According to the Commission communication of 15 December 2021 on sustainable carbon cycles(1), the EU’s climate neutrality objective would require the capture of between 300 and 500 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial sources by 2050, with the captured CO 2 to be transported for permanent underground sequestration or used as industrial feedstock.
Can the Commission clarify:
1. how many CO2 capture plants are currently in operation within the EU?
2. what is the total amount of CO2 captured by these plants on an annual basis?
3. whether it intends to devise a specific carbon capture strategy in order to address the various issues that are holding back progress at present, and indicate how the ambitious CO2 capture target will be achieved within the stipulated timescale?
(1)COM(2021)0800.