Legal Design of Carbon Capture and Storage; Developments in the Netherlands from an International and EU Perspective

Since the 1990s several attempts have been made to combat climate change. Governments use traditional instruments like the promotion of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. Since the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol new instruments have been introduced like international and national emissions trading. So far these existing abatement options are not sufficient to meet the national CO2 reduction targets. Until it is possible to use renewable resources on a larger scale without endangering security of supply, transitional instruments need to be designed. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is such a transitional instrument that allows for the use of fossil fuels without emitting CO2 in the atmosphere. The CO2 will be captured and transported to subsoil reservoirs where it is permanently stored. Because of its geological structure the Netherlands is considered to be suitable for large-scale CO2 storage. The Groningen Centre of Energy Law (GCEL) has analysed the legal instruments necessary to regulate CCS. This book presents a legal design of carbon capture and storage. Ten different chapters give an insight in the international, EU and national framework for CCS. They analyse the regime for geological storage and transportation pipelines, the financial incentives to promote CCS and the applicable liability regime. The authors are: Anatole Boute, Jan Bouwman, Marcel Brus, Irene Burgers, Kars de Graaf, Wilbert Grevers, Avelien Haan, Jan Jans, Dick Lubach, Ko de Ridder, Martha Roggenkamp, Hans Vedder, Mark Wissink and Edwin Woerdman.