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Portugal is one of the few EU countries that has codified a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) target into climate law. Although still in the early stages of building policy infrastructure around CDR, its dedication to harnessing promising CDR technologies is commendable. Let’s take a look at Portugal’s climate framework and CDR plans.
How does Portugal view CDR?
🎯The National Climate Law sets a climate neutrality goal by 2050, with a CDR target of 10% of CO2 emissions and 90% of emission reductions.
🌳The National Energy and Climate Plan stresses the importance of the reinforcement and management of carbon sinks (including agricultural green areas and forests, such as through carbon soil sequestration).
🌾The Common Agricultural Policy strategic plan mentions the importance of improving the content of organic matter in soils to improve carbon sequestration, a key focus area for the country’s CDR initiatives.
☑️ Point-source carbon capture and storage (#CCS) is mentioned as important for decarbonisation, though Portugal views CCS, as well as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (#BECCS) as not yet cost-effective.
Which CDR technologies hold the most potential in Portugal?
❗The Alentejo region shows significant potential to be a major player in the developing #biochar market considering feedstock availability and biochar agricultural application (see report here: https://lnkd.in/duYH7sx6).
🌊The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation launched its Blue Carbon project in Portugal that aims to map all marine and coastal ecosystems in the region. These could sequester more CO2 from the atmosphere than forests can.
🔒The Portuguese InCarbon project investigated the injection of CO2 into rocks as a permanent storage process (see project here: https://lnkd.in/dTBiUywf). The country also participated in various EU projects exploring the geological storage of CO2, including #StrategyCCUS and PilotSTRATEGY.
🌲There is a consistent focus on forestry and carbon sequestration in soils, such as adopting agroforestry systems to enhance carbon sequestration in both above-ground biomass and soil.
Portugal has taken a remarkable step forward by enshrining a #cdr target into its National Climate Law. Its portfolio approach, exploring a range of land and sea based CDR options to achieve its climate goals, is the way forward. I’m eager to stay updated on how Portugal may emerge as a leading biochar pioneer.
👏Shout-out to these Portuguese carbon management leaders: CO2 Diamonds, CO2offset.ai, DeCarbon8+
Also a shout-out to MEP Lídia Pereira, climate advocate, member of the ENVI Committee and Rapporteur for the European Carbon Removal Certification Framework (#CRCF), the key policy in the works on CDR.
What are some policy developments in Portugal I’ve missed? Who else deserves a shout-out?
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