Yesterday the UK Government published its Independent Review of Greenhouse Gas Removals, led by Dr Alan Whitehead CBE. The purpose of the review, which was commissioned by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), was to examine how different options for greenhouse gas removals (GGRs) can help the UK to reach its net-zero targets. Colleagues from across CO2RE and the Greenhouse Gas Removals Demonstrator (GGR-D) Programme contributed evidence to the review. The review also cites work authored or co-authored by many CO2RE and GGR-D researchers, including The UK State of Carbon Dioxide Removal; Geological Net Zero and the need for disaggregated carbon accounting; Mapping public appraisals of carbon removal; The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal 2024 – 2nd Edition; Perceptions of enhanced weathering as a biological negative emissions option; and a forthcoming report by CO2RE and ERM (Environmental Resources Management), to name just a few.
The review makes the following headline recommendations to enable the sustainable deployment of GGR in the UK:
- Government should develop a GGR Strategy to outline the contribution of GGR solutions required to meet carbon budgets and net zero.
- Government should establish an Office for Greenhouse Gas Removals to produce more coordinated action on GGRs, and to enable quicker and more efficient rollout of policy and project deployment.
- Government should adopt a strategic aim to minimise the use of imported biomass feedstocks.
- Amend and rename the SAF [sustainable aviation fuel] Mandate to become a Net Zero Aviation Mandate, with a trajectory that means that by 2045 all flights taking off from the UK are made climate-neutral. The amended Mandate should drive procurement of both SAF and permanent GGRs, with competition between these solutions.
- Government should exploit UK growth opportunities by positioning the UK as a leader on GGRs and in international climate cooperation, making use of the UK’s comparative advantages in science and technology, CO2 storage potential and financial services.
Commenting on the review, Professor Ian Bateman, who leads the NetZeroPlus Demonstrator project, said:
“The Independent Review confirms that Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) is a vital part of addressing climate change. Its challenge to Government to coordinate across the various approaches to delivering GGR is particularly timely.”
Dr Steve Smith, Executive Director of CO2RE, said:
“This review is the deepest look so far at greenhouse gas removals and how UK policymakers should be considering them. The recommendations it makes are wide-ranging – covering R&D, commercialisation, public engagement, international collaboration, and more – and they touch on several areas we have researched within the GGR Demonstrators Programme. They provide solid food for thought as the government develops it plans for setting and meeting the seventh UK carbon budget. I’m proud that many members of the team contributed to the evidence that this review has used.”
Dr Alan Whitehead CBE and Dr David Joffe (DESNZ and Head of Secretariat for the Independent Review on GGRs) recently joined us at the UK GGR Event to discuss the review and the role of GGRs in the UK’s path to net zero. You can watch a recording of their remarks on our YouTube channel.
Photo by Amy Garrett-Williams on Unsplash.
