28 August 2023

Sign the RCI Manifesto for the next European Commission (2024-2029)

The Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) is highlighting key issues as policymaker's awareness and support is crucial for the much-needed transition to renewable carbon

Dependence on fossil fuels such as crude oil and gas - the main cause of climate change - must end! Political support is essential to successfully implement this shift to renewable carbon use. The RCI Manifesto outlines seven key recommendations for the next European Commission to turn this vision into reality.

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The Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) has published a Manifesto for the next European Commission (2024-2029), highlighting key issues as policymaker's awareness and support is crucial for the much-needed transition to renewable carbon.

Defossilisation is essential for the chemicals and materials industry to meet both climate change targets and the continuing demand for embedded carbon - the carbon bound within molecules. This can only be achieved by using renewable carbon sources from biomass, direct use of CO2 or recycling. 

The manifesto outlines seven key messages to policymakers to make this transformation a reality:

  1. Ensure that carbon embedded in chemicals and materials is given greater policy attention as an important driver of material-related emissions. Renewable carbon from biomass, direct CO2 use and recycling must become a guiding principle for policies and targets regulating chemicals and materials.
  2. Make a phase-out of fossil carbon from the subsurface for chemicals and materials by 2050 an explicit target.
  3. Translate the 20% non-fossil carbon target for chemicals and plastics by 2030 from the Sustainable Carbon Cycles Communication into binding legislation and ensure implementation through concrete policy measures.
  4. Establish a 'Carbon Management Regulation' to incentivise companies to replace fossil carbon from the ground with renewable alternatives.
  5. Promote bio- and CO2-based[1] or attributed content in parallel with recycled content in product-related regulation.
  6. Deploy Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) as a key strategic net zero technology to provide sustainable and circular carbon.
  7. Support the conversion of existing chemical infrastructure from fossil to renewable carbon and the conversion of biofuel plants into chemical suppliers, without discriminating against existing production from renewable feedstocks (including primary biomass).

[1] The use of the term CCU generally refers to the use of carbon dioxide (CO2), but can also include industrial sources of carbon monoxide (CO) prior to flaring or other conversion to CO2 before release to the atmosphere. In the US, CO2 and CO are grouped together as "carbon oxides" for purposes of the Section 45Q CCUS tax credit. For the purposes of this report, "CO2 utilisation" is understood to include other carbon oxides.

Voice your support for the RCI Manifesto for the next European Commission (2024-2029) now!

Click here to submit your online signature: https://renewable-carbon-initiative.com/call-for-signature-rci-manifesto/

Source:

Renewable Carbon Initiative, press release, 2023-08-28.