Advances in carbon capture, utilization, and storage technology will be key to carrying out the Paris Agreement’s goals of curbing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, four nongovernmental organizations said on Friday.
On Friday, 174 nations and the European Union signed the climate change accord, which will come into force upon ratification by at least 55 states representing 55 percent of global emissions. Each nation has offered pledges intended to together limit global temperature rise to no more than 2 degrees Celsius.
“The world derives 80 percent of its energy from coal, oil, and natural gas. Global use of fossil fuels is expected to continue for decades to come, even with the dramatic changes in energy production anticipated under the Paris Agreement,” according to the statement from senior representatives of the Clean Air Task Force, Center for Climate Change and Energy Solutions, Third Way, and Great Plains Institute. “Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technology can capture and safely store CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial facilities. In fact, the United Nations IPCC and International Energy Agency have concluded that CCUS is likely essential to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius.”
The groups noted that China, Canada, Saudi Arabia and other nations noted CCUS technology as part of their action commitments to the Paris Agreement, while the United States’ commitment offers an “all-of-the-above” strategy featuring CCUS. Eight countries are operating or building CCUS projects, and more are planned, the statement says.
