Climate and Energy

A new four-year Horizon Europe project has been initiated to investigate the feasibility of storing CO2 in the ocean. It aims to determine whether this method is environmentally safe, socially acceptable, and economically viable. The oceans hold significant potential as enhanced sinks for atmospheric CO2, contributing to global climate targets. Within the project, the Kiel Institute will address the question of how actual CDR (carbon dioxide removal)-based methods could be implemented and integrated into climate policy.

In cooperation of the Christian-Albrechts-University (CAU) and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Wilfried Rickels takes up a professorship to research economic aspects of atmospheric CO2 removal (Economics of Negative Emissions Technologies). In this capacity, he will also remain director of the Global Commons and Climate Policy Research Center at the Kiel Institute.

The COP27 world climate summit is not only intended to concretize the implementation of global climate targets, but is also a reminder to meet the national emission reduction targets defined under the Paris Agreement. The considerable damage that would be caused if individual countries were to withdraw—as Donald Trump had planned for the U.S. in 2020—is shown by comprehensive scenario calculations for 140 countries by researchers at the Kiel Institute and the University of Bayreuth. Two countries are particular heavyweights.