperature. The impacts include more powerful storms, rising sea levels, and changes in agricultural patterns that threaten food security. To address this, CCS-CCUS (Carbon, Capture, Storage, and Utilization) technology has been developed as one of the crucial solutions.

Benefits and Obstacles of CCS-CCUS Technology

CCS-CCUS technology has significant benefits in reducing CO2 emissions by capturing and storing CO2 gas from power plants and factories, protecting the environment from the adverse effects of climate change. The captured CO2 can be reused for other industrial purposes, such as producing fuel or chemicals, thus helping to achieve global emission reduction targets and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Challenges such as high costs, finding safe CO2 storage locations, and concerns about environmental and health impacts remain obstacles that need to be overcome in implementing this technology.

Case Study: The Petra Nova Project

The Petra Nova project in Texas, USA, stands out as a successful example of implementing CCS-CCUS technology. There, a coal-fired power plant successfully captured about 90% of its CO2 emissions. The captured CO2 was then utilized in underground oil drilling, increasing oil production efficiency and reducing emissions from the oil industry. The success of Petra Nova demonstrates the great potential of CCS-CCUS technology in reducing CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants. However, high costs and long-term sustainability remain challenges in expanding the use of this technology worldwide.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

The challenges of using CCS-CCUS technology are complex and require well-developed solutions. High costs and complicated processes are the main challenges. Significant financial investment is needed to capture, utilize, and store carbon. Government regulations are also uncertain, affecting incentives for the industry. Public resistance to underground carbon storage also poses a barrier. The necessary infrastructure also requires substantial investment. Overcoming these challenges requires cross-sector collaboration, strong regulatory support, as well as technological innovation and progressive policies.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

CCS-CCUS technology offers a critical solution to address climate change by reducing CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial factories. Despite its great potential to tackle the global climate crisis, technical, economic, and regulatory challenges must be overcome through collaboration between the government, industry, and the public. By encouraging innovation and investment, this technology’s efficiency in addressing climate change can be improved. In the future, CCS-CCUS is expected to continue evolving and be integrated into climate change mitigation strategies, with concrete steps to expand its use in key economic sectors. Further investment in research and development will help improve process efficiency and lower implementation costs. With strong support, CCS-CCUS has great potential to become a key instrument in reducing CO2 emissions and ensuring environmental sustainability for future generations.