PowerShift criticizes proposal for carbon dioxide storage law
Berlin, 26 September: The Berlin environmental organization PowerShift is sharply criticizing the draft law on carbon dioxide storage (KspG), which will be negotiated in the Bundestag for the first time tomorrow. Neelke Wagner, who works at PowerShift on climate and resource justice:
“This law on the storage of carbon dioxide would significantly reduce climate protection in Germany, as it would further delay the urgently needed development of a sustainable and climate-friendly industry. In view of the escalating climate crisis, which is also driven by the fact that German industry is not moving away from the use of fossil fuels fast enough, we need a clear and binding phase-out path from fossil fuels by 2045 at the latest.”
To the background:
The draft law provides for the establishment of a pipeline system to enable the transport and trade of carbon dioxide, thus creating the basis for a so-called ‘carbon dioxide economy’. This network should be open to all producers of carbon dioxide, except coal-fired power plants. Contrary to what the Federal Government suggests in the explanatory memorandum to the law, this is therefore not about ‘hard-to-avoid emissions’.
Particularly problematic is the use of natural gas, which contributes significantly to the overheating of the planet, not only because of the carbon dioxide released, but also because of the methane emissions generated during extraction, transport and processing. The fact that CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) is also to be made accessible for gas-fired power plants and hydrogen production from natural gas poses a particular risk in this context.
CCU/CCS technologies currently do not provide effective climate protection. Experience to date has shown that these technologies, due to their high energy consumption, significant residual emissions and their predominant use in oil and gas production, are more likely to harm than benefit the climate.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:
Neelke Wagner, neelke.wagner@power-shift.de, +49 (0)30 2472 4541
