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Reframing the policy approach to greenhouse gas removal technologies

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  • Lomax, Guy
  • Workman, Mark
  • Lenton, Timothy
  • Shah, Nilay

Abstract

Greenhouse gas removal (GGR) methods such as direct air capture, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, biochar and enhanced weathering have recently attracted attention as “geoengineering” options to reverse the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Contrary to this framing, however, we argue that GGR technologies can in fact form a valuable complement to emissions control within on-going mitigation efforts. Through decoupling abatement from emissions sources, they add much-needed flexibility to the mitigation toolbox, increasing feasibility and reducing costs of meeting climate targets. Integrating GGR effectively into policy raises significant challenges relating to uncertain costs, side effects, life-cycle effectiveness and accounting. Delaying policy action until these uncertainties are resolved, however, risks missing early opportunities, suffocating innovation and locking out the long-term potential of GGR. Based on an analysis of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, we develop four policy principles to begin unlocking the potential of GGR: (i) support further research, development and demonstration; (ii) support near-term opportunities through modifying existing policy mechanisms; (iii) commit to full GGR integration in carbon accreditation and broader climate policy frameworks in future; (iv) develop sector-specific steps that lay the groundwork for future opportunities and avoid lock-out.

Suggested Citation

  • Lomax, Guy & Workman, Mark & Lenton, Timothy & Shah, Nilay, 2015. "Reframing the policy approach to greenhouse gas removal technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 125-136.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:78:y:2015:i:c:p:125-136
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2014.10.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Shinichiro Asayama & Mike Hulme & Nils Markusson, 2021. "Balancing a budget or running a deficit? The offset regime of carbon removal and solar geoengineering under a carbon budget," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 1-21, July.
    2. Liu, Lirong & Huang, Guohe & Baetz, Brian & Guan, Yuru & Zhang, Kaiqiang, 2020. "Multi-Dimensional Hypothetical Fuzzy Risk Simulation model for Greenhouse Gas mitigation policy development," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    3. Laurie Waller & Tim Rayner & Jason Chilvers & Clair Amanda Gough & Irene Lorenzoni & Andrew Jordan & Naomi Vaughan, 2020. "Contested framings of greenhouse gas removal and its feasibility: Social and political dimensions," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(4), July.
    4. Daniel P. Carlisle & Pamela M. Feetham & Malcolm J. Wright & Damon A. H. Teagle, 2020. "The public remain uninformed and wary of climate engineering," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 303-322, May.
    5. Gianluca Stefani & Mario Biggeri & Lucia Ferrone, 2022. "Sustainable Transitions Narratives: An Analysis of the Literature through Topic Modelling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-25, February.
    6. Wil Burns & Simon Nicholson, 2017. "Bioenergy and carbon capture with storage (BECCS): the prospects and challenges of an emerging climate policy response," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 7(4), pages 527-534, December.
    7. Nicoletta Brazzola & Jan Wohland & Anthony Patt, 2021. "Offsetting unabated agricultural emissions with CO2 removal to achieve ambitious climate targets," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-19, March.
    8. Jagu Schippers, Emma & Massol, Olivier, 2022. "Unlocking CO2 infrastructure deployment: The impact of carbon removal accounting," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    9. Nico Bauer & Steven K. Rose & Shinichiro Fujimori & Detlef P. Vuuren & John Weyant & Marshall Wise & Yiyun Cui & Vassilis Daioglou & Matthew J. Gidden & Etsushi Kato & Alban Kitous & Florian Leblanc &, 2020. "Global energy sector emission reductions and bioenergy use: overview of the bioenergy demand phase of the EMF-33 model comparison," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(3), pages 1553-1568, December.

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