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The dramatic change of climate has led to extensive discussions on how to control CO2 emissions. It is clear however, that over the next few decades CO2 emissions will continue to rise even further. Notably, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen from 280 ppm before the industrial revolution to 400 ppm today and could reach to 570 ppm by the end of this century. Consequently there are growing efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and to capture and store CO2. To reduce CO2 emissions, energy efficient improvements and the use of renewable energy sources are required. Storage of CO2 requires the development of new technologies for capturing and sequestration of CO2, and although a relatively well-established process, the current costs of these processes make them unviable. On the other hand, as an economical, safe, and
renewable carbon source, CO2 is an attractive C1 building block for constructing organic molecules. Importantly, the utilization of CO2 as a feedstock for producing chemicals provides a challenge in exploring new concepts and opportunities for catalytic and industrial development. The use of CO2 as a chemical feedstock will certainly not reduce its atmospheric concentration significantly, however, it will provide access to high-value products from a nontoxic, renewable, and low-cost resource and is considerably more sustainable than those in current use. |