Germany takes a major step forward with the publication of the key points of its Carbon Management Strategy
Berlin – Today, the German government has published key points of its Carbon Management Strategy, cementing the importance of carbon capture and storage in achieving Germany’s goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2045.
“As Europe’s largest economy and biggest emitter, all evidence points to the fact that carbon capture and storage will need to be deployed on a significant scale if Germany is to reach its climate targets,” said Lee Beck, CATF’s Senior Director, Europe and Middle East. “The Carbon Management Strategy is a significant first step to deploying carbon capture and storage, which German governments must now deliver on.”
The German Carbon Management Strategy comes after industrial producers and leading NGOs, including CATF, began calling on the German government to produce a strategy in 2021. As leading scientific evidence shows, carbon capture and storage will need to be deployed on a significant scale in Germany if it is to reach climate neutrality.
“The Strategy sets in motion several key actions for enabling carbon capture and storage in Germany, including the legislative revisions needed to establish CO2 pipeline networks and allow offshore storage of CO2 under Germany’s North Sea,” said Toby Lockwood, CATF’s Technology and Markets Director, Carbon Capture. “Following the example of some other EU Member States, carbon contracts for difference will be used to cover the funding gap still faced by the hard-to-abate sectors that will rely on carbon capture and storage to decarbonise.”
Deployment of carbon capture and storage will be particularly important for Europe’s largest industrial producer. Major regions like North Rhine-Westphalia host key industries such as cement, lime, chemicals, and steel, which must decarbonise. As CATF outlined last year, a Carbon Management Strategy is a core pillar of Germany’s effort to transform its industrial sectors to climate neutrality.
While the publication of the Carbon Management Strategy is a welcome development, it is essential that the first CO2 infrastructure projects reach final investment decisions. Developing the first cluster projects and ensuring access to CO2 storage for German industrial producers are crucial to cut emissions while preserving key German industries.
Press Contact
Julia Kislitsyna, Communications Manager – Europe, +49 151 16 220 453, [email protected]
About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.