Want to learn more about the role of CCUS in reducing industrial emissions in the EU? Watch a recording of this webinar.

Limiting global warming is at the forefront of the C4U, REALISE CCUS and CLEANKER projects. Using CCUS, the Horizon 2020 projects aim to decarbonise heavy industry, in particular steelmaking, refineries and cement respectively. In a joint effort, the projects assessed the regulatory frameworks needed to scale up CCUS. We summarise our key findings in this new policy brief.

The brief calls on national and EU policymakers to align strategic climate targets with the goals of the Paris Agreement. To reach this objective, we recommend that CCUS technology should be included in the list of technological priorities together with renewables and other decarbonisation options in the national regulation of each country.

The policy brief makes practical recommendations combining regulatory and political incentives together with national, industrial and EU financial support to initiate and support large-scale CCUS projects:

  1. The political framework: Raise awareness among relevant government ministries of the importance of global CCUS deployment. Implement and ratify the London Protocol amendment in the near term. The European Commission should encourage national policymakers to implement these recommendations.
  2. Clear definitions: Characterise geological storage sites in all Member States and in particular in Southern Europe.
  3. A practical roadmap to realise CCUS ambitions: Make provisions for practical implementation of CCUS.
  4. Fair competition and access: EU Member States should be required to adopt technology neutral support mechanisms, i.e. broaden the support to all technologies that reduce emissions.

Read the full policy brief and find out more about our work on our website.