What´s the state of carbon dioxide removal (#CDR) policy in Europe?

We´ve analysed 13 major European countries in depth to help us understand the direction of travel for CDR policy in 2023 and beyond: 🇬🇧 🇸🇪 🇵🇹 🇳🇴 🇳🇱 🇪🇸 🇮🇹 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 🇫🇮 🇩🇰 🇮🇪 🇧🇪

#Punchline: policy makers across Europe are exploring ways to deploy CDR to achieve their net-zero pledges. The time is ripe to help create national supportive legislative ecosystems for CDR to take off 🚀

Five key takeaways:

1️⃣ CDR targets are coming: all countries now have #netzero objectives ranging from 2045 to 2050 (🇫🇮 leading with 2035 💪). Net-zero cannot be achieved without CDR. And countries are increasingly setting dedicated CDR targets like the 🇬🇧(5mT by 2030) and 🇵🇹(10% of overall emissions by 2050), a promising trend 👏

2️⃣ Over-reliance on natural carbon sinks: there is a widespread conviction that CDR can be achieved exclusively through natural/ecosystem-based carbon sinks. However, the performance of these is decreasing (🇫🇷 🇵🇹 🇫🇮) and sometimes they are actually becoming net emitters (🇳🇱). As this becomes better understood, focus will have to shift to more durable CDR.

3️⃣ Ranking of CDR methodologies: as expected, carbon farming and afforestation/reforestation is leading the way. When it comes to higher durability CDR, #BECCS is the clear favourite, given the large availability of biomass. Next up is #biochar from #PyCCS, with additional co-benefits for the large land use, land use change and forestry (#LULUCF) sector. #DACCS seems on the fringes, at least in national policy.

4️⃣ CCUS is stealing the show: point-source carbon capture utilisation and storage (#CCUS) is not CDR. It is at best carbon neutral, while CDR is by design carbon negative. However, it is often mentioned in the same vein (particularly with DACCS) and has powerful concerted industries behind it. Unsurprisingly, it is therefore getting the large majority of the attention and funding by governments. The CDR industry needs to start acting as a cohesive industry just like CCUS is.

5️⃣ CDR enjoys support across party lines: CDR seems to be supported across the board. Resistance/critique usually focuses on CCUS and sometimes on DACCS (given its proximity to CCUS), coming largely from #eNGOs and sometimes the political left. We need to maintain this positive environment by differentiating CCUS clearly from CDR.

Overall, we see great momentum for CDR in Europe 🎉 To realise its full potential, however, we need to ensure that CDR stands on its own feet and its plethora of methodologies are better understood by policy makers.

Big shout out to Alexis Dunand for his support with this research.

Are you interested in thematic deep dives? Country deep dives? Technology deep dives? Let me know!

Carbonfuture is just getting started with this research and will be happy to share more with the public as we progress.