• Program -
  • Type Think20 (T20)
  • Date 10 October 2020
Print

Abstract

The Group of Twenty (G20) includes the world’s largest fossil fuel producers and consumers. Deep transformations in energy-consuming behavior and technology and widespread enhancement of carbon sinks are necessary for these countries to achieve net-zero emissions in alignment with Paris-compliant temperature limitation thresholds. However, policies that focus on actions to enhance carbon sinks are largely lacking. To address this gap, we propose a phased policy approach that starts as a technology mechanism and leads toward balancing the rates of carbon extraction and deposition from and to the geosphere, implemented according to fossil carbon extraction and supply. Increasing climate action on the supply side of global fossil energy markets can enable new forms of cooperation between major fossil fuel producers and users. Such cooperation can accelerate and enhance climate ambition alongside efforts to price carbon emissions.

Authors

Paul Zakkour

Paul Zakkour

Visiting Researcher Paul Zakkour was a director of the consultancy Carbon Counts and a visiting researcher at KAPSARC. Paul has more than…

Paul Zakkour was a director of the consultancy Carbon Counts and a visiting researcher at KAPSARC. Paul has more than 17 years’ experience in the field of climate change policy, regulation and economics. Among other work, Paul advised on the design of European CCS regulations in 2007/08 and on the UNFCCC’s CCS rules under the clean development mechanism in 2010/11. Paul holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London.

Wolfgang Heidug

Visiting Researcher- Climate & Sustainability Wolfgang Heidug is an expert in low-carbon energy technology policy, with a specialized focus on the science and technology of…

Wolfgang Heidug is an expert in low-carbon energy technology policy, with a specialized focus on the science and technology of carbon capture and storage (CCS). He currently serves as a Visiting Researcher at KAPSARC, having previously been a Senior Research Fellow there from 2015 to 2020. Before joining KAPSARC, Wolfgang was a Senior Adviser at the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris, where he contributed to policies related to CCS. Wolfgang’s career spans over two decades with the upstream sector of Shell International in The Hague, where he held various roles, including General Manager for CO2 Policy. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from Brown University, along with M.A. degrees in Physics and Economics from German universities.

Expertise

  • Low-carbon technology incentives and regulatios
  • Climate change policy
  • Carbon capture and storage

Publications See all Wolfgang Heidug’s publications

Eli Mitchell-Larson

Eli Mitchell-Larson

Share this Publication

Subscribe to our newsletter

Stay informed, inspired, and connected with KAPSARC.

Subscribe