Climate activists participating in the COP31 summit have rejected the use of carbon capture technology and marine geoengineering, branding them “false solutions” to the global climate crisis.
The group is calling on world leaders to abandon reliance on these controversial technological interventions and instead prioritise people-led, rights-based climate action. They argue that current approaches often serve to protect existing economic structures rather than addressing the underlying causes of global warming.
During discussions at the COP31 summit, the activists demanded systemic economic changes, large-scale ecosystem restoration, and a rapid, just transition away from fossil fuels.
Demand for systemic economic reform
The rejection of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and marine geoengineering stems from fears that these technologies provide a loophole for the continued extraction of fossil fuels. Activists claim that by promising to “capture” emissions at the source or manipulate the atmosphere and oceans, corporations can justify delaying the necessary shutdown of oil and gas operations.
Carbon capture technology, which aims to trap carbon dioxide before it enters the atmosphere or to remove it from the air, remains a point of intense debate. While some governments and energy companies promote it as a vital tool for reaching net-zero targets, critics argue it is unproven at the scale required and remains far too expensive to serve as a primary solution.
Similarly, marine geoengineering—which involves large-scale interventions in ocean ecosystems to reflect sunlight or absorb carbon—is viewed by many environmental groups as a high-risk gamble. They argue that the ecological consequences of such interventions are largely unknown and could cause irreversible damage to marine biodiversity.
The activists’ platform focuses on a “just transition,” a concept that is particularly relevant to African nations. For countries like Nigeria, which rely heavily on fossil fuel revenues for national budgets, the debate over climate action is tied directly to economic stability and energy security. A just transition seeks to ensure that the shift to renewable energy does not leave workers in the oil and gas sectors or developing economies behind.
Instead of technological fixes, the activists are advocating for a model of climate action that emphasises ecosystem restoration and protecting the rights of vulnerable communities. They argue that true progress requires moving away from an economic model predicated on infinite growth and high consumption, which they identify as the primary driver of environmental degradation.
As negotiations at COP31 continue, the tension between industrial-led technological solutions and grassroots-led systemic reform remains a central conflict. The final outcome of the summit will depend on whether governments commit to structural economic changes or continue to lean on the promise of future technological breakthroughs.
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