Dr. Marko Maver Discussed the CCS Technology during the International Protection of the Environment Course

Among the concluding lectures in the International Protection of the Environment course (Jean Monnet Module EU ENVI), dr. Marko Maver, a State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia introduced the students with the CCS technology – an ever more salient manner of fighting climate change.

On 10 May 2019, he discussed the possibilities of transporting, storing and monitoring CO2 as well as presented several pilot projects from the UK and Norway. He also prepared a quiz to test the students’ knowledge. On 17 May 2019, building on the knowledge from the previous week, the students worked on presenting a case at a press conference and got familiarised with the social aspects of environmental policy-making. The lecturer also touched upon some key legal and policy issues and explained that pursuing the CCS technology path of decarbonisation is feasible and necessary because the heavy emission industries (cement, steel, chemicals) have only a few other options for reducing emissions, which are much costlier. Nonetheless, only a few countries in Europe have shown interest in this technology: due to an unfavorable policy climate, strong legal frameworks, focused mostly on CO2 storage, a lack of financial incentives, and absence of public approval. CCS technology is nevertheless critical to achieving the goals of reducing carbon emissions. Even more so: it has the developmental potential once more clarity in the policy and legal fields is achieved.

Author: Iris Šőmen