A policy roadmap for negative emissions using direct air capture.

Area of Science:

• Climate Change Mitigation
• Environmental Policy
• Carbon Capture Technologies

Background:

• Negative emission strategies are crucial for climate change mitigation.
• Engineered solutions like direct air capture (DAC) face cost competitiveness challenges.
• Past low-carbon transitions indicate the need for policy and political strategies beyond simple carbon pricing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adopt a policy sequencing perspective for deploying direct air capture (DAC).
• To identify policies that create niche markets and build political support for DAC.
• To explore an "incentives + mandates" strategy targeting the oil and gas industry.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of policy sequencing strategies for technology adoption.
• Examination of historical low-carbon technology transitions.
• Proposal of targeted policy interventions for early-stage market creation.

Main Results:

• An "incentives + mandates" policy strategy can create niche markets for direct air capture.
• Targeting the oil and gas industry can accelerate early deployment and cost reduction.
• Early policy moves can generate global spillovers, reducing costs and facilitating knowledge transfer for follower countries.

Conclusions:

• Policy sequencing, particularly an "incentives + mandates" approach, is vital for overcoming cost barriers in direct air capture.
• Strategic targeting of industries like oil and gas can foster initial market development.
• International collaboration and knowledge transfer are facilitated by early policy leadership, promoting global climate goals.