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😳 Coming Sunday, 23rd of February, will see Europe’s largest economy head to the polls for a snap election. Much has been said and written, but I have yet to see an analysis of what this means for carbon dioxide removal (hashtag#CDR) specifically.
So here is where the different parties stand:
⚫ CDU/CSU - polling at 29%: acknowledge the need for both nature-based and technological solutions to achieve net zero, with a focus on carbon capture and storage (CCS), utilisation (CCU), direct air capture (DACCS), and supportive infrastructure.
🔵 AfD - polling at 21%: climate change denial.
🔴 SPD - polling at 16%: emphasise need for nature-based solutions. More timid when it comes to CDR and CCS, prioritising additional research and frameworks vs implementation.
🟢 Greens - polling at 13%: highlight the need for CCS/CCU to achieve net zero. Against storage of CO2 at sea. Pushes for CDR targets at national and EU level. Primarily supportive of afforestation/reforestation.
🟣 Left - polling at 7%: wants to ban CCS/CCU. Nothing explicit about CDR.
🟤 BSW - polling at 5%: broadly supportive of tech-based solutions to climate change. Explicitly supportive of CCS/CCU, including building infrastructure for CO2 storage.
🟡 FDP - polling at 4% (below 5% threshold): most explicit about need for CDR, including dedicated targets, the use of credits, and supportive legislation/infrastructure. However, advocating to move Germany’s net zero goal from 2045 to 2050.
🤝 So where does this leave us? The CDU/CSU are almost certainly going to lead the upcoming government, formed in coalition with 1-2 other parties. The CDU/CSU has been increasingly trying to find a progressive stance on climate (“Klimaunion”) and is broadly supportive of CDR. Beyond that, it will all depend on which other party will form the government.
🎯 I remain bullish. The new government will pick up work on Germany’s CDR Strategy (“Langfriststrategie Negativemissionen”), and we will hopefully see its finalisation this or early next year, including dedicated CDR targets. All of this is - of course - happening within a broader context of climate increasingly being deprioritised in Germany and beyond.
👀 If you are keen to stay up to date with all things CDR in Germany, make sure to follow (or join) the Deutscher Verband für negative Emissionen e.V. (DVNE), Germany’s CDR trade association.
🫣 What is your take? Where is CDR heading after Sunday’s election?
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