Governments and industries increasingly are exploring ways to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.

各国政府和行业正在越来越多地探索各种方法，来尝试降低大气中二氧化碳(CO2)的含量。

CO2 is a major polluter.

二氧化碳是主要的污染源。

The waste gas traps heat in the atmosphere, causing the planet to warm.

废气将热量滞留在大气中，导致地球变暖。

The United States launched a $3.5 billion program last year aimed at the permanent storage of CO2 using a process known as Direct Air Capture (DAC).

去年美国启动了一项35亿美元的计划，使用一种直接空气碳捕获法(DAC)，永久储存二氧化碳。

DAC technology uses chemical reactions to remove carbon dioxide from the air.

直接空气碳捕获法技术能够利用化学反应去除空气中二氧化碳。

The CO2 can then be stored underground or used in making products such as concrete or aviation fuel.

然后，二氧化碳可以储存在地下，或者用于制造混凝土或航空燃料等产品。

The world's largest operating DAC plant, Climeworks' Orca plant in Iceland, can remove about 3,600 metric tons of CO2 each year.

世界上最大规模运行的直接空气碳捕获法工厂是冰岛Climeworks公司的奥卡工厂，每年可以处理大约3600公吨二氧化碳。

The CO2 is then stored deep underground.

然后二氧化碳被深埋在地下。

The US program hopes to build much larger plants that could store almost one million metric tons each year.

美国希望计划建造更大规模的工厂，每年可以储存近100万公吨二氧化碳。

Natural ways to remove carbon, such as planting trees and forest management, cost far less than DAC, currently.

目前来说，植树造林等自然方式除碳的成本远远低于直接空气碳捕获法。

Data from The World Resources Institute, an environmental and research organization,

来自一家名为世界资源研究所的环境研究组织的数据显示，

say these natural methods cost close to $50 per metric ton of carbon, while DAC currently costs closer to $1,000 per metric ton.

植树造林成本接近每公吨50美元，而DAC目前的成本接近每公吨1000美元。

There are still other ways to deal with CO2, like BECCS.

还有其他方法来处理二氧化碳，比如BECCS。

The bioenergy with carbon capture and storage process uses the electricity produced by burning biomass such as small wood pieces.

生物能源具备碳捕获和碳储存能力，这一过程利用电能，电能靠燃烧小木片等生物质产生。

The CO2 is captured and stored during its release.

二氧化碳在释放过程中被捕获和储存。

Biochar is a form of charcoal produced when organic matter such as leaves and wood is heated at high temperatures without oxygen.

生物炭是在没有氧气的情况下，在高温下加热树叶和木材等有机物时产生的一种木炭。

This produces a carbon rich substance that can be used as fertilizer.

这会产生一种富含碳的物质，可以用作肥料。

Techniques are also being developed to remove CO2 from seawater.

同时开发从海水中去除二氧化碳的技术。

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is another technology to deal with CO2.

碳捕获和封存（CCS）是另一种处理二氧化碳的技术。

CCS is traditionally deployed at industrial smokestacks such as fossil fuel power factories.

传统上，CCS技术都部署在化石燃料发电厂等工厂烟囱中。

It captures the CO2 and stores it before it reaches the atmosphere.

这种技术可以捕获二氧化碳，并在二氧化碳到达大气之前将其储存起来。

CCS is considered carbon removal only if it stores more carbon than the site releases.

只有当CCS储存的碳比现场释放的碳多时，才被视为碳去除。

Carbon removal methods such as DAC may be very useful if they can pull pollution from the air and store it permanently in the Earth or in new products.

如果直接空气碳捕获等碳去除方法能够真的做到将空气中的污染物永久储存在地球上或新产品中，那么它们可能会非常有用。

Some environmental groups worry that companies will use technical solutions like DAC as an excuse not to reduce their CO2 releases.

一些环保组织担心，公司会以直接空气碳捕获等技术解决方案为借口，拒绝减少碳排放。

The groups also link the issue to environmental justice as heavy polluting sites are often in, or near, poor and minority communities.

这些组织还将这个问题与环境正义联系在一起，因为严重污染的地点往往挨着贫困和少数族裔社区。

I'm Andrew Smith.

安德鲁·史密斯为您报道。