Advisers to evaluate carbon capture

Scientific advisers to the European Commission have been asked to provide an opinion on the potential of carbon capture and storage technologies to prevent climate change.

A scoping paper for the advisers, who form part of the Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM), was published on 19 July. It said the Commission has asked the SAM group to use existing research to inform its policies on carbon capture, including financial support, for “the next couple of years”.

Specifically, the group has been asked to opine on the circumstances under which carbon capture could be useful, and its potential overall usefulness. This will take into account factors such as how long the carbon will remain trapped by various technologies being developed, preventing it contributing to global warming as carbon dioxide.