BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, February 1, 2024 – Commenting on the European Union’s 2040 climate target and a proposed Industrial Carbon Management Strategy due to be presented by the EU’s executive Commission on February 6, CIEL Fossil Economy Program Director Lili Fuhr said:
“‘Carbon management’ is a new code word for climate inaction and fossil fuel subsidies. Yet we are far past the time when carbon emissions can be managed: we have to eliminate them.
“Carbon Capture and storage (CCS) is the fossil fuel industry’s favorite delay tactic and speculative geoengineering technologies like Direct Air Capture or Bioenergy with CCS are used to cover up expansion of fossil fuels. On February 6 the European Commission is expected to present support for these risky and problematic technologies as a strategy to ‘manage’ carbon emissions from industrial applications, including the petrochemical sector.
“The EU’s promotion of CCS, despite decades of technical failures, weak performance and industry greenwashing jeopardizes the EU’s ambition to reach its climate targets. It also undermines other key pillars of the European Green Deal, including zero pollution from toxic chemicals, the protection of ecosystems and healthy food systems.
“It would be grossly irresponsible to allow the fossil fuel industry, the very industry that has caused multiple planetary crises, to develop new business models for profiting further from their fossil pollution.
“We need the EU’s climate policy to focus on proven solutions and real emission cuts. We cannot bet and subsidize speculative technologies that lock in a fossil economy.”
Today, the Real Zero Europe Coalition issued a statement on the EU 2040 Climate Targets and the Industry Carbon Management Strategy calling for “real solutions and real emission reductions: Now, in 2040 and beyond.” The statement was signed by more than 140 groups.
Media contact:
Niccolò Sarno, CIEL Media Relations: press@ciel.org