Poland has significant carbon removal potential but urgently needs policy and infrastructure to match

Poland has significant untapped potential to deploy carbon dioxide removal (CDR) at scale. But limited development of national strategy, targets, and investment risks leaving that potential stranded.

Significant CDR potential exists in Poland today and in the future

A new Carbon Removal Readiness Assessment (CRRA) by Carbon Gap and Sweco finds that Poland could remove up to ~45 MtCO₂ per year through CDR methods by 2050 under a high-ambition scenario. When adding the natural sink, Poland's removal potential could reach up to ~85 MtCO₂/year by 2050, way above the projected residual emissions of 30–50 MtCO₂/year.

Compared to other countries, scenarios for Poland (until 2050) rely more heavily (>80%) on natural ecosystems. Land-based pathways like Afforestation, peatland restoration, cropland and pasture management, BECCS, and biochar offer, in the near term, the most immediately deployable options.

This potential is because forests are a strong asset of the country (peatlands in particular) but also because of delays cumulated by the country in shaping its climate policy resulting in a high carbon intensity of the grid and stalled development of geologic storage. Poland has not yet incorporated the EU's 2050 climate neutrality target into national legislation, and currently has no dedicated CDR targets, climate law, or strategy.

Under a low-ambition scenario, CDR delivers only ~16 MtCO₂/year by 2050 – falling short of residual emissions without reliance on natural sinks. Without proactive evolution climate policy in Poland, the country risks falling behind EU climate objectives and leaving its CDR resources largely untapped.

Sylvain Delerce, Chief Scientist at Carbon Gap said, "While Poland is currently behind several EU Member States in developing carbon removal policy frameworks, there remains clear opportunities to boost land-based removals in the short term and build a credible, long-term policy infrastructure to unlock the large durable carbon management hub that Poland can become".

Geological storage and infrastructure are bottlenecks

Across all scenarios, access to geological CO₂ storage is a major constraint on scaling CDR in Poland – a trend consistent with all European countries analysed. BECCS potential in particular could be wasted on the lack of storage options. Poland holds significant domestic storage capacity, but it remains largely underdeveloped and is currently prioritised for emissions reductions through industrial point-source CCS rather than atmospheric carbon removal (CDR). Unlocking it would not only enable Poland to meet its own climate targets but could position it as a carbon management hub including for neighbouring countries in Central and Eastern Europe where domestic storage capacity may be more limited. This creates both an opportunity and a strategic responsibility for Poland within the European carbon management system.

The report finds Poland has emerging CCUS activity – government investment, business clusters, and research – that could form the foundation of a broader CDR infrastructure. But limited administrative coordination and the absence of an integrated long-term framework linking climate neutrality, CCUS, industrial policy, and CDR are identified as key structural barriers.

Public support can be built – but policy and investment must follow

Stakeholder interviews and a citizen panel conducted as part of the CRRA revealed that public awareness of CDR in Poland remains low, but support can be built. Citizens favoured nature-based approaches (afforestation, peatland restoration, and cropland and pasture management) reinforcing their role as near-term entry points for CDR deployment. Interviewed stakeholders, particularly those from expert and NGO backgrounds, were more familiar with technological methods: BECCS and DACCS were among the most recognised, while biochar was noted for its practicality and co-benefits. Both citizens and stakeholders raised questions on the cost, effectiveness, and environmental impact of technological approaches. Attitudes towards most methods became more positive after informed discussion.

Experts stress that Poland has significant implementation potential, particularly in energy-intensive sectors, but that the lack of a national strategy, regulatory frameworks, and finance for pilot projects is a key constraint on progress. CDR projects face high upfront costs and long payback horizons; without credible offtake mechanisms – whether through the EU ETS, Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs), or dedicated public procurement – CDR in Poland is unlikely to scale beyond early projects. Poland's actions over the next decade will be critical in determining the role carbon removal plays in its long-term climate strategy. Poland has many of the technical ingredients for a carbon management system, but now needs to translate them into coordinated policy, infrastructure, and market signals.