Industry and NGO alliance demands CCS strategy from next German government

Capturing, using and storing CO2 emissions on a large scale will be necessary for Germany to reach its target of climate neutrality by 2045 and the next national government should devise a CO2 strategy to provide the right regulatory framework, said an alliance of industry and environmental NGOs. The group – which includes company initiative Foundation 2°, NGO Bellona and advocacy group and think tank Clean Air Task Force – says carbon capture and utilisation/storage (CCU/CCS) is a “key pillar” to make industry climate neutral. “Germany is an innovation leader in decarbonisation and the interest from industry in CCS technologies is immense,” said Lee Beck, international director of carbon capture at Clean Air Task Force. “Overall, Germany's large-scale industry is responsible for several million jobs. Therefore, it is high time that Germany addresses the issue and drafts a CCS strategy to secure the future of these industries."

In Germany, carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been viewed very critically, as it has in the past been seen as a way to prolong fossil fuel use. However, the government and other stakeholders are trying to rekindle the debate and ensure support for using the technology for unavoidable emissions from industrial processes.