ZEP welcomes the long-awaited EU Industrial Carbon Management Strategy

Brussels, 6 February 2024 – Today, the European Commission unveiled its Industrial Carbon Management Strategy (ICMS), marking a significant step towards the EU's efforts to accelerate the deployment of CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) and CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilisation) since the adoption of the CO2 Storage Directive in 2009. The Communication underscores the important contribution of CCS in meeting the EU's climate goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050, acknowledging that these objectives are unattainable without the large-scale deployment of CCS. ZEP welcomes an EU-wide industrial carbon management strategy with great enthusiasm. ZEP has been an ardent advocate for an EU strategy for CCS and CCU – where the stored CO2 is intended to be permanent. With this strategy, the EU lays the groundwork for over 70 CCS and CCU projects looking to become operational by 2030. This Communication provides a clear direction for investors and governments, helping them to plan ahead. Furthermore, the alignment of EU and national strategies on CCS will play a pivotal role in meeting the EU’s ambitious climate targets and driving forward the decarbonisation of its industrial sector. Scaling up CCS will require cross-border cooperation in the EU, EEA and together with third countries. ZEP Chair, Eve Tamme, commented: “ZEP celebrates the release of the long-awaited carbon management strategy. We are pleased to see a list of initiatives to tackle the gaps in the enabling conditions for deploying these technologies." "As we move forward, ZEP looks forward to supporting the Commission in the next steps and sharing our insights to create the right conditions for scaling up carbon management technologies in Europe", she added. Key aspects of the strategy include:

• The distinction of Industrial Carbon Management into three pathways: CCS, CCU, and carbon removal.
• An EU objective to achieve 280 million tonnes of captured CO2 by 2040 and 450 million tonnes by 2050.
• A foreseeable EU proposal for a future CO2 transport regulatory package.
• The establishment of a platform for demand assessment and demand aggregation for CO2 transport and storage services.
• Start work in 2024 with Member States in the transparent and coordinated design of a possible important project of common European interest for CO2 transport and storage infrastructure via the JEF-IPCEI.
• Initiatives by the European Commission and Member States to address public perception issues through stakeholder and community engagement.
• Continued investments in research and innovation across all facets of industrial carbon management, supporting new collaboration and a knowledge-sharing platform for industrial CCUS projects.

ZEP welcomes the European Commission's initiative to create a comprehensive EU-wide Investment Atlas of potential CO2 storage sites, addressing one of the significant barriers to scaling up CCS as highlighted in ZEP’s feedback to the open public consultation. Furthermore, ZEP encourages the European Commission to build on the knowledge from CCS projects and support the many projects under development by promoting knowledge sharing. The first meeting of the ZEP knowledge-sharing Projects Network in January highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts and knowledge sharing among CCS stakeholders. This approach is vital for fostering innovation and accelerating the deployment of CCS and CCU technologies across the EU. ZEP is committed to supporting EU institutions and the broader CCS stakeholder community, ensuring the achievement of the EU's 2030 objectives towards attaining net zero emissions by 2050.