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The 2022 U.S. midterm elections resulted in a divided government with a Republican-controlled House and a Democratic-controlled Senate. The document argues that this political landscape necessitates a focus on bipartisan, 'election-proof' policies and the effective implementation of existing landmark laws like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It highlights specific funding allocations for carbon capture, hydrogen, and nuclear energy, while emphasizing the role of the EPA in finalizing methane regulations and the capacity of 17 states with aligned governors and legislatures to pursue net-zero goals by 2050.

The document outlines Germany's shift toward adopting carbon management technologies, highlighting the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action's (BMWK) efforts to develop a national strategy and update the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act (KSpG). It emphasizes that achieving 2045 climate goals is not possible without these technologies and details several proposed CO2 pipeline and export projects intended to transport emissions to offshore storage sites in Norway and the Netherlands.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) have provided unprecedented funding for both technological and natural carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in the U.S. The BIL focuses on infrastructure, including $3.5 billion for four regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hubs and billions for CO2 transport and storage. The IRA enhances these efforts through an expanded 45Q tax credit, offering up to $180/tCO2 for geologically sequestered DAC, and allocates billions for climate-smart agriculture and forestry, such as $8.45 billion for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Together, these laws support the full lifecycle of carbon capture and ecosystem restoration to help the U.S. reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The report finds that most EU Member States cannot reach climate neutrality through natural sinks alone, with only Spain, Finland, and Sweden projected to have sinks of the necessary magnitude by 2050. While forestry is the primary focus of natural removals, there is a significant lack of attention to sink stability and other land-use categories. Technological solutions are discussed, with a clear preference for Carbon Capture and Storage/Utilization (CCS/CCU) over Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) and Direct Air Capture (DAC), though distinctions between these technologies are often blurred in national strategies.

The document analyzes the synergistic effect of the Energy Act of 2020, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 on the U.S. energy transition.

The document critiques the 'net zero' narrative, asserting that it relies on unproven carbon removals and offsets that allow polluters to continue emissions. It specifically highlights the risks of 'Nature Based Solutions' (NBS) leading to land grabbing in the Global South and the dangers of techno-fixes like BECCS and DACCS. The briefing details how the Article 6 'Rulebook' agreed at COP26 facilitates global carbon markets and warns that COP27 may further entrench these mechanisms. It concludes by advocating for 'real solutions' centered on a coordinated fossil fuel phase-out, food sovereignty, and Indigenous rights.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 represents the largest congressional action to date on climate change, allocating nearly $370 billion toward disadvantaged communities and clean energy. It introduces technology-neutral tax credits starting in 2025, a 10-year runway for energy incentives, and significant funding for domestic manufacturing of solar, wind, and batteries. Rhodium Group modeling suggests the IRA could increase U.S. greenhouse gas reductions to 31%-44% by 2030, potentially meeting the U.S. nationally determined contribution when combined with other agency and local actions. The law also establishes the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and provides incentives for electric vehicle adoption, though domestic content requirements may affect the scale of EV growth.

The document analyzes the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, detailing how they provide billions in funding and tax credits for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), direct air capture (DAC), and hydrogen production. It specifically highlights the 45Q tax credit increases and the Clean Hydrogen Tax Credit, while criticizing provisions that link renewable energy permitting on federal lands to continued oil and gas leasing.

The document describes CCS as an integrated infrastructure for capturing, transporting, and storing CO2. It notes a history of failure, with only 10% of projects between 1995 and 2018 being completed, but highlights a recent surge in investment and project pipelines, particularly in North America and Europe. The author argues that CCS is currently only truly essential for the cement sector, as renewables outperform it in power generation and green hydrogen is expected to undercut blue hydrogen by 2030. It warns against carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) due to high energy requirements and the risk of increasing net emissions.

The aviation sector contributes 2% of global CO2 emissions, with projections suggesting these could triple by 2050 without policy intervention. While Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) are the primary current solution, the report argues that the term is imprecise and that relying solely on biofuels would require quadrupling global production by 2030 and quintupling it by 2040, posing severe risks to land use, biodiversity, and food security. To meet projected global energy demands of 15.9 quads in 2030 and 21.5 quads in 2050, the report advocates for a shift toward scalable zero-emission fuels (SZEFs)—including hydrogen and synthetic fuels created via direct air capture (DAC)—and electric propulsion. It provides specific policy recommendations for the U.S. and EU, including RD&D investments, carbon intensity standards, and the phasing out of free emission allowances.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that the United States can achieve a 98 percent reduction in transportation emissions by 2050 through rapid vehicle electrification, strengthened efficiency standards, and a transition to renewable electricity. The proposed 'Core scenario' involves ending sales of passenger cars and light trucks by 2035 and medium- and heavy-duty trucks by 2040, reducing liquid fuel use by 84 percent by midcentury. These pathways are deemed economically viable, with net energy costs estimated at less than 1 percent of GDP. The report emphasizes that this transition must be coupled with a power grid shift to 97 percent zero-carbon sources by 2050 and a focus on environmental justice for overburdened communities.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that 'net zero' is a global scientific concept that should not be applied to individual entities, as doing so encourages the use of ineffective offsets and speculative technologies. CIEL recommends that standards for non-state entities require absolute emissions reductions, the inclusion of Scope 3 emissions, and a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels. The document specifically criticizes the fossil fuel industry for using net-zero pledges to mask continued production and warns that reliance on Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and technological Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) is risky and unproven. It advocates for mandatory regulation, transparent reporting, and the integration of human rights and climate justice into all net-zero frameworks.

The Inflation Reduction Act commits $369 billion to energy and climate initiatives to decarbonize the US economy and secure clean energy supply chains. Key measures include tax credits for electric vehicles, residential energy efficiency, and green hydrogen, alongside funding for urban forestry and carbon capture. The legislation targets a reduction in energy costs for households, the revitalization of former fossil fuel communities, and the acceleration of low-carbon industrial production in sectors like steel and cement.

The Canadian Climate Institute argues that the proposed Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) contain ambiguities and exemptions that could undermine Canada's 2035 net zero electricity target. The Institute recommends clarifying the treatment of existing power units, removing financial exemptions for emergency emissions, and phasing out output-based pricing in favor of a full carbon price. To maintain climate credibility and affordability, it suggests the government use financial compliance revenues to procure negative emissions and address equity concerns through targeted public investment and rate design rather than by diluting the CER's stringency.

The policy brief outlines a proposed framework for a German national carbon management strategy, emphasizing the necessity of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and direct air capture (DAC) to meet 2045 climate goals. It suggests five pillars: setting clear quantitative targets, prioritizing hard-to-abate sectors like cement and refineries, engaging civil society, developing shared CO2 transport infrastructure, and fostering international cooperation, particularly within the EU and with countries like Norway and Denmark.

The report argues that Canada's oil and gas sector must dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, specifically fugitive methane, to survive falling global demand. It proposes a short-term focus on decarbonizing production through a sector-specific emissions cap and a long-term pivot toward becoming 'carbon management' companies. These companies would leverage Canada's geological advantages to produce blue and green hydrogen, low-carbon chemical feedstocks, and carbon-negative products using carbon capture and storage (CCS) and direct air capture.

The British Columbia Low Carbon Fuel Standard has reduced annual transport emissions by an average of 6% from 2010 to 2020 and is projected to meet 31% of the province's 2030 reduction goals. The author proposes two main modifications: expanding the scope to include aviation and marine fuels—which are expected to represent 51% of transport emissions by 2050—and allowing compliance credits for direct air capture with permanent storage. To succeed, the document argues the province must address incentive gaps that currently favor renewable diesel over low-carbon jet fuels, account for indirect land-use change in carbon footprint calculations to support advanced biofuels, and expand the geographic eligibility of direct air capture projects beyond provincial borders to accelerate deployment and reduce costs.

British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard reduced transportation emissions by an average of 6% annually from 2010 to 2020 and is projected to drive 31% of the province's 2030 reduction targets. The document proposes expanding the regulation to include jet and marine fuels, as well as direct air capture with permanent storage, to address hard-to-abate sectors and negative emissions. To maximize effectiveness, the author recommends closing the incentive gap that currently favors renewable diesel over low-carbon jet fuel, incorporating indirect land-use change (ILUC) into carbon footprint measurements to support advanced biofuels, and allowing direct air capture credits for projects located outside British Columbia to accelerate technology deployment.

The California Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) 3.3.1 update finds that current policy commitments will leave California's 2030 emissions nearly 20% above the SB 32 target. To address this, Energy Innovation proposes a 'Deeper Decarbonization Scenario' focusing on rapid electrification of vehicles, appliances, and industry, alongside a strengthened clean energy standard. This approach is projected to lower 2030 emissions to 230 MMT of CO2e and generate significant economic and public health benefits, including $60 billion in monetized social benefits by 2050, while reducing reliance on unproven carbon dioxide removal technologies.

The Clean Air Task Force advocates for increasing the 45Q tax credit to $85 per tonne for carbon capture and $180 per tonne for DAC, while indexing these values to inflation from 2020 to prevent economic erosion. The brief suggests that these enhancements, combined with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, could lead to a 13-fold increase in carbon capture projects by 2031, sequestering between 72 and 125 million tonnes of CO2 annually.