Geo-engineering: could artificial trees soak up CO2 emissions?

Could "artificial trees" help soak up the world's carbon emissions?

It's one of several "geo-engineering" proposals in a new report, Geo-Engineering - Giving us time to act?, published by the UK-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

The artificial trees are already at the prototype stage. They consist of towers about 50ft high and 8ft in diameter, and use a special type of plastic to absorb the CO2. The gas would then be either liquefied under pressure and pumped underground or turned into a mineral.

A study by the UK Royal Society has concluded that many engineering proposals to reduce the impact of climate change are "technically possible," but should not divert governments away from their efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The authors stated that some of the technology was barely formed and there were "major uncertainties regarding its effectiveness, costs and environmental impacts".

David Adams, Times staff writer.