The European Union is committed to reaching ‘net zero' CO2 emissions by 2050. While the major part of this effort will come from reducing current emissions levels in the coming years, we will also need technologies that can capture CO2 or remove it directly from the atmosphere and then store or utilise it. These technologies will focus on sectors where emissions are particularly difficult or costly to reduce, such as the process emissions in cement or waste-to-energy for example. The Commission has therefore adopted today an Industrial Carbon Management Communication, which provides details on how these technologies could contribute to reducing emissions by 90% by 2040 and reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
In the Net-Zero Industry Act, the Commission has proposed that the EU develops at least 50 million tonnes per year of CO2 storage capacity by 2030. Based on the impact assessment on the EU recommended climate target for 2040, this figure will need to grow to around 280 million tonnes by 2040. The Communication on Industrial Carbon Management sets out a comprehensive policy approach to deliver on these targets.
A European approach to industrial carbon management
