Beijing, China — A new $3 million fund is helping support nine capacity building projects in five emerging economies as part of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum’s (CSLF) program to accelerate development and commercial deployment of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) demonstrations, the organization said at its Fourth Ministerial Meeting in Beijing this week.
Supported by CSLF members, the fund provides financial support to the Capacity Building Program, designed to assist the organization’s members in developing the information, tools, skills, expertise and institutions required to implement CCUS demonstrations and move them rapidly into commercial operation.
CSLF is a 25-member Ministerial-Level international climate change initiative marshalling worldwide resources to develop improved, cost-effective technologies for the separation, capture, transport, utilization and long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) from power plant and industrial facilities.
CCUS is a group of technologies for capturing CO2, a major greenhouse gas, emitted by power plants or industrial facilities, utilizing it for such things as enhanced oil and gas recovery and safely injecting it deep underground into suitable, permanent geologic storage sites. It is increasingly viewed by international experts as an essential part of a portfolio of responses by the world to effective management and reduction of human- based CO2 emissions.
The Capacity Building Fund, established and administered by the CSLF Secretariat, is open to all members of the organization, although emphasis is given to emerging economies that represent a wide geographic spread. As of July 31, 2011, the fund has committed nearly $1.13 million to nine projects in Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, ranging from developing training programs, knowledge bases and websites, to conducting workshops on experience sharing and legal and regulatory issues, and training engineers at CCS project sites.
In addition to the nine projects approved to date, two additional requests are being considered by the CSLF Capacity Building Fund Governing Council (CBFGC) and are under discussion with the requesting members.
The CSLF’s Capacity Building Program Plan has identified four initiatives, reflected in the project selections, needed for developing the information and capabilities for implementing CCUS demonstrations and deployment:
- Disseminating practical information;
- Building capacity in emerging economies;
- Assisting government and regulatory agencies; and,
- Building academic and research institutions for CCUS.
In addition, the Program Plan provides a framework for the governance of the CSLF Capacity building Program through:
- The raising financial resources for capacity building;
- Financial governance through the CBFGC; and,
- Assessment of capacity building needs.
CSLF membership includes nations in every stage of development, united in seeking practical and constructive ways of dealing with concerns about CO2 and climate change.
Forum membership spans the world's largest blocs of economic activity, including the North America Free Trade Area, the European Union and the leading economies of Asia. Members are Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, the European Commission, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.
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