Carbon dioxide isolation and generation

A method for generating CO2, comprising:

• exposing a gas comprising CO2 to an aqueous material comprising hydroxide ions and more than about 20% water and having a pH of about 8.5 or above, whereby at least a portion of the CO2 is dissolved in the aqueous material;
• subjecting the aqueous material comprising the dissolved CO2 to an electrical potential in an electrochemical cell, wherein the electrical potential oxidizes at least a portion of the hydroxide ions to water, wherein the electrochemical cell has a first electrochemical half-cell, a second electrochemical half-cell, and a proton exchange membrane, wherein the electrochemical cell has an electrical energy requirement for releasing the dissolved CO2 as a gas and the electrical energy requirement for releasing the dissolved CO2 is less than about 350 KJ/mole of CO2;
• and
• releasing at least a portion of the dissolved CO2.