The politics of carbon capture are getting weirder

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🗞️ Driving the news: Carbon capture and storage (CCS), once a rare bipartisan climate policy, is now facing backlash from conservative leaders like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
• In a viral video, DeSantis condemned a Florida bill proposing a CCS task force, calling the technology a “scam”
• His comments reflect a growing conservative culture war around climate policy, now including CCS

🔭 The context: Traditionally, CCS drew support from both parties—Republicans for protecting fossil industries and Democrats for emissions reduction
• The 45Q tax credit, a key CCS subsidy, is now under bipartisan threat, with Republican Scott Perry co-sponsoring a repeal alongside Democrat Ro Khanna
• Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers like John Barasso are pushing to expand the credit, revealing a fractured political stance on CCS

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: CCS is a crucial tool for decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel, and for achieving net-zero targets
• Political polarisation risks undermining public support and funding for these technologies
• Without consistent policy, climate goals relying on CCS could be jeopardised

⏭️ What's next: As Republicans weigh removing key clean energy provisions to fund Trump-era tax cuts, CCS mega-projects may face cancellation
• Political instability could delay or derail CCS investments, especially in regions relying on federal subsidies
• The broader partisan shift may hinder progress on bipartisan climate solutions

💬 One quote: “Ron DeSantis doesn’t like carbon capture. Well, who cares?” - David Reiner, Professor of Technology Policy at the University of Cambridge

📈 One stat: The 45Q tax credit pays between $60 and $180 per tonne of CO₂ stored, depending on method and use—worth billions in subsidies

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