Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CSS) Technology as a Climate Change Mitigation Option: What are the Legal and Regulatory Frameworks for Its Deployment?

Abstract

Climate change is a fact of life. This has resulted in increased efforts to develop new technologies that will help mitigate this phenomenon. It is against this backdrop that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology attracted a lot of interest as an option that can help capture CO₂ in large quantities from fossil fuel plants and store it underground to prevent it from escaping into the atmosphere. The study seeks to assess the legal and regulatory frameworks for effective deployment of the CCS technology as a climate change mitigation measure. Secondary data in a form of books, articles, journals and other legal documents were used as the basis for qualitative analysis. The paper found out that though there are available some national and international legal instruments, some pertinent issues such as the long term liability, costs, environmental, legal, definition and classification of CO_2, access and property rights as well as an intellectual Property Rights need to be addressed before Carbon Capture and Storage Technology can be deployed effectively as a climate change mitigation option.

Keywords: Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage, Climate Change Mitigation, Legal and Regulatory Framework