The Social Dynamics of Carbon Capture and Storage

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has rapidly emerged as a crucial technological option for decarbonising electricity supply and hence mitigating climate change. It is attracting interest and support from a wide field of actors, and great hopes are being pinned on its deployment over the coming decade. At the same time that CCS is at the stage of entering large-scale demonstration around the world, scepticism and criticism is growing in some places. A number of basic questions remain to be debated and answered to address these concerns what form the technology will take, how well it will work, how economic and beneficial it will be, what risks it entails, and how it fits with other energy and climate mitigation options to meet goals of long-term sustainability. This book for the first time brings together a range of social science perspectives and policy issues on CCS, to shed new light on this potentially vital technology and its future. It covers many crucial topics: the roles and positions of different publics, NGOs and industry actors; the way CCS is organised, supported and regulated; how innovation, demonstration and learning are occurring and being conceptualised and promoted; and the perceived role of CCS in the transition to a low carbon energy future. The contributions draw on a variety of approaches, concepts, methods and themes from across the social sciences, and show how interdisciplinary perspectives can help us understand innovation in the energy and climate change fields. The book thereby addresses several issues related to CCS in a way that speaks to audiences looking to understand the role of emerging technologies in different social contexts; to practitioners who are involved in the scientific and technological work itself; and to policymakers charged with evaluating and making decisions relevant to the future of the technology.