Pathways for a Political Consensus Policy Framework to Rapidly Scale the Ccus Industry for Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Removal

The rapid growth of CCUS is crucial both to aid the transition to a low emission energy sector and to drive the removal of existing atmospheric and ocean carbon dioxide. UN forecasts conservatively require between 100-1,000 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to avoid 4.5 degrees of global warming. With the right policy settings, this represents a multi trillion-dollar opportunity for CCUS applications in industries like cement, minerals, forestry, aquaculture, agriculture, chemicals and plastics. However, to meet the pace and scale of RD&D investment the CCUS industry must avoid replicating the problems and deeply polarised politics of climate change and emission reduction policy.

The application of CCUS for CDR risks the same deadlock as climate change and emission reduction policy, without learning lessons from previous policy failures. The paper presents the findings of a research project into options for a policy framework to rapidly scale CCUS and CDR, which can achieve political consensus.

We draw on original structured interviews on CCUS and CDR with a broad cross-section of actors. These include conservative, centrist and liberal legislators; senior bureaucrats; industry executives and lobby groups; institutional and private investors; policy think tanks; consumer groups; environmental organisations; and labor organisations.

We explore the politically viable options to address issues such as: how to fund the scale of CCUS R&D and infrastructure required; how to frame and communicate CCUS/CDR as a policy issue and opportunity; and the role of communications and coalition building to ensure effective technologies aren’t hindered by lack of political or public support. This work builds on existing research into the short comings of climate change policy and political communication.

We consider the implications of these findings for CCUS policy and industry in fossil fuel-rich economies like Australia and the United States.