Burying problems? Imaginaries of carbon capture and storage in Scandinavia

This project examines imaginaries of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Scandinavian energy systems. CCS has been described as a promising climate change solution but has yet to deliver on these promises. Furthermore, the exact ways in which the technology will be used and governed are understudied but will have significant social, political, and economic implications. Our project seeks to analyze the various opportunities, contradictions, and trade-offs that characterize different imaginaries of CCS in future Scandinavian energy systems. Our approach involves direct engagement with actors from industry, government, and civil society, with the ambition to contribute to public discussions on the role and governance of CCS. We seek to highlight and understand the justice issues that pervade current and proposed uses of CCS and, ultimately, empower policymakers to build a more equitable and just energy future for us all.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a way of taking greenhouse gasses and putting them underground so that they cannot affect the climate. Many people and organisations think that CCS is a great method to deal with our emissions. We want to find out if this is really the case. Does the technology really serve all in our society or maybe just a few rich people? We think that the way how we talk and imagine CCS defines to whose benefit the technology is used. That's why we look at how CCS features in the public debate and whose interests are represented by different visions of a future use of CCS: