More than 70 associations, citizens' initiatives and companies from Germany, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, DR Congo, Ghana, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, UK, and the USA have signed an open letter to warn against Germany's misguided approach to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The legislation is poised to be fast-tracked amid the current government crisis.
In their open letter, the organizations call on the members of parliament and the Bundesrat not to pass a current amendment to the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act. The amendment, they argue, would delay or derail the phase-out of fossil fuels by paying out billions of taxpayers' money to the industry and paving the way for investments in CCS infrastructure.
Instead, the organizations assert, all efforts of the fossil fuel industry's transition should go to:
- energy-saving and energy efficiency;
- continuously expanding environmentally friendly renewable energies up to 100%;
- building a circular economy that conserves natural resources.
As the amendment would set a false and consequential precedent for Europe and beyond, the associations invite others to join them in their call to stop Germany’s CCS Act.
Background
Since citizens’ protests against CCS in the power sector were successful 12 years ago, a specific law restricts the application of CCS in Germany. In June 2024 the German government proposed an amendment, the 'Carbon Dioxide Storage and Transportation Act' (CCS Act) which may be voted on in Parliament within the coming weeks. The current government crisis could fast-track the vote since Chancellor Olaf Scholz will have to strike deals with the conservative CDU/CSU, whose group in Parliament has long been vying to pass this amendment.
As it stands, the CCS Act would allow commercial CO2 dumping sites in the North and Baltic Seas and potentially onshore. It would empower the gas industry to construct a large CO2 pipeline grid, allegedly in the public interest. The Act promotes transporting and dumping CO2 as a climate solution for any industry and power plant that wished to partake in it – with the only exception of coal power plants located in Germany. The Act further curtails the participation and information rights and the rights of action of environmental associations. Massive subsidies in the billions of euros have been earmarked for CCS.
