Earthshot prize winner urges youth to fight climate change
Published: 06:12 PM,Dec 13,2022 | EDITED : 10:12 PM,Dec 13,2022
Talal Hasan
Talal Hasan, Founder and Carbon General of 44.01, and winner of coveted ‘Earthshot Prize’ has urged Omani youth to take the drive forward and help protect future generations from the impacts of climate change.
Speaking to Observer at a reception hosted by the British Embassy in Muscat at the Ambassador’s residence, Talal said the youth can play a key role in helping our planet to heal. He also thanked the Earthshot Prize for raising awareness of the role innovation must play in countering climate change around the world.
44.01 eliminates CO2 permanently by mineralising it in peridotite, a rock found in abundance in Oman as well as in America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Peridotite mineralisation is a natural process, but in nature it can take many years to mineralise even a small amount of CO2. 44.01 accelerates the process by injecting carbonated water into seams of peridotite deep underground.
Speaking at the event, Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, urged people around the world to follow 44.01’s example and take up the fight against climate change.
“We often talk rather too much about the weather in the UK, but the weather matters. Climate change will have disastrous effects internationally, so people all over the world need to take action to protect our planet earth,” said Lord Tariq.
Named after the molecular weight of carbon dioxide, 44.01 aims to mineralise 1 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2040. The company hopes to expand its operations internationally next year.
“We were inspired to set up 44.01 when we saw the very real impact of climate change here in Oman and around our region. If we are to halt, and ultimately reverse climate change, then we have to remove CO2 from the atmosphere,” said Talal.
Unlike carbon ‘storage’, which involves burying CO2 underground in disused oil-wells or aquifers, mineralisation removes CO2 forever. This means there is no requirement for long-term monitoring or insurance, and ultimately makes the process more cost-effective, scalable and safer.
Employment to the youth:
Given Oman has the largest concentration of peridotite in the world, carbon mineralisation could also be a boon for workers in the region. By seeking to solve global problems, 44.01 will solve local ones too.
@kabeeryousef
Speaking to Observer at a reception hosted by the British Embassy in Muscat at the Ambassador’s residence, Talal said the youth can play a key role in helping our planet to heal. He also thanked the Earthshot Prize for raising awareness of the role innovation must play in countering climate change around the world.
44.01 eliminates CO2 permanently by mineralising it in peridotite, a rock found in abundance in Oman as well as in America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Peridotite mineralisation is a natural process, but in nature it can take many years to mineralise even a small amount of CO2. 44.01 accelerates the process by injecting carbonated water into seams of peridotite deep underground.
Speaking at the event, Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, urged people around the world to follow 44.01’s example and take up the fight against climate change.
“We often talk rather too much about the weather in the UK, but the weather matters. Climate change will have disastrous effects internationally, so people all over the world need to take action to protect our planet earth,” said Lord Tariq.
Named after the molecular weight of carbon dioxide, 44.01 aims to mineralise 1 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2040. The company hopes to expand its operations internationally next year.
“We were inspired to set up 44.01 when we saw the very real impact of climate change here in Oman and around our region. If we are to halt, and ultimately reverse climate change, then we have to remove CO2 from the atmosphere,” said Talal.
Unlike carbon ‘storage’, which involves burying CO2 underground in disused oil-wells or aquifers, mineralisation removes CO2 forever. This means there is no requirement for long-term monitoring or insurance, and ultimately makes the process more cost-effective, scalable and safer.
Employment to the youth:
Given Oman has the largest concentration of peridotite in the world, carbon mineralisation could also be a boon for workers in the region. By seeking to solve global problems, 44.01 will solve local ones too.
@kabeeryousef