UK Pledges Nearly £22 Billion For Carbon Capture Projects

The British government has pledged nearly £22 billion for projects to capture and store carbon emissions from energy, industry, and hydrogen production, BBC News reported.

The funding for two "carbon capture clusters" on Merseyside and Teesside, promised over the next 25 years, would create thousands of jobs and attract private investment. I Photo: Climeworks / Dunlop

It stated that the funding for two "carbon capture clusters" on Merseyside and Teesside, promised over the next 25 years, would create thousands of jobs, attract private investment, and help the UK meet climate goals.

Sir Keir Starmer, who is visiting the northwest of England with Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to confirm the projects, said the move would "reignite our industrial heartlands" and "kickstart growth."

However, some green campaigners have argued that the investment would "extend the life of planet-heating oil and gas production."

Carbon capture and storage facilities aim to prevent carbon dioxide (CO2) produced from industrial processes and power stations from being released into the atmosphere.

Most of the CO2 is captured, transported, and then stored deep underground. Organizations like the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Climate Change Committee view it as a key element in meeting targets to reduce the greenhouse gases driving dangerous climate change.