Policy

The quantum concept is not an easy one to understand and even Einstein struggled with it, referring to the entanglement phenomenon (being the catalyst of quantum computers) as ‘spooky action at a distance’. In short, where traditional computers use bits (0 or 1), quantum computers use qubits, which leverage the principles of quantum mechanics, specifically superposition and entanglement, to exist in multiple states simultaneously.

The Carbon Management Society (CMS) welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for an Industrial Accelerator Act, recognising its ambition to strengthen Europe’s industrial competitiveness while accelerating the transition to low-carbon production.

In the global climate debate, few terms are as frequently misunderstood as carbon management. Too often, it is treated as shorthand for carbon capture and storage (CCS). While CCS is an important technological tool, carbon management is a far broader, more systemic discipline. Reducing it to a single technology risks narrowing both ambition and impact.

The European Union has developed one of the most structured and comprehensive frameworks for supporting hydrogen investments. The Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) mechanism allows EU member states to provide state aid to key hydrogen projects.

Carbon pricing mechanisms, including global carbon pricing (GCP) and emissions trading systems (ETS), are essential tools for incentivizing emissions reductions and combating climate change. Both approaches aim to internalize the social costs of carbon emissions and drive the transition to a low-carbon economy. However, they differ in their design, implementation, and potential impacts.

So how does Mr Miliband square this circle? It is hard to argue that Britain is not doing its bit on climate. It has been the fastest-decarbonising major economy. Its latest submission under the Paris Agreement is one of the few that puts the economy on-track for a net-zero carbon world.

Cop28 ended in achievement and relief, tinged with some disappointments. The final text twice mentions “hard-to-abate” sectors, usually considered to include vital but carbon-intensive heavy industries such as steel, cement and aluminium.

A limited amount of carbon capture, hydrogen and nuclear power are used in the “hard-to-abate” sectors, such as heavy industry, for long-duration reliable electricity supply, and to supply chemical fuels for long-distance shipping and aviation.

Adnoc has reported that it emitted 24 million tonnes from its upstream operations last year. It aims to reduce operational intensity – emissions per barrel of oil or cubic foot of gas – by 25 per cent by 2030, from what is already one of the lowest levels globally.

Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon, where tourists boil lobster-red in the volcanic waters, is more than a sightseeing curiosity. The attraction, which is the world’s first geothermal power and district heating plant, is a pioneer of low-carbon energy.

The global steel industry accounts for 8–10 % of global CO2 emissions and requires deep decarbonisation for achieving the targets set in the Paris Agreement. However, no low-emission primary steel production technology has yet been commercially feasible or deployed.

Achieving net-zero climate targets requires some level of carbon dioxide removal. Current assessments focus on tonnes of CO2 removed, without specifying what form these removals will take. Here, we show that countries’ climate pledges require approximately 1 (0.9–1.1) billion ha of land for removals.

The most straightforward way to avoid climate change is to stop treating the atmosphere as a free waste dump for carbon dioxide.

Don’t swim too far from the shore in Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon, or you will cook like a lobster. At 240°C, mineral-rich water drilled from deep underground runs the neighbouring geothermal power plant,

A recent paper ‘Nature-Based Credit Markets at a Crossroads’ published in Nature Sustainability (2024), provides a noteworthy perspective on scientific validity in relation to nature-based credit markets.

The European Green Deal (EGD), introduced by the European Commission in 2019, stands as a monumental initiative in Europe’s journey toward a more sustainable future.

The intersection of a global climate emergency and the entrenched economy and technology of the aviation sector presents a significant carbon management challenge. As the opportunity to limit global warming narrows, the efficacy of state-led regulation to drive rapid, systemic decarbonisation requires scrutiny and consideration.

At the conference of Britain’s governing Labour Party in Liverpool last week, two protesters squeezed in a white elephant costume with “carbon capture and storage” written on it. Last month, Nature published a paper suggesting underground carbon dioxide storage capacity is much less than previously thought. These two happenings link a continuing hostility from environmentalists towards one of our key climate technologies.

It often begins with bold declarations - “We must protect our industries,” they say. “Our workers deserve better.” The public nods along. Tariffs, once again, are wielded as a political tool, dressed in the noble language of national interest and economic revival.

Japan is indeed in the midst of something major, something truly extraordinary... The country has embarked on the Green Transformation (GX), which refers to transforming “entire industrial and social structures centering around fossil energy sources, long established since the Industrial Revolution, into ones based on clean energy”