The first week at COP30: Negotiations, CCS Events, and the Carbon Removals Roadmap

Negotiations on the key topics, including Finance and Adaptation, became increasingly intense during the first week at COP30 in the Subsidiary Bodies. We await their final texts on Monday and watch as the higher-level parts of COP30 unfold in the second week.

There were several events on CCS and CDR in the first week at COP30. Most notable was our UNFCCC Side-event on the “Role of Non-State Actors in Delivering CCS in LATAM and Caribbean countries”. After a welcome by Patrick McDonald, Assistant Deputy Minister, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, and a scene-setting by myself, we heard from Nathalia Weber from CCS Brasil, Prof. Katherine Romanak University of Texas, Prof. Raffie Hosein UWI (Trinidad and Tobago), Prof. Donnie Boodlal University of Trinidad and Tobago, Olivia Powis CCSA, Jazmin Mota MeCCS (Mexico), Breanne O’Reilly International CCS Knowledge Centre, Jonas Helseth Bellona, Edgar Yanez ICPET Ecopetrol, Daniel Lopz FS, and closing remarks by Prof. Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative on Climate UK FCDO. Many interesting topics were discussed, including IEAGHG’s Network of National CCUS Centres of Excellence in the Global South, of which four members presented at this event. In my closing, I connected the 50,000 CCS jobs which will be created in the UK to one of the COP topics, the Just Transition Work Programme.  IISD media covered the event, and a good description of all the talks can be seen in their article here.

Other CCS and CDR events took place in pavilions, including by the CCSA, the International CCS Knowledge Centre, and GCCSI. There was a Carbon Management Reception organised by CCS Brazil on the Friday evening, supported by IEAGHG, GCCSI and others. The discussion panel, which included me, explored CCS developments in Brazil and reflected on the COP. The most significant news was that the CCS legal framework for Brazil will be released on Monday, the 17^th, for consultation. There was also a round-table meeting of the Carbon Management Challenge, organised by GCCSI, which we also participated in.  

The CDR30 pavilion was busy every day. I attended an event on National Carbon Removal Roadmaps. The Australian CDR Roadmap was presented by Chris Chilcot, CSIRO. I was able to discuss the California LCFS inclusion of DACCS with California Senator John Becker.

The IPCC Task Force on Inventories (TFI) held an event on its forthcoming work on CDR and CCUS inventory guidelines, and is currently calling for authors.

In the second week, on the 17^th, we will be involved in a UK government event on CCUS Myth Busting. IEAGHG will also share an exhibition booth with the University of Texas, CCSA, and the International CCS Knowledge Centre to share information on CCS. This will run from the 17^th to the 20^th, at booth 40.

Photo by IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou