2nd Meeting of the Monitoring Network

Publication Overview

The 2nd meeting of the monitoring network met in at Rome in September 2005. The meeting had two main aims which were: first to begin to engage regulatory bodies from around the worldwide on their thoughts on monitoring needs and second, to provide an update on monitoring technique development since the last meeting.

Publication Summary

The current situation that policymakers (and probably scientists and all those involved in the Monitoring Network) find themselves in, is one of trying to design a verification regime to manage risks that it is not possible to be 100% sure about.

The reason for involvement in the network is to try to gauge whether it is possible to begin to join these two parts of the equation; as well as share knowledge with other regulators; and appreciate where the science, and the experts, are right now.

The emphasis should be on the urgency of trying to join these two parts within the next five years or so. As the number of projects increase, there is the possibility that those on the monitoring side of regulation may lose the opportunity to implement holistic regulation that is both efficient (less red tape for industry) and effective (guarantees as best as possible the safety and abatement aspects of the activity).

Why? Because the momentum is likely to be with action – actually getting storage projects up and running – and this will not be held up by the need to spend years getting the monitoring and verification regime perfect. (For example, those that come under RD&D might have less onerous requirements than fully commercial ventures.)

As the monitoring and verification regime – or set of standards – will inevitably be an evolving one, the task of the regulators is to establish one that is both flexible and strong, to give themselves, and more importantly the public, the confidence that CCS is an effective climate change mitigation option.