For years, efforts to address climate change have largely centered around reducing fossil fuel use. However, as of 2025, innovative strategies that involve unconventional approaches to carbon capture are gaining attention. With global emissions at record levels in 2024 and average temperatures consistently exceeding critical thresholds, a new plan is essential.

Prominent climate scientists are now advocating for adopting carbon capture techniques, believing we will need to eliminate around a trillion tonnes of CO2 by the end of the century. Instead of purely focusing on reducing emissions, it’s become clear that capturing existing greenhouse gases is a crucial part of fighting climate change.

The standard methods of capturing CO2 have often included initiatives like tree planting, which may not capture enough carbon quickly enough for current needs. A 2024 report from Oxford’s Net Zero program has highlighted new methods that involve injecting captured CO2 into geological formations like volcanic rocks.

Here are some unconventional carbon capture ideas that could make a difference:

1. Injecting Volcanic Rocks

The Orca plant in Iceland, the world’s first large-scale facility employing direct air capture (DAC) technology, is actively sucking in CO2 from the atmosphere. When captured, this CO2 is mixed with water before being injected into volcanic rocks deep underground, where it can solidify and remain trapped permanently.

2. Abandoned Salt Mines

Engineers in China are eyeing old salt mines as potential sites for storing CO2 produced by heavy industrial emissions. These caverns, if repurposed correctly, could potentially contain significant amounts of CO2 and mitigate emissions from industries prolific in the region.

3. Whales, Dead or Alive

Whales could play an unexpected role in carbon capture. By storing substantial amounts of carbon over their 100+ year lifespans and contributing to marine ecosystems through their death, which supports deep-sea carbon storage, whales are being studied as a natural solution for capturing CO2.

4. Vodka and Tonic

In a surprising twist, some beverage producers are sourcing CO2 from power plant emissions for their drinks. This approach captures CO2 but raises concerns about its long-term fate, as carbon can quickly return to the atmosphere after consumption.

5. In the Walls

Efforts to incorporate CO2 into concrete production aim to create carbon-negative materials. By modifying how concrete is made, researchers are exploring ways to reduce emissions associated with traditional concrete while potentially utilizing captured CO2.

6. Painting Projects

Recent innovations in paint technology have introduced approaches that utilize microorganisms to absorb CO2 from the air. These "living paints" could potentially help reduce overall emissions if widely adopted in building projects.

These emerging solutions represent a crucial shift in our approach to climate change. As traditional methods have fallen short, incorporating these innovative techniques may be vital for addressing the ongoing crisis.