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The report provides a 'Bank of Evidence' detailing the failures and risks of geoengineering, categorized into carbon removal and solar radiation management. It highlights specific project failures in carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Australia, the UAE, and Canada, and critiques the ecological risks of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air capture (DAC). The document also examines speculative solar radiation management (SRM) experiments in the US, UK, and Mexico, and various marine geoengineering attempts, asserting that these 'false solutions' often benefit the fossil fuel industry while threatening biodiversity and human rights.

The report documents the negative impacts and risks associated with various geoengineering 'false solutions,' including carbon capture and storage (CCS), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), direct air capture (DAC), solar radiation management (SRM), and marine geoengineering. It provides specific examples of project failures, environmental hazards, and social injustices across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America, asserting that these technologies often perpetuate the fossil fuel economy rather than solving the climate crisis.

The document provides a comprehensive critique of geoengineering, categorizing it into carbon removal (CDR) and solar radiation management (SRM). It details specific failures and risks of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS/CCUS), Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), Direct Air Capture (DAC), and marine geoengineering across various global regions, emphasizing that these 'false solutions' often facilitate continued fossil fuel extraction through Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and pose significant ecological and social threats.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the passage of H.R. 8665 to accelerate the development of supercritical geothermal energy, which it describes as a high-density, 24/7 carbon-free power source capable of meeting significant energy demands. CATF argues that while the bill's structure is sound, its current $5 million annual allocation is insufficient to cover even a single deep geothermal well. Additionally, the testimony supports H.R. 7053 to provide states with more flexibility in using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for plugging orphaned wells by reducing mandatory, costly methane measurements. CATF emphasizes that the U.S. can leverage its existing oil and gas workforce and subsurface expertise to lead in next-generation geothermal innovation, competing with countries like China, New Zealand, Japan, and Iceland.

The document outlines the ongoing efforts by WTO members to expand the 2022 Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. It focuses on draft rules circulated on April 12, 2024, by the chair of the Rules Negotiating Group, aimed at preventing government financial support from creating excessive fishing pressure and harming marine resources.

The report examines a draft WTO text designed to complement the 2022 Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies by prohibiting subsidies that drive overcapacity and overfishing. It details a 'hybrid' approach combining a broad prohibition with management-based exemptions and special and differential treatment (SDT) for developing nations. The text also proposes stricter rules for distant-water fishing and enhanced transparency requirements, including notifications on forced labour and aggregate subsidy levels. While not a final agreement, the report argues the draft represents a significant compromise to align global fishing subsidies with sustainable development goals.

The report argues that achieving net-zero aviation emissions by 2050 requires a multi-fuel approach because sustainable biofuels alone cannot meet projected energy demands. It examines synthetic fuels (e-fuels) as a scalable drop-in solution, though currently expensive, and analyzes the potential of hydrogen and ammonia for regional and domestic flights. While electrification is limited to niche urban air mobility, the report suggests a 2050 fuel mix comprising 86% bio- and synthetic SAF and 14% zero-carbon fuels (hydrogen and ammonia) as a plausible path to decarbonization, provided there is massive scale-up of low-carbon hydrogen production and supportive policy frameworks.

The study assesses three geofluid scenarios and three power generation models, concluding that an unwashed open cycle plant is the most efficient pathway for superhot rock energy. It identifies a technology gap in steam turbine design, which is rated at TRL 5-6, while other surface equipment is rated TRL 8-9. The report recommends dry cooling (Air-Cooled Condensers) to minimize water consumption and estimates the surface facility capital cost at $1,988.50 USD/kW.

Using updated CoastalDEM elevation data and IPCC medium-to-high emissions scenarios, Climate Central projects that by 2100, annual coastal flood risk zones will expand to include areas where an additional 93 million people currently live. The report highlights severe population impacts in Asia, particularly in China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, and provides the first full assessment of population exposure in Arctic nations.

The report argues that Occidental Petroleum's (Oxy) climate strategy is misaligned with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. It finds that Oxy's net-zero targets are inadequate, focusing primarily on scope 1 and 2 emissions while ignoring the vast majority of its carbon footprint in scope 3. The analysis highlights a heavy overreliance on unproven direct air capture (DAC) technology, which the report claims is used as a 'licence to pollute' and a mechanism to prolong oil and gas extraction through enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The report further asserts that Oxy's 'net-zero oil' claims are scientifically invalid and that its lobbying efforts for government subsidies for carbon removals contradict its public climate commitments.

The paper outlines a strategic framework for Europe to achieve leadership in clean energy innovation, emphasizing that financial investment alone is insufficient. It proposes four pillars of innovative capacity: building human capital, pushing early-stage technology, creating demand-side market incentives, and securing access to key resources. Using Norway's carbon capture and storage (CCS) leadership as a case study, the author demonstrates how aligning these pillars creates a competitive advantage that is difficult for other regions to imitate. The document concludes that Europe should target sectors where it has natural resource advantages and integrate its policies to create a cohesive ecosystem rather than relying on isolated funding or deployment targets.

The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is a cap-and-trade mechanism designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the power, heavy industry, aviation, and maritime sectors by pricing pollution. It operates by setting a decreasing cap on total emissions, divided into EU Allowances (EUAs), which companies can trade or buy at auction. While the system has raised over €152 billion since 2005, its effectiveness has been historically hampered by an oversupply of permits and the extensive use of free allocations to prevent 'carbon leakage'. A separate system, ETS2, will be introduced in 2027 to cover buildings and road transport. The document highlights concerns regarding the environmental integrity of the current cap relative to the EU's carbon budget and the lack of transparency in how member states spend auction revenues.

The briefing examines the role of carbon capture and storage (CCS), noting that the majority of the world's 41 operational projects are linked to the oil and gas industry, specifically for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). It highlights a history of 'unmet expectations' and slow deployment, with capture rates often falling short of targets. While CCS is proposed for hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel, the document argues it is often less cost-effective than electrification or energy efficiency. It further details how CCS projects in Norway, Canada, and Australia have been used to maintain the financial viability of fossil fuel extraction.

The document argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential for Europe to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, particularly for hard-to-abate industrial sectors like cement and steel. It details the technical processes of capture and geological storage, asserts that leakage risks are extremely low, and outlines current project developments in the North Sea region and across the EU. The text also addresses the economic viability of CCS, noting that while costs vary by industry, the technology is often the lowest-cost path for specific industrial decarbonisation and carbon dioxide removal (CDR).

The document explains the EU's State aid control system, which generally prohibits government financial support to companies to protect the internal market unless the European Commission approves it. It details the 'State aid rulebook', including block exemptions and guidelines, and highlights the lack of systematic climate and environmental mainstreaming in these rules. The guide also outlines the procedural challenges for CSOs, who are typically treated as 'third parties' without formal standing to lodge complaints or challenge decisions in EU courts, and provides strategies for CSOs to influence State aid design and transparency.

The report evaluates the technical feasibility of drilling superhot rock (SHR) geothermal wells—defined as depths >5 km and temperatures >374°C. It concludes that while the necessary technologies exist or are emerging, significant gaps remain in rate of penetration (ROP) for hard rock, high-temperature electronic tool durability, and temperature management. The analysis categorizes rock-destroying equipment into conventional rotary, hybrid, and direct energy methods, assigning Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to each. It emphasizes that the primary barrier to progress is a lack of access to SHR conditions in both laboratory and field settings, which prevents the iterative testing needed to reduce costs and risks.

The report presents a preliminary techno-economic model for superhot rock energy, estimating that Nth-of-a-kind (NOAK) plants could achieve a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) between $20-35 per megawatt-hour (MWh). The model categorizes costs into well field development, power plant construction, and project financing, assuming a 250 MWe plant capacity and a 30-year lifetime. Key findings indicate that flow rate is the most significant driver of LCOE, while reductions in drilling costs alone have a relatively minor impact on overall capital expenditures. The analysis compares two technology regimes: one based on current drilling and casing technology and another assuming advanced 'energy drilling' that eliminates the need for casing. The report emphasizes that commercialization depends on breakthroughs in high-temperature materials, such as casing and cementing, and thermal reservoir creation.

The document examines the risks and inefficiencies of direct air capture (DAC), focusing on Oxy's Stratos project in Texas. It argues that DAC is used as a 'smokescreen' to prolong fossil fuel extraction through enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and to capture public subsidies. The briefing highlights that DAC's projected global capacity is insignificant compared to total emissions and that its resource requirements—including water and toxic chemicals—pose environmental risks. It further critiques the influence of oil executives on COP28 leadership and the use of flawed carbon credits to justify continued pollution.

The briefing examines carbon mineralization as a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategy, highlighting its potential to remove up to 10 gigatons of CO2 annually by 2050. It argues that while some federal funding exists, mineralization lacks the dedicated support given to direct air capture. The author calls for expanded R&D funding, demonstration projects, and updated tax credits (specifically 45Q) to scale the technology. Additionally, the document emphasizes the need for robust measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) standards and regulations to manage hazardous materials in feedstocks to ensure responsible deployment.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends that the EU prioritise 'no regrets' industrial sectors for hydrogen deployment, utilize all clean production pathways (including 'blue' hydrogen), and site production close to consumption to minimize transport inefficiencies. The report emphasizes that public funding should be matched to projects that provide socio-economic benefits to local communities and that a comprehensive EU database should be established to ensure transparency and collaboration.