Regulatory Challenges to the Implementation of Carbon Capture and Geological Storage within the European Union (EU) under EU and International Law

This journal article examines international environmental law principles relevant to carbon dioxide capture and sequestration (CCS), identifies key environmental and safety risks associated with the technology, and highlights significant legal frameworks that pose challenges to the implementation of CCS within the European Union (EU) under EU and international law. It notes continuing regulatory gaps that will need to be addressed for large-scale CCS to occur. The article concludes that the explicit inclusion or exclusion of CCS activities from the range of relevant legal frameworks will increase transparency, provide regulatory certainty, and ultimately facilitate CCS in appropriate contexts.