SiteChar

For the mitigation of climate change it’s important to reduce worldwide the CO2 emissions. The carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) has been discussed as a possible option for reducing the greenhouse gases. However, protests on potential CO2 storage sites in Germany and the Netherlands have shown that citizens need to be involved early in the planning of concrete storage projects. In this context, the UfU is concerned with the issue of advancing public awareness.

The goal is to test and develop further methods that allow the early integration of the residents of potential CO2 storage sites in the planning processes. For this, acceptance surveys, focus conference and information meeting were conducted at the site Zalencze & Zuchlow in Poland. The results will be used to develop standards for public participation processes in other CCS sites across Europe.

It was found that from the perspective of the interviewed citizens the CCS technology certainly has advantages. It would create new jobs and the CO2 emissions could be reduced. However, the citizens had also serious doubts about the viability and safety of the CCS technology. The citizens stated that if the technology was to be introduced in Poland, they demanded a clear delegation of responsibilities, a broad information campaign to educate the public and the participation of local residents in the planning of CCS projects.

UfU works in the SiteChar project together with 17 European partners. At the end of this project the geological, economic, environmental and social prerequisites will be developed, which must be fulfilled before a company can be issued a permit to store CO2 underground.