The International Legal Framework of Oceanic Shipping of Carbon Dioxide for Permanent Storage

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change defines carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) as “a process in which a relatively pure stream of carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial and energy-related sources is separated (captured), conditioned, compressed, and transported to a storage location for long-term isolation from the atmosphere.” Therefore, CCS encompasses a series of steps, at minimum: capturing carbon dioxide, its transportation to a storage site, and its injection into the subsurface for permanent storage. As such, CCS does not refer to any single activity or technology. This Article focuses on the transportation aspect of CCS and, more precisely, on the cross-border shipping of carbon dioxide for permanent storage (sequestration) abroad. This Article presents a comprehensive review of the current international legal framework applicable to the transboundary transportation of carbon dioxide.\nThe issue of cross-border transportation of carbon dioxide for permanent storage is of academic and practical interest, especially when considering the current levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere and the need for storing carbon dioxide outside Europe, in particular. There is a vast literature discussing technical aspects of CCS and the experience of sectors and specific countries with CCS. Books and research exclusively dedicated to the international legal framework of oceanic shipping of carbon dioxide for permanent storage are missing.