Carbon capture and storage
In order for CCS to be effective, concentrated emissions are necessary. A carbon capture system placed on top of a factory, for example, works very well and is fairly cost efficient. As of 2019, 17 CCS projects were in operation globally, capturing 31.5 million tons of CO2 per year.
However, this method cannot easily be applied to CO2 present more generally in the atmosphere. Logistical difficulties notwithstanding, the costs of such an endeavor would be approximately USD 600 per ton. The wide-scale application of CCS necessary to make an impact on climate mitigation is some way away, with its true long-term efficacy still unknown. Investors subsequently view carbon capture as not currently having the scale to make a noticeable difference on global emissions, though the technology does have potential.
