Environmental analysis news: CCS 'vital to hit climate change targets'

Using carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is imperative if governments around the world are to successfully hit their CO2 reduction targets, it has been claimed.

Jeff Chapman, chief executive of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, explained that as economies grow, there is an increased need for the technology to be introduced.

"You cannot deal with climate change without CCS because we are hooked on fossil fuels. There is no substitute within the next few decades so it has to be done," he said.

Mr Chapman cited figures from the International Energy Agency, which predicted that globally, 3,400 projects will need to be constructed by 2050 in order to successfully keep temperature rises to two degrees C.

Earlier this month, the Environmental Audit Committee published a report which called on the British government to increase its CO2 reduction target to a 42 per cent cut to 1990 levels by 2020.

The committee also stressed that the government needs to realise the proposals in its Low Carbon Transition Plan as well as introducing additional measures to speed up the process of carbon reduction.

Posted by Joseph Hutton