Richard Metcalfe gave an invited presentation on risk assessment for CO2 storage projects, at a technical workshop on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) that was held in Abu Dhabi on 7-8 September 2011.The meeting was convened by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and co-sponsored by the governments of Norway and the United Arab Emirates. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss "Modalities and procedures for CCS in geological formations as Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project activities", specifically to provide technical input to negotiations about whether or not CCS should be adopted as a CDM activity.
The CDM allows emission-reduction projects in developing countries to earn Certified Emission Reduction (CER) credits, which can be traded, and used by industrialized countries as a contribution to their emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. The meeting was attended by 59 delegates from 37 countries that are Parties to the UNFCCC and a further 27 experts from non-governmental organisations, research institutes and consultants. All major aspects of CCS were covered, including: project boundaries; accounting and transboundary issues; risk and safety assessment; monitoring, permanence and liability; national CCS programmes; and frameworks and implications for modalities and procedures. The meeting conveyed to the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the UNFCCC Secretariat, evidence and opinions that, properly implemented, CCS promises to be a significant measure to help prevent further undesirable climate change. Presentations from the meeting can be accessed here.