Are we ready for the ship transport of CO 2 for CCS? Crude solutions from international and European law

Abstract

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a wellknown climate change mitigation technology. In a nutshell, carbon dioxide (CO2) is captured at power plants or industrial plants (cement, paper, chemicals, etc.), transported, and injected into suitable geological formations. Such formations may be onshore or offshore. Offshore, the transport can take place through pipelines or by ships. CCS has two roles. In its first role, CCS is a bridging technology to reduce the CO2 emissions of the power sector during the transition to renewable energy. In its second role, CCS is used to reduce emissions from CO2generating industrial processes. 1 Both of these roles are to be part of the portfolio of measures required to meet the 1.5°C or 2°C goals of the Paris Agreement.2 CCS is a recognized emission reduction technology in the UNFCCC’s framework: CCS came under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol,3 and it is expected that it will also be an eligible activity under the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) of the Paris Agreement.4 Further, CCS is also eligible for support from the Green