RCI’s position paper: “RCI’s manifesto for the next European Commission (2024-2029)” (August 2023)

The RCI Manifesto highlights key issues for the new European Commission (2024 – 2029) to take up and focus on.

The key messages are:

1. Ensure that carbon embedded in chemicals and materials is given more political attention as an important factor for material-related emissions. Renewable carbon derived from biomass, direct CO2 utilisation, and recycling must become a guiding principle for policies and targets regulating chemicals and materials.
2. Make a stepwise phaseout of fossil carbon from below the ground for chemicals and materials by 2050 an explicit objective.
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 below the ground with renewable alternatives.
5. Promote bio- and CO₂-based^[1] or -attributed content in parallel to 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 transformation of existing chemical infrastructure from fossil to renewable carbon and support the transformation of biofuels plants into chemical suppliers without discriminating against existing production from renewable feedstock (including primary biomass).

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

Call for Signature

The RCI manifesto outlines 7 core recommendations directed towards the forthcoming European Commission, aimed at translating the vision of ending the use of fossil feedstock into reality.

Voice your support for the RCI manifesto for the next European Commission (2024–2029) now!

Authors

Renewable Carbon Initiative, Christopher vom Berg, Michael Carus

Date of publication

Aug 2023

Pages

3

Language

File type

PDF

Downloads

208