Today CO₂ Value Europe’s article on Euractiv explores the pressing question: What will the EU do next to meet its climate goals?
Ursula von der Leyen, re-appointed President of the European Commission, has pledged to maintain the ambitious targets of the European Green Deal and to propose a 90% GHG emissions reduction by 2040. Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) – technologies are key for this vision and will help Europe defossilise its economy and support hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel, shipping, and aviation in reducing their carbon footprint.
Mario Draghi’s explicit reference to CCU in his recent report on the future of European competitiveness further underscores the important role of CCU in shaping the future of the European industrial and climate policies. Building on it, the cornerstone legislation of the new European Commission, the Clean Industrial Deal, will aim at fostering competitive industries and high-quality jobs.
Among other statements, the report notes: “CCU/CCS are the primary emission reduction options for CO₂ process emissions with current technologies, particularly in the cement sector.”
At CO₂ Value Europe, we emphasize the potential of CCU to address up to 8% of the EU’s overall emission reductions by 2050. However, to fully unlock CCU’s potential, we urgently need:
🔵 Ambitious policies that incentivise the use of captured carbon;
🔵 Fit-for-purpose regulations that simplify rules for CCU fuels and chemicals;
🔵 Consistency across EU instruments supporting CCU technologies.
We are calling on the next European Commission to table a Sustainable Carbon Policy Package in its first year of activity, creating market-pull mechanisms and rewarding sustainable carbon use. It’s time to accelerate the climate transition and strengthen Europe’s industrial sovereignty.
Find the full article here.
