Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism

As the climate crisis deepens, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has emerged as one of the most debated strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this timely and thought-provoking book, Morten Tønnessen examines CCS through the lens of environmental ethics and philosophy, asking whether it represents a genuinely sustainable response to climate change or a dangerous technological gamble. Contrasting the perspectives of deep ecology and ecomodernism, he explores fundamental questions about the value of nature, economic growth, technological innovation, and environmental responsibility. Arguing from a deep ecological standpoint, Tønnessen contends that placing CCS at the centre of climate policy risks locking future generations into a high-tech, fossil-fuel-dependent trajectory while postponing more transformative change. Challenging dominant assumptions about climate solutions, Tønnessen makes a compelling case that a truly sustainable future depends not on capturing carbon, but on phasing out fossil fuels altogether.