CCS deployment in the context of regional developments

Publication Overview

The aim of this study was to characterise key countries and regions worldwide where carbon capture and storage (CCS) could play an important role in mitigation efforts, based on national circumstances and priorities. An additional objective was to identify how international frameworks, such as the UNFCCC, can support CCS and what these new architectures would mean with respect to development of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

Publication Summary

• Meeting the long-term goal to limit global temperature rises to 2°C or below compared to pre-industrial levels requires large-scale deployment of low carbon technologies such as CCS.
• CCS presents an opportunity for many countries worldwide to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A portfolio of technologies is available for CCS deployment depending on GHG sources and the availability of suitable geological storage sites.
• CCS deployment faces a broad spectrum of barriers. Some are technical, some are economic, some are institutional and regulatory, and some concern the cost effectiveness of the technology compared to alternative mitigation options.
• Large-scale CCS deployment involves the development of a pathway establishing the necessary framework of actions and policies to incentivise projects and programmes. Countries and regions are at different stages along this pathway, which includes the following steps:
• Scoping and agenda setting
• Strengthening institutional arrangements and legal & regulatory frameworks
• Design and implementation of effective and multifaceted policy portfolios
• The new climate agreement adopted under the UNFCCC (Paris Agreement) could help facilitate deployment of CCS as a mitigation option. Mechanisms within the emerging framework could support technology development in both developing and developed countries and help mobilise climate finance into projects and programs. Into this ‘top-down’ framework, NDCs provide the ‘bottom-up’ opportunity for countries to establish CCS firmly within national GHG efforts that are aligned with the Paris Agreement. The UNFCCC can help support CCS through the following routes:
• Providing the overall mitigation policy framework for CCS
• Mobilising finance for CCS projects through both market and non-market based mechanisms
• Addressing technology needs and helping with capacity building

• Recommendations for further work include more work on defining the exact modalities for facilitating CCS under the UNFCCC and addressing ongoing uncertainties and challenges regarding the future form and scale of market-based support for projects. As it crosses the line of policy recommendations, this is not something IEAGHG would undertake. However, IEAGHG encourages organisations such as the IEA to make use of the information provided in the report and develop such recommendations.