Introducing an EU Pilot Procurement Programme

Through a dedicated Pilot Procurement Programme, the EU could kick-start a high-quality domestic market for carbon removal by 2030 that secures its path towards climate neutrality. Procurement needs to be a part of the EU's wider strategy for developing, deploying, and scaling-up CDR to achieve climate neutrality, and net negative emissions thereafter. Such a programme could boost competitiveness, making the EU a more attractive environment for the most promising CDR innovators.

This policy brief provides a comprehensive proposal for how EU policymakers can take a first crucial step towards EU-wide deployment of a portfolio of CDR methods designed to meet the needs of the CDR sector and bolster the contribution of carbon removal to EU climate targets. Through the EU pilot procurement programme, the EU would procure to secure a lead in CDR deployment and help cement its reputation as a force for effective and just climate change mitigation.

Starting in 2025, the pilot procurement programme would procure permanent removals on behalf of the EU from suppliers based in the EU, with public funding to be matched or extended by private investments. It would support a portfolio of CDR methods and procure a range of volumes of removed carbon at different price points. Carbon Gap strongly advocates for allocating the available funding equally among the permanent CDR methods certified by the Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming (CRCF) legislation. Procured volumes of CDR would be counted towards the EU's nationally determined contribution (NDC) for 2035, due before COP30.