CCS in UNFCCC

CCS is now being considered as an mitigation technology for inclusion in the Kyoto Protoco's Clean Development Mechanism. CAN Europe believes that if CCS were to be included in the CDM in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the risks and uncertainties associated with it would be exported to the developing world. The Clean Development Mechanism provides an important opportunity to help developing countries ‘leapfrog’ the unsustainable fossil fuel economy. CAN Europe opposes the inclusion of Carbon Capture and Storage in the Clean Development Mechanism in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. A decision on CCS in CDM may be taken at COP/MOP4.

ECO Articles:
CCS in the CDM: First things First – 9 November 2006 ECO issue 4
Dodgy Australian Debate – 13 November 2006 ECO issue 7 on CCS in the CDM.

Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum
The Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum is an international climate change initiative led by the United States. There are 21 member countries of the Forum and the stated aim is to focus on the “development of improved cost-effective technologies for the separation and capture of carbon dioxide for its transport and long-term safe storage. The purpose of the CSLF is to make these technologies broadly available internationally; and to identify and address wider issues relating to carbon capture and storage. This could include promoting the appropriate technical, political, and regulatory environments for the development of such technology.”

The Asia/Pacific Partnership
In July 2005 the Governments of the United States, India, China, The Republic of Korea, Australia and Japan announced a new compact (the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate) to promote technology deployment and transfer.

After much media hype the first meeting was postponed until January, 2006 when it was held in Sydney, Australia. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified by all countries in the Asia Pacific Pact, except for the United States and Australia. China, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea remain committed to advancing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through this global agreement as evidenced by the results of the first meeting of the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal, in 2005.

The United States and Australia claim the Asia Pacific Climate Pact will lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, however by 2010 Australia and the US energy missions are projected to increase by around 40 per cent of their 1990 levels. Voluntary agreements have been tried before and have failed to affect significant change.

NGOs view on the Asia Pacific Partnership
NGOs challenge to the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development

G8 and technology
The UK Presidency of the G8 forum in 2005 held climate change as one of its major issues along with Africa. The decision on climate change included references to CCS technology.

Decisions from the G8 Summit:
We will work to accelerate the development and commercialization of Carbon
Capture and Storage technology by:
(a) endorsing the objectives and activities of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF), and encouraging the Forum to work with broader civil society and to address the barriers to the public acceptability of CCS technology;
(b) inviting the IEA to work with the CSLF to hold a workshop on short-term opportunities for CCS in the fossil fuel sector, including from Enhanced Oil Recovery and CO2 removal from natural gas production;
(c) inviting the IEA to work with the CSLF to study definitions, costs, and scope for ‘capture ready’ plant and consider economic incentives;
(d) collaborating with key developing countries to research options for geological CO2 storage; and
(e) working with industry and with national and international research programmes and partnerships to explore the potential of CCS technologies, including with developing countries.

NGOs view on technology at the G8 Summit:
WWF’s technology brief for the G8 Summit