CCS in China

This policy brief by the World Resources Institute examines the necessity and current state of a regulatory framework for carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) in China. It argues that while China relies heavily on coal and views CCS as a critical tool for reducing emissions, it lacks a comprehensive domestic regulatory framework to ensure environmental health, safety, and efficacy, particularly regarding geologic storage.

• China's heavy reliance on coal makes CCS a critical component of its energy models to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2009, coal provided 70 percent of China's primary energy, and models suggest that while emissions may peak by 2030, they could decline after that date if CCS is widely deployed.
• Although China has begun research and development for CCS, it has not yet established a comprehensive domestic regulatory framework for project oversight. While some political institutions and adaptable laws exist, regulations specifically for geological storage—the area of highest technical uncertainty—are not yet in place.
• The International Energy Agency (IEA) has proposed a CCS Roadmap aiming for a 50 percent reduction in 2005 energy-related global CO2 emissions by 2050, which would require 100 CCS projects to be operational by 2020.
• To move toward large-scale commercial CCS, the document suggests China implement a pilot regulatory framework for initial demonstrations that can be revised before wide-scale deployment, drawing on key criteria used by other nations for environmental, health, and safety issues.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). CCS in China. https://www.wri.org/research/ccs-china

Chicago

World Resources Institute. CCS in China. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/ccs-china.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=CCS in China |url=https://www.wri.org/research/ccs-china |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendccs, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{CCS in China}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/ccs-china}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }