UNIS/OUS/012
19 February 2010

Reissued as received

UNIDO to Help Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Developing Roadmap for Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage

VIENNA, 19 February (UN Information Service) - The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) today announced the launch of a 500,000 euros project, in partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and the Global Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Institute, to develop a global technology roadmap for carbon capture and storage for industrial processes.

Because current energy systems and patterns of use are unsustainable, advanced technologies are needed for mitigating climate change and enabling the transition to sustainable energy systems. Carbon capture and storage is one of the key emerging technologies that will be required to support such a transition.

"There still remain significant knowledge gaps in moving towards commercial implementation of carbon capture and storage, especially in industry. This project will help address these obstacles by developing a technology roadmap for CCS across different industry sectors, and assist developing countries in their transition to a low-carbon economy," said UNIDO Director-General, Kandeh K. Yumkella.

Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Terje Riis-Johansen, added: "Industrial activity accounts for a large part of CO2 emissions in the world, and is increasing in developing countries. CO2 management is important to reduce emissions from these sources. Our support to this project will help facilitate increased use of CO2-management within the industry in developing countries."

Global CCS Institute CEO, Nick Otter, said: "Many people think of CCS as greenhouse mitigation option for coal-fired power stations only. They don't realise that CCS is a greenhouse mitigation option for any large industrial source of CO2. There is therefore a need for industrial sector-specific analysis." He added that "developing countries need to be part of the solution, so it is essential they are involved."

The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year. It will draw from the methodologies and experience of the partners and provide relevant stakeholders with a vision of industrial CCS storage up to 2050. It will be implemented in close cooperation with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme. The focus will be on developing countries with energy intensive industries. The roadmap will help inform policymakers and investors about the potential of CCS and the practical milestones that need to be achieved to realise that potential.

IEA Executive Director, Nobuo Tanaka, said: "To achieve our climate change goals, governments and industry need to act today to accelerate CCS from demonstration to commercialisation, with an estimated 3400 projects needed in 2050. We believe that the next decade is a key 'make or break' period for CCS. The IEA is happy to contribute to this roadmap, as it will identify actions to advance CCS as a solution for emissions-intensive industrial sectors and rapidly growing economies."

Recent studies suggest that CCS could contribute about 20 per cent of the global mitigation needed for halving global greenhouse gases by 2050, a reduction that scientists believe is necessary to prevent dangerous climate change. While there has been significant effort in assessing such technology in the context of power generation, considerably less attention has been paid to industrial applications despite the significant potential for emission reductions.

The project will analyze the status of CCS in key industrial sectors as well as create a roadmap to chart the course needed to apply the technology at scale in these sectors.

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For more information, please contact

Mikhail Evstafyev
UNIDO Public advocacy and media specialist
Telephone: (+43-1) 26026-5021
Mobile: (+43-650) 391-5278
Email: m.evstafyev@unido.org