EU sees big role for carbon capture to meet emissions targets

The EU should cut emissions by 90% by 2040 under proposals that give an important role to carbon capture (CCS) and storage to tackle residual industrial emissions. To reach the 2040 target Europe will have to capture 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by 2030, rising to around 280 million tonnes by 2040 – that’s around 5% of the target reductions. Of that 280 million tonnes captured, around 25% is anticipated to come via direct air capture .

Lina Strandvåg Nagell, who leads on sustainable finance and economy at the Bellona Foundation, describes the proposal as ‘a watershed moment, because it sets out a strategy for how to decarbonise industry [and] it includes the correct kind of initiatives – a regulatory package on transport and storage, and planning mechanisms for infrastructure – to facilitate the market which is so crucial for scaling CCS.’