Carbon Capture Tech: Exxon’s Savior or Greenwashing?

Emerging Tech Debates

Is carbon capture a real fix for the climate crisis—or just a clever PR move? In this episode, we take a hard look at ExxonMobil’s multi-billion-dollar push into carbon capture and storage (CCS).

We break down the science behind CCS, including direct air capture and underground CO₂ storage, and explore its theoretical potential to cut emissions. But we also ask the harder questions:

• Is ExxonMobil investing in climate solutions—or in reputation management?

• How much of this effort is about reducing emissions, and how much is about extracting more oil through enhanced oil recovery (EOR)?

• Can CCS ever scale enough to matter—or is it a distraction from the real solution: a full transition to renewable energy?

We’ll dig into Exxon’s track record on climate disinformation, the troubling concept of "fossil fuel solutionism," and how CCS may be less about saving the planet and more about prolonging the fossil fuel era.

Is carbon capture Exxon's climate breakthrough—or just the latest face of greenwashing? Tune in for a critical dive into the promises, pitfalls, and politics of carbon capture.