The German government has backed a controversial plan to allow underground storage of climate-damaging CO2 emissions in the country.
The cabinet approved a draft of the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act in Berlin on Wednesday. According to the bill, CO2 storage projects are mainly planned under the North Sea.
However, the German parliament will still have to consider the proposals.
The carbon storage proposal was included in the government’s February presentation of key points from its carbon management strategy.
Germany’s current government argues that the use of underground carbon storage technology is necessary to achieve climate goals.
Storage projects would be used to offset CO2 emissions that are particularly difficult to avoid, particularly in limestone and cement production and waste incineration.
A number of environmental organizations have rejected CO2 storage, arguing, among other things, that projects are likely to be very expensive and difficult to realize on a large scale.
“No one can predict how long the planned CO2 storage facilities will last,” warned the environmental organization Greenpeace.
If the carbon capture strategy fails, “we will be faced with a climate policy mess,” the group said.
“It is better that CO2 is safe in the ground than in the atmosphere,” said German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, a GroenLinks member.
In addition, the cabinet also approved a bill on Wednesday that is intended to boost hydrogen projects.
Hydrogen is seen as a potential climate-friendly replacement for fossil fuels as part of the wider energy transition.
“Hydrogen will play an important role in the storage and transport of renewable energy,” said the draft, which was obtained by dpa.
“This is because hydrogen should mainly be used in those sectors of the economy where it is not possible or economical to convert procedures and processes to greenhouse gas neutrality through direct electrification.”
Measures in the draft include steps to enable faster planning and approval of hydrogen projects.
