C-SINK – Creating a Standardized and Transparent European Carbon Dioxide Removal Market

In its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), underscores the necessity of Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods to achieve net negative CO2 emissions by mid-century. To address this challenge, the Horizon Europe-funded project ‘C-SINK’ aims to complement ongoing global mitigation efforts through the responsible deployment of CDR techniques. This ambitious initiative brings together 24 organizations from 11 countries, focusing on the development and assessment of various CDR techniques. These include artificial soils, biological CO2 fixation, biomass energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), biochar, and enhanced weathering.

Across Europe, a series of pilot studies are underway to evaluate the efficacy of various CDR techniques. This includes an evaluation of their technical efficiency but also their broader social, environmental, and economic impacts. This thorough evaluation is essential to fully understand the range of potential outcomes associated with CDR. The insights gained from these pilots will inform the development of a robust Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) preliminary standard. This pre-standard will be complemented by a series of policy and regulation recommendations to facilitate the establishment of a comprehensive regulatory and legal framework for CDR techniques. Such a framework is crucial for ensuring the credibility and long-term viability of CDR.

As part of C-SINK’s endeavours, SEI will perform social impact and acceptability assessments across diverse European locations and encompassing various CDR techniques. The primary objective of these assessments is to gain insights into the public’s awareness and views of CDR techniques and their potential impacts. By providing a nuanced understanding of the public’s knowledge and perceptions, SEI’s work will play a pivotal role in shaping effective strategies ensuring that CDR techniques are not only technologically sound but also socially viable, to address the ongoing climate crisis.