Systemic Aspects

"Mining the Atmosphere" also promotes systemic aspects that foster the enabling conditions for scalable CO₂ innovation.

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Modelling the human-energy-material nexus for a carbon-binding society 

To enable a carbon binding society, Empa researchers are exploring how atmospheric carbon removal can be scaled and integrated into society within planetary boundaries. Drawing on expertise from three Empa labs, researchers are developing innovative methods to analyze feedback loops across energy, material and societal systems aiming to understand the systemic integration of Mining the Atmosphere technologies and their role in shaping a carbon-balanced future. 

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Unifying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) concepts for better sustainability assessments

To bolster LCA studies within Mining the Atmosphere, Empa's LCA experts are developing a digital knowledge graph that harmonizes key concepts across standards, enabling researchers to assess novel solutions reliably, even with limited LCA expertise.

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Enhancing carbon markets: systemic analysis of pathways and certification

To drive market-ready carbon-based materials and energy solutions, Empa researchers are exploring how certification can boost scalable, trusted solutions and business models. By analyzing international developments and technical pathways, they develop the foundation to understand effective certification systems that link carbon sinks with clean hydrogen production and conversion into synthetic fuels, chemicals and other materials. Aligning regulations and incentives with circular carbon pathways is essential for transitioning to a carbon-negative society.