Assessing readiness for CC(U)S: are we there yet?

Given the slow progress on climate mitigation across the world, the need for carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is being increasingly discussed across society. However, the public remains ignorant of CCS and the role it may play in reducing CO2 emissions. This means responses to CCS projects can be reactionary rather than based on knowledge of CCS project attributes. To overcome this gap, we used a Discrete Choice Experiment, to investigate: (i) under what conditions do individuals choose a CCS project (or not)? and (ii) what are the attributes that influence preferences for the different forms of CCS? This was seen as a way to address the shortfall of previous public perception research by focusing on the different attributes of CCS projects. We used a market research company to conduct an online survey across seven countries (N=7264) including Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Brazil and Indonesia. While there were small differences in preferences across countries, all respondents preferred projects that showed higher benefits – maximising the CO2 captured for the lowest cost. The other finding was that respondents were less likely to choose projects storing CO2 locally. These three findings highlight the areas that require most attention for communicating and engaging communities for local CCS projects. While not insurmountable, there is a need to ensure financing CCS projects do not become a burden on the public through subsidies. A more nuanced approach is required to ensure CCS becomes mainstreamed into global mitigation strategies.