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In Norway´s view, the increase in global mean temperature must be limited to a maximum of two degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial level in order to achieve the ultimate objective of the UN Convention on Climate Change of preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
This means that global greenhouse gas emissions will have to be reduced by 50–85% by 2050, most likely closer to 85%. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, carbon capture and storage (CCS) has the second largest potential for global emission reductions, after energy efficiency measures. This view is supported by the International Energy Agency, which stresses that CCS is a key technology for reaching the two-degree goal. Around 20% of the necessary emissions reductions could come from CCS activities.
To address climate change, we need a broad and comprehensive portfolio of mitigation options and tools. Since CCS has such great potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Norway sees it as an essential part of this portfolio.
It is crucial for the future climate regime to create a framework that encourages, promotes and provides incentives for research, innovation and implementation of all technologies that can reduce emissions. This requires intensified renewable energy and energy efficiency efforts. But we must also meet the challenge of securing a sustainable future energy supply by reducing emissions from the continued production and use of fossil fuels. CCS is one of the most promising technologies for achieving this. It can complement other climate change mitigation actions by reducing emissions from the use of fossil fuels, including coal, during the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Since 1996, Norway has gained extensive experience of storing CO2 in geological structures. At the Sleipner field, more than 10 years of monitoring data show the precise subsurface location of the CO2 plume and confirm that the CO2 is confined securely within the storage reservoir.
Norway is strongly committed to further developing and contributing to widespread dissemination of CCS technologies. The Government is cooperating with industry on the implementation of CCS at two gas-fired power plants, and will contribute financially to these projects. In addition, the European CO2 Technology Centre Mongstad will test, verify and demonstrate different concepts and technologies that can reduce costs and risks related to CCS.
There are still challenges involved in making CCS technologies commercially viable on a global scale. At the same time, there are emissions that can easily be captured and stored if financial and other conditions are in place. To mobilise the financial resources needed to enable and disseminate such climate-friendly technologies, we must create a framework that provides incentives for investments in both developed and developing countries.
International efforts to develop incentives that could facilitate the implementation of CCS technology need to be further intensified.
